Vile Bodies

Evelyn Waugh's second novel, "Vile Bodies" is his tribute to London's smart set. It introduces us to society as it used to be but that now is gone forever, and probably for good.


The novel is a satirical look at the "Bright Young Things" of 1920s London high society, following the hedonistic and chaotic lives of wealthy, reckless socialites like the aspiring writer Adam Fenwick-Symes and the glamorous Nina Blount. Published in 1930, the book satirizes their extravagant parties, promiscuity, and search for sensation, while also revealing the underlying darkness and vulnerability beneath the glittering surface, foreshadowing the coming chaos of World War II.