The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder is a novel by the English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945. It follows, from the 1920s to the early 1940s, the life and romances of Charles Ryder, especially his friendship with the Flytes, a family of wealthy English Catholics who live in a palatial mansion, Brideshead Castle. Ryder has relationships with two of the Flytes: Sebastian and Julia. The novel explores themes including Catholicism and nostalgia for the age of English aristocracy. A well-received television adaptation of the novel was produced in an 11-part miniseries by Granada Television in 1981.

Excellent prose, but slow moving, multi-decade story. I just don't like that kind of literature. Reader was great. I listened to the end, but was not much impressed by it. ( )

I had seen enough of the famous television adaptation, and thought it was alright. A story of rich people. But as a written novel? Well... Evelyn Waugh is a pretty extraordinary prose stylist and overall writer. On that level, this is a great novel. So, for me the reading (listening) experience was far richer than any dramatic adaptation could hope to equal. The book covers an enormous amount of ground. It feels very influential to many other writers of the era. Very, very impressive. Personal points off for me, being less obsessed with Catholic guilt than the author is. Either you suffer from it, or you don't. ( )

Interesting read. Not sure what I was expecting but it was good none the less. ( )

One of those books that have been lying around for ages (and where you have a vague recollection of an unwatched mini-series from 30 years ago.....).

First published in 1945, this book is split into 3 sections - the first being Charles Ryder, in the army, returning to Brideshead to use it as local army headquarters. He first visited Brideshead when he was at Oxford and met up with the younger Flyte son Sebastian. This takes us into a reminiscence of Charles's interaction with the Flyte family. Sebastian comes first, and he and Charles have some form of love affair. There is some debate as to whether it was just a romantic love affair (as some young men are wont to do - think it would be called a "bromance" nowadays) or something more sexual (unlikely to be more explicit considering time it was written). Julia is Sebastian's younger sister, an unavailable female version of Sebastian as well as their rather strongly Catholic mother. Their father lives in Italy with his mistress, unable to get a divorce because his wife wont grant it.

Sebastian only really appears in the first third of the book, and the relationship between Charles and the Flyte family falls apart through Sebastian's excessive drinking. Sebastian disappears onto the continent somewhere and is barely heard of again until the end, and only then by third hand.

The second section of the book details Charles's relationship with Julia, where the two meet again several years later and end up living together for several years - both having married and on track to get divorces as a result. They plan to get married once both divorces come through, but over the subsequent years whilst waiting on the divorces, several large events come about. Julia's brother Brideshead, decides to get married to a hideous widow with 2 children, and now that Julia's mother has died, Julia's father decides to return to Brideshead in order to die.

The last, short section of the book returns Charles to Brideshead as part of the army who have taken residence in the empty home.

There are large swathes of narrative, with page long paragraphs, especially at the beginning, which would have turned me off the book had it gone on for much longer. There is also some conflict between the very Catholic Flyte family and the rather atheist Charles, which brings conflict throughout the book.

Very surprising. ( )

For what it is worth, I hate blanket "__" star reviews because it's difficult to sum up my thoughts on some books with a single rating.

For the writing itself and some of the wickedly funny scenes and observations, 5 stars.

For the loathsome bore that is the protagonist, 2 stars. For Pete's sake...he's had two children and has not been home to even meet the second, yet we're supposed to sympathize with his "situation." His wife is no peach either - yet this doesn't excuse his behavior.

For the yawning bore of the English aristocracy of the 1920s-40s, 2 stars. It's not my thing. If it's yours, you will adore this book.

For the heavy-handed religious themes, 2 stars. It's in your face and while it does play a role in the book's conflict as it does in life, the acceptance of one's fate (particularly when one is well-monied, well-employed, and young) is maddening. The protagonist is an agnostic up until the end when someone's deathbed decision essentially robs him of his future happiness, and he accepts it as God's will? Maddening. If such a decision was to be made, then I needed to see some type of progression towards this conclusion.


