Fiction

In Youth is Pleasure

In Youth is Pleasure

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  • Create Date：2021-08-01 07:51:06
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
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  • Author：Denton Welch
  • ISBN：0241464137
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Summary

'Unlike any other person I had come across， Welch seemed to be speaking particularly to me' Alan Bennett

'Vivid 。。。 surprising 。。。 an exquisite balance of pain and beauty' Guardian

Orvil Pym does not fit in。 A waifish， eccentric， sensitive fifteen-year-old， he hates school and longs to be alone。 Spending his Summer holidays in a genteel Surrey hotel with his mysterious father and two brothers who don't understand him， he explores ancient churches， spies on a man rowing in the river and collects antiques， escaping into his own singular aesthetic world。 First published in 1945， this is an unforgettable portrayal of a young man's sensuous coming-of-age。

'A heightened， sensual journey 。。。 it is Orvil's vibrant energy that allows this book to bubble 。。。 beautifully odd 。。。 spectacular' Independent

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Reviews

Gilles Russeil ，

Orvil a 15 ans et quitte pour l'été son pensionnat qu'il déteste。 Il est seul comme on peut l'être a cet âge， plein de violences et de tendresse。 Vous n'oublierez pas Orvil。。。Un grand livre。 Orvil a 15 ans et quitte pour l'été son pensionnat qu'il déteste。 Il est seul comme on peut l'être a cet âge， plein de violences et de tendresse。 Vous n'oublierez pas Orvil。。。Un grand livre。 。。。more

Eric Anderson ，

There are some voices which reach out from the past because they feel so alive with mischievous humour and a startlingly singular point of view。 Prose can strongly encapsulate such a sensibility when it's written with as much feeling and precision as Denton Welch used to embody his 15 year-old character Orvil's perspective。 We follow him during his idle summer holiday spent at a hotel with his aloof father and older brothers。 The slim novel “In Youth is Pleasure” was first published in 1945 and There are some voices which reach out from the past because they feel so alive with mischievous humour and a startlingly singular point of view。 Prose can strongly encapsulate such a sensibility when it's written with as much feeling and precision as Denton Welch used to embody his 15 year-old character Orvil's perspective。 We follow him during his idle summer holiday spent at a hotel with his aloof father and older brothers。 The slim novel “In Youth is Pleasure” was first published in 1945 and its author only lived for a few more years （dying when he was 33 years old）， but this text is still breathing and giving us the side-eye。 Orvil does a lot of looking， a lot of observing and a lot of judging in this story。 He could be classified as a voyeur as he watches from behind a bush some boys and their schoolmaster out on a peculiar boat trip where “Jane Eyre” is read aloud。 In another scene he spies from the shadows his eldest brother making love to a woman。 From a window he looks through another window at a man dancing to music and dressing after his ablutions。 There's a safety found in his solitary observations where he can silently appraise some people as “rather fat” or certain behaviour as “vulgar”。 He seems to be equally harsh on himself as it is stated “He was afraid that now， at fifteen， he was beginning to lose his good looks。”Through his gaze the world is transformed in a brutally bizarre and imaginative way。 For instance， he describes a man's flabby pecs as “so gay and ridiculous; like two little animated castle-puddings” and a woman's breasts become “miniature volcanoes with holes at the top， out of which poured clouds of milky-white smoke， and sometimes long， thin， shivering tongues of fire”。 Bodies morph into absurdities， but he also regards people with a kind of detached fascination so that we understand the sharp barrier between him and the world。 When this barrier is removed it elicits terror and violence but also ecstatic jubilation。 In doing so， Welch captures Orvil's intensely solitary state where he longs to be with other people but is also repulsed by them。Read my full review of In Youth is Pleasure by Denton Welch on LonesomeReader 。。。more

