That Uncertain Feeling

By: Kingsley Amis

Narrated by: John Sackville

Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Competition is stiff for the position of sub-librarian in Aberdarcy Library. For John Lewis, the situation is complicated by the attentions of daunting and desirable village socialite Elizabeth Gruffyd-Williams, who is married to a member of the local Council.

Pursuing an affair with her whilst keeping his job prospects alive is John's predicament, as he finds himself running down Welsh country lanes at midnight in a wig and dress, resisting the advances of local drunks and suffering the long speeches of a 'nut-faced' clergyman. 

At times tenderly satirical and at times riotously slap-stick, Amis sends up an array of rural stereotypes in this story about a man who doesn't know what he wants.

©1955 Kingsley Amis (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Good listen, but chunk of audio from Ch 18 missing

I think old Kingers was probably a bit of a ****, but he did do a certain kind of fiction very well. You have to be willing to go with the rather mannered, humorous meanderings of the narrator, and I think many readers/listeners probably won't be -- it is very much of its period. But it's laugh-out-loud funny in parts and generally harmless and entertaining enough.

It is annoying that a small bit of the audio is missing from near the start of Chapter 18. Penguin Random House takes in billions annually and they really should be able to afford to pay someone to listen to their audiobooks from start to finish before they get sold to the general public. Supermarket underpants manufacturers seem to have better quality control procedures than many publishers of audiobooks.