Books Do Furnish a Room (novel)

infobox Book |
name = Books Do Furnish a Room
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Anthony Powell
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = A Dance to the Music of Time
genre =
publisher = Little, Brown and Company
pub_date = 1971
english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback and Paperback)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0316715441 (HB)
preceded_by = The Military Philosophers
followed_by = Temporary Kings

"Books Do Furnish a Room" is a novel by Anthony Powell, the tenth in the sequence of twelve comprising his masterpiece, "A Dance to the Music of Time". It was first published in 1971 and, like the other volumes, remains in print.

The book conveys the atmosphere of post-war austerity in which the characters attempt to resume life before the intervention of the conflict. For the non-combatants this time-shift proves manageable, but others find themselves irrevocably altered by the experience, and ill at ease in a landscape that has changed both physically and socially.

Pre-war characters reappear, and a younger generation spear-headed by Pamela Flitton take the lead in the narrative. Some of Nick's contemporaries are seen to have become middle-aged and staid, others more radical.

A change in the political tide is conveyed with some satirical fun at the expense of the more doctrinaire figures. The introduction of the bohemian Trapnel moves the centre of gravity towards literature, with a discussion of naturalism in the novel recurring.

Plot summary

Jenkins returns to his old university library during the vacation in the Winter of 1945/6 to undertake research for a book about Robert Burton. He goes to see Sillery, who has a new secretary, Ada Leintwardine. Quiggin is starting a literary magazine called "Fission", which is to be funded by Erridge ... except that Erridge dies suddenly.

Erridge's funeral at Thrubworth is disturbed by the late arrival of the Widmerpools, Quiggin, Sir Harold & Lady Craggs (née Gypsy Jones). Pamela Widmerpool causes a disturbance by leaving during the service. Later at Thrubworth Park, Jenkins is invited by Quiggin to join the staff of "Fission"; Pamela causes further trouble, and on leaving is noisely sick into a large Chinese urn.

At the party to launch "Fission", Nick first meets the importunate novelist X Trapnel (based on the real-life Bohemian dandy, Julian MacLaren-Ross); Trapnel takes an immediate fancy to Pamela.

Early the following year there are problems at "Fission's" publishers, Quiggin & Craggs. Trapnel has become infatuated with Pamela. Jenkins, dining with MP Roddy Cutts (husband of Susan Tolland) at the House of Commons, meets Widmerpool (now also a Member of Parliament). All three go to Widmerpool's flat where it becomes apparent that Pamela has absconded with Trapnel.

Some time later Jenkins visits Trapnel and Pamela at their seedy flat, and while there Widmerpool arrives to confront the adulterers.

Later in the year Pamela leaves Trapnel, and in doing so throws the precious manuscript of his novel into the nearby canal. At an old school function Jenkins meets Le Bas, and the reunited Widmerpools.

* [http://www.anthonypowell.org.uk/dance/dancesum.htm Adapted in part from material published by the Anthony Powell Society with consent]