Martin Amis's Sexual Trauma; Book of the Week

Byline: DAVID SEXTON

THE PREGNANT WIDOW -- INSIDE HISTORY by Martin Amis (Cape, [pounds sterling]18.99) IN 1970, Keith Nearing, a 20-yearold literature student, spends the summer in a swanky castle in Italy with his clever, slightly plain girlfriend Lily.

But Keith doesn't really fancy Lily any more and develops a crush on her pal Scheheradzade, a looker with amazing tits, as he can well see, since she has taken to sunbathing topless by the pool while waiting for her boyfriend to pitch up. Keith's attempts to get off with Scheheradzade end in humiliation but unexpectedly he scores, for a whole day at least, with another house-guest, Gloria Beautyman, who has a fantastic arse and lots of tricks in bed.

That's the story of this novel -- and, on the face of it, these are not worldhistorical events but Martin Amis wants to make them so. His thesis, in this "blindingly autobiographical" book, …

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Publication information: Article title: Martin Amis's Sexual Trauma; Book of the Week. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Evening Standard (London, England). Publication date: February 4, 2010. Page number: 31. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale Group.

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