South Wind - Norman Douglas - Bog

South Wind is a satirical novel written by Norman Douglas and first published in 1917. The story takes place on the fictional island of Nepenthe, located somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is home to a diverse cast of characters, including ex-pats, artists, and local residents.The novel's protagonist is Thomas Heard, a British consul who arrives on Nepenthe with his wife and daughter. He quickly finds himself caught up in the island's eccentric and often scandalous culture. The novel explores themes of morality, sexuality, and the clash of cultures.The title of the book, South Wind, refers to a warm, humid wind that blows from Africa towards the Mediterranean. The wind is said to have a soporific effect on the island's inhabitants, causing them to become more relaxed and uninhibited.Throughout the novel, Douglas uses humor and irony to comment on the social and political issues of his time. He also includes many references to classical literature and philosophy, adding depth to the story.South Wind has been praised for its vivid descriptions of the island and its inhabitants, as well as its sharp wit and social commentary. It remains a classic of English literature and a must-read for anyone interested in satire and social criticism.1929. Contains two volumes in one. English novelist and travel writer, Douglas lived for years on the island of Capri and in Italy and other Mediterranean countries and made these the settings for his books. The book begins: The bishop was feeling rather seasick. Confoundedly seasick, in fact. This annoyed him. For he disapproved of sickness in every shape or form. His own state of body was far from satisfactory at that moment; Africa-he was Bishop of Bampopo in the Equatorial Regions-had played the devil with his lower gastric department and made him almost an invalid; a circumstance of which he was nowise proud, seeing that ill-health led to inefficiency in all walks of life. There was nothing he despised more than inefficiency. Well or ill, he always insisted on getting through his tasks in a businesslike fashion. That was the way to live, he used to say. Get through with it. Be perfect of your kind, whatever that kind may be. Hence his sneaking fondness for the natives-they were such fine, healthy animals.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.