I really should read more by Paul Bailey. Whenever I do, I’m reminded what an excellent writer he is. And Old Soldiers (1980) is another tour de force from him.
It feels odd to call a novella a tour de force, but in 130 pages he manages to create a world – or perhaps several. It opens with this excellent line:
Too sick with grief for tears, Victor Harker arrived in London smiling.
Victor Harker is starting a new life without his wife, Stella. Throughout the novella, Stella floats in snapshots – she was clearly a plain-speaking, kind, lively woman. Perhaps it is easier to show a successful marriage in retrospect than on the page, but Bailey does a very impressive job, in these fleeting glances of a marriage, to show how deeply they loved and needed each other – and how alone Victor Harker now feels without her.
But Harker is not allowed to be lonely for long. Bursting into assumed friendship with him is Captain Hal Standish. He is boisterous, vulgar, and unstoppable. Harker doesn’t necessarily want to stop him. While he finds a lot about Standish overpowering, he is also passively open to whatever overtures are being made. You get the sense that he is most content in passivity.
After a funny, energetic scene, we follow Captain Hal. Or, as the narrative says, ‘The man who was sometimes known as Captain Hal’. It quickly becomes clear that this is only one of several aliases he goes by – apparently for his sheer self-entertainment.
And a curious entertainment it is, too. You might assume he masquerades as a relatively well-to-do Captain to swindle people of a higher class – but his next character is a beggar with no teeth and filthy clothing. He stumbles into a shelter, hob-nobbing with down and outs. It is clear that whatever is motivating him to adopt these different personalities, it is not avarice.
Old Soldiers follows the two of them, together and apart, and Bailey manages to hold humour and poignancy in tension expertly. There are some lines that wouldn’t be out of place in one of the more literary dirty magazines…
Sex with Augusta or Myfanwy was always a robust business; with Chloe it had gone beyond the merely lively into a state that verged on gladiatorial.
…but there are also moments, particularly with Harker, which are beautiful reflections on lost love. He is also very adept at dialogue, and much of the book is in that form. I think the humour stands out more than the poignancy in the novella over all, and Bailey has a lightness of touch to it all that means Hal’s oddities are played for curious oddness rather than psychologised. Until… well, the ending is very satisfying, I’ll say that.
I’ve read three or four Bailey novels/novellas now and they’re always masterly. And yet I seldom see his name mentioned in the blogosphere. Any recommendations for others to try?
Sadly I only know the late Paul Bailey’s name from his work writing about other authors, for example his introductions to books – these include Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor, I think? I am sure I have others.
I am surprised to read for example that he had two Booker shortlisted novels. Have you read those?
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/oct/28/novelist-and-poet-paul-bailey-dies-at-87
Yes, I first came across him for the Taylor connection too. I haven’t read the Booker shortlisted books, though do have Gabriel’s Lament.
As you’ve read At the Jerusalem and Trespasses, you’ve already found two of his best. Alongside those I’d add, as Luci suggests above, his two Booker shortlisted titles, Peter Smart’s Confessions and Gabriel’s Lament. Both feature Bailey’s speciality of grotesque parent figures. And you can see where they come from in his brilliant memoir An Immaculate Mistake – which might even be the best of those three.
Overall his work from the 60s, 70s and 80s is generally excellent, with more mixed results thereafter, but he’s always enjoyable. If you google ‘where to start with Paul Bailey’ you should find a piece I wrote for the Guardian summing up my recommendations.
Gabriel’s Lament is on my shelves already, so that’s a winner! And now you mention that Guardian article, I remember that I did read it when it came out – thanks for the reminder.
He’s been on the periphery of my consciousness for a while but it wasn’t until he popped up as a talking head in an Angus Wilson documentary I watched recently that I thought, What an interesting man, I’ll have to read him. So I’ve taken his memoir An Immaculate Mistake out of the library and plan to move on to the novels presently.
P.S. An Immaculate Mistake almost certainly chosen as a result of my reading John’s Guardian piece!
I’m hearing good things about AIM!
Ooh, please stop suggesting more books I need to read. No, I do know I’m in the wrong place to be saying that on a book blog.
Hahahha!
I’d never heard of Paul Bailey I am rather ashamed to say. However, I do like the sound of this so have made a note to order the (sadly only) one in my library. It’s A Dog’s Life, the second volume (never mind the order!) of his memoirs.
He does seem to have fallen out of fashion, so good that there was one in the system! Hope it is a good one, and I’m sure it won’t matter to read out of order.
This sounds great. I’ve never read him and I always confuse Pauls Bailey, Gallico and Scott, although I know they’re very different writers! I’ll look out for him as I think from what you’ve said I’d really enjoy his writing.
I love Gallico, but he is very different, and haven’t read Scott! (Though tbf Gallico is often very different from himself, depending on which you pick up.)
So interesting, Simon. I’m only aware of him because of the Taylor connection but it definitely sounds like he’s worth exploring in his own right.
Yes, that’s how I first came across him, and why I first read At The Jerusalem – very grateful for being nudged that way!
Paul Bailey (1937-2024) wrote introductions for
– several Elizabeth Taylor books
– Diary of a Nobody
– books by Primo Levi – the Auschwitz trilogy
– and a book byMarguerite Yourcenar
and a number of short stories in anthologies eg gay short fiction, New Writing 13
I am enjoying your novella reviews and making notes of some authors to look for. I haven’t read Paul Bailey and would like to track down his books.
Ages ago we did At The Jerusalem on the podcast, and I seem to remember Rachel hated it :D but I think he’s marvellous.
Now I want to read At the Jerusalem. I like novels featuring the elderly.
Me too! Especially impressive written by a young man.
I’ve met him, twice! As I have probably mentioned before; once in connection with Elizabeth Taylor and once in connection with Iris Murdoch. That quote you pull out is rather Murdochian, in fact. I think you’re doing brilliantly with your book a day in May even if I’m not commenting on all of them!
Oh how wonderful! And thank you so much :)