Burt ，

This book was wonderfully written and certainly was capable of transporting the reader into the heady haze of long-lost British summers。 His description of a character helmed by a wild， almost histrionic imagination delicately protray the strange directionless angst of adolescence。 Also by today's standards a fairly pioneering mid-century example of LGBT+ literature: Orvil certainly challenges their gender throughout。 However， this book is utterly plotless which isnot a problem in itself， but wi This book was wonderfully written and certainly was capable of transporting the reader into the heady haze of long-lost British summers。 His description of a character helmed by a wild， almost histrionic imagination delicately protray the strange directionless angst of adolescence。 Also by today's standards a fairly pioneering mid-century example of LGBT+ literature: Orvil certainly challenges their gender throughout。 However， this book is utterly plotless which isnot a problem in itself， but without this anchor ends up offering little more than the upper-middle class follies and foibles of an unhappy teen。 Parts almost feel as if they have been transported off the page of an inter-war Boy's magazine。 There are also some less than savory passages which have not aged well。 。。。more

Susan Hampson ，

The book was published in 1945 but takes place before the war。 Orvil Pym is a very awkward fifteen-year-old boy。 The school has broken up for the summer holidays， and his father has taken his two older brothers and him to stay in a hotel in Kent。 His mother died when he was a boy of six， and he doesn’t have a close connection to anyone。Orvil is fighting his internal battles about his sexuality and seems to have done all his life。 A lipstick was knocked from the counter in a shop when he was youn The book was published in 1945 but takes place before the war。 Orvil Pym is a very awkward fifteen-year-old boy。 The school has broken up for the summer holidays， and his father has taken his two older brothers and him to stay in a hotel in Kent。 His mother died when he was a boy of six， and he doesn’t have a close connection to anyone。Orvil is fighting his internal battles about his sexuality and seems to have done all his life。 A lipstick was knocked from the counter in a shop when he was younger， and as he bent down， he palmed it saying， it had gone under the counter。 Later he would experiment with it。 He hates everything at the moment， his father， his brothers and everything and everyone at school。The saving grace of the hotel is its vast grounds and countryside that surrounds it。 Although he hates being with people， he is a voyeur， often spying on unsuspecting guests。 It was at these times that he came to life。 Once seeing a man and two young boys in a shed， he went back when the man was on his own。 The man toyed with him， having him do the most bizarre things while Orvil seemed to get more daring。 It was Orvil’s summer of self-discovery， told in the most surreal way。I loved the text， with some words that were unfamiliar to me， the English language then was more poetic than it is now。 It is a daring， and fabulous book of its time。 A true classic。 。。。more

Lorna Holland ，

Full review now up on the blog: https://www。thewritinggreyhound。co。uk。。。 In Youth is Pleasure offers a nostalgic reflection on growing up pre-war in England。 It's beautifully written and gorgeously descriptive; at once both melancholic yet urgent。 Whilst I enjoyed this book， I don't know if I could say that I actually liked it。 My main struggle is that there is no actual plot to the book。 It's a character-driven glimpse into one summer of an adolescent boy's life， filled with those long， hazy su Full review now up on the blog: https://www。thewritinggreyhound。co。uk。。。 In Youth is Pleasure offers a nostalgic reflection on growing up pre-war in England。 It's beautifully written and gorgeously descriptive; at once both melancholic yet urgent。 Whilst I enjoyed this book， I don't know if I could say that I actually liked it。 My main struggle is that there is no actual plot to the book。 It's a character-driven glimpse into one summer of an adolescent boy's life， filled with those long， hazy summer days remembered from a long-ago golden era。 It's very much of its time yet also has ideas before its time。 Orvil is achingly misunderstood in a world where queerness is discouraged at best and downright forbidden at worst。 He is teased and bullied for his appearance， actions， and mannerisms。 Orvil's loneliness and sense of otherness permeate through each page of the book， lending even his most manic observations a melancholic sense of despair。 In Youth is Pleasure is a window into pleasure but also pain。 Indeed， for Orvil， the two are intrinsically interlinked。 The novel is often contradictory， contrasting the most beautiful scenes with crass， ugly thoughts。 As Orvil's mind jumps from one vision to the next， the reader is taken on a journey through so many different states of mind。 It often reads very much like a stream of consciousness pouring from Orvil's mind。 It's often been said that much of Denton Welch's writing is biographical， and once again， it seems as though Orvil Pym is something of an alter-ego of the author。 It's easy to see how In Youth is Pleasure may have enraged its contemporary audience upon first publication， yet today， it's still just as arresting， defiant， and understatedly brilliant。 In Youth is Pleasure is a genre-defying， undiscovered classic。 。。。more

