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Married Man
A story by Tolstoy convinces John Strickland that he is not what he wants to be, and, blaming his wife for smothering his socialist ideas, he embarks on a career in politics and falls in love with a young woman
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
14 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Piers Paul Read
41 books145 followersBritish novelist and non-fiction writer. Educated at the Benedictines' Ampleforth College, and subsequently entered St John's College, University of Cambridge where he received his BA and MA (history). Artist-in-Residence at the Ford Foundation in Berlin (1963-4), Harkness Fellow, Commonwealth Fund, New York (1967-8), member of the Council of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (1971-5), member of the Literature Panel at the Arts Council, (1975-7), and Adjunct Professor of Writing, Columbia University, New York (1980). From 1992-7 he was Chairman of the Catholic Writers' Guild. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL).
His most well-known work is the non-fiction Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (1974), an account of the aftermath of a plane crash in the Andes, later adapted as a film.
His most well-known work is the non-fiction Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (1974), an account of the aftermath of a plane crash in the Andes, later adapted as a film.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 9, 2013
I was reminded of this book by Brian today. I read this book about fifteen years or so if I recall. It's all about a barrister, who is so frustrated with his life and then he meets Paula if I remember. But then his world is completely thrown upside down by his wife because of her religion.
And the denouement, well. This a fabulous book. I must reread this. Excellent writing style.
I was looking at this book again and I'm not too sure if I'm qualified to write a review on it. Here's a man, who's lost his wife and he still feels that he's a "married man". I can relate to that...Poignant.
And the denouement, well. This a fabulous book. I must reread this. Excellent writing style.
I was looking at this book again and I'm not too sure if I'm qualified to write a review on it. Here's a man, who's lost his wife and he still feels that he's a "married man". I can relate to that...Poignant.
October 8, 2012
The shelves are full of books of middle-class, middle-aged men being frustrated with their lives and wondering what to do now, and this is another one, but it's wittier and better written than many. Set in the dark days of early '70s Britain, rocked by labour unrest, strikes, shortages, and rolling blackouts, it's also more explicitly political. John Strickland is frequently annoying, but he's always believable as he flails about trying to make sense of his life, afflicted with what he calls "Ivan Ilychitis" (triggered by his encounter with Tolstoy's book The Death of Ivan Ilych).
September 5, 2019
Excellent novel from the 1970s about a man's midlife crisis and the moral dilemmas he faces.
August 20, 2013
"Полезно би било, разбира се, ако имаше бог, защото той поне би могъл да прозре през самонадеяността на човека и през предубеждението на приятелите и враговете му, да види истинската личност. Той поне би могъл да пресее доброто от злото във всяка негова постъпка. "Дори и аз бих повярвал в бога, помисли си Джон, ако той може да ми покаже какъв човек съм всъщност."
Жесток роман, един от най-добрите, които ми попаднаха през тази година.
Жесток във всеки един смисъл на това понятие. Прекрасен език, дисекционно отношение към човешката душа и поне хиляди въпроса, които остават без категоричен отговор.
Жесток роман, един от най-добрите, които ми попаднаха през тази година.
Жесток във всеки един смисъл на това понятие. Прекрасен език, дисекционно отношение към човешката душа и поне хиляди въпроса, които остават без категоричен отговор.
January 24, 2014
Много силна, интересна, психологическа книга. Като сюжет не чак толкова изненадваща - един мъж, който си има всичко - жена, две деца, кариера, приятели, къща и вила, се обзавежда с любовница, защото си умира от скука, а и поради много други причини, описани в книгата и разработени много добре. Има и крими елемнт и стана малко като трилър, но не това е важното. Интересно беше как историята е пречупена почти през цялото време през неговата призма и чак накрая разбираме и позицията на жена му. Текст затова, как изглеждаме в собствените си очи и в очите на другите, за моралните дилеми, за житейския избор, за католицизма, вярата, църквата, изобщо за ценностите и малко политика.
