Any Human Heart

A Novel

By: William Boyd

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Best-selling author William Boyd—the novelist who has been called a “master storyteller” (Chicago Tribune) and “a gutsy writer who is good company to keep” (Time)—here gives us his most entertaining, sly, and compelling novel to date. The novel evokes the tumult, events, and iconic faces of our time as it tells the story of Logan Mountstuart—writer, lover, and man of the world—through his intimate journals. It covers the “riotous and disorganized reality” of Mountstuart’s 85 years in all their extraordinary, tragic, and humorous aspects.

The journals begin with his boyhood in Montevideo, Uruguay, then move to Oxford in the 1920s and the publication of his first book, then on to Paris where he meets Joyce, Picasso, Hemingway, et al., and to Spain, where he covers the civil war. During World War II, we see him as an agent for naval intelligence, becoming embroiled in a murder scandal that involves the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The postwar years bring him to New York as an art dealer in the world of 1950s abstract expressionism, then on to West Africa, to London where he has a run-in with the Baader-Meinhof Gang, and, finally, to France where, in his old age, he acquires a measure of hard-won serenity.

This is a moving, ambitious, and richly conceived novel that summons up the heroics and follies of 20th-century life.

©2002 William Boyd (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Boyd does such a nimble job of ventriloquism in the book’s opening sections that we find ourselves forgetting that Mountstuart is a fictional character.” ( New York Times)

I didn't want this book to end

The story of Logan Mountstuart's life is told through his diary entries, taking him, and us, through the 20th century, bumping into major and minor writers, artists and historical personalities and touching on events like the spanish revolution, WW2, the Biafra War and a Baader-Meinhof plot. We get insider descriptions of milieus such as the Bloomsbury group, the Paris literati of the 20's and 30's, the music and arts scene in New York in 50's and 60's New York, and an assortment of spies, tax-refugees and expat royals in the Caribbean. Critics have pointed out that the plot is just a bi too contrived - routinely landing Mountstuart at the centre (or at least the fringes) of all this historical action, but it never seemed that way to me while listening. I found this beautifully written. Mountstuart's style does go through subtle changes, reflecting his age and the style of whatever present he is describing and, as always, Simon Vance's narration takes the prose up a notch. Logan Mountstuart is multi-faceted, a selfish, serial adulterer - longing for love and human connection, always moving on, but seeking a sense of home and belonging, part of big picture, but still obsessed with daily minutiae. I don't need to admire a literary character in every aspect to find his life a fascinating subject, or to feel a mild sense of loss as the narrative gently winds down, just before the next big turning point of the 20th century - the fall of the Berlin wall.

Interesting, engaging but not riviting

An interesting read, interesting concept, a fictional biography written by an unidentified hand. Its a detailed character study of one english individual and his few successes and many failings, buffeted about by the events of the 20th century.
You can empasize with him, but by the end I found him a curiously ackward and sightless individual, for all his experience and learning.
The plot winds on well, but you can tell that the author has written himself into corners at several locations and thus must resort to impluasable and jarring plot twists to get onto a reasonable track again, and some of those tracks run aground pretty quickly.
Well read, easy listening.

One of my favorites

Where does Any Human Heart rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Near the top of my list

Who was your favorite character and why?

Logan Mountstuart's life is an interesting trajectory through recent history. He hob-nobs with the likes of Hemingway and Picasso and is involved in the Spanish Civil War. The story paints a truly unflattering portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Logan struggles with loss, poverty, wealth, his alcoholism, nihilism and detachment. The story moves through four continents, including some time spent in the US. He finds some resolution as an older man living a simple life in France.

Any additional comments?

I was delighted to discover that the story is a series available for instand download on Nefltix.

Wonderful story

Would you listen to Any Human Heart again? Why?

Really amazing and intricate story which walks you through the twentieth century

What was one of the most memorable moments of Any Human Heart?

So many it is hard to pick any particular moment. It seemed that each chapter brought new insights into the authors world view

Any additional comments?

A really wonderful audiobook

Excellent listen!

IMO this is by far the best performance of Simon Vance, one of my favorites. He performed with younger voice for young Mountstewart, the protagonist, and graduated consistently to more mature and older voice as the protagonist aged. Now that's a grand performance!

The story is interesting, and witty to read. Lots of great historical references, and beautiful integrated. Fun read!