Malcolm Lowry’s iconic novel about a fatal Day of the Dead in a small Mexican town and one man’s struggle against the forces threatening to destroy him. In what the New York Times calls “one of the towering novels of [the twentieth] century,” former British consul Geoffrey Firmin lives alone with his demons in the shadow of two active volcanoes in South Central Mexico. Gripped by alcoholism, … Mexico. Gripped by alcoholism, Geoffrey makes one last effort to salvage his crumbling life on the day that his ex-wife, Yvonne, arrives in town.
It’s the Day of the Dead, 1938. The couple wants to revive their marriage and undo the wrongs of their past, but they soon realize that they’ve stumbled into the wrong place and time, where not only Geoffrey and Yvonne, but the world itself is on the edge of Armageddon.
Hailed by the Modern Library as one of the one hundred best English novels of the twentieth century, Under the Volcano stands as an iconic and richly drawn example of the modern novel at its most lyrical.
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Canadian writer Malcolm Lowry is remembered for just one novel, perhaps because he poured his entire spirit into it, leaving little behind. Lowry’s autobiographical masterpiece is the best portrayal of a man’s descent into alcoholism that I have ever come across. At once brutal and lyrical, the novel begs to be read out loud. It’s not light beach …
Lowry’s “Under the Volcano” is, for me, on e of the great novels of addiction and obsession. Abandon hope, reader, as you venture into this story. There will be no hope. I cannot go further than that without spoiling the tale, but trust me when I say that this is a treacherous journey. One man’s descent into darkness; gripping, stark, haunting.
Enjoyed it. 3-4 stars probably
Reminder: Need to reread, too long ago
So you’re thinking about expanding that short story into a novel? Then this is the book for you. Chapter 8 was originally written as a stand-alone story and the three characters were father, daughter and future son-in-law instead of husband, wife and friend as they became in the novel. This is a masterpiece of stream-of-consciousness from an …
Well written but the pain alcoholism of family members has caused in my life I found it overwhelmingly depressing. Not what I wantvto spend my time reading about.
I tried to be interested, but I just couldn’t get into it.
I found this book slow and plodding to read.
This was recommended to me by a literary friend and I stopped reading at page 37 because I couldn’t waste any more of my time with it. Later she said the movie was better. Again, I didn’t want to use any minutes of my life I’d never be able to get back.
This Quote from Malcolm Lowry’s 1949 Masterpiece ‘Under the Volcano’ describes the book spiritually and thematically in one sentence “How, unless you drink as I do, could you hope to understand the beauty of an old Indian woman playing dominoes with a chicken?” This is a book that everyone should read several times during one’s lifetime.
When Random House listed the one hundred best novels of the 20th century, Lowry’s book was ranked number eleven. This tragic and gripping tale is worth reading for a number of reasons. Most obviously, it is a frank and minutely descriptive account of the life of a man deep in the grip of alcoholism, a man whose ex-wife comes back to Mexico to …
Great book!
Sad book
Certainly one of the greatest 20th century novels. Fascinating streams of consciousness….
The ramblings of an alcoholic is not my for me.
Not an easy read, but ultimately rewarding on an artistic level. One of the singularly most depressing stories I’ve ever read. A tribute to Lowry’s writing that I didn’t bail. Glad I didn’t because he pulls off some wonderful structural feats at the end that made me want to stand and applaud.
A masterpiece. Beautifully written.
Well written, great vocabulary, very deep story of deeply unhappy characters. Stream of consciousness laced with alcohol.
A little stilted, may be era of the writing, but lovely prose. Descriptions are beautiful. Did not care for it tho.
Enjoyed it immensely 40 years ago, couldn’t get through more than a few pages this time.
I have little patience any more – perhaps this is what you need plenty of to appreciate and enjoy what must be a really good book.
Extremely difficult to read as it is the stream of consciousness of the main character and it’s hard to tell if the character is thinking in the present or the past. But it’s worth the time it takes to read it and it does take time.