Jem

Tales of History and Imagination #2

by Ferdinand Mount

In an evocative novel of Restoration London, Jeremiah Mount, a dealer in pornography, describes his love affair with the Duchess of Albemarle and his relationship with Samuel Pepys, a one-time friend and drinking partner who became a fierce rival for fame and women. by the author of Umbrella.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

425 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Ferdinand Mount was born in 1939. For many years he was a columnist at the Spectator and then the Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Times. In between, he was head of the Downing Street Policy Unit and then editor of the Times Literary Supplement. He is now a prize-winning novelist and author of, most recently, the bestselling memoir Cold Cream. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Kristen McDermott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This moving and often hilarious work of historical fiction walks a narrow line between fiction and reality. The narrator, Jeremiah Mount, is the author's great-great-ancestor, and he was a living personage who shows up a few times as a minor figure in Samuel Pepys' Diaries. Pepys, of course, is the "(and Sam)" of the title. The historical events and personages of the novel are all meticulously researched, but there are enough invented characters to spice up the narrative nicely. Jem is initially an unlikable figure -- dishonest, scheming and vindictive -- but his long life includes enough moments of nobility that the reader is sorry to leave him at the end of the book. Jem's obsession with the pompous and opportunistic Mr. Pepys seems contrived at times, but he distracts himself from Pepys often enough to give us satisfying glimpses into the violent, seductive and fascinating world of Restoration England.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this 15 years ago and couldn't get into it - happy decided to I give it a second chance. I first heard of Samual Pepys from the movie 84 Charing Cross Road. When looking for a copy of Pepys diary I came across Jem (and Sam). Glad I went with this one, I'm pretty sure I'd rather know Jem than Sam.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was funny and charming at points but overall it was a little dry. I did find myself weirdly fascinated by Jem and his shenanigans but it also got a bit boring at times.

[David Whittlestone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biography of an ancestor of the author, intertwined with the life-story of Samuel Pepys. It's an interesting story and given the frequent extracts from Pepys' own diaries, it's entirely credible.
The tale throws a light on the life of a man who didn't achieve greatness ut whose life touched others who did. Jem Mount made several catastrophic decisions in his solitary life that prevented him breaking the glad ceiling. Mount made short work of these disappointments and rapidly moved on. A modern approach would leave the subject on drugs!
I found this an easy read and was fully immersed in the 17th century. His many sexual encounters were, I felt, covered obliquely and did not offend (or even titillate). They seemed to be a natural topic to include in the story of a perpetually single and ambitious man.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the journals of Jeremiah Mount, this is a strange and surprising look at 17th century England. Frankly, I don't understand how the majority of the populace didn't die of tertiary syphilis. Or maybe they did. At first I was a bit outraged by the man's antics, then the history part got interesting (however one short chapter to cover the plague and another short chapter for the devastating fire of London was anti-climatic) By the end of the novel one can begin to feel sorry for this man. Emotionally I don't believe he ever grew up!!

[David Bird · Rating 1 out of 5]

I believe that this book was the only time that I have ever begun a book group meeting by apologizing for one of my recommendations.

My only defense was that I had finished all of Pepys' Diary nine months earlier, and was still in the glow of that wonderful work. With my group, I sometimes face a conundrum in being a fan of long works, which don't fit the format of everyone finishing in a month or two. I hoped this unfortunate novel would convey some of the charm of Pepys; it fails.

[Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another badwy Restoration-era novel (a la Rose Tremain's Restoration & Iain Pears's Instance of the Fingerpost). This one employed Samuel Pepys, the famous diarist, as a foil for the main (fictional) character. This was a pretty interesting read, but not a match for the other two.

[Sharon Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It is a well-researched historical novel.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Played and sang Macheath in the original Beggar's opera, so this fit right in. Loved the insight into Restoration London.