About this ebook
The book starts with Arlen, having grown tired of London, leaving that city for an extended period in some other British town. As soon as he leaves the metropolis, however, he yearns to return and his yearning prompts him to put pen to paper. His intention is to write an essay on London, but he soon fails in this simple task and instead produces a stream of consciousness piece reminiscing about three old acquaintances. One, perhaps two, are already dead. Another is now living in a distant land and is just as unreachable. All three acquaintances are mixed up with memories of the city, so maybe this is a book about London after all. (Excerpt from Goodreads)
The book starts with Arlen, having grown tired of London, leaving that city for an extended period in some other British town. As soon as he leaves the metropolis, however, he yearns to return and his yearning prompts him to put pen to paper. His intention is to write an essay on London, but he s...
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About the author
Michael Arlen, born Dikran Kouyoumdjian on November 16, 1895, in Bulgaria, was a British-Armenian novelist and short story writer whose works captured the zeitgeist of the 1920s. Arlen's life was a tapestry of cultural intersections; he was born to Armenian parents, educated in England, and became a quintessential figure of the Roaring Twenties. His writing, characterized by its wit, elegance, and a touch of cynicism, offered a sharp critique of the social mores and excesses of his time.Arlen's rise to literary fame was meteoric, and he quickly became a darling of the London literary scene. His works often explored themes of identity, displacement, and the moral ambiguities of high society, resonating deeply with a post-World War I audience grappling with rapid social changes. His flair for capturing the spirit of the age earned him comparisons to contemporaries like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Evelyn Waugh.One of the most intriguing aspects of Arlen's career was his ability to blend genres, seamlessly moving between romance, satire, and thriller. His unique narrative style and keen social observations influenced a generation of writers who sought to emulate his ability to dissect the human condition with both humor and pathos.Despite his success, Arlen's life was not without controversy. His Armenian heritage and foreign-sounding name initially hindered his acceptance in British literary circles, leading him to adopt a more Anglicized persona. This tension between his public image and private identity added a layer of complexity to his work, making him a fascinating figure for modern readers interested in issues of cultural assimilation and identity.Michael Arlen's legacy endures as a chronicler of an era, a writer who not only entertained but also provoked thought, leaving an indelible mark on 20th-century literature.
Michael Arlen, born Dikran Kouyoumdjian on November 16, 1895, in Bulgaria, was a British-Armenian novelist and short story writer whose works captured the zeitgeist of the 1920s. Arlen's life was a tapestry of cultural intersections; he was born to Armenian parents, educated in England, and becam...
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