Back in 1981, I watched the British TV series that was created from this novel and broadcast on PBS. It was the vehicle that made Jeremy Irons a household name. I since found out that it took two years to make that 11-episode series, and if you watch it you’ll understand why. It’s so beautifully done. Every bit of it. Anyway, that’s how I fell in love with Brideshead Revisited the first time. After watching the series, I thought I’d better read the novel, and I did. I thought it was wonderful.
Fast forward a few decades. I’d thought about the story many times over the years, as it’s one that’s not easily forgotten. A month ago, I bought the DVDs on the Internet and binge-watched them over a weekend. After that – you know where this story is going – I bought
the novel again, because I have no idea where my original copy went. And I enjoyed it even more than I did when I first read it, presumably because I’m older now and have a deeper appreciation for all things (age must have some benefits, after all). You can find out more about the plot, the characters, the historical context, and all of that good stuff in other reviews, so I won’t repeat it all here. I’ll just tell you that it’s something you should read. And if you can get your hands on the PBS series from 1981, watch it. The folks who did it made the fabulous decision to stick very closely to the book and it worked. It’s magic.