The Devil's Mode

by Anthony Burgess

Book Overview

In this collection of short stories, the reader encounters Shakespeare, on tour in Spain in discussion with Cervantes; Attila the Hun preparing to devastate Rome; Debussy visiting the Rosetti's and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0091741947
• ISBN13: 9780091741945
• Release Date: January 1989
• Publisher: Not Avail
• Length: 271 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

One of Burgess' best

As with most people, I only knew Anthony Burgess through A Clockwork Orange and I knew that he didn't particularly like Clockework Orange. When I read Earthly Powers I understood why. Burgess is one of the deepest most profound writers of the 20th century. Read his books and you feel like you're getting the education that your history and humanities teachers couldn't possibly give you. This collection of short stories will rip your mind to shreds and put it back together in a fresher, newer format. His story of Debussy will make you buy all of Debussy's records. His story about Attila will send you scrambling for all works on the late Roman Empire (of course, start with The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Modern Library Classics)) as Attila plays one paper tiger against the other and carves out his own niche, only to fall to his ambitions, alcoholism and relatives. The Cavalier of the Rose somehow manages to convey the joy of watching comic operattas in text format. I don't know how he does it. If I did, I'd be much further along in my writing career than I am. Either way, buy this book. Find a used copy. Seek it in used bookstores - brick and online. It's well worth the trouble.