Lost for Words, Edward St. Aubyn

I’m generally an easy mark for books about writing, so I happily read Lost For Words. Edward St. Aubyn created a clever satire of writing prizes, wrapped in a British comedy of manners. He has a sharp eye and pen for the human condition, and the difference between our public and private personas. Each chapter is from the perspective of one of the vividly portrayed characters: judges, writers, editors, poseurs, lovers, and lovers scorned. Usually, I don’t enjoy this multi-view format. But St. Aubyn really captured the voice of these characters, their views, prejudices, and blind spots, despite being written in the third person. Often when I read books in this structure I find the author’s voice droning on in each character, but not so in Lost For Words. Most chapters have some wonderful one-liners in that character’s voice and world-view, but somehow universally applicable to all of us: “…she had the special affliction of a novelist, of wanting to be the author of her own fate and take charge of a narrative whose opening chapters had been written by others with terrifying carelessness.”

The squabbles between the judges were priceless, especially if you’ve ever cast a jaundiced eye at the treatment of writing, music or art by the haughty academics of the ‘60s & ‘70s, who somehow still hold sway in our world. One judge’s trumpeting of “relevance” made me laugh & cry, it was so true to life and annoying! I tip my hat to St. Aubyn for capturing it, along with many other forms of hubris, with such a light touch. Have fun!