A handful of dust

Evelyn Waugh

The decline of the bourgeoisie and the disintegration of English society in the interwar period into "one of the most shocking and bitter novels of the 20th century" (Guardian).

After seven years of marriage, the beautiful Lady Brenda is bored with everything and especially her house, the imposing Gothic mansion-pride and joy of her husband, Tony. She is fascinated by a secular young man and tries, with various tricks, not only to get a divorce, but also to ensure a rich diet. Tony denies it and goes on to explore Latin America where he gets involved in incredible adventures.

"An Elegant Satire… A Wonderful Book" (John Banville), A Handful of Dust was published in 1934 and is considered the masterpiece of Wu (1903-1966), "the best writer of our generation", as described by Graham Green. In 1988 it was made into a movie starring Christine Scott Thomas, Angelica Houston, Alec Guinness, Judy Dentz and others.