A collection of witty, cantakerous essays skewering the cultural touchstones of an era, from one of the greatest writers, drinkers and critics of our time

What advice can one give a green young author? What purpose do literary prizes serve? Where on earth can a man get a decent bite to eat? This entertaining collection is vintage Kingsley Amis, revealing him at his most robust and incisive, cutting a swathe through such subjects as writers and writing, ‘Abroad’, eating and drinking, music, language and education. He turns a clear and critical eye on Evelyn Waugh, Anthony Powell, Anthony Burgess, Ian Fleming and Philip Larkin, and does not spare their potential readers in ‘Sod the Public- A Consumer’s Guide’. In typically razor-sharp, wicked and witty prose, Amis tackles the culture and conceits of his era.