Through the first two Enderby books, one can't help but wonder about the extent to which the shambolic poet protagonist might be autobiographical. The way he is portrayed, with all his flaws and idiosyncrasies, makes one question if there is a grain of truth in his character. And then, when the philistines start traducing him for youth violence that bears some similarities to a film loosely based on his work, it rather clarifies the matter. It becomes evident that there is more to this protagonist than meets the eye.

The story, although it may not be a traditional novel in the strictest sense, is still interesting nonetheless. It offers a unique perspective on the life of a poet and the challenges he faces in a society that often misunderstands and misinterprets his work. The author's writing style is engaging and draws the reader in, making them want to know more about the protagonist and his journey.

Overall, the Enderby books are a fascinating read that offer a glimpse into the mind of a complex and troubled character. While they may not be everyone's cup of tea, those who appreciate literary fiction and character-driven stories are sure to find something to enjoy in these pages.

Anthony Burgess is an incredibly fascinating writer and person.

His use of language is so unique that it often requires me to look up words, yet strangely, I don't hold any resentment towards him for it.

It's quite evident that he has an intense love for words, and this passion shines through in his works.

I have a deep affection for "Clockwork Orange," but this particular book might just be my absolute favorite by him.

The scenes where Enderby is teaching the American college students are truly captivating.

It's as if Burgess has the ability to transport the reader right into the classroom, allowing us to experience the interactions and the intellectual atmosphere firsthand.

These scenes not only add depth to the story but also provide valuable insights into different cultures and educational systems.

Overall, Anthony Burgess's writing is a delight to explore, and this book is no exception.

It continues to engage and inspire me, making me eager to discover more of his literary treasures.

The Clockwork Testament is an outstanding and intricately crafted (albeit quite brief) novel. It chronicles a single day in the life of Francis Enderby, a middle-aged, relatively unknown English poet (yet to be anthologized), adrift in the late twentieth century and longing to have been born at least a century earlier.

Despite its title, The Clockwork Testament is only partly a response by the author to the popularity and notoriety of Stanley Kubrick's filmed adaptation of A Clockwork Orange. Primarily, it is a humorous character study of Enderby. He is dyspeptic, flatulent, racist, misogynistic, enamored with the past, and disgusted with the present. He has absolutely no filter and, I would dare say, in this era, he might be diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome. In other words, he is an obnoxious, yet in some ways oddly morally scrupulous individual.

The book is divided into eleven chapters and is mostly centered around conversations Enderby has with various opponents. One of my favorites is the interview of Enderby conducted by one of his students for a magazine called Women for Jesus. Enderby's response to the title is hilarious: "Why just women for Jesus? I thought anyone could join."

The funniest exchange, however, occurs in Enderby's first class of the day. He is supposed to give a lecture on minor Elizabethan dramatists, but on his way to the class, he realizes he has completely forgotten which writers he had planned to talk about. So, he makes one up on the spot: Gervase Whitelady, 1559 - 1591. This entire scene is a prime example of literary comedy at its best.

Enderby's appearance on a late-night talk show is where Burgess's response to the Clockwork Orange frenzy truly comes into play. At the beginning of the novel (in a flashback), Enderby had suggested to a Hollywood producer that he adapt Gerard Manley Hopkins's poem The Wreck of the Deutschland. The resulting movie had little to do with the actual poem and included a scene in which nuns are raped by Nazis. Enderby is attacked by the other guests on the show for his involvement in the movie (which, unbeknownst to them, is practically nil), and he does his best to defend the film out of loyalty to the long-dead Hopkins more than anything else.

Most of this chapter is presented as a transcript of the show, which contains strange conflations and misspellings by the clueless transcriber, highlighting just how vapid and inappropriate the late-night talk show medium is for debating profound issues such as religion, free will, sin, and the concept of good and evil.

Truly, The Clockwork Testament is one of the more entertaining and enlightening novels I have read in a while, and I will definitely read it again. (After all, it only took me a day to read it this first time around.)

In ‘A Clockwork Testament’, Mr Enderby, who is now teaching literature to radical students in an early 1970s New York university, has undergone a significant transformation. He is no longer the same Mr Enderby of the first book. Instead, he has essentially become a vehicle for Burgess's satirical commentary on the literary life and the crassness of American culture.

Remarkably, his character persists and thrives. This is because he is such a remarkable creation, and the radical change in his life vividly mirrors what Burgess himself felt about his own unforeseen fame. Additionally, the fart and burp jokes, which might seem crude at first, still manage to elicit laughter.

Burgess's jaundiced view brings his prejudices to the forefront, yet the book remains undeniably witty and humorous. It has the ability to move the reader in unexpected ways and is exceptionally cleverly constructed, especially considering its relatively short length. The transcript of Enderby’s television interview, for instance, is a small masterpiece of comic writing. Moreover, the end serves as a perfect conclusion to the sequence (even though it wasn't the final one in reality).

Overall, ‘A Clockwork Testament’ is a thought-provoking and entertaining work that showcases Burgess's literary prowess.