Kingsley Amis

Penguin Decades bring you the novels that helped shape modern Britain. When they were published, some were bestsellers, some were considered scandalous, and others were simply misunderstood. All represent their time and helped define their generation, while today each is considered a landmark work of storytelling. …

Jake's Thing is a satirical novel written by Kingsley Amis, first published in 1978 by Hutchinson, and shortlisted for the Booker Prize that year. The novel follows the life of Jacques 'Jake' Richardson, a fifty-nine-year-old Oxford don who struggles to overcome the loss of his 'libido'. The book employs the …