The Swimming-Pool Library

by Alan Hollinghurst | Gay & Lesbian |
ISBN: 0140116109 Global Overview for this book
Registered by jazz-ee2 of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on 2/2/2009
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by jazz-ee2 from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Monday, February 2, 2009
GreenMetropolis.com
Description:
'Alan Hollinghurst's first novel is a tour de force: a darkly erotic work that centres on the friendship of William Beckwith, a young gay aristocrat who leads a life of privilege and promiscuity, and the elderly Lord Nantwich, who is searching for someone to write his biography.'

Darkly erotic is a very apt description of this book, a book about male love and sex as well as self-discovery. I love the promiscuous amorality of Will, balanced against the solidity of Lord Nantwich. Brilliantly written, literary eroticism.

Happy Reading!

Journal Entry 2 by Bjorg from Reykjavík, Reykjavík (Höfuðborgar svæðið) Iceland on Thursday, March 19, 2009
Am taking this book out of BM8 Erotic Bookbox:)

Journal Entry 3 by Bjorg at Reykjavík, Reykjavík (Höfuðborgar svæðið) Iceland on Sunday, December 5, 2010
Not sure what I think about the book, it was both really interesting and very boring, hehehe;)it´s well written and for the most part I liked it but as I said, sometimes it also got really boring.

Journal Entry 4 by Bjorg at Llandudno, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Released 13 yrs ago (2/24/2011 UTC) at Llandudno, Wales United Kingdom

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

A trade with Lucy-lemon:) Hope you will enjoy the book:)

Journal Entry 5 by lucy-lemon at Llandudno, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Thank you so much for trading :-) I have literally looked for this book for months! Really looking forward to reading it.

Journal Entry 6 by lucy-lemon at Llandudno, Wales United Kingdom on Monday, March 28, 2011
Hmm. I didn't really like this book as much as I wanted to. I liked Hollinghurst's other novel, A Line of Beauty, but this one I found really difficult to get involved in the plot and actually care anything at all about the characters. The only thing I really felt about them was a mild annoyance!

Still, I'm glad to have read it as it' s another book ticked off the 1001 list. I'm planning on adding it to soffitta1's 1001 bookbox.

Journal Entry 7 by soffitta1 at Ávila, Ávila Spain on Saturday, September 10, 2011
Just realised that I hadn't even journalled this, I am so sorry.
I had already read a book by the author and was keen to see how this one measured up.

Will is a handsome, rich young man whose life revolves around sex and the Corinthian Club, where he goes to swim. One day, Will gives an old man the kiss of life in a public loo, a man he later recognises in the Corinthian Club. The man is a Lord who later asks Will to write his memoirs. Will's meeting changes his life, especially as it brings up unexpected skeletons.

Through Will's life and that of his friends, and especially Nantwich's diaries, the reader gets a slice of the life of a British gay man and attitudes have changed.

I started out enjoying the book, but when it seemed to just turn into one anonymous liason after another, I felt I lost interest in it.

Journal Entry 8 by 1001-library at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Saturday, September 10, 2011

Thanks so much for your donation soffitta1!

This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.

Journal Entry 9 by soffitta1 at Ávila, Ávila Spain on Wednesday, September 28, 2011
For Jaynereader.

Journal Entry 10 by rem_IUM-600892 at Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thanks, soffitta1, looking forward to this one.

Journal Entry 11 by rem_IUM-600892 at Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, December 8, 2011
Interesting but a little dull as well. A good portrait of gay life with some touching parts.

Journal Entry 12 by 1001-library at Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, December 14, 2011


This book is now back on the 1001 library bookshelf and can be borrowed by PMing jaynereader:)

If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the library bookshelf.

Journal Entry 13 by rem_IUM-600892 at Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, May 16, 2020
I'm releasing this book as I am deleting my bookcrossing account after several years of these books lying dormant on my shelves.

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.