After Many a Summer

Programme (2024/25)

After Many a Summer is a satirical novel by Aldous Huxley. The story follows the wealthy and egotistical financier, Jo Stoyte, who fears death and becomes obsessed with finding a way to achieve immortality. He moves to California and hires a scientist to research and develop a method for prolonging human life.

Stoyte’s quest for eternal life leads him to clash with a group of artists, intellectuals, and bohemians who reject his materialistic and utilitarian worldview. The novel explores themes of greed, mortality, and the search for meaning in life.

Huxley employs a complex narrative structure, blending elements of satire, science fiction, and philosophical reflection. He critiques the excesses of capitalism and the superficiality of American culture, while also offering a critique of the utopian dreams of the intellectual elite.

Overall, After Many a Summer is a thought-provoking and provocative novel that challenges readers to question their own assumptions about wealth, power, and the meaning of life.

Reading for next lecture

– Time Must Have a Stop