Decline and Fall

Subtitled A Novel of Many Manners, Evelyn Waugh's notorious first novel lays waste heathen idol of British sportsmanship, cultured perfection of Oxford, and inviolable honor codes of English gentleman. Within book's unparalleled, rampant satire roam at will such characters as Hon. Mrs. Beste-Chetwynde, Viscount Tangent, utterly helpless hero, Paul Pennyfeather, stalked by various representatives of the English country families baying for broken glass, that refreshing bounder who misbehaves without compunction, Captain Grimes (I don't believe one can ever be unhappy for long provided one does exactly what one wants when one wants to), and equally sulubrious butler, Philbrick, a graduate of underworld who likes to tell about revolting crimes.