The Egyptologists

by Kingsley Amis, Robert Conquest

The Egyptologists by Kingsley Amis & Robert Conquest. New York. 1966. Random House... Every Thursday night in certain parts of London, husbands kiss their wives and then hurry off to attend the weekly meeting of a certain exclusive learned society. Jekyll-like, these men shed their air of scholarly absorption as they near headquarters-a building situated at a specially selected hard-to-find address, where a plaque, inscribed in specially designed hard-to-decipher lettering, METROPOLITAN EGYPTOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Should the reader be at first in some doubt as to the real nature of the activities of the Egyptologists, it is only to be expected. The members’ expertise in camouflage and deception has baffled the most perceptive people, and at various times the Society has been suspected of engaging in espionage, in drug-smuggling, in the activity implied by its all-male membership-and even in Egyptology. Why does the Society protect itself so vigilantly against inquiring outsiders? What is the significance of the safeguards listed in Article 22 of its Constitution? And what goes on behind the locked doors of its Isis Room? if even a fraction of the lecherous males of the world adopted the brilliant masquerade conceived by the authors in this engaging farce, learned societies would proliferate by the thousands. Kingsley Amis, born in London in 1922, was educated at the City of London School and St. John’s College, Oxford. During World II he was a lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Signals. From 1949 to 1961 he was Lecturer in English at various universities in Great Britain, and also fulfilled an appointment as Visiting Lecturer at Princeton in 1958-59. Mr. Amis won immediate attention with his first novel, Lucky Jim, and has since written four others, as well as a collection of short stories, two books of poetry and a critical survey of science fiction. Born in 1917, Robert Conquest was educated at Winchester and Oxford, served in a line regiment in World War II and afterward in the British Diplomatic Service, Since 1956 he has interspersed free-lance writing with academic appointments at the London School of Economics and the Columbia University Russian Institute, among others, He has also been the Literary Editor of the Spectator. Mr. Conquest is the author of two books of poems, a science-fiction novel, five works of Soviet political and literary themes, and, with Kingsley Amis, has edited the science-fiction ‘Spectrum’ anthologies.

Genres: Fiction, Literature

207 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Best known novels of British writer Sir Kingsley William Amis include Lucky Jim (1954) and The Old Devils (1986).

This English poet, critic, and teacher composed more than twenty-three collections, short stories, radio and television scripts, and books of social and literary criticism. He fathered Martin Amis.

William Robert Amis, a clerk of a mustard manufacturer, fathered him. He began his education at the city of London school, and went up to college of Saint John, Oxford, in April 1941 to read English; he met Philip Larkin and formed the most important friendship of his life. After only a year, the Army called him for service in July 1942. After serving as a lieutenant in the royal corps of signals in the Second World War, Amis returned to Oxford in October 1945 to complete his degree. He worked hard and got a first in English in 1947, and then decided to devote much of his time.

Pen names: [authorRobert Markham|553548] and William Bill Tanner

Reviews

[Shipoffools · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who seek the holy grail of a Kingsley Amis novel to match his great debut Lucky Jim, well, you may or may not find it, but for me The Egyptologists is one of his best. (Other personal favourites FWIW include I Like It Here, The Green Man and Take a Girl Like You.). This one is a witty, unpretentious and (to me) hilarious English comedy, not about Egyptology, but about an alibi club for adulterers. The characters are entertaining and cleverly observed. A real little masterpiece. BTW, I wonder why co-author Robert Conquest is not credited?

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of interesting as a period piece. But hard to imagine this one ever enjoying a second wave of popularity (assuming it had a first one).
It has something of the caper/farce feeling of the chronologically nearby "Anti-Death League" and something of Benny Hill's subtle wit, as well as being, I found, a bit hard to follow. But like the Book of the Dead it's a murky window on an immeasurably far-off age, so of interest to historical anthropologists, if there are such people.

[itchy · Rating 2 out of 5]

eponymous sentence:
p54: "...Supposedly you're Egyptologists...."

All the old paintings on the tomb
They do the sun dance, don't you know?
If they move to quick
They 're falling down like a domino
All the bazaar men by the Nile
They got the money on a bet
Gold crocodiles
They snap their teeth on your cigarette

[Iniville · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorites.

