Currently getting into a pretty good rhythm and head of steam with Martin Amis’s (thus far) fantastic ‘Money’. I came around the scenic route of Amis before getting stuck into Money, with London Fields (quality, if a bit long) and The Rachel Papers(alright) easing me in gradually to the Amis appreciation society. I just found the video below, where Amis discusses the premise and thought behind the book with Germaine Greer, and its a pretty interesting and alternative insight into his thinking, and also very illustrative of how important a book Money is, not just in these applicable times, but seemingly, always.
You obviously can’t be such a good writer without being phenomenally intelligent. With Amis, in his writing, his use of of extreme stereotyping and far fetched scenarios often form the basis of his ability to illustrate his themes, convey the sharp and leftfield humour, or just merely serve as a platform for some virtuoso writing, whether its extreme eloquence or just vivid colloquialisms, or a brilliant combination of both. Basically, any Amis work is not straightforward. Each page is an experience in itself, and when you’re used to this rich and often crazy far fetched style, you begin to think the author himself thinks this elaborately himself.
But in his explanation below, he succinctly describes what its all about. His extreme portrayal of the repellent and grossly indulgent John Self represents all that is wrong with those who have too much, and how money and its excessive expenditure is the total opposite of culture (in its broadest terms of course). All Self preoccupies himself with is money and its limitless, discretionary expenditure. He is a philistine of the highest order, and ignorant of anything remotely refined in life. The more he indulges, the more empty we realise the existence is and how disgusting a character he is. Also, we see how divergent an approach to life it is compared to people who actually have interests, and seek to become evolved. Self is an extreme stereotype, as I alluded to earlier, and his quest to accrue and spend more and more is very, very familiar.
Because of this, I thought that Money would have been a very topical book, being so unflinchingly relevant to the last three years in a society where bankers have become reviled, the backlash of greed has been extreme, and the foolhardiness of footballers and their obscene wealth gains more and more notoriety. But then I immediately realised that life is always like this. There are ALWAYS philistine types with empty souls whose sole vocation is to accrue and spend a la John Self. Money is their life and existence, along with the emptiness it begins. Amis wrote it in 1984, centering much of it in New York, in a place and time where excess was all certain Americans enjoyed. Much the same as pre The Great Depression, and then again of course, as our generation are so acutely aware, the noughties, pre global financial crisis. And of course, today, right now, somewhere, probably all around you.
If you ever needed a good illustration of the difference between extreme wealth and extreme greed vs. a more rounded existence, Amis can supply it. Its nice hearing him talk about in such an open way in the discussion below. But reading the book just makes it a more rewarding, drawn out and exhilarating illustration, and one which will gradually open your eyes over the course of the book. And afterwards, you can decide… Whats it gonna be? Money or Culture?
