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Vintage Amis
A perfect introduction to one of the world’s greatest modern writers who is equally at home in satirical novels and biting critical essays, wickedly funny short stories and intimate autobiography.
“Amis throws off more provocative ideas and images in a single paragraph than most writers get into complete novels.”— The Seattle Times
Martin Amis is widely regarded as one of the most influential yet inimitable voices in contemporary fiction, a writer whose prose captures the warp-speed rush of modernity.
Vintage Amis displays this versatility in an excerpt from the author’s award-winning memoir, Experience; the “Horrorday” chapter from London Fields; a vignette from his novel Money; the stories “State of England,” “Insight at Flam Lake,” and “Coincidence of the Arts”; and the essays “Visiting Mrs. Nabokov,” “Phantom of the Opera.”
Also included, for the first time in book form, the short story “Porno’s Last Summer.”
“Amis throws off more provocative ideas and images in a single paragraph than most writers get into complete novels.”— The Seattle Times
Martin Amis is widely regarded as one of the most influential yet inimitable voices in contemporary fiction, a writer whose prose captures the warp-speed rush of modernity.
Vintage Amis displays this versatility in an excerpt from the author’s award-winning memoir, Experience; the “Horrorday” chapter from London Fields; a vignette from his novel Money; the stories “State of England,” “Insight at Flam Lake,” and “Coincidence of the Arts”; and the essays “Visiting Mrs. Nabokov,” “Phantom of the Opera.”
Also included, for the first time in book form, the short story “Porno’s Last Summer.”
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 6, 2004
About the author
Martin Amis
98 books3,064 followersMartin Amis was an English novelist, essayist, and short story writer. His works included the novels Money, London Fields and The Information.
The Guardian writes that "all his critics have noted what Kingsley Amis [his father] complained of as a 'terrible compulsive vividness in his style... that constant demonstrating of his command of English'; and it's true that the Amis-ness of Amis will be recognisable in any piece before he reaches his first full stop."
Amis's raw material is what he sees as the absurdity of the postmodern condition with its grotesque caricatures. He has thus sometimes been portrayed as the undisputed master of what the New York Times has called "the new unpleasantness."
The Guardian writes that "all his critics have noted what Kingsley Amis [his father] complained of as a 'terrible compulsive vividness in his style... that constant demonstrating of his command of English'; and it's true that the Amis-ness of Amis will be recognisable in any piece before he reaches his first full stop."
Amis's raw material is what he sees as the absurdity of the postmodern condition with its grotesque caricatures. He has thus sometimes been portrayed as the undisputed master of what the New York Times has called "the new unpleasantness."
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
odds-and-sods
October 8, 2014Picked up for the only original piece in this so-called Vintage Amis: "Porno's Last Summer" is a somewhat scatterbrained and hesitant piece of journalism about the banal horrors of sunny California's pornography biz. Our main man Martin seems a bit traumatized by the in-field research he needed to perform for this piece. He quickly feels paternal instincts towards the barely legal-aged actresses he interviews and struggles to find laughs in the humorless embrace of the scatological that is par the course for the adult entertainment industry. I felt bad for Marty who felt bad for the actresses because this brief expose reads like an account from an aging and kind-hearted chap whose late 70's idolized notions of feminism (because believe it or not, you bastards, Martin Amis is a feminist) are, before his eyes, mutating into a gross perversity shrouded in a fog of grey-tinged morality.
The rest of this Vintage of Amis contains several essays taken from previously published collections, ditto with two short stories, a snippet of Money's opening passage, and a later and completely out-of-context chapter from London Fields. Not sure what the hell is the point of this collection other than being a shrewd attempt for a publisher to make a few extra bucks off of one of their writers. But I'm sure a check was cut for Marty as well.
In any case, Greatest Hits collections blow ass. Read this only if you, like me, are a cultish reader of any and every spurt of ink that Martin Amis ever ejaculated on the page.
The rest of this Vintage of Amis contains several essays taken from previously published collections, ditto with two short stories, a snippet of Money's opening passage, and a later and completely out-of-context chapter from London Fields. Not sure what the hell is the point of this collection other than being a shrewd attempt for a publisher to make a few extra bucks off of one of their writers. But I'm sure a check was cut for Marty as well.
