Fathers and Sons by Alexander Waugh - Book Review

Alexander Waugh is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of prominent British writers. He examines this literary heritage in his memoir, Fathers and Sons, which tells his family’s story through the relationships each had with his father. Evelyn Waugh, Alexander’s grandfather, is the most well-known, but each member of the Waugh family is richly deserving of the analysis Alexander Waugh provides.

Alexander Waugh’s book opens on the occasion of his father’s death. Auberon Waugh, his father, was a renowned newspaper columnist but was also known simply for being the son of Evelyn Waugh, an immensely famous British writer, who was himself the son and brother of well-known writers.

Alexander Waugh takes on the task of retelling the lives of his illustrious ancestors by reconstructing the often-fraught relationships each had with their fathers and sons. Relying primarily on their own memoirs and letters, Waugh provides an unflinching and funny portrait of a family whose sons struggle under the weight of fathers’ contributions.

Fathers and Sons is interesting in part because it deals with such a well-known family, and Waugh shares a few insider jokes that will interest readers of the other Waughs’ writings. But the book also stands on its own as a fascinating portrait of familial dynamics, particularly as an examination of British culture over the past century.

Like the other Waughs before him, Alexander Waugh has a sharply funny tone of writing, making Fathers and Sons an entertaining as well as deeply-satisfying read.