Set in 1939/40, the exploits of louche, upper-crust waster Basil Seal who manoeuvres his way around the outbreak of the Second World War, as well as the women in his life.

As the Second World War looms, louche, upper class loafer Basil Seal considers his role in the unfolding events.

Winter 1939. As war rages in Europe, upper class loafer Basil Seal finds a way of exploiting evacuees.

The Second World War isn’t turning out to be the opportunity that privileged loafer Basil expected it to be.

Evelyn Waugh’s sixth novel, first published in 1942.

The satire reprises characters found in previous novels such as ‘Decline and Fall’ and ‘Vile Bodies’