( )

you ever read a book that you just know will haunt you for the rest of your life? ( )

The gorgeous prose carries one through what I found a somewhat superficial, sentimental plot. That being said, the book is a brilliant characterization of a certain class within a certain age, and I appreciate the staging of the different eras in the narrator’s life, the intertwining of deep past, middle past and present. Sebastian’s deterioration is portrayed at an English arm’s length—through the limits of the narrator—but I find myself wanting to know more, to deepen the vision. Once again, a certain superficiality to this book prevents me from recommending it too strongly. Oh, and Anthony Blanche is a legend, it must be said—he glitters off the page, and like the noon sun glittering off a lake, is burned into one’s brain. ( )

This old chestnut seems a bit dated in 2018. It is hard to believe this is the book that the 12-part Masterpiece Theater version was based on that compelled us in the 1980’s. Evelyn Waugh is a competent writer, but you would do better to find a copy of the series rather than slog through this novel. ( )

Well, nothing much at all happens. Just a life being lived and connecting and disconnecting with other lives. ( )

Bertie Wooster meets Jay Gatsby. ( )

Wry and entertaining, Brideshead is both nostalgic towards the old landed classes and cuttingly satirical about their mores. There is a good bit about Roman Catholicism and how its practitioners were viewed with suspicion, especially amongst the enlightened conservatives like Charles Ryder. ( )

I think the second half of this book is far superior to the first half ... but I'm not entirely sure. There's a lot to think about and unpack, for sure. I suspect this is one of those books that definitely bears rereading to really get a full sense of. Soon™ ( )

Opening bits in Oxford with Sebastian are a joy. The long second half of the novel with Julia and a rather joyless adulterous affair is less fun. The two halves are so distinct the novel feels incoherent. ( )

Waugh here writes the story of a man who, during WWII, returns to a place as an army officer in which he spent much of his time from his late teenage years to his recent adult life. The book is mostly Charles Ryder reminiscing on his time at Brideshead, first as a friend (possible lover) of Sebastian, and then as a lover to Julia, Sebastian's sister. It's a beautifully told story that not only concerns family and love, but also beautifully encompasses Waugh's feelings towards religion, specifically Catholicism. ( )

I knew I'd loved this book and I did. Bisexuality, Catholicism, old country homes and Oxford—it's got it all. The pervasive yearning that paints the story was both tragic and mournful, especially when read with the queer subtext at the forefront. ( )

The story opens with a Prologue. During WWII, Captain Charles Ryder of the British Army has arrived at Brideshead Castle, which has been requisitioned by the government and converted to a military encampment. Charles has a long history with this place, and the rest of the novel flashes back to relate his experiences with the Marchmain (Flyte) family, owners of the estate. Part II recounts Charles’s time at Oxford as a student of art, starting in 1922, where he befriends classmate Sebastian Flyte, the second son of Lord and Lady Marchmain. Sebastian leads a dissolute lifestyle, and Charles is enthralled with him. He meets the rest of the family, Sebastian’s elder brother, ”Bridey,” and sisters, Julia and Cordelia. Lord and Lady Marchmain are separated. Lady Marchmain is devoutly Catholic and she refuses him a divorce. Lord Marchmain now lives in Venice with his mistress. Charles is not religious, and he finds himself in the middle of the various family viewpoints (and a few arguments) about religion.

The tone is nostalgic, as an older Charles relates the experiences of his younger days. Religious faith plays a relevant role as a source of meaning for many of the characters. Others have taken the agnostic path. The primary conflicts arise due to family dynamics and different views of religion. The first part of the book is focused on Charles and Sebastian’s relationship (it is obliquely implied that it may be romantic, but always falls back into friendship.) The second half is dominated by Charles and Julia’s relationship, and Sebastian’s increasing alcohol addiction.

“I had seen him grow wary at the thought of his family or his religion; now I found I, too, was suspect. He did not fail in love, but he lost his joy of it, for I was no longer part of his solitude. As my intimacy with his family grew I became part of the world which he sought to escape; I became one of the bonds which held him.”

