Jonathan Coe reflects on the enduring legacy of David Lodge, a celebrated British novelist known for his sharp wit and insightful portrayals of academia.
David Lodge was already a celebrated novelist in 1987, when I, a new student at University College London, encountered his name. His impact on the university and the literary world was immense. He had studied English literature and language there decades earlier, achieving top marks and even a master's degree. His name was spoken with reverence, even in a department known for its traditional tastes.
While other campus novelists like Kingsley Amis, Malcolm Bradbury, and Howard Jacobson were prominent, Lodge's work stood out. His novels were genuinely funny, not just subtly clever or satirical. They were bright, lively, and laugh-out-loud hilarious, blending sex and toilet humor with literary references. His characters were realistically flawed, finding themselves in farcical situations that felt believable. I was instantly captivated by his writing and devoured his backlist
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