JK Galbraith’s foreword to the British edition of this novel is timeless. He wrote it in 1990 and it is as relevant now as it was thirty-two years ago; his style is faultless; not often a trait of an economist.
Much has been written about Chips’s lack of political judgement, moral turpitude, snobbishness, vanity and hypochondria. All I can add is he was devoid of any sense of humour.
Last week I was invited to the Savile to hear Simon Heffer talk about Chips Channon’s diaries, of which he has edited two volumes with one more due in September.