The Swimming-Pool Library

In Alan Hollinghurst's debut novel, The Swimming-Pool Library, Will, a promiscuous, self-absorbed layabout, finds his upper-class world both shaken and stirred after he saves the life of an elderly gay aristocrat in a public lavatory. Both grateful, and believing his life story to be one worthy of a written biography, Lord Nantwich asks that Will assume authorship of his project. Refusing to make a commitment, Will agrees to research Nantwich's life through the man's diaries and many years worth of letters, and then come to a decison. As the 25-year old's friendship with the elder man develops, Will finds it difficult to concentrate much on research; he's much too busy cruising the showers at the clubby gym where he swims, partying with best (and only?) friend, James, picking up various young men (emphasis on the "young") around town and chumming around with his preternaturally mature 6-year old nephew, Rupert, a character who is not only endearing but exceedingly wise and sophisticated. Meanwhile, Will's teenage black boyfriend, Arthur, a recent refugee from the drug-related violence of public housing, has disappeared without a trace so that's one more thing occupying Will's mind, if not his time. Set in the pre-AIDS London of the early 80's, The Swimming-Pool Library vividly depicts the free-spirited camaraderie of openly gay men (particularly the relationship between Lord Nantwich and Will) while examining issues pertaining to class, racism, police entrapment and homophobia, all presented with an edgy urgency that pulls the reader further into the tale Alan Hollinghurst so skillfully weaves. There is a lot of (often explicit) sex going on in The Swimming-Pool Library but the book never feels exploitative or smutty; indeed, it is sins of the distant past that cause the novel's protagonists to question their place in the world, and to re-examine themselves and their privileged lifestyles. I first read Alan Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty several years ago and immediately found myself admiring the quality of his writing and storytelling. I find that I enjoyed The Swimming-Pool Library at least as much, if not more. My familiarity with the world portrayed in both novels, and of the wonderful characters inhabiting this world only enhances my appreciation for his work: reading his books gives me a genuine sense of a place and time when I was, for better and for worse, a lot like the young men he writes about. I highly recommend The Swimming-Pool Library as a precursor to The Line of Beauty, both of which are among my favorite works of modern fiction.

I really liked the evolution of this book. The author takes his time developing the main characters, Will and Charles, although Charles' development is in the form of journals written throughout his life and given to Will to read. The book got better as it progressed and by the end it became very interesting. The lives of Will and Charles are linked in a way that is quite original and not very obvious (I didn't see it coming). One of the themes of the book deals with casual promiscuity in a gay culture of the past, which can at times be disturbing. However, by the end of the book another subtle theme reveals itself, and that is that everyone has a story, and everyone's story is interesting even if it is not told or written down in a journal. I don't know, I guess I just really liked how all the stories were somehow linked together in this book. I recommend it and I'll read some more from this author.

I enjoyed Hollinghurst's The Line of Beauty so much, that I purchased this. This book actually wasn't as engaging for me. I actually like reading fiction by authors who identify as homosexual, even though I am not one. I enjoy reading about that alternate world of experience, I feel as if I am learning something and I am also intrigued by lifestyles so different and foreign to my own. However, I didn't like the main character of Will. I found him to be lazy, promiscuous, predatory, vain, entitled.., actually there wasn't anything that I liked about his personality at all. The story did have an interesting moralistic twist that sort of taught the egocentric, pleasure seeking and shallow Will a real life lesson. I don't like to reveal plot details, I feel it spoils the book for the potential reader, but I will say that Hollinghurst is a gifted author and the book is worth a shot.

Alan Hollinghurst écrit bien, incontestablement, dans un style soigné et littéraire. Le problème, c'est que l'omniprésence du sexe / de l'homosexualité dans le roman exaspère assez vite (c'est également vrai pour 'The Spell' et 'The Folding Star'). Dans 'The Swimmingpool Library', William - le narrateur - est un jeune homme riche, beau, intelligent - et gay - qui mène une vie de loisirs (culture, sport et sexe). Un jour, il sauve la vie d'un vieil homme faisant une attaque dans des toilettes publiques, lieu de rendez-vous pour sexe facile entre hommes. L'homme, un vieux lord - homosexuel bien sûr ,- lui propose de devenir son biographe... L'omniprésence du sexe fait qu'on en oublie les aspects plus profonds du roman, pourtant bien présents. L'autre aspect négatif du roman a été pour moi son narrateur antipathique: un jeune riche 'pourri gâté', narcissique, suffisant, condescendant et poseur intellectuel. 'The Swimmingpool Library' est mon 5ème livre par Hollinghurst, pas le meilleur selon moi. Les deux que je recommanderais sont 'The Line of Beauty' et 'The Stranger's Child'.

Not every character is likeable, in fact very few are, but they're all interesting. It's also very honest in that most people, especially attractive, white, rich and young will be ar*eholes. Like 'The Line of Beauty' this is more a collection of things that happen to the characters and explores how they deal with them and develop than it is one ongoing storyline. It reminded me of 'Catcher in the Rye' although I enjoyed this much, much more. Not only is it more adult, I enjoyed reading the different types of homosexuals who, although in a different time period and class, all remind me of people I know and even at times myself.

This is one of the best books I've read - so well written. It depicts what goes on inside the heads of people who frequent gyms and swimming pools. There were a few words I should have looked up in the dictionary, but was too lazy to bother with. The use of such words could have been annoying but wasn't - it told me the author was making the effort to raise his writing above that of the general crowd. Well done.

This is an amazing story told in a very unusual way with humour and pathos as well as intrigue. Alan Hollinghurst is an amazing story teller

This book is exquisitely written, pre Aid’s. An unlikely relationship between two men of different ages. Set in London in the early 80s . I loved the writing,the central character is a bit hard to take, being so overtly sexual. A book well worth reading.