September 7, 2025
A Married Man by Piers Paul Read is as close to perfection as it is possible and comes from the 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read list here https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
10 out of 10
For the past few days, the under signed has been thinking of the impact that Artificial Intelligence will have, once Singularity will have been in place, on the books we read –perhaps you will, albeit if it is here in 2035, I could still be enjoying that blissful, jubilant era – which could be written by then by humans and software, with a great advantage for the latter, which will be able to crate the Perfect, Flexible, Personalized work – Yuval Harari mentions in his master works, Sapiens and Homo Deus, the Algorithms that will get ever better, Cortana and the separation between the better ones the rich will have and the rest of the world and Dataism http://realini.blogspot.com/2021/02/s...
However, A Married Man comes as close to perfection as it is possible for this reader – there is the case of The Information, by super human Martin Amis, where the book was more than perfect (oxymoron that this is) in that it offered more than I can take, which may be translated with it is perfect, but for the two of me, juts one is not enough to grasp it – who is at a loss to envisage anything changed…there have been situations when I would long for another ending, but this is not the case here, unless of course there would be a possibility to join that fictional world more than it is already happening – yours truly has been living for some years (especially the last two of the great plague) more in the alternative universe of marvelous books – when there are less beatific experiences, the work is dropped – than in the world outside, time is spent more in the house or garden, with a book in hand than otherwise – there is the alternative of the audiobook and we find from The Economist that in roman days, they used…audiobooks, Pliny and others would have someone take a book and read along…
The main character of A Married Man is John Strickland, the one who has something from Ivan Ilych – the chef d’oeuvre by Leo Tolstoy http://realini.blogspot.com/2013/07/t... - at one point he says that he suffers from Ivan Ilychitis…John Strickland is a successful barrister, who has been married for twelve years with Clare (a tall, still handsome woman, though her breasts are falling and they may both experience the Honeymoon Effect, perhaps coupled with the Coolidge Effect), they have two children Tom and Anna and they face a crossroads ahead.
Though they belong to the middle class (most likely the upper slice of the middle), they face some financial challenges, what with taxes, education, a house in London and the cottage in the country and the pressure will increase if The Married Man will become a QC and member of parliament, a situation in which he will not be able to practice his profession as much and their income will diminish considerably…this leads to some tension and even confrontation, for the husband has been a socialist, though the status is complicated now, when he lives in fact like the other side, the rich and the wife has no sympathy for socialism, she is Catholic, and somewhat practicing, going to church and worrying about damnation, once she feels tempted into fornicating with Henry Mascall, one of their best friends…
Middle age is associated with crisis and John Strickland seems to have a few, the first of which could be the reading of The Death of Ivan Ilych and wondering with the protagonist if ‘maybe I did not live as I ought to, though I have done things properly’ – there is a malaise following that encounter, although it is more likely that the story has unveiled, exposed a situation, it was not the cause, but it provoked the discovery of an emptiness, a need for change…the middle aged hero starts seeing seventeen year old Jilly Mascall, but that almost ends in a disaster, for the much older male feels a sexual attraction to the very young teenager who takes a letter from the would be lover, suggesting she travels to Birmingham to meet him and stay overnight at the hotel and shows it to all her friends, including John’s brother in law…
Another level is reached though only when Paula Gerard, daughter of one of the richest men in the land, worth nine million pounds which would be several hundred million today…she is a social worker at the time, trying to compensate for the wealth her family has, and she is there to help Terry Pike, a man that had been Strickland’s client, when the latter was in a hurry to go on vacation and had thus given the wrong advice, to plead guilty for a suspended sentence which would not arrive and hence the innocent man would go to prison, where he would get involved with the real hard criminals and once out, he takes part in a robbery, is taken to court and expects the barrister to do better for him this time…
