Crome Yellow - BoundCovers

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published Oct. 12, 2018 by Franklin Classics.

ISBN:: 978-0-342-60144-8

(1 review)

“Crome Yellow” by Aldous Huxley ; 1922

A young English poet, Denis Stone, is spending some time at Crome, an English estate and mansion of the Wimbush family. He is in love with Anne Wimbush, the niece of Henry Wimbush. The other guests include a few other writers, an artist, and it is in essence a small gathering of people who are also close friends.
Denis has just started to write a novel. But he is going through a period of questioning himself as a writer. He is also unhappy that Anne does not love him. One particular evening he is feeling particularly miserable: “..........................Why had he climbed up to this high, desolate place? Was it to look at the moon? Was it to commit suicide? As yet he hardly knew. Death—the tears came into his eyes when he thought of it. His misery assumed a certain solemnity; he was …

“Crome Yellow” by Aldous Huxley ; 1922

A young English poet, Denis Stone, is spending some time at Crome, an English estate and mansion of the Wimbush family. He is in love with Anne Wimbush, the niece of Henry Wimbush. The other guests include a few other writers, an artist, and it is in essence a small gathering of people who are also close friends.
Denis has just started to write a novel. But he is going through a period of questioning himself as a writer. He is also unhappy that Anne does not love him. One particular evening he is feeling particularly miserable: “..........................Why had he climbed up to this high, desolate place? Was it to look at the moon? Was it to commit suicide? As yet he hardly knew. Death—the tears came into his eyes when he thought of it. His misery assumed a certain solemnity; he was lifted up on the wings of a kind of exaltation. It was a mood in which he might have done almost anything, however foolish. .." Denis's train of thoughts is interrupted by Mary, another guest. He confides in her and she suggests that perhaps he should return to London, on the excuse of urgent business. But the next day, as prepares to leave Crome, has anything been resolved ? The story ends on this note:

“…..............Obediently Denis left the room. Never again, he said to himself, never again would he do anything decisive. Camlet, West Bowlby, Knipswich for Timpany, Spavin Delawarr; and then all the other stations; and then, finally, London. The thought of the journey appalled him. And what on earth was he going to do in London when he got there? He climbed wearily up the stairs. It was time for him to lay himself in his coffin............................”

43 editions

Stephanie Jane reviewed Crome yellow by Aldous Huxley (Vintage classics)

Very enjoyable

4 stars

Brave New World is the famous Aldous Huxley novel and I was very impressed with my audio version of it a few years ago. I saw Crome Yellow in Hailsham's OXFAM shop, an almost new copy at at just £1.50, so bought it expecting something vaguely similar. There are a few glimmers of the direction Huxley's writing would later take, but Crome Yellow, his first published novel, is actually a very humorous country house-based tale. Published in 1921 and set in the same era, it describes the visit of a self-conscious young man, Denis Stone, to a society gathering.

Huxley based his fictional characters on real people and, according to the excellent introduction by Malcolm Bradbury, not everyone was flattered by their portrayals! Huxley pokes fun at the pretensions of the time and of the upper classes, and also includes his writing in the mix. One character, Scogan, is particularly …

Brave New World is the famous Aldous Huxley novel and I was very impressed with my audio version of it a few years ago. I saw Crome Yellow in Hailsham's OXFAM shop, an almost new copy at at just £1.50, so bought it expecting something vaguely similar. There are a few glimmers of the direction Huxley's writing would later take, but Crome Yellow, his first published novel, is actually a very humorous country house-based tale. Published in 1921 and set in the same era, it describes the visit of a self-conscious young man, Denis Stone, to a society gathering.

Huxley based his fictional characters on real people and, according to the excellent introduction by Malcolm Bradbury, not everyone was flattered by their portrayals! Huxley pokes fun at the pretensions of the time and of the upper classes, and also includes his writing in the mix. One character, Scogan, is particularly critical of exactly the type of novel that Crome Yellow is. I loved the Wimbushes, Henry and Priscilla, and can picture people I know who are remarkably similar to them. Not a lot happens during the gathering, but Huxley's sharp observations and the incidents he sets up are great fun and frequently had me giggling. There are a few moments where lengthy speechmaking slow the pace and date the novel, but overall I enjoyed Crome Yellow very much.