MoneyMoney
Score Classic
What it's about
John Self is a crude, greedy British director of TV commercials who has come to New York to make his first feature film. He drinks, eats junk food, watches pornography and spends money that isn't quite his, while a slick producer, a temperamental cast and a character named Martin Amis spin around him. Everyone seems to be in on a joke except him.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It's a savage, very funny satire of 1980s excess, written in a dazzling voice.
You'll love it if you liked
A Confederacy of Dunces
Lucky Jim
A Man in FullGood to know
It's crude, misogynistic and violent on purpose. John Self is not likable.
By the numbers
- Readers2 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller13 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #245 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #606 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2119 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Funny, Thought-provoking, Moving
More by Martin Amis
If you like this, read next
Breakfast of Champions
The Bonfire of the Vanities
Infinite Jest
Cold Comfort Farm
The Diary of a Nobody
The Color PurpleExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Money worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It ranks #2,119 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Money about?
John Self is a crude, greedy British director of TV commercials who has come to New York to make his first feature film. He drinks, eats junk food, watches pornography and spends money that isn't quite his, while a slick producer, a temperamental cast and a character named Martin Amis spin around him. Everyone seems to be in on a joke except him.
How long does it take to read Money?
About 12 hours (468 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Money?
If you liked it, try A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis or A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe.