HomeLiterary FictionThe Swimming-Pool Library

Cover of The Swimming-Pool Library

Literary Fiction · 1988 · R

The Swimming-Pool Library

by Alan Hollinghurst

A young gay man in 1983 London is asked to write the memoir of an elderly lord — and uncovers a painful secret.

For17+GenreLiterary FictionLength320 pagesRead time~8.5 hours

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What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.

Violence

Barely any

No significant violence

Language

Some

Strong language

Sexual Content

Very heavy

Explicit gay sexual content throughout; frank portrayal of 1983 gay London subculture

Substance Use

Barely any

Drug use; drinking

Emotional Intensity

Some

Themes of gay history, privilege, loss, and the last generation before AIDS

What this book is about

Hollinghurst's 1988 debut novel follows Will Beckwith, a privileged young man who spends his days at a private pool and his nights in gay London's subculture, until he meets Lord Nantwich and agrees to write his biography. Lyrical, explicit, and historically rich. For adults only.

Notes for sensitive readers

Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.

Explicit sexual content

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