Larry D'librarian ，

Interesting period piece Boys really can be strange

Dan ，

This book is full of boring purple prose， there’s no plot and unless you’re an avid reader of old British literature， you’ll have to look up words on every other page。 The main character is weird， neurotic， over sensitive， cruel and perverse。 He can’t stand to lose face， but he loves being humiliated。 He wants autonomy more than everything， but dreams of being a slave。 He’s afraid of everything， but likes pain， especially when he inflicts it on himself。 I’m telling you this because it’s true， bu This book is full of boring purple prose， there’s no plot and unless you’re an avid reader of old British literature， you’ll have to look up words on every other page。 The main character is weird， neurotic， over sensitive， cruel and perverse。 He can’t stand to lose face， but he loves being humiliated。 He wants autonomy more than everything， but dreams of being a slave。 He’s afraid of everything， but likes pain， especially when he inflicts it on himself。 I’m telling you this because it’s true， but also because this is my book and I don’t want to share it。 。。。more

مینا ，

The romantic necrophiliac emotion had died， leaving only the thought of jingling， dancing， lively dust and oozy， knowing flesh。

Benjamin ，

Denton Welch writes about a fifteen year old boy's summer holiday around 1930 spent with his father and two older brothers， the boy's name in the book is Orvil， although this is in fact basically autobiographical。The main part of Orvil's holiday is spent in a Surrey at a hotel near the River Thames， and while his two older brothers and at times some of their friends are there Orvil spends much of his time in his own company - apart from a few days spent with a school friend and his family in Has Denton Welch writes about a fifteen year old boy's summer holiday around 1930 spent with his father and two older brothers， the boy's name in the book is Orvil， although this is in fact basically autobiographical。The main part of Orvil's holiday is spent in a Surrey at a hotel near the River Thames， and while his two older brothers and at times some of their friends are there Orvil spends much of his time in his own company - apart from a few days spent with a school friend and his family in Hastings。 Orvil is a inquisitive and adventurous boy with a vivid imagination， and people and places he sees conjure in his mind fascinating scenarios。 He is especially taken by the sight of a man with two younger boys he sees rowing on the river， and sets out to spy on them， later he will encounter the man alone and spend some time with him， a curios meeting。 This along with a number of other events clearly hint at Orvil's （Denton's） unmentioned sexual proclivities。What makes this a fascinating account is the unusual charm and honesty of the young boy。 A boy with a fascination for small antique objects， no matter if they are damaged， in fact he is happy to find such for it means he is more likely to be able to afford them， and even in such matters as this his honesty is apparent， for it is clearly the object for its own sake that appeals rather than the object as thing of monetary value or for show。 He is honest too in his analysis of the boy's thinking， often angry on the inside with others， or selfish in his reasoning， but rarely openly displaying such - although there are times when this aspect gets the better of him and he lashes out。For a fifteen year old boy he is remarkably sensitive and visually aware or observant。 In addition to his liking for small objects he has a great appreciation for architecture， especially older buildings， and is quite knowledgeable about such， and not without his own views either。This is a most charming and beautifully written account about a young， somewhat tortured yet creative boy， an individual who does not and conform and is often at odds with those around him。 The account concludes with his eventual return to school （for what in fact will be the last time）， and there is a lovely incident in which Ben， his older brother by two years， who is also returning with him on the train to their school when seeing Orvil being taken advantage of unhesitatingly and very forcibly comes to his rescue - a moving conclusion to a delightful book。t***** 。。。more

Charlie ，

A book so horny it's in danger of self-combusting A book so horny it's in danger of self-combusting 。。。more

