Those Barren Leaves - Aldous Huxley

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Résumé :
We rely on your support to help us keep producing beautiful, free, and unrestricted editions of literature for the digital age. Will you support our efforts with a donation? Mrs. Aldwinkle, an English aristocrat of a certain age, has purchased a mansion in the Italian countryside. She wishes to bring a salon of intellectual luminaries into her orbit, and to that end she invites a strange cast of characters to spend time with her in her palazzo: Irene, her young niece; Ms. Thriplow, a governess-turned-novelist; Mr. Calamy, a handsome young man of great privilege and even greater ennui; Mr. Cardan, a worldly gentleman whose main talent seems to be the enjoyment of life; Hovenden, a young motorcar-obsessed lord with a speech impediment; and Mr. Falx, a socialist leader. To this unlikely cast is soon added Mr. Chelifer, an author with an especially florid, overwrought style that is wasted on his day job as editor of The Rabbit Fancier?s Gazette, and the Elvers, a scheming brother who is the guardian of his mentally-challenged sister. As this unlikely group mingles, they discuss a great many grand topics: love, art, language, life, culture. Yet very early on the reader comes to realize that behind the pompousness of their elaborate discussions lies nothing but vacuity?these characters are a satire of the self-important intellectuals of Huxley?s era. His skewering of their intellectual barrenness continues as the group moves on to a trip around the surrounding country, in a satire of the Grand Tour tradition. The party brings their English snobbery out in full force as they traipse around Rome, sure of nothing else except in their belief that Italy is culturally superior simply because it?s Italy. As the vacation winds down, we?re left with a biting lampoon of the elites who suppose themselves to be at the height of art and culture?the kinds of personalities that arise in every generation, sure of their own greatness but unable to actually contribute anything to the world of art and culture that they feel is so important.

Biographie:
Aldous Leonard Huxley (26 July 1894 - 22 November 1963) was an English writer and philosopher. His bibliography spans nearly 50 books, including novels and non-fiction works, as well as essays, narratives, and poems....

Sommaire:
Those Barren Leaves by Aldous Huxley is a satirical novel that delves into the complexities of social dynamics, identity, and the pursuit of meaning. Set in a grand Italian palace owned by the eccentric Mrs. Aldwinkle, the narrative unfolds through the interactions of a diverse group of characters, each representing different facets of society. The story begins with the arrival of Calamy, a young man who is perceived as worldly and sophisticated. His presence disrupts the existing social order, particularly affecting Miss Thriplow, a novelist who initially attempts to impress him with a facade of sophistication but soon realizes the futility of such pretenses. The novel explores themes of authenticity and the superficiality of social conventions. Mrs. Aldwinkle, with her grandiose attempts to revive the intellectual and artistic glories of the past, embodies the absurdity of clinging to outdated ideals. Her guests, including the politically inclined Mr. Falx and the youthful Lord Hovenden, each bring their own perspectives and biases, contributing to a rich tapestry of interactions that highlight the contradictions and pretensions of the upper class. Huxley's narrative is characterized by sharp wit and keen observations, offering a critique of the societal norms and the human tendency to seek validation through external appearances. The characters' dialogues and inner reflections reveal their struggles with identity and the desire for genuine connection in a world dominated by artifice. Through its satirical lens, Those Barren Leaves invites readers to question the value of social status and the true nature of fulfillment....