[Martin Locock · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot and the security measures are well-presented and engaging; the implicit and explicit sexism of the men casts a sour tone on the comedy. It is interesting to hear Furze, the caretaker who disapproves of women, giving speeches that by the 1980s Amis would endorse completely. A reader would be better off with any other of the 60s Amis novels (except the similarly-thin I Want It Now).

I discuss the book in episode 29 of the Amis Papers podcast.

[Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not every day you come across a book that seizes your imagination with its storytelling prowess, clever narrative construction, and sardonic humor. Kingsley Amis' "The Egyptologists" is one such gem, and without a second thought, I assign it a full 5 stars.

The title is a delightful paradox in itself, as "The Egyptologists" is less about Egyptology and more about a group of men who, under the guise of an Egyptology society, are indulging in more clandestine activities. Amis' keen eye for satire takes center stage in this wickedly humorous commentary on secret societies, male camaraderie, and the lengths some will go to for sexual escapades.

There's a delightful unpredictability to the narrative. Amis, co-writing with Robert Conquest, crafts a wonderfully intricate plot, replete with misinformation, double entendre, and carefully crafted subterfuge. The characters are unabashedly flawed, and their efforts to maintain the facade of the society while keeping their spouses in the dark provide some of the book's most comic moments. The absurd lengths they go to protect their secret is both hilarious and cringe-worthy.

Amis' writing is as engaging as ever, marked by his unique style of humor, razor-sharp wit, and impressive command over the language. The dialogue is sharp, snappy, and often hilarious. The authors have also managed to create an aura of authenticity around the Egyptological references, further enhancing the comic absurdity of the premise.

While "The Egyptologists" may initially come across as a light-hearted comedy of manners, it subtly delves into deeper themes of marriage, deception, and male desire. Amis and Conquest have successfully managed to use comedy to bring to light the farcical nature of societal norms and expectations.

In sum, "The Egyptologists" is a delightful romp through the world of faux-Egyptology, secret societies, and marital subterfuge. It is a testament to the talent of Kingsley Amis and Robert Conquest, and their ability to create a comedy that is both humorous and intellectually satisfying. I would highly recommend this book to any reader in search of a story that combines laughter, wit, and thought-provoking commentary. For me, this was a 5-star read that I'm likely to revisit again.

[Lucas Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun up until the reveal, which is a big of an anti-climax, then spends the back half of the book unsure of what to do with itself. Some enjoyable satire of academia and men’s clubs of the era, but despite being a scant 200 pages, feels like it goes on too long.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title was the only good Thing about this book. So Boring. And all the members (all White midle aged man) were all the same. Would Not recommend

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Old boys club patriarchy. Definitely not a jolly good read.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an artifact of its time. At times an amusing parody of academia engaged w/ popular interest. At least, in the end, the women win (sort of). One of the funniest things about it is that I originally purchased my own copy in the shop of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo!

[Ondřej Puczok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oblíbená knížka mé mamky a babičky, tak jsem si ji tedy pročetl a už chápu proč (mírný spoiler: vzhledem k pointě asi bude opravdu oblíbenější právě u žen :). Je to taková příjemná jednohubka, pobaví a já si ji spíše dokáži představit, jako divadelní představení v klasickém komediálním stylu. Alespoň teď už vím, co to znamená být členem Egyptologické společnosti...

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply perfect, in the sense that it is a simple book, almost a moral tale, brought home just the way this sort of book should be. Nobody will hate you if you haven't read it, not even you yourself, but it is a little marvel of its own.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny story about male subterfuge and the war between the sexes, the kind that Kingsley Amis really knows how to tell.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

KA #25 for me, and I may have reached the end of his fiction with this one. Drunken shits and facile women, of course, but the ridiculousness of the subterfuge is an awful lot of fun.

[Soňa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, very funny and great read, no more no less :-)

[Lucy Hoyer]

Belonging to an amateur, all-male Egyptology Society is not without some difficulties. One has to truly be well-prepared. Highly informative...and very amusing.

[Blanka Lednická · Rating 2 out of 5]

Šlo to. Víc k tomu asi ani nemám. :)