48 pages • 1 hour read
Evelyn WaughA Handful of Dust
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1934A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh is a satirical novel focused on Tony Last, an English squire living in Hetton Abbey with his disillusioned wife, Brenda, and their son, John. Brenda's affair with John Beaver leads to familial and social upheaval. Following personal losses, Tony embarks on an Amazon expedition, ultimately leading to his captivity and despair with Mr. Todd, a man who forces him to read Dickens endlessly. Triggering topics include infidelity and the death of a child.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Evelyn Waugh’s A Handful of Dust is lauded for its sharp social commentary and dark, satirical humor. Critics praise its incisive prose and the portrayal of disillusionment in English society. However, some find its bleak perspective and tragic elements disheartening. Overall, the novel stands out as a compelling critique, albeit with a somber tone.
Who Should Read A Handful of Dust?
Readers who enjoy satirical critiques of British aristocracy and tragicomic narratives will appreciate Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust. Fans of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and E.M. Forster's A Passage to India will find similar themes of societal decay and personal disillusionment.