Billy Liar On The Moon

Sequel to "Billy Liar".Billy Fisher, about 15 years older, still hasn't reached London. He is married(has a mistress too), works in City Council in some town similar to Stradhoughton and still lives in his own world of dreams. From person who appeared in "Billy Liar" only his mother is present. After a series of crazy episodes Billy, whose wife is expecting a child finally decides to grow up. Keith Waterhouse shouldn't have written this sequel. First, as usual with sequels, it isn't as good as first part. Second, a character like this is not convincing while growing up. Can you imagine a sequel to "Catcher in the Rye" with Holden Caulfield growing up? The same with Billy Fisher. He should have been left in Stradhoughton or/and in Ambrosia. It doesn't mean that "Billy Liar on the Moon" is bad. It's still very good and worth reading although as I said earlier not as good as "Billy Liar". So 4 stars instead of 5.

Keith Waterhouse represents to me a true descendent of the 'great tradition'. His novels, both the 'light' and the more serious (and note that Waterhouse is always funny, even at his darkest moments) concern far more than just the individual. His work is always concerned with the individual in the wider world, and his tales of personal neurosis and obsession are inextricably interwoven with sharp social commentary. Like Dickens, he imitates flawlessly peoples manner of speech and depicts their physical appearance and deportment in a way that is illuminating, provocative and frequently hilarious. Waterhouse uses humour in a sharp satiric way, and the obsessions of his characters (Waterhouse's characters are always a neurotic bunch) are portrayed so that they connect with the setting and matter of the story. As ever, Waterhouse works into this wondrous microcosm affairs, both promiscuous and family, and ties it all together, to give a portrait of the individual in our chaotic modern world that makes real sense. Only time will tell as to whether Keith Waterhouse will be remembered as a major or minor novelist, but I should like to say here that I consider him 'great', on some level or other, and hope and believe that his books will be read long after many other popular and critically applauded novelists of this age have been forgotten.