Some will take this as evidence of karma, the defense was poor when the hero wanted to join his family in the country and that will be the beginning of a chain of events that will end in tragedy, but whether it is fate or just misfortune, Terry Pike is able to avoid jail this time, when he is in fact guilty, just as he had gone in, when he was made to confess to something he had not done…he is the lover of Paula Gerard for some time, but the twenty eight year old woman is infatuated now with John Strickland – this reader is a bit squeamish here and in general when the word love has to be put down, for he has learned from Thomas Mann that it means so much, we do not really encounter the feeling in real life and here it seems to be on the one hand the definition of love, for Paula Gerard will go to extremes to be with the man she has chosen, but on the other hand, it looks like a sick passion, more of an intoxication than the pure feeling…she quotes from Shakespeare, is well educated and impressive but ruthless…
The Married Man becomes involved in politics, trying to become a candidate for Labor and that attracts animosity and even contempt from friends and colleagues, especially from Henry Mascall who sees him as a hypocrite and something of a traitor, living just like the haute bourgeoisie (if with some financial strains) while campaigning for the other side – at that time, in 1973, Labor was considered a great danger in the opposing camp, there were fears that they would bring in Communists, which was farfetched, albeit Labor was far to the left of the party that would bring Tony Blair to Number 10 for about…ten years – Henry Mascall will try to seduce Clare and she wills see him as the incarnation of the devil, but notwithstanding that, she is still attracted and curious to know what it is like to be with another man, for her only sexual experience has been with her husband, who is having an affair with Paula Gerard, the younger female who has plans for The Married Plan…rather diabolical ones at that
10 out of 10
For the past few days, the under signed has been thinking of the impact that Artificial Intelligence will have, once Singularity will have been in place, on the books we read –perhaps you will, albeit if it is here in 2035, I could still be enjoying that blissful, jubilant era – which could be written by then by humans and software, with a great advantage for the latter, which will be able to crate the Perfect, Flexible, Personalized work – Yuval Harari mentions in his master works, Sapiens and Homo Deus, the Algorithms that will get ever better, Cortana and the separation between the better ones the rich will have and the rest of the world and Dataism http://realini.blogspot.com/2021/02/s...
However, A Married Man comes as close to perfection as it is possible for this reader – there is the case of The Information, by super human Martin Amis, where the book was more than perfect (oxymoron that this is) in that it offered more than I can take, which may be translated with it is perfect, but for the two of me, juts one is not enough to grasp it – who is at a loss to envisage anything changed…there have been situations when I would long for another ending, but this is not the case here, unless of course there would be a possibility to join that fictional world more than it is already happening – yours truly has been living for some years (especially the last two of the great plague) more in the alternative universe of marvelous books – when there are less beatific experiences, the work is dropped – than in the world outside, time is spent more in the house or garden, with a book in hand than otherwise – there is the alternative of the audiobook and we find from The Economist that in roman days, they used…audiobooks, Pliny and others would have someone take a book and read along…
The main character of A Married Man is John Strickland, the one who has something from Ivan Ilych – the chef d’oeuvre by Leo Tolstoy http://realini.blogspot.com/2013/07/t... - at one point he says that he suffers from Ivan Ilychitis…John Strickland is a successful barrister, who has been married for twelve years with Clare (a tall, still handsome woman, though her breasts are falling and they may both experience the Honeymoon Effect, perhaps coupled with the Coolidge Effect), they have two children Tom and Anna and they face a crossroads ahead.
