SCOOP

In Scoop, Evelyn Waugh delivers one of the cleverest and most entertaining comic novels of the twentieth century—an unforgettable tale of mistaken identity, chaotic journalism, and the absurdities of chasing the “big story.”

When shy nature columnist William Boot is accidentally mistaken for a celebrated novelist, he suddenly finds himself dispatched to the East African nation of Ishmaelia, a place where revolution simmers, rumors multiply, and every foreign correspondent is fighting for the next headline. Armed with little more than a typewriter and pure bewilderment, Boot stumbles through diplomatic intrigue, outlandish competitors, and the madness of a war that might not even exist.

As press barons pull strings from afar and journalists invent “facts” faster than events unfold, Boot’s quiet, accidental courage reveals truths others can’t see. Waugh builds a world where comedy and chaos meet, exposing the hilarious and often surreal machinery behind global news.

A masterclass in satire and storytelling, Scoop remains a brilliantly witty fictional romp through the world of media, ambition, and human folly.