G. F. H. Shadbold, a lifelong poseur and literary manque lives, for the most part, in fear of discovery. A friend, Cedric Winterwade, whom he evidently seduced in his college days, writes a novel almost as insignificant and badly written as Shadbold’s own literary output. As time passes, however, and the friend is killed in the army, Winterwade’s novel begins to be rediscovered, creating panic in Shadbold and a hilarious series of events in which Powell pokes fun at the writing community, academic life, and a whole generation of memoir-toting literati.

Anthony Powell, who recently died, is one of the great comic writers of Britian in the 20th century.