Though they belong to the middle class (most likely the upper slice of the middle), they face some financial challenges, what with taxes, education, a house in London and the cottage in the country and the pressure will increase if The Married Man will become a QC and member of parliament, a situation in which he will not be able to practice his profession as much and their income will diminish considerably…this leads to some tension and even confrontation, for the husband has been a socialist, though the status is complicated now, when he lives in fact like the other side, the rich and the wife has no sympathy for socialism, she is Catholic, and somewhat practicing, going to church and worrying about damnation, once she feels tempted into fornicating with Henry Mascall, one of their best friends…
Middle age is associated with crisis and John Strickland seems to have a few, the first of which could be the reading of The Death of Ivan Ilych and wondering with the protagonist if ‘maybe I did not live as I ought to, though I have done things properly’ – there is a malaise following that encounter, although it is more likely that the story has unveiled, exposed a situation, it was not the cause, but it provoked the discovery of an emptiness, a need for change…the middle aged hero starts seeing seventeen year old Jilly Mascall, but that almost ends in a disaster, for the much older male feels a sexual attraction to the very young teenager who takes a letter from the would be lover, suggesting she travels to Birmingham to meet him and stay overnight at the hotel and shows it to all her friends, including John’s brother in law…
Another level is reached though only when Paula Gerard, daughter of one of the richest men in the land, worth nine million pounds which would be several hundred million today…she is a social worker at the time, trying to compensate for the wealth her family has, and she is there to help Terry Pike, a man that had been Strickland’s client, when the latter was in a hurry to go on vacation and had thus given the wrong advice, to plead guilty for a suspended sentence which would not arrive and hence the innocent man would go to prison, where he would get involved with the real hard criminals and once out, he takes part in a robbery, is taken to court and expects the barrister to do better for him this time…
Some will take this as evidence of karma, the defense was poor when the hero wanted to join his family in the country and that will be the beginning of a chain of events that will end in tragedy, but whether it is fate or just misfortune, Terry Pike is able to avoid jail this time, when he is in fact guilty, just as he had gone in, when he was made to confess to something he had not done…he is the lover of Paula Gerard for some time, but the twenty eight year old woman is infatuated now with John Strickland – this reader is a bit squeamish here and in general when the word love has to be put down, for he has learned from Thomas Mann that it means so much, we do not really encounter the feeling in real life and here it seems to be on the one hand the definition of love, for Paula Gerard will go to extremes to be with the man she has chosen, but on the other hand, it looks like a sick passion, more of an intoxication than the pure feeling…she quotes from Shakespeare, is well educated and impressive but ruthless…
The Married Man becomes involved in politics, trying to become a candidate for Labor and that attracts animosity and even contempt from friends and colleagues, especially from Henry Mascall who sees him as a hypocrite and something of a traitor, living just like the haute bourgeoisie (if with some financial strains) while campaigning for the other side – at that time, in 1973, Labor was considered a great danger in the opposing camp, there were fears that they would bring in Communists, which was farfetched, albeit Labor was far to the left of the party that would bring Tony Blair to Number 10 for about…ten years – Henry Mascall will try to seduce Clare and she wills see him as the incarnation of the devil, but notwithstanding that, she is still attracted and curious to know what it is like to be with another man, for her only sexual experience has been with her husband, who is having an affair with Paula Gerard, the younger female who has plans for The Married Plan…rather diabolical ones at that
March 22, 2016
I came across this book in the public city library, published in Bulgarian in the early 80s, thus an old book, with no plot summary on the cover, but decided to give it a try fully accepting that I might not finish it. But I completely enjoyed it, one of the best books I've read recently!
The book is typically English, about the midlife crisis of a middle class man in the mid-70s England. It gives mainly the male perspective but we get to know his wife's view in retrospect at the end. A book about life, moral dilemmas, traditional values, social problems, politics, religion...all of them presented in an engaging and easy to read yet deep and thorough manner. And a little suprising ending.
I'm quite suprised to find that 3 of the not more than the dozen reviews here are from my fellow Bulgarians. Had no idea it was a kind of popular here. But I'm glad they also liked it!
браво момичета за хубавите думи! Странно, като гледах датите на книгата, моят екземпляр не беше четен повече от 10 години, след това веднъж 2014...дано повече хора и обърнат внимание, за мен струва много повече от почти всички съвременни издания...
The book is typically English, about the midlife crisis of a middle class man in the mid-70s England. It gives mainly the male perspective but we get to know his wife's view in retrospect at the end. A book about life, moral dilemmas, traditional values, social problems, politics, religion...all of them presented in an engaging and easy to read yet deep and thorough manner. And a little suprising ending.
I'm quite suprised to find that 3 of the not more than the dozen reviews here are from my fellow Bulgarians. Had no idea it was a kind of popular here. But I'm glad they also liked it!
браво момичета за хубавите думи! Странно, като гледах датите на книгата, моят екземпляр не беше четен повече от 10 години, след това веднъж 2014...дано повече хора и обърнат внимание, за мен струва много повече от почти всички съвременни издания...