ALEARDO ZANGHELLINI ，

Orvil is a 15-year-old who is both wise beyond his years in some respects （he seems to have a surprisingly detailed knowledge of architectural styles， painting and classical music） and strangely childish in others。 He is introverted to the point of misanthropy， nerdy， has a hyperactive imagination that is both his salvation and his curse， and a mildly masochistic streak。 He hasn't been able to process the grief over his mother's death， partly because his father refuses to speak of it。 The book n Orvil is a 15-year-old who is both wise beyond his years in some respects （he seems to have a surprisingly detailed knowledge of architectural styles， painting and classical music） and strangely childish in others。 He is introverted to the point of misanthropy， nerdy， has a hyperactive imagination that is both his salvation and his curse， and a mildly masochistic streak。 He hasn't been able to process the grief over his mother's death， partly because his father refuses to speak of it。 The book never expressly says Orvil fancies men， but his sexuality is ambiguous at best， and several direct and indirect clues are given to imply his homosexuality。 In Youth is Pleasure （a title that fits the story either if you take it at face value or if you assume a sarcastic intent） affords an （occasionally terrifying） insight into a young mind that is at risk of being pushed over the edge of mental illness。 Much will depend， it seems， on the people Orvil will meet and the experiences he will have after we leave him to meet his fate at the book's end。As others have said， there is no plot as such， but a series of incidents （sometimes hilarious， sometimes truly creepy） that provide the foil for Orvil's imaginative journeys。 The ending， however， not only offers a satisfying climax， but also works really well to make you see the point of everything you have been told before。 。。。more

Durand Jones ，

Odd little book， I read somewhere film director John Waters thought this was a great novel， so I thought why not try it。 The story was simple and enjoyable。 It seemed to me a bit stiff， but turn of the century stiff， so understandable。 It’s a simple tale， some wonderful small turn of the century vignettes， but great novel， I don’t think so， but it’s not a waste of time to romp through this short novel， it was enjoyable。

Nacho ，

Llegué a Welch a través de lo diarios de Derek Jarman y cuando leí las reseñas de Burroughs sabía que este libro iba a ser para mi。 Una prosa delicada y precisa， que junto a un uso muy especial de los tiempos narrativos junto a las descripciones te sumerge en el mundo de Orvil como si lo estuvieses viviendo en el momento。 Genial。

Thom ，

Probably one of my favourite books。 It does special things。 It has a real visceral innocence and freedom。 It really captures the strong stubborn will of an adolescent boy who knows he’s different and is struggling with this but deals with it with a contemptuous confidence， breaking down then ruefully fighting back。 Maybe the measure of a good book really is whether it made you laugh and cry？ This one did that for me and it did it without the feeling of being emotionally manipulated。 It had these Probably one of my favourite books。 It does special things。 It has a real visceral innocence and freedom。 It really captures the strong stubborn will of an adolescent boy who knows he’s different and is struggling with this but deals with it with a contemptuous confidence， breaking down then ruefully fighting back。 Maybe the measure of a good book really is whether it made you laugh and cry？ This one did that for me and it did it without the feeling of being emotionally manipulated。 It had these spasms of ecstatic hilarious exploration， sexual awakening， the pleasure of beautiful things， of beautiful mother figures， the tragic absence of a real mother and the inadequacy of the father figures。 All conveyed with the simplicity of a 15-year-old boy’s summer adventuring， and then the melancholy of it ending， just as youth must。 And with the title of the book it’s like the author is imploring the boy， his younger self， to treasure these times， to relish the journey of life， the joy in the face of the hardship， to see that there are people there for you even though your mother isn’t。 I’ve no idea why this isn’t revered in the same way that Cider With Rosie and Catcher in the Rye et al are。 Anyone who has struggled with their emergent sexuality and feelings of alienation with find comfort and resonance in this book。 As would anyone who’s been a teenager。 。。。more

