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Holiday

3.26 of 5 stars 3.26 · rating details · 100 ratings · 13 reviews

This consummate portrait of English provincial life, an extremely subtle story, told with all Middleton's artistry and depth of feeling, was joint winner of the Booker Prize in 1974.
Edwin Fisher is on holiday at the English seaside -- but this revisiting of childhood haunts is no ordinary holiday. Edwin is seeking to understand the failure of his marriage to Meg, but it t...more

Paperback, 240 pages

Published August 1st 1999 by Five Leaves Publications (first published December 1st 1988)

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Mar 10, 2012 Courtney H. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookers

So, it cannot be easy to share the Booker with Nadine Gordimer, and it is perhaps that misfortune that has caused Holiday to fall into some obscurity. It is a quiet book (not that The Conservationist is loud), and has an entirely narrow focus: the inner workings of a single man’s mind, on holiday in the English seaside, as he tries to sort out why his marriage failed. He meets fellow holiday-goers, deals with the machinations of his ex-in-laws who are trying to force a truce (and piece the marr...more

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May 17, 2013 Alex Rendall rated it 2 of 5 stars

Stanley Middleton was jointly awarded the Booker Prize in 1974 with Nadine Gordimer. Middleton’s Holiday is, on the face of it, a novel about a man who goes to a British seaside town for a week-long holiday. In reality, education lecturer Edwin Fisher is escaping from the death of his son and his crumbling marriage to grieving, volatile Meg. Through a series of flashbacks, prompted by events during his holiday, the reader sees how Edwin first met Meg, their courtship and eventual marriage, the b...more Stanley Middleton was jointly awarded the Booker Prize in 1974 with Nadine Gordimer. Middleton’s Holiday is, on the face of it, a novel about a man who goes to a British seaside town for a week-long holiday. In reality, education lecturer Edwin Fisher is escaping from the death of his son and his crumbling marriage to grieving, volatile Meg. Through a series of flashbacks, prompted by events during his holiday, the reader sees how Edwin first met Meg, their courtship and eventual marriage, the birth and subsequent death of their son and how all these events affect them both.

Fisher returns to the fictional seaside town of Bealthorpe, where he holidayed with his parents and sister as a child. It portrays an image of the traditional British seaside holiday, and it presents an interesting contrast to perceptions of the British seaside today. Fisher returns to Bealthorpe to find solace at a difficult point in his life, but instead finds that Bealthorpe has changed compared to how he remembers it; he seems restless and unable to settle to anything, betraying the underlying tensions affecting him. Bumping into his parents-in-law, ostensibly by coincidence, doesn’t help matters. As his week progresses, Fisher gets to know the other guests in his hotel better, punctuated by periodic meetings with his in-laws to try and heal the rift between himself and Meg.

Mention is made of overseas package holidays, which were already fashionable by the time Middleton wrote his novel. The reader gets the feeling that Bealthorpe is on the edge of decline, a town on the edge of nowhere on England’s east coast. He presents Fisher’s jaunts around the town and surrounding country almost like a documentary; Fisher is remarkably forward and strikes up conversation with many strangers, tourists and locals alike. In all these conversations he reveals little of himself; he escapes from his own difficulties by allowing others to talk about themselves and the town. Fisher’s escape is temporary however; as his stay comes to an end, he knows he must face up to his past in order to move on to the future.

Middleton’s novel is not as far-reaching in scope as other Booker winners have been and seems less impressive when compared to the works of Gordimer or Farrell that went before. I found it enjoyable enough, but will be selling the book on; I doubt I will read it again. If anyone wants it let me know! (less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Caleigh rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, trade-paper

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In an effort to expose myself to a broader range of authors, I began many years ago to read my way through the list of Booker Prize-winning novels. Holiday is one I picked up a while back, and this past week I brought it with me on my vacation, figuring it would be an appropriate read. Bad move.

I have read many overly-"literary" books that I was at least able to appreciate even if I didn't really enjoy them. This was not one of those books. This was painful. Every few pages I'd put it down and...more

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May 09, 2012 Katy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: booker-prize-winners

I have been watching Mad Men a lot recently (no spoilers, I promise) but with the recollections that our main character (Edwin Fisher) has about his marriage, I can't help picture Don Draper and Megan. It has something to do with their fights and their passion.... Now, Edwin is not nearly as attractive as Don Draper, but it's just something about the relationship that reminds me of them.

This book is just so.... English. Stiff upper lip all the way. Even when married women are letting divorced me...more I have been watching Mad Men a lot recently (no spoilers, I promise) but with the recollections that our main character (Edwin Fisher) has about his marriage, I can't help picture Don Draper and Megan. It has something to do with their fights and their passion.... Now, Edwin is not nearly as attractive as Don Draper, but it's just something about the relationship that reminds me of them.

This book is just so.... English. Stiff upper lip all the way. Even when married women are letting divorced men stick their hands down their pants on the seashore, it's done in an ever so British way.

It is essentially a book where nothing happens... and I loved it. As a born and bred Anglophile, I just loved it. The class warfare, the discussions of public vs. private schooling, the insane relationships between couples, that only happens behind closed doors, and is resloved (or ignored) over an afternoon cuppa tea.

The relationships among families was fascinating. Edwin had such a chip on his shoulder about his own father, being embarrassed by him, while trying to outgrow his working class mannerisms for his entire life. And yet, his father remains in is mind for ages. Even this holiday by the seaside, it was a direct result of his father's influence. These father son relationship themes continue throughout, including how his In Laws react to him, and try to control him, the old man and his son who live in moldering house by the side of the road... all of these parents are simply... abided. There was no real LOVE for any of these people. Perhaps the exception to this rule could be between Edwin and his own baby son, who never made it to be old enough to hate him.

This also made me wonder whether or not Edwin truly loved Meg... the most intimate moments they had came for the fiercest of fights. And as this poor woman watches her own child die, it seems there is nothing left for the husband and wife except for violence or catatonic cups of tea. Which, again, just is so.... ENGLISH.

All in all, I did actually enjoy this one. SO much more than The Conservationist, at least!
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Feb 24, 2013 Mary Lou rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fisher takes a week's holiday in the same English seaside town he went to as a child. Recalling with embarrassment the way his father used to interact with his fellow boarding house guests, he is surprised to find himself acting in much the same way.
An acutely drawn picture of life in the early 70s, things get much darker as Fisher mulls over whether or not to return to the unusal marriage he has recently walked away from.

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Dec 03, 2012 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Many of the descriptions of people by the seaside in the 70s struck a chord, but the main character didn't really do the same. He struck me as a spineless drifter. Couldn't really see how the novel won the Booker!

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Nov 01, 2012 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Edwin Fisher takes a holiday to a seaside resort following his divorce, only to find his ex-wife's parents staying there also. A subtle and engaging book.

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Apr 24, 2013 Paul Blakemore rated it 5 of 5 stars

Plain, serious and precise. There's nothing gimmicky or trivial about this book; it's just beautifully written and finely observed. I really loved it.

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Aug 03, 2011 Elizabeth Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

An interesting look at marriage. Even though this is set over 30 years ago it still seems relatively accurate to todays society.

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Apr 28, 2011 Deanne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: booker-winners

All I can think is there must have been a better choice for the Booker in 1974.

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Feb 29, 2008 Gina marked it as to-read

Shelves: get, awards-to-read

1973 Booker

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Jun 28, 2012 Val marked it as to-read

Shelves: bookers

1974 (joint)

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Dec 15, 2008 Jen marked it as to-read · review of another edition

1974 booker prize

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