In any case, Greatest Hits collections blow ass. Read this only if you, like me, are a cultish reader of any and every spurt of ink that Martin Amis ever ejaculated on the page.
August 19, 2018
A smattering of Amis's exquisitely poisonous observations in fictional and journalistic form, a pleasure to read as always although I occasionally long for empathy. The only piece here not previously published, 'Porno's Last Summer', is probably only worth acquiring for die-hard fans, although it is interesting to read (if true) as his distaste for the subject gets the better of him, and he retires early to his hotel. But the previously published fiction is superb, particularly 'Insight at Flame Lake'.
July 13, 2012
Stellar prose in both fiction and nonfiction forms, this left me wanting to read more Amis, any Amis.
December 21, 2024
It is my first book and I am in love with the writing of Martin Amis. I wasn’t aware of him at all until while browsing the books in a huge bookstore I saw this cover. The cover promised something and as I just finished it, I say it not only kept the promise but it over delivered. I read the book in parallel with Annie Ernaux’s Simple Passions and both of their writing kept me keeping good - where you are not happy, excited but are calm and sure and safe. And unfolding something within.
It’s a medley of various short works from his other books, the Vintage series is designed that way. At times I took bit longer to get the entire context but kept going. Like you don’t know the destination but the path is beautiful. I haven’t yet found out what it is that makes him good and important but whatever it is, it feels genius. The visit with Mrs Nabokov is written in a way that I felt the door unlocked from inside and I step in her life.
The last story, I am yet to recheck which book it is from but I think there’s a balance. You talk about things like a banned industry from mainstream without making it anything disgusting.
I am going to read more of Amis in 2025 for sure.
It’s a medley of various short works from his other books, the Vintage series is designed that way. At times I took bit longer to get the entire context but kept going. Like you don’t know the destination but the path is beautiful. I haven’t yet found out what it is that makes him good and important but whatever it is, it feels genius. The visit with Mrs Nabokov is written in a way that I felt the door unlocked from inside and I step in her life.
The last story, I am yet to recheck which book it is from but I think there’s a balance. You talk about things like a banned industry from mainstream without making it anything disgusting.
I am going to read more of Amis in 2025 for sure.
February 5, 2020
"The trouble with life (the novelist will feel) is its amorphousness, its ridiculous fluidity. Look at it: thinly plotted, largely themeless, sentimental and ineluctably trite. The dialogue is poor, or at least violently uneven. The twists are either predictable or sensationalist. And it's always the same beginning; and the same ending ..."
I came to Amis by way of Hitchens. One can see the source of their marvellous friendship to be sure, but Amis seems, at heart, more cynical, more scathing. Not humourless, of course, as the above excerpt (and the remainder that I left out) makes clear. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments in this collection to be sure. And his prose makes his talent abundantly obvious. I'm not sure though if, in the end, it convinced me to try out one of his novels.
I came to Amis by way of Hitchens. One can see the source of their marvellous friendship to be sure, but Amis seems, at heart, more cynical, more scathing. Not humourless, of course, as the above excerpt (and the remainder that I left out) makes clear. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments in this collection to be sure. And his prose makes his talent abundantly obvious. I'm not sure though if, in the end, it convinced me to try out one of his novels.
January 27, 2017
Not a bad sampler of Amis' work from mostly the 80s and 90s, which one could argue was his most compelling period. Contains strong excerpts from his two best novels, 'London Fields' and 'Money,' as well as a couple of more recent short stories and an excerpt from his excellent memoir 'Experience.' The previously uncollected 'Porno's Last Summer' also displays his signature wit and journalistic acumen.
November 8, 2015
This is great if you want an introduction to martin amis. I only read it because it's the only book that has reprinted his article about his trip to a porn set before the 2000 presidential election. fun stuff.
February 1, 2015
The War Against Cliche, essays and reviews, 1981-2000, not to be missed, back then when we were all still innocent.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews