内容简介
'Huxleybringsextraordinaryvigourandgustotoeverypagehewrites'SpectatorWhenTheodoreGumbrilhitsuponthenotionofdesigningatypeofpneumatictrouser('acomforttoalltravellers,indispensabletofirst-nighters,theconcert-goers'friends')toeasethediscomfortofthesedentarylife,hedecidesthetimehascomeleavehispositionasahousemasterinaboys'publicschoolandseekhisfortuneinthemetropolis.Butpost-First-World-WarLondonseemstobegrippedbyafeverofhedonism.GumbrilissooncaughtupinthedeliriousworldofaesthetesextraordinaireMercaptan,CasimirLypiattandthethoroughlycivilisedMyraViveash,andfindshisburningambitionsarebeginningtolosetheirurgency...Acontemporarycommentatorcoinedtheword'futilitarian'todescribethetypeofdesultory,pleasure-seekingintellectualHuxleypinnedsomercilesslytotheliterarymapinAnticHay.Wickedlyfunnyanddeliciouslybarbed,thenovelepitomisestheglitteringneuroticismofitsdecade.
作者简介
AldousHuxleywasbornon26thJuly1894nearGodalming,Surrey.Hebeganwritingpoetryandshortstoriesinhisearlytwenties,butitwashisfirstnovel,CromeYellow(1921),whichestablishedhisliteraryreputation.ThiswasswiftlyfollowedbyAnticHay(1923),ThoseBarrenLeaves(1925)andPointCounterPoint(1928)-bright,brilliantsatiresinwhichHuxleywittilybutruthlesslypassedjudgementontheshortcomingsofcontemporarysociety.Formostofthe1920sHuxleylivedinItalyandanaccountofhisexperiencestherecanbefoundinAlongtheRoad(1925).Thegreatnovelsofideas,includinghismostfamousworkBraveNewWorld(publishedin1932thiswarnedagainstthedehumanisingaspectsofscientificandmaterial'progress')andthepacifistnovelEyelessInGaza(1936)wereaccompaniedbyaseriesofwiseandbrilliantessays,collectedinvolumeformundertitlessuchasMusicatNight(1931)andEndsandMeans(1937).In1937,attheheightofhisfame,HuxleyleftEuropetoliveinCalifornia,workingforatimeasascreenwriterinHollywood.AstheWestbraceditselfforwar,Huxleycameincreasinglytobelievethatthekeytosolvingtheworld'sproblemslayinchangingtheindividualthroughmysticalenlightenment.Theexplorationoftheinnerlifethroughmysticismandhallucinogenicdrugswastodominatehisworkfortherestofhislife.Hisbeliefsfoundexpressioninbothfiction(TimeMustHaveaStop,1944andIsland,1962)andnon-fiction(ThePerennialPhilosophy,1945,GreyEminence,1941andthefamousaccountofhisfirstmescalinexperience,TheDoorsofPerception,1954.HuxleydiedinCaliforniaon22ndNovember1963.
