I'm Dying Laughing
The Humourist
Published on 23. October 2012
447 pages
978-1-4532-6523-9 (ISBN)
Description
Christina Stead's unforgettable final novela profound examination of love and radicalism during the McCarthy eraIn the wake of the Great Depression, Emily Wilkes, a young American journalist, travels to a Europe still scarred by World War I. During her crossing, she meets Stephen Howard, a charismatic and wealthy Communist who quickly converts Emily to his ideals when the two become lovers. Upon their return to the States, they marry and settle into a comfortable life in Hollywood as darlings of the American left. Emily shines as a screenwriter and novelist while Stephen dedicates himself to the Party linebut their radicalism soon finds them out of favor and retreating to Paris, where they tragically and bitterly unravel. Published posthumously by Christina Stead's literary executor professor Ron Geering, I'm Dying Laughing is an unflinching look at political faith and romantic attachment.
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Person
Christina Stead (1902-1983) was an Australian writer regarded as one of the twentieth century's master novelists. Stead spent most of her writing life in Europe and the United States, and her varied residences acted as the settings for a number of her novels. She is best known for
The Man Who Loved Children (1940), which was praised by author Jonathan Franzen as a "crazy, gorgeous family novel" and "one of the great literary achievements of the twentieth century." Stead died in her native Australia in 1983.
Content
- Intro
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Part One
- 1 How It Began. 1935
- 2 Love Story
- 3 Marriage
- 4 Uno 1945
- 5 The Holinshed Party
- 6 The Straightening Out
- 7 After The Party
- 8 Back East
- 9 The Magic Refugee
- 10 Anna's Birthday
- Part Two
- 11 Two Lists
- 12 Landing Party
- 13 Settling In
- 14 Comrade Vittorio
- 15 Anna's Visit
- 16 Subject For Emily
- 17 Trips
- 18 Money-making
- 19 The Struggle For Christy
- 20 Rescue And Recantation
- 21 Trial And Execution
- 22 Stephen Returns
- 23 Final Arrangements
- 24 The Monster
- Copyright