Patricia ，

The imagery in this book is superb and exhausting at times。 The protagonist is dealing with challenges of his adolescent gay sexuality， his distant father， his hatred of public boarding school life。 I found it to be intense and a bit wearying to watch him lurch from one preoccupation to another seemingly at random。 I started reading his first novel， Maiden Voyage， shortly after finishing this one and like it much better。 It was on an Amazon preview。 The library will order me a copy when I return The imagery in this book is superb and exhausting at times。 The protagonist is dealing with challenges of his adolescent gay sexuality， his distant father， his hatred of public boarding school life。 I found it to be intense and a bit wearying to watch him lurch from one preoccupation to another seemingly at random。 I started reading his first novel， Maiden Voyage， shortly after finishing this one and like it much better。 It was on an Amazon preview。 The library will order me a copy when I return this ZIP book and I know I will enjoy it。 Denton’s life was cut short by the lingering medical problems from an accident on his bicycle when he was 20。 He kept on writing and drawing throughout his short life， and died in his early thirties。 。。。more

Peter Dann ，

What a delightful surprise！ I had never heard of Denton Welch until I listened to the Backlisted Podcast and heard his praises sung there。 I shall certain read his other works after this。If nothing else， "In Youth Is Pleasure" represents a striking contribution to the debate over whether a novel needs to include a "good story" in order to be a good read， arguing a strong case for the negative。 A fifteen year old boy spends his summer break from boarding school in and around a hotel with his some What a delightful surprise！ I had never heard of Denton Welch until I listened to the Backlisted Podcast and heard his praises sung there。 I shall certain read his other works after this。If nothing else， "In Youth Is Pleasure" represents a striking contribution to the debate over whether a novel needs to include a "good story" in order to be a good read， arguing a strong case for the negative。 A fifteen year old boy spends his summer break from boarding school in and around a hotel with his somewhat estranged father and two older brothers， trying to avoid them for much of the time， and repeatedly succumbing to impossibly sensuous yearnings with a strong homoerotic and masochistic tinge。 That's the "story"。 Gripping， yes？Well no。 Not as "story"。 And yet every page is enthralling， shocking， as this strange boy reveals details of a life that he evidently regards as normal， but which to us is deeply shocking on many levels。The glimpses we catch of young Orvil Pym's school life are disturbing indeed， from our first vision of him ill in the Sanatorium， dosed with a large amount of a drug "like aspirin only stronger" and hopping round on all fours croaking "I'm a frog， I'm a frog， a huge white frog" through to a sadistic encounter with the boy who is his head of dormitory on the train back to school where this boy， to the amusement of his fellows， begins to clip Orvil's eyelashes。Perhaps even more disturbing are the accounts of Orvil's palpable excitement around an un-named man who claims to be a schoolmaster， and who has the use of a small riverside hut near the hotel where Orvil and his family are staying。 To us， this man appears to be a pedophile in full grooming mode （or there is， at least， a distinct possibility that he is）， but Orvil， seemingly like a moth drawn to a flame， allows the man to get close to him， and before long each is tying the other up with ropes in what seems like a very scary game。Again and again we get descriptions of stunning， convincing particularity， like this memory of Orvil's deceased mother， whose name may no longer be mentioned in his father's presence: "If only his fascinating sunburnt mother could rise out of the grave and come back to him in her curious ugly red-and-green tartan dress with the shiny belt – the one she had bought at the fashionable friend’s shop。 If he could put her rings on for her once again， and make her eyebrows up at night， just as he used to do so cleverly， with the tiny black brush。"Or here is Orvil regarding the Ritz Hotel dining room in which he is to eat his last meal with his father and brothers before he returns to school at holiday's end:"Orvil likened the grey colour of the silent room to a plate piled high with cooked brains。 It was woolly， a little disgusting， an outrage。"Not for one moment have I done this strange， sensuous and peculiar novel justice here — but I would certainly recommend it to anyone interested in reading prose that is at once taut and wild， beautiful， sad and frightening。 。。。more

