The Old Devils

The Old Devils
source
Name	The Old Devils
Author	Kingsley Amis
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre	Comic novel
Publisher	Hutchinson
Release date	1986
Pages	256
Isbn	0-09-163770-3
Preceded by	Stanley and the Women
Followed by	Difficulties with Girls

The Old Devils. It is a comic novel by the English writer Kingsley Amis, first published in 1986. The narrative centers on a group of aging friends in South Wales whose settled lives are disrupted by the return of a charismatic but manipulative figure from their past. The novel is celebrated for its sharp, often satirical examination of old age, friendship, marriage, and Welsh culture, and it won the Booker Prize in 1986, cementing Amis's late-career critical acclaim.

Plot summary

The story unfolds in a Welsh town where retired Englishman Alun Weaver returns with his wife, Rhiannon Weaver, who was once the romantic focus of the local male circle. Alun, a self-important BBC television personality and professional Welshman, quickly begins to unsettle the long-standing dynamics of the group, which includes the melancholic Peter Thomas, his long-suffering wife Muriel Thomas, and the perpetually drunk Charlie Norris. The plot is largely driven by social gatherings fueled by copious amounts of alcohol, where old rivalries, romantic regrets, and personal failures are unearthed. Key events include a disastrous cultural festival, numerous confrontations in local pubs, and a climactic revelation about Alun's true nature, leading to a sudden death that forces the remaining characters to confront their own mortality and the fragile nature of their bonds.

Characters

The central characters are a tightly knit, if dysfunctional, group of elderly friends and their spouses. Alun Weaver is the pompous returning catalyst, a writer and broadcaster who exploits his Welsh identity for career gain, while his wife Rhiannon is viewed with a mixture of nostalgia and desire by the other men. Peter Thomas, a retired civil servant, is the novel’s more introspective center, grappling with dissatisfaction and a quiet love for Rhiannon. His wife, Muriel Thomas, embodies weary domestic resilience. The circle is rounded out by the bibulous Charlie Norris and his wife Sophie Norris, the cynical Malcolm Cellan-Davies, and the more peripheral figures like Garth Pumphrey and his wife Dorothy Pumphrey. The interactions among these characters, particularly in settings like the Coach and Horses pub, provide the novel’s primary comedic and dramatic tension.

Themes and analysis

The novel is a profound exploration of aging and nostalgia, dissecting how the past is selectively remembered and often weaponized. Amis scrutinizes the illusions of friendship and marriage, revealing the compromises, bitterness, and occasional tenderness that sustain long-term relationships. A major satirical target is cultural and national identity, especially through Alun’s fraudulent embrace of Wales and the Welsh language for personal prestige, which contrasts with the more authentic, if flawed, lives of the residents. The pervasive consumption of alcohol serves as both social lubricant and destructive force, symbolizing escape and self-deception. Stylistically, the novel is a masterclass in free indirect speech, allowing Amis to pivot seamlessly between acerbic authorial commentary and the characters' own self-justifying inner voices.

Publication history

The Old Devils was first published in 1986 in London by the publishing house Hutchinson. It was released during a highly productive late period for Amis, following novels like Stanley and the Women and preceding Difficulties with Girls. The first edition featured cover art typical of the era's literary fiction. It has remained continuously in print, with subsequent editions issued by publishers including Penguin Books and Vintage Books, and has been translated into multiple languages, solidifying its place in the canon of post-war British literature.

Critical reception

Upon its release, the novel received widespread critical acclaim, winning the prestigious Booker Prize in 1986. Reviewers in publications like The Times Literary Supplement and The Guardian praised its impeccable comic timing, psychological insight, and ruthless honesty about human frailty. Some commentators noted it as a triumphant return to the form of his earlier successes like Lucky Jim. While a minority found its characters uniformly unpleasant or its pacing slow, the consensus hailed it as a late-career masterpiece. Its Booker win was seen as a recognition of Amis's enduring literary power, and it consistently appears on lists of the best British novels of the 20th century.

Adaptations

The novel was adapted into a successful television serial by the BBC in 1992. The production was directed by Michael Bogdanov and featured a notable cast including John Stride as Alun Weaver, James Grout as Peter Thomas, and Sheila Gish as Rhiannon Weaver. Filmed on location in Wales, the adaptation was generally well-received for capturing the book's sardonic tone and ensemble dynamics. It remains the primary dramatic interpretation of the work, though there have been occasional radio readings and discussions of the text on programs like BBC Radio 4's Book at Bedtime.

Category:1986 British novels Category:Booker Prize-winning works Category:Novels by Kingsley Amis Category:British comic novels