The New York Times Book Review called The Beastly Beatitudes of
Balthazar B, J. P. Donleavy's hilarious, bittersweet tale of a lost
young man's existential odyssey, "a triumphant piece of writing,
achieved with that total authority, total mastery which shows that a
fine writer is fully extended...."
In the years before and after World War II, Balthazar B is the world's
last shy, elegant young man. Born to riches in Paris and raised by his
governess, Balthazar is shipped off to a British boarding school, where
he meets the noble but naughty Beefy.
The duo matriculate to Trinity College, Dublin, where Balthazar reads
zoology and Beefy prepares for holy orders, all the while sharing
amorous adventures high and low, until their university careers come to
an abrupt and decidedly unholy end. Written with trademark bravado and a
healthy dose of sincerity, The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B is
vintage Donleavy.