Bliss ，

Completely enthralled by Welch's descriptions and metaphors。 It's like it brings me closer to my own youth than I was when I was living it。 Completely enthralled by Welch's descriptions and metaphors。 It's like it brings me closer to my own youth than I was when I was living it。 。。。more

zemzina ，

I had a feeling the author was deliberately trying to disgust the reader。 I couldn't finish this。 I had a feeling the author was deliberately trying to disgust the reader。 I couldn't finish this。 。。。more

PaperBird ，

Discussed this book here: https://youtu。be/oGZCoVeC50I Discussed this book here: https://youtu。be/oGZCoVeC50I 。。。more

Jason Kennedy ，

If not for its homoeroticism， this book would be a great introductory text for students learning English as a second language。 Why？ Because this is some of the clearest， easily followed prose one can find， with a simple story full of everyday events set in real locations。As literature， it's a fantastic read， so sensitive， so unpretentious， so honest， and full of arresting images。 If not for its homoeroticism， this book would be a great introductory text for students learning English as a second language。 Why？ Because this is some of the clearest， easily followed prose one can find， with a simple story full of everyday events set in real locations。As literature， it's a fantastic read， so sensitive， so unpretentious， so honest， and full of arresting images。 。。。more

Camila Caamaño ，

A Luca Guadagnino le gusta esto。

Mr。 ，

the geography in this book makes no sensevery fun read

Embielle ，

"The sun filtered through （the trees） in round spots that trembled like jellyfish"Utterly lucid descriptions of things a young boy sees on his walks in the country， his walks that he goes on to escape a hotel that he should be spending time at with his father and brothers。A book seemingly about nothing and yet so gripping because of how beautiful the prose is。"A book of pure poetry" says Michael Silverblatt- nail on the head。 "The sun filtered through （the trees） in round spots that trembled like jellyfish"Utterly lucid descriptions of things a young boy sees on his walks in the country， his walks that he goes on to escape a hotel that he should be spending time at with his father and brothers。A book seemingly about nothing and yet so gripping because of how beautiful the prose is。"A book of pure poetry" says Michael Silverblatt- nail on the head。 。。。more

Kobe Bryant ，

Wow it actually is Proustian

Elisa ，

*** 1/2I’m amazed by the amount of details Denton Welch can squeeze in a book。 There’s something morbid and disturbing about Orvil Pym， yet his story is told in the most delicate way。 He’s indecisive， raw， inexperienced， lost in his mind and in a world of his own， struggling to fit in and ultimately trying to conform。 In Youth is Pleasure is the account of a summer of discovery and it has never felt so urgent。

Christopher ，

I stumbled on this by accident and it turned out to be a complete delight。 Totally unlooked-for， this is now one of my absolute favorites。 Unfollow anyone who gives this lower than a 4。 This book reminds you of what it was like before you were a person。

Matheus Heinz ，

Melhor livro da vida <3

Zéro Janvier ，

Une petite déception avec ce roman dont j'attendais beaucoup et dont le rythme m'a parfois ennuyé。 Une petite déception avec ce roman dont j'attendais beaucoup et dont le rythme m'a parfois ennuyé。 。。。more

Will ，

"It reminded him of his childhood when he and his friend used to play a curious precocious game in which they both pretended to be noble ladies at a ball。 One would always begin by asking the other， 'And what， if I may ask， is that exquisite perfume you are wearing tonight， Duchess？' The other would then flutter an imaginary fan and simper before replying， 'It is Guerlain's new Pot-de-Chambre， my dear Countess。'" "It reminded him of his childhood when he and his friend used to play a curious precocious game in which they both pretended to be noble ladies at a ball。 One would always begin by asking the other， 'And what， if I may ask， is that exquisite perfume you are wearing tonight， Duchess？' The other would then flutter an imaginary fan and simper before replying， 'It is Guerlain's new Pot-de-Chambre， my dear Countess。'" 。。。more

Alan ，

Perhaps one of the most elegantly written books on youth ever written

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=In Youth is Pleasure

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=In Youth is Pleasure&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,In Youth is Pleasure&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0