Waugh employs rich and evocative language. He deftly manages to insert wry humor into the narrative, providing a nice counterbalance to the many serious topics. The country estate is almost a character unto itself. It represents many elements of Charles’s life – his youthful adventures, development as an artist, and romantic involvements. This book is a classic. In my opinion, it holds up due to its many universal themes – friendship, family, memories, art, addiction, class, and love. ( )

I wanted, and expected, to like this more than I did. I'm used to adding context when reading books from various periods so I can take the story in the manner it is offered.

But this one, still, fell short. I just never cared enough about the characters. Sure, the era, the backdrop of war, can make people come across as self-absorbed and thoughtless. But they were all like this. The characters who were important in the first half of the book seemed to disappear in the second half, for no particular reason. As if the author grew bored with them and decided to give his protagonist other people, who are just as self-absorbed but in better clothes.

I kept reading, figuring all the re-issues of this story over the years meant there would be a payoff by the end. It never came. Blah. ( )

Brideshead Revisited is twenty years in the life of Captain Charles Ryder and the relationships that sustained him. Friendships with the Flyte family and Brideshead Castle, the military, religion, romance. We learn early on that he compares his waning affection for the military to a marriage in the post-honeymoon phase. I found that to be a really interesting analogy.
I would compare Brideshead Revisited to a lazy river. There is no white water pulse pounding plot twists. Instead it is a pleasant, gentle read that meanders through Victorian life. I can see the reason for its popularity and the various made for television movies it spawned. ( )

What a fantastic book! I'd rate this a 4.5 if I could, so I'll round up.

I'll mull over it some more before I start gushing about it. Fantastic. ( )

I love everything about this book except the definite statements about love and religion; those I do not understand.

I listened to the Jeremy Irons narration. Not only is it excellent, but the scenes from the highly faithful TV adaptation of the '80s, with Irons as Ryder, recur in my imagination and reinforce the narration. ( )

Overall:

This book reminds me of what I love best about reading. The sense of tragedy/melancholy I felt as I moved through the last 40 or so pages felt as real to me as actual times in my life when I've felt depressed or sad. I think the capacity of books to elicit such true and 'to the bone' emotion is what, for me, differentiates them from most other forms of media.

Things I liked:

Characters: were distinct, believable and used effectively to move the story along.

Words: were well chosen, skillfully employed and prosaic. I particularly remember a section about pigeons in St Marks Square Venice where I stopped and thought even though he's using all these fancy words and long sentences; he's actually expressing the idea better than any shorter sentences and less fancy words could. I think that is an ideal way for an author to express themselves (despite my own lack of ability ;-)

Story: Although the book is short compared to some of the weighty fantasy/sci-fi fiction I normally read, it doesn't feel rushed. There's a poetry to the interplay of the different elements of the story that I didn't predict and greatly enjoyed.

Things I thought could be improved:

Sometimes the story jumps between scenes quite dramatically (one incident I remember the narrator is remembering a dinner they attended years ago and in the next paragraph is involved in a similar dinner party at the present day). I found that a bit hard to follow at times and found myself 'checking back' to make sure I hadn't missed something on several occasions.


I thought the very end (last couple of sentences where Charles is said to be happy again) to be a rather abrupt turn around for his character. Maybe it was meant to be satire or something I'm not sure, but I think I would vote for another page and a half of text to help me understand why Charles is now a happy camper (or maybe he isn't and I just missed the whole point of the book, but in either case I'd appreciate a helping hand ;-) ( )

Was pretty ok. Rather sad and melancholy. But, well written, to be sure. ( )

I was drawn to this book from encountering mention of it in another that dealt with Oxford in the 1920's. Also the mini-series that aired years ago on PBS. Not much of a novel reader I thought it worth a shot to see what the fuss might be about. I'm still wondering on completion.

The story seems to closely track Waugh's early life also having attended Oxford. Revolving around the main character Charle's friendship with Sebastian Flyte and his well to do family that lived on the estate of Brideshead. The themes weaving from his attraction to Sebastian as well as his sister Julia.

The book is primarily dialogue between the characters that drones on and on with little real action taking place. The central theme is the roll of the family's Catholicism in Anglican England and how Charles observes and is drawn to it by the end. What the particular message was is still a mystery to me and though I am glad I finished I remain unenlightened by the experience. ( )