July 19

The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold, published on July 19, 1957, is a semi-autobiographical novel by British author Evelyn Waugh. It fictionalizes his own experience of a drug-induced paranoid episode during a voyage to Ceylon in 1954. Waugh blends comedy, hallucination, and social commentary as the protagonist battles imaginary voices and conspiracies. The novel’s candid exploration of mental distress marked a departure from Waugh’s earlier satirical works. Critics praised its dark wit, elegant prose, and psychological insight. Gilbert Pinfold’s tale resonated with postwar readers intrigued by the human mind’s fragility. The book secured Waugh’s reputation as a master stylist unafraid to probe personal vulnerabilities. Today, it remains a unique artifact of mid-20th-century literature and one of Waugh’s most personal creations.