Martin Amis Criticism
Martin Amis, a pivotal figure in contemporary English literature, is renowned for his satirical exploration of modern society's excesses through novels rich in wit and moral inquiry. Often compared to Jonathan Swift, Amis critiques the socio-cultural landscape with a biting humor reminiscent of his father, Kingsley Amis. His characters, entrenched in obsessions with sex, drugs, and materialism, are portrayed in fast-paced narratives laced with contemporary slang. As noted by Susan Morrison, Amis sparks debate for his perceived malevolence, yet his works consistently reflect a deep moral consciousness, echoing the horror he feels for the world he depicts.
Born in Oxford in 1949, Amis's peripatetic education across Britain, Spain, and the United States, followed by a distinguished degree from Oxford, shaped his literary voice. His early career included roles at the London Times Literary Supplement and The New Statesman. He won acclaim with The Rachel Papers, followed by controversial works like Dead Babies and Success, which explore themes of social critique and personal disillusionment. Neil Powell highlights these early novels as incisive social satires where flawed protagonists navigate the chaos of youth.
Amis's later works, such as Time's Arrow and The Information, continue this trajectory of exploring humanity's darker impulses. Time's Arrow, with its reverse chronology, tackles the moral complexities of history, albeit controversially, as noted by critics like Maya Slater. The Information, acclaimed for its satirical take on literary envy, is described by Julian Loose as a rich exploration of ego and ambition within the publishing world.
Amis's work is characterized by its recurring themes of greed, cultural decay, and existential angst, culminating in novels that are as much a critique of literary culture as they are of society at large. Despite varied critical reception—where some see his narratives as rehashed or sensationalist—his style remains a hallmark of modern British literature, continually engaging readers with its intellectual rigor and sharp social commentary.
Contents
- Principal Works
- Amis, Martin (Vol. 9)
- Amis, Martin (Vol. 4)
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Amis, Martin (Vol. 101)
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What Life Is: The Novels of Martin Amis
(summary)
In the following essay, Powell provides overviews and analyses of three of Amis's early novels, The Rachel Papers, Dead Babies, and Success.
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The Wit and Fury of Martin Amis
(summary)
In the following essay, Susan Morrison explores Martin Amis's perspective on his literary influences, writing style, and techniques, highlighting his embrace of comic invention as central to his work and the controversies surrounding his reputation for misogyny, while also acknowledging his personal life and artistic evolution.
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Backward Steps
(summary)
In the following negative review, Taylor discusses the time structure of Time's Arrow, calling the novel "an entertaining conceit wound out to extravagant length."
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From Death to Birth
(summary)
In the following review of Time's Arrow, Lehman focuses on the reversed chronological order of the book's narrative and the intent of Amis's technique.
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Time's Arrow
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Bell dismisses Time's Arrow as 'offensive' and maintains that Amis 'fails to comprehend' what he has 'exploited' in his story about Nazi Germany.
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Problems When Time Moves Backwards: Martin Amis's Time's Arrow
(summary)
In the following essay, Slater points to problems that occur in the narrative of Time's Arrow as Amis attempts to tell a story in reverse.
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Bits of Rough
(summary)
In the following negative review, King calls Visiting Mrs. Nabokov "gossipy" and "egotistical," and dismisses the collection of journalistic pieces as "pretty miserable."
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Novelist at Large
(summary)
In the following review, Prose lauds Visiting Mrs. Nabokov as light, unoffensive, and lively.
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Martin Amis: Between the Influences of Bellow and Nabokov
(summary)
In the following essay, Alexander discusses the influences of Saul Bellow and Vladimir Nabokov in Amis's work, focusing on London Fields, Money, and The Moronic Inferno.
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Energy and Entropy
(summary)
In the following review, Kaveney asserts that The Information is a "generic" Amis novel, and claims the book to be "the overpriced sale of second-hand shoddy."
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What Little Boys Are Made Of
(summary)
In the following predominantly negative review, Ratcliffe discusses some of the "bad writing" that is present in The Information, noting that while parts of the tale are sincere and "diversionary," much of the novel is "self-laceratingly autobiographical."
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The Inflammation
(summary)
In the following review, Buckley discusses The Information and how Amis has evolved as a writer.
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Pen Envy: The Baroque Obsessions of an Unpublishable Writer Character
(summary)
In the following review, Eder lauds Amis as 'dark, satirical and gifted with irascibility.' However, he does find fault with Amis's lack of 'inventiveness' and the aim of the author's satire.
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Raging Midlife Crisis as Contemporary Ethos
(summary)
In the following review, Kakutani favorably discusses The Information as "ambitious" and "uncompromising," and predicts that the book will be favorably received.
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Satisfaction
(summary)
In the following review, Loose discusses the themes, strengths, and weaknesses of Amis's novel The Information.
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The Information—An Unpleasant, Familiar-Sounding Book
(summary)
In the following review, Rubin examines The Information and states that despite the 'unpleasant' nature of the story, Amis manages to contrive a 'scathing satire of London literary life.'
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Amis and Envy
(summary)
In the following review, Morales discusses briefly the plot, themes, and autobiographical elements of The Information, praising some aspects of Amis's writing and faulting others.
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The Content of His Characters
(summary)
In the following review, Bowman asserts that Amis's work is often lacking in plot but strong in prose.
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A Black Comedy of Manners
(summary)
In the following negative review, Ward faults The Information, saying it "does not have a plot, it has predicaments and events." He also declares that "none of the characters in The Information comes close to being sympathetic."
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What Life Is: The Novels of Martin Amis
(summary)
- Further Reading