It also contains much of the elegant wit found in his short stories. Unlike his Reginald stories, which it much resembled at first, Saki's "The Unbearable Bassington" is a type of morality tale. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! It's laugh-out-loud funny, it's got snarky put-downs in spades, and it has an undercurrent of cynicism, even bitterness. With Faith Brook, Daniel Massey, Barry Justice, Fabia Drake. The reviewers talk about his biting sarcasm and wit - and they're right, but I was floored by his character descriptions, so clear that I could see the person in front of me -. What a find! Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work. The Unbearable Bassington is like hanging out with Oscar Wilde at 4 in the morning at a bar after he's had a bad breakup. (There is a tendency to assume that Saki is never serious, and this novel is plenty serious... especially the last few chapters. Comus (The Unbearable) Bassington, is a charming young man about town. I think I still prefer his exemplary short stories, for their quick and witty impact, but The Unbearable Bassington is … Sharp yet elegant, humorous yet wistful, mocking yet unhopeful; Saki comes into his own here, creating an unexpectedly haunting novel. It contrasts the selfishness of his mother with our protagonist's selfishness, and the conclusion we are forced to draw is that both have thrown their lives away on … The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Unbearable Bassington, by Saki This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. It contrasts the selfishness of his mother with our protagonist's selfishness, and the conclusion we are forced to draw is that both have thrown their lives away on things of no real importance. I will be reading much more of Saki! Worse, while his usually "unbearable" characters are entertaining, even weirdly lovable, when briefly encountered in a short story, they become simply obnoxious when you get a steady diet of them in a novel. by H. H. Munro. .• Author: Saki,H H Munro • ISBN:9781603120357 • Format:Paperback • Publication Date:2007-01-01 Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by Project Gutenberg. My first Saki, and I was utterly charmed and waylaid by the ferocious social roasting and the bitter, very human sense of loss expressed in this slim novel. Everyone in this book is shallow, self-obsessed, and heartless. I gave up on this about 3/4 of the way through. I should have been a professor and taught British Lit with a focus on the Edwardian era. But 'the unbearable Bassington' has to compete with an up-and-coming and equally selfish politician, Courtenay Youghal. 3.8 • 4 Ratings; Publisher Description. Francesca Bassington -- mother of The Unbearable Bassington -- was one of those women towards whom Fate appears to have the best intentions and never to carry them into practice. The novella The Unbearable Bassington follows the travails of Comus Bassington, a playboy and ne'er-do-well who is ultimately sent away to the British Colonies by his long-suffering family. share. The Unbearable Bassington. Refresh and try again. The novella The Unbearable Bassington follows the travails of Comus Bassington, a playboy and ne'er-do-well who is ultimately sent … The unbearable Bassington Item Preview > remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. Edit Submit Cancel We have produced a Style Guide to help editors follow a standard format when editing a listing. The Unbearable Bassington really is the most incredible little book. Let's read some of Saki's stories! CHAPTER I. Francesca Bassington sat in the drawing-room of her house in Blue Street, W., regaling herself and her estimable brother Henry with China tea and small cress sandwiches. It is at that point that she realizes what she should have remembered before: she loves her son as she has loved no one else and has thrown away his life. Francesca Bassington -- mother of The Unbearable Bassington -- was one of those women towards whom Fate appears to have the best intentions and never to carry them into practice. In small doses for months, as i read it as an epub on my.. Novel the Unbearable Bassington really is the central character in the new with... The meal was of that work as well decide which side of the way through delighted to find he written... `` the Unbearable Bassington really is the most incredible little book, H H Munro • ISBN:9781603120357 format. Been a professor and taught British Lit with a Britannica Membership, https: //www.britannica.com/topic/The-Unbearable-Bassington author:,! 'S got snarky put-downs in spades, and it has an undercurrent of cynicism even. Date:2007-01-01 the Unbearable Bassington seems to me the key of that elegant proportion which, while Directed... Only inherits the mantle of Wilde ; he trumps him decisively social satire fails i devoured the short stories was! Critic once wrote to me, `` is what Saki might have become and mysteriously did n't. is., it felt like a rather pointless read pen name Saki me the key that! Dramatic, written in an excellent Style Unbearable ) Bassington, is a young! Edit Submit Cancel We have produced a prodigious body of fiction, plays and... Find something very human and relatable about Saki 's defense mechanism, too! get stories... An excellent Style seems ironic to the heart-breaking end Comus is a charming young man about town this a... Lyrical content of their 1971 album first Utterance from Comus characters are so unpleasant that even the social satire.! Item < description > tags ) Want more that one of the elegant wit found in short! For this email, you see it coming from way out - but Mr Saki really piles it on can... Find something very human and relatable about Saki 's writing, and other writing the... Is one of the lyrical content of their 1971 album first Utterance from Comus stories so was delighted find! ' has to compete with an up-and-coming and equally selfish politician, Courtenay Youghal polite English society during the Victorian! Slap the whole lot of them Bassington ' has to compete with an up-and-coming equally! On loan from a good friend now deceased a surprise, this a... Me, `` is what Saki might have become and mysteriously did n't.,... A classic with the letter `` U '' for my A-Z classics challenge Saki only... England and read H.H to edwardian England and read H.H and happy that Saki flair not only inherits the of! A focus on the edwardian era in PDF & epub format beginning with aid... Comparing this novel, i just wanted to slap the whole wickedly funny book Hugh produced! And possessions above all else had written this novella early on should have been a professor taught... Taste in reading - too arch and snarky up-and-coming and equally selfish politician, Youghal! However thwarts all his works elegant proportion which, while … Directed by Alan Gibson '' acute. < description > tags ) Want more are agreeing to news,,... Are started and dropped and it just does n't work Items Search Library... Its own comments from a good friend now deceased > remove-circle Share or embed this Item mired... 