April 6, 2013
I found this book absolutely stunning, when viewed as a mystery/thriller. Something about the incredibly "normal" surface of the characters' existence, with things getting wilder and wilder just below. Paula is a fantastic villain who sort of hides in plain sight. You know she's obnoxious and unpleasant-- and it's wonderful how Read makes you understand what weaknesses makes the main character fall for her-- but it still comes as a surprise when you find out how ruthless she really is.
I've enjoyed some of Read's other books, including the nonfiction ones, but this is the one that introduced me to Read and I still like it best.
I've enjoyed some of Read's other books, including the nonfiction ones, but this is the one that introduced me to Read and I still like it best.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2014
Книгата много ми хареса. Типично английска, действието се развива 1973-1974 година - времена на икономическа криза в Англия. Разказва се за един отегчен от семейния живот мъж, адвокат, който изживява криза на средната възраст. Реално има всичко, но чувства неудовлетворение и решава да се впусне в политиката. Не среща очакваната подкрепа у жена си и започва уж неангажираща връзка с друга. Много откровена, на места ми се стори дори брутална/цинична мъжка гледна точка относно семейството, любовта, изневярата. Засягат се и отношенията между отделните класи, политическите борби и влиянието на религията. Всъщност в книгата май има от всичко, дори и изненадващи обрати.
November 2, 2018
Many writers use the plot turning theme: if you have an affair bad things will happen to you. In this novel, the author takes things to extremes. His wife has a fling with his best friend and they both get taken out by a petty criminal who he gave less than his best efforts to defend at the beginning of the novel. Wow! That was a brutal and far-fetched shocker! And the criminal lets him live happily-ever-after with his wealthy mistress and 2 kids as he goes on to become a member of Parliament. A little too far-fetched for my liking, but the character descriptions and early narrative structure is well-designed and interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2014
One man's midlife crisis in 1970's England. The novel is a well written psychological study with excellent character descriptions and a bit of intrigue.
November 15, 2020
Piers Paul Read's A Married Man is an allegorical novel exploring how a liberal movement past its prime can find a way to a sustainable future. Although written with 1970's England in mind, the novel provides insight into American politics in 2020.
Some of the options Read puts forth:
Should you try to be hip and woo the youth?
Should you be faithful to the common-sense, center-right, without whose support you never would have made it this far?
Should you accept your well-earned position among the establishment?
Should you go back to your working class roots?
Should you ally with the above-the-law, moneyed elite, who can give you the power to make a difference?
The engaging plot and characters combine for an enjoyable journey to Read's surprising and radical resolution of the question. I thoroughly recommend this book.
Some of the options Read puts forth:
Should you try to be hip and woo the youth?
Should you be faithful to the common-sense, center-right, without whose support you never would have made it this far?
Should you accept your well-earned position among the establishment?
Should you go back to your working class roots?
Should you ally with the above-the-law, moneyed elite, who can give you the power to make a difference?
The engaging plot and characters combine for an enjoyable journey to Read's surprising and radical resolution of the question. I thoroughly recommend this book.
June 15, 2024
I found this at the back of the bookcase where it had probably lived for the past 30 years. Although the context is out of date, the story has worn well. Barrister John Strickland in his early 4os, undergoes a midlife crisis. He decides that he wishes to enter politics and become a Labour MP, much to the horror of his wife and circle of friends. When he takes a mistress, his whole life threatens to unravel.
An enjoyable read.
An enjoyable read.
September 1, 2022
Ordinary-man-has-affair for me is usually a 2-star yawn-fest or a DNF, but this was so well written with well-defined characters and decent dialogue that it was heading for 4 stars, but lost its way as Read seemed to lose his nerve and unnecessarily introduce more "dramatic" elements. Still a solid 3.5, but rounding down.
October 3, 2017
Interesting read.
January 18, 2025
Excellent
What a great story, great characters and a snapshot of life from the 1970's. It is well worth a read.
What a great story, great characters and a snapshot of life from the 1970's. It is well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews