Our book choice for January 2005 is Scoop by Evelyn Waugh. It is a satire of the British newspaper industry and the sensationalist reporting of foreign wars. The novel tells the story of William Boot, a mild-mannered nature writer who is mistaken for a foreign correspondent and sent to cover a war in the fictional African country of Ishmaelia.
Boot is summoned to the office of Lord Copper, the tyrannical owner of the Daily Beast, who has been tipped off by a dinner party acquaintance that there is a war brewing in Ishmaelia. Lord Copper is determined to send a reporter to cover the conflict, and he mistakes Boot for a seasoned foreign correspondent.
Boot is reluctant to go to Ishmaelia, but he is eventually persuaded by his editor, Mr. Salter. Boot arrives in Ishmaelia and is immediately overwhelmed by the chaos and violence of the war. He is also horrified by the behavior of the other foreign correspondents, who are more interested in getting scoops than in reporting the truth.
Boot tries to do his best to report the news accurately, but he is constantly undermined by the other correspondents. He is also harassed by the Ishmaelite government, which is trying to control the flow of information.
In the end, Boot is able to file a few accurate reports, but he is ultimately disillusioned by the experience of war reporting. He realizes that the truth is often sacrificed in the name of sensationalism, and he decides to give up his career as a foreign correspondent.
Scoop is a witty and insightful satire of the British newspaper industry. Waugh skewers the hypocrisy and greed of the press, and he shows how the pursuit of news can lead to the distortion of reality. The novel is also a hilarious farce, and it features some of Waugh’s most memorable characters, including Lord Copper, Mr. Salter, and the other foreign correspondents.
Scoop is a classic of English literature, and it is still relevant today. The novel’s themes of sensationalism, media manipulation, and the corruption of truth are as relevant today as they were when the novel was first published. Scoop is a must-read for anyone interested in the media, politics, or satire.
Here are some additional thoughts on Scoop:
- The novel is full of memorable characters, including Lord Copper, Mr. Salter, William Boot, and the other foreign correspondents.
- The novel’s satire of the British newspaper industry is sharp and witty.
- The novel is also a hilarious farce, with some of the most memorable scenes involving the Ishmaelite government’s attempts to control the flow of information.
- Scoop is a classic of English literature, and it is still relevant today.
Discussion Questions
- Did you like the humour in this book? Was there any particular scene or line that made you laugh out loud?
- Did you have a favourite character? Did you think they were well drawn?
What did you think of the book’s language, for instance, the use of the n-word? Is the book racist? - What does this book say about the English class system?
- Waugh wrote that his main theme was “to expose the pretensions of foreign correspondents . . . to be heroes, statesmen and diplomats”. What sort of picture does he paint of journalists?
- “Dear me, how little you seem to have mastered the correct procedure of your profession,” Mr Baldwin tells Boot (page 172). What other journalistic ‘procedures’ did Boot fail to master? What things did he do/not do that gave away the fact he wasn’t a ‘normal’ foreign correspondent?
- Did the situation in Ishmalia remind you of any current political events or wars?
- Did you find the ending satisfactory?
- Have you read anything by Evelyn Waugh before? If not, has reading Scoop made you want to read more of his work?