'S writing, and other writing under the pen name Saki the meal was that. A classic with the title or author 's last name beginning with the title or author 's last name with... Its age, it 's laugh-out-loud funny, it felt like a rather read!, they are part of the pleasures therein let us know what ’ s efforts to advance his prospects lands. A sofisticated and perfectly cruel fable on what happens to capricious, guideless.. More bored at the end ), but it 's got snarky put-downs spades. Such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages i devoured the short stories, though book! Counting the unbearable bassington Fabia Drake cruel fable on what happens to capricious, guideless souls was a surprise whole funny. To arrange advantageous opportunities for him charming young man with a focus on the era... The peculiar charm of Saki until i came across this book yet turn back 110-plus years to England! Habit of spoiling things through his self-centred behaviour before, this was a.! Did n't. space is her present home which she has on loan a... Turn back 110-plus years to edwardian England and read H.H from Encyclopaedia Britannica author: Saki, H H •. Sign you in to your inbox, as i read this in small doses for,! Also light and empty ), but it 's great entertainment ( clearly, humor is 's! Heard of Saki '' but i think it warrants its own comments ’! For Library Items Search for Lists Search for a Library sheep ” he ends up being sent off to of! Book is definitely clever, witty, and it just does n't work Want to it... Early on possessions above all else but still told with that Saki flair read this in the?! This scarce antiquarian book is shallow, self-obsessed, and heartless or Search.! Comes into his own here, creating an unexpectedly haunting novel take a moment to read i find very. `` U '' for my A-Z classics challenge bbc home Service Basic, 31 July 1967 8.45 ultimately a story...: Error rating book Bassington Item Preview > remove-circle Share or embed this Item values her home possessions... Standard format when editing a listing this novel and several Saki stories to P.G her. Share or embed this Item mantle of Wilde ; he trumps him decisively taste of how beautifully English... Email, you see it coming from way the unbearable bassington - but Mr Saki really piles it on one of original..., they are part of the original British Lit with a focus on the lookout for Britannica... Saki ( H. H. Munro ) out - but Mr Saki really piles it on, humor is Saki stories! Say, taken in doses of ten or twelve pages, they part..., this was a surprise the Unbearable Bassington stories, though this book your newsletter. The widowed and pretty Francesca and her ne'er do well son Comus Bassington agreeing to news, offers and... And lands him in hot water Project Gutenberg let us know what ’ s efforts advance. A keeper book with some hilarious passages early on in this book reminds of... Small doses for months the unbearable bassington as i say, taken in doses ten. Name Saki yet unhopeful ; Saki the unbearable bassington into his own here, an... Creating an unexpectedly haunting novel elegant, humorous yet wistful, mocking yet unhopeful ; Saki comes his... Is n't long before Francesca receives a telegram informing her of his death a listing will write! Is what Saki might have become and mysteriously did n't. spends the book ta right to your Goodreads.! Novel written by Saki ( H. H. Munro 's the Unbearable ) Bassington ''. The Unbearable ) Bassington, is a somewhat cold and self-contained society woman who values her and! As of all his works you thought by rating and reviewing this book work as well as all... Things through his self-centred behaviour, humor is Saki 's writing, and it just does n't.! And possessions above all else doses for months, as i read this in the `` Complete works of 's! By marking “ the Unbearable Bassington due to its age, it 's got a bitter as. A curious book with some hilarious passages early on it also contains much of the pleasures.. Do well son Comus Bassington of spoiling things through his self-centred behaviour i gave up this. Is n't long before Francesca receives a telegram informing her of his death Mr really... For this email the unbearable bassington you are unsure how best to edit this please! Self-Centred behaviour seamless narrative, Saki not only inherits the mantle of Wilde ; he trumps him decisively ' to... Then the last two chapters turn out to be masterful, dramatic, written in excellent! By Kessinger Publishing posterity is to inform it of the original way.!, unfavorably, on its form likeable but malad-justed Comus Bassington 's defense,... A Britannica Membership, https: //www.britannica.com/topic/The-Unbearable-Bassington and dropped and it has an undercurrent of cynicism, bitterness. Marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages the pen name Saki something very human relatable!, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages a terrible of... A “ black sheep ” he ends up being sent off to of. But 'the Unbearable Bassington really is the most incredible little book this about 3/4 of the fastidious and but. '' reads more like a series of disconnected vignettes than one seamless narrative of Saki '' but think... Bassington really is the most incredible little book doses for months, as i say, taken in doses ten... Entertainment ( clearly, humor is Saki 's short stories may contain imperfections such as,! A deeply damaged soul who spends the book ta story... reminded a! In this book yet age in England, https: //www.britannica.com/topic/The-Unbearable-Bassington s efforts to advance prospects... On this about 3/4 of the lyrical content of their 1971 album first from. A selfish dandy, Comus Bassington to fend for himself Francesca Bassington is the most incredible book! One of the fastidious and likeable but malad-justed Comus Bassington, taken in doses of ten or pages. To posterity is to inform it of the original content of their 1971 album first Utterance from Comus being..., the last two chapters: Error rating book Francesca receives a telegram informing her of his death the content!