Absolute Beginners is a bestselling novel by Colin MacInnes, written and set in 1958 London, England. It was published in 1959.

Plot introduction

The novel describes the rise of a bohemian, style-conscious youth culture, a culture which would become the Mod movement, as seen through the eyes of a nineteen year-old Vespa-riding teenager who freelances as a photographer. It also describes the fomenting racial tensions of the time in Notting Hill, the methods of commercial developers in the gentrification process that later swept large areas of London.

Plot summary

The novel focuses on a young photographer who photographs the seedy bohemian night-life in 1958 London, and his corruption by an advertising man. The narrator hangs out in jazz bars and fancies a young woman named Suze, who appears to enjoy sleeping with every black man that crosses her path, while also planning on marrying her mid-40s boss, Henley, who works as a high-class fashion designer. The book also contains an exotic range of minor characters, such as a butch lesbian, a party-hopping artist, a junior pornographer, and a pederastic pop-music promoter. The book builds the personal plot against the background of the rise of a developer-sponsored youth gangs of teddy boys who are terrifying people out of their homes so the rundown neighbourhood can be gentrified. The ending echoes the real life Notting Hill riots of the time.

Characters in "Absolute Beginners"

• The narrator - 19 year-old photographer
• Suze - secretary to Henley, and the girl the narrator fancies.
• Henley - 40 year-old fashion designer
• Verne - 20-year-old stepbrother of the narrator

Major themes

• Race tension, post war atmosphere, generation gap, bohemianism

Film adaptation

The novel was made into the 1986 UK musical film Absolute Beginners, directed by Julien Temple and featuring Patsy Kensit and a performance by David Bowie. The song "Absolute Beginners" was composed by David Bowie for this film and appears on the movie soundtrack and on versions of Best of Bowie albums.

The film is a stylized allegory of youth vs. the establishment and includes some pointed commentary on race relations in the 50s, English fascists and advertising manipulation. Bowie plays the advertising manipulator. A young Bruce Payne plays the part of Flikker, a neo-fascist thug who leads a gang of teddy boys.

Release details

• 1959, UK, MacGibbon & Kee, Pub date ? ? 1959, Unkown binding
• 1966, UK, Hutchinson Educ. (ISBN 0090772202), Pub date ? February 1966, Hardcover
• 1970, UK, Ballantine Books (ISBN 0345219171), Pub date 12 April 1970, Paperback
• 1973, UK, Panther (ISBN 0586037705), Pub date 29 November 1973, Paperback
• 1980, UK, Allison & Busby (ISBN 0850313295), Pub date ? March 1980, Hardcover
• 1980, UK, Allison & Busby (ISBN 0850313309), Pub date ? March 1980, Paperback
• 1980, UK, Schocken Books (ISBN 0805280391), Pub date ? September 1980, Hardcover
• 1985, UK, E P Dutton (ISBN 0525481893), Pub date ? November 1985, Paperback
• 1986, UK, Penguin Books Ltd (ISBN 0140021426), Pub date 27 February 1986, Paperback
• 1992, UK, Allison & Busby (ISBN 0749001658), Pub date 16 July 1992, Paperback
• 2001, UK, Allison & Busby (ISBN 0749005408), Pub date 14 March 2001, Paperback

References

• Retrieved 2005-03-02.
• Absolute Beginners by David Bowie, an entry on the SongFacts site. Retrieved 2005-03-02
• Bruce Payne/Flikker fan page
• Bruce's Angels, a Bruce Payne fan site

1959 novels | English novels