Outbreak Of Love

Langton Quartet #3

by Martin Boyd

Diana and Wolfie's marriage is under threat, the Great War is approaching, and no one quite knows where their hearts belong. First published in 1957, the third novel in Martin Boyd's celebrated Langton Quartet is a beguiling comedy of manners about the outbreak of love in inconvenient places.

Genres: Fiction, Australia

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Martin à Beckett Boyd (10 June 1893 - 3 June 1972) was an Australian writer born Lucerne, Switzerland, into the à Beckett-Boyd family—a family synonymous with the establishment, the judiciary, publishing and literature, and the visual arts since the early 19th century in Australia.
Boyd was an expatriate novelist, memoirist, and poet who spent most of his life after World War One in Europe, primarily Britain. His work drew heavily on his own life and family, with his novels frequently exploring the experiences of the Anglo-Australian upper and middle classes. His writing was also deeply influenced by his experience of serving in World War One.
His siblings included the potter William Merric Boyd (1888–1959), painters Theodore Penleigh Boyd (1890–1923) and Helen à Beckett Read, née Boyd (1903–1999). He was intensely involved in family life and took a keen interest in the development of his nephews and nieces, and their families, including potter Lucy Beck (b. 1916), painter Arthur Boyd (1920 - 1999), sculptor Guy Boyd (1923 - 1988), painter David Boyd (1924 - 2011), painter Mary Nolan (b.1926) - who was married to painters John Perceval and Sidney Nolan, and architect Robin Boyd (1919 - 1971). His nephew Guy Boyd was his literary executor.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For starters, this book is by the great Aussie writer, MARTIN Boyd. Someone made a typo in the listing. Boyd was from the great dynasty of writers, potters, painters, philanthropists, environmentalists, musicians - phenomenal artists of all kinds. Anyway, this book, #3 of 5 in its series, is quite strongly based on the Boyds themselves and their milieu as they expanded through interesting liaisons. It tracks their ability to express their own art and to reconcile the life in what was a bleak, conservative and formal life transplanted into an inspiring Australian landscape that just didn't match their European background. Morés of intense Anglo snobbery and 'proper-ness' dovetail with behaviour that would have been scorned by the English forebears of the Boyds (eg. the forward behaviour of the twins). Martin's humorous and observant narrative seems to amble along but I couldn't put the book down. I was re-reading it after many years of considering it a school text book. Now I want to re-read the rest. It is Australian writing at its best, a foreshadowing of the novels of Peter Carey, and Martin Boyd captures contemporary life like an insect in amber. This is a gem of a book.

[Justin Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best of the Langton Quartet, largely because it sidelines the terribly romantic, terribly serious, terribly dull Dominic and looks instead at the fascinating, charming, slightly sad Langton relatives. Funny, wise, sad, nicely written. This is as close as Boyd comes to being the Australian Anthony Powell (which is meant as praise, though some might dissent).

[Nola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up at the Salvos not realising it was the second book in a trilogy, I did finish it though, very basic writing, set in the era of the English way of life in Australia. Recommend book 1 is read first

[Rebecca Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun. Nice to finish on a trip to Melbourne.

[Susan Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable read about Melbourne society in 1913. Diana our main character has. German born and immature husband of 20 years seeks more from her marriage and turns to Russell who is home from Europe and offers her mature conversation and the prospect of a life in Europe with him. Diana's immediate and extended family offer a fascinating glimpse into the snobbish and seemingly idle lives of the well to do. Her son a jackaroo represents the more pragmatic man of the land while daughter Josie hits the jackpot with a well connected English husband working for the Governor General. Diana has to weigh up her options at the end. The reader is very conscious of the looming war and both the naive attitude of the population towards the coming conflict and the anti German sentiment. This book is one of several but I read it as a stand alone.