Reviews

Two of the most successful British novelists of the last 50 years, Kingsley and Martin Amis are both known for their savage wit and their indifference to causing controversy.

In his critical biography, Neil Powell looks at the careers of these two very divisive, and hugely talented writers: how they were formed by their upbringings, developed as writers and in turn how they affected literature, and each other.

He examines how success (which is the title one of Martin Amis novels) affected their relationship, and themselves as writers (Kingsley: Martin's spending a year abroad for tax purposes. 29, he is. Little shit.). Through this we see what it has meant to be a man, and a writer, (and, most importantly, a comic writer) in Britain over the last 60 years, following Kingsley from jazz-loving iconoclast to Thatcher-loving Tory and Martin from wild young man of letters to God knows what.

Powell's biography is well researched and offers insightful readings of the key novels...