The Good Listener by Pamela Hansford Johnson — dithering about love
The Good Listener, Pamela Hansford Johnson’s 1975 novel focuses on the lives and loves of three young men who became friends while studying at Cambridge in the 1950s. Her principal figure a young man who badly needs a well-intentioned boot up his rear end to get him to stop being such a jerk.
One of them was willing to embrace celibacy so he could pursue his destiny as a cleric. But he’s so good looking, women in his parish can’t help paying him attention. The second of the trip, Bob Cuthbertson, is the brains of the group, a man destined for great things in the corridors of academia. But he has to get married before his career really gets off the ground when his girlfriend becomes pregnant.
And then there’s Toby Roberts, the character whose experiences with women form the crux of the novel. He’s turns out to be a thoroughly dislikable person, the kind of young man who badly needs a well-intentioned boot up his rear end to get him to stop being such a jerk.
Tony is the only child of a tobacconist and his amateur painter wife who make personal sacrifices so their son can become the first in their family to attend university. The boy turns out to excel more at dodging decisions and responsibility than he does at his studies.
In his final term he meets Maisie, who is beautiful, energetic, tense and vulnerable. She draws him into her world of wealth and ease overseen by a matriarch who loves to surround herself with artists, writers and musicians. Maisie falls in love but Tony, while more than keen to enjoy nights of passion, holds back from making any real commitment.
He takes up instead with Maisie’s friend Claire whose family boast even greater wealth as well as a hereditary title and a seat in the House of Lords. Claire is tall and statuesque and takes life as it comes where Maisie is petite and earnest.
Neither relationship succeeds. Tony prides himself on being “a good listener” but he doesn’t understand women, doesn’t recognise a good thing when it’s right in front of his nose. So he dithers and dithers about his true feelings for these women. It’s much easier to keep them dangling.
Why should he be forced to make decisions? He was overcome by a restless irritation. … There was plenty of time, the Lord only knew there was plenty of time but people were trying to make him telescope it.
He gives no thought to the distress and hurt he causes Maisie but becomes outraged and upset when the girl decides to seek love elsewhere. Only then does he decide that he does after all love her and just can’t countenance it when she rejects his advances. There’s no need to feel sorry for him however — people like him always manage to bounce back. There’s a sequel to this book, called The Good Husband, so we know he does eventually get married, hopefully becoming a more sensitive man in the process though I doubt it.
I don’t plan to read the sequel, having had more than my fill of Tony Roberts. Pamela Hansford Johnson captures the spirit of the 1950s well but the atmosphere doesn’t compensate for a tale that lacks any real dramatic tension.
I read one of hers and rather liked it, but I enjoy a nice, quiet story without a lot of tension (sometimes, anyway).
You might well enjoy this one in that case Marie
My gosh, I laughed at this review. All the despicable people. It’s not on any list of mine but I enjoyed this post.🌻
Sometimes the people you dislike in a book are the most fun. Wish I could say that about this protagonist but sadly no
Tony sounds like a ditherer
Completely so. And not just about women – he can’t seem to make up his mind about a career either
I think this one might not be good for my blood pressure!
It didn’t do much for mine. Because it was an e-version I couldn’t relieve the tension in my usual way – throwing the book down in frustration
I think I haven’t read any PHJ, and on the strength of this – interesting – review, I’d probably read something of hers if it came my way, but not go looking for her.
I have another of hers – An Impossible Marriage. I wonder if its going to be more to my taste
Only one way to find out…!
I went through a little bit of a PHJ phase last year and read three of her novels: An Impossible Marriage; The Holiday Friend and The Last Resort. I enjoyed all three to varying degrees. as you note, she’s very good at capturing the spirit of her times. The Holiday Friend, her attempt at a thriller, was actually quite good. I have a copy of The Good Listener, sitting (unread, so far) on the shelf; perhaps I’ll move it to the end of the queue!
How did you find An Impossible Marriage -I have a copy of it waiting my attention.
LOL We tend to forget that amongst all the really great feminist authors launched into print in the 70s and 80s, there were some duds…
It was a surprise that the book was so run of the mill. She was married to CP Snow and very, very close friends with Dylan Thomas so you’d have thought some of their style would have rubbed off on her
O, we’ve had writers like that here. One I remember was the offspring of a notable publishing couple, and TBH I don’t think the book would ever have made it into print without that connection.
Ah now that puts an interesting scenario in the frame. CP Snow was such a big name that it’s quite likely there was a roll over effect
I used to think young men at Oxford and Cambridge were at the very heart of literature, but these days I would be happy if I never read about another one.
I’ll happily re-read my favourite Oxford book – Brideshead Revisited