Black Mischief

By: Evelyn Waugh

Narrated by: Michael Maloney

"A hilarious and still timely tale of emerging Africa and declining England" (Time), Evelyn Waugh's third novel helped to establish his reputation as a mater satirist.
"We are Progress and the New Age. Nothing can stand in our way." When Oxford-educated Emperor Seth succeeds to the throne of the African state of Azania, he has a tough job on his hands. His subjects are ill-informed and unruly, and corruption, double-dealing, and bloodshed are rife. With the aid of Minister of Modernization Basil Seal, Seth plans to introduce his people to the civilized ways of the West--but will it be as simple as that?
Profound hilarity ensues from the issuance of homemade currency, the staging of a "Birth Control Gala," the rightful ruler's demise at his own rather long and tiring coronation ceremonies, and a good deal more mischief.

Critic reviews

"Continuously funny."—New York Times

"A hilarious and still timely tale of emerging Africa and declining England."—TIME

"Pure, early Waugh, funny in spots, mildly satirical, wildly absurd, corrupt and erotic....Black Mischief is clever and it is entertaining."—Orville Prescott, New York Times

"To achieve greatness, in the opinion of this devotee of the genre, satire must be rooted not only in a genuine love for the object being satirized but also in an awareness of the object's relation to the entire human condition, regardless of race, color, creed, or geography. Black Mischief, it seems to me, does this to a larger degree than any of the half-dozen near-great pieces of satire written in English in my time, all of them, by the way and by a not-so-odd coincidence, composed by the same Mr. Waugh."—Jerome Weidman, New York Herald Tribune

Period Piece but Classic

Certainly the subject matter of this humorous and bittersweet commentary on English manners and colonial perspective is dated and would not be received well in present times. But the story is filled with humor, irony, and memorable characters, both English and African. The star of this production, is just as much the narrator. Michael Maloney does a tremendous job with the characters, the pace of the story, and the tone of the dark humor. Not one of Evelyn Waugh’s better known works, but certainly a terrific read and listen.

Has this dated well?

Frankly, I chose this based on Michael Maloney, who reads far too few classic titles on Audible. He''s done others by Evelyn Waugh. He's suited well for the antic nature of that author's prose and predicaments within which he places his smart set.

Does this hold up? Better than Scoop, also read by MM, to my surprise. Waugh here is a bit more controlled and the plot hangs together more convincingly. Sure, there's satire, but it's directed at both the whites and the blacks, on this colonial African outpost. It gets silly with a very extended subplot all about promoting contraception, of all things. Makes me curious how Waugh took this, but after all, around this time I recall the Church of England debating the morality of this technological innovation, too.

Waugh's funniest novel

One of the funniest openings you'll ever hear. The English, French, Africans, and more are ruthlessly skewered.

Great book, not PC

Excellent writing. Interesting look at colonial Africa from someone who experienced it. Satirical and offensive to almost everyone.

Waugh's best, superbly performed

Would you consider the audio edition of Black Mischief to be better than the print version?
Yes, chiefly because of Michael Maloney's marvelous reading.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Black Mischief?
Hard to pick just one. The most impressive example of Waugh's genius is the scene where the hero seduces the daughter of the British envoy. in a couple of paragraphs he delineates everything you need to know about that encounter.

What does Michael Maloney bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
His mellifluous accents made every sentence a seductive delight, and the suave and sinister voice he gives to that rakish anti-hero Basil Seal was absolutely irresistable. Other characters as well, for instance the middle aged upper-class Englishwomen, are given voices that are utterly convincing and hilarious.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No. It is too rich and horrifying a feast for that.

Any additional comments?
Perhaps it is among Waugh's black comedies even too black for most readers. However, one must point out that the European characters hardly come off as more admirable than the Africans. His other African novel, Scoop, is much admired, though probably not more politically incorrect than Black Mischief.
But what most of all causes me to consider it Waugh's best is his hero, Basil Seal. One might reasonably say that Seal if the only true hero Waugh ever created, since his novels tend to be centered on the catastrophic experiences of a young man who is no more than a cipher. Basil Seal is alive and active in his ruthless and egoistic adventures. We first meet him when in order to finance a trip to Africa, he steals his mother's emeralds. Hardly a cipher, this one.
His other appearance, in Put Out More Flags, is also read by Michael Maloney, and I intend to purchase it even though I already have a version read by someone else.