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The thing I just discovered about Amis is how he totally rips off Saul Bellow (I recently finished Herzog.). Entire lines seem lifted from him in a way that is borderline out of order. Bellow is a FAR better writer than Amis so anyone put off by the comparison who hasn't read him (Bellow that is) shouldn't be. Herzog is a genuinely great novel. The nearest I think Amis has ever come to greatness is probably Money, and I'm not even convinced by THAT!
I struggle to think of a really great living british novelist at the moment. Ian McEwan maybe, but he seems less and less interesting with every book he publishes. Ballard I still think is a master but I imagine he's not to everyone's taste. Certainly Britain hasn't produced a figure to match the likes of Bellow, Wolfe or DeLillo. Amis has tried but, as has been discussed, his insights tend to become compromised by his awful style. Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth' was OK but seemed more a reflection of its time than a reflection on them. I haven't read 'On Beauty', but I suppose I should, having heard it's quite good - albeit by the same people that celebrated 'White Teeth'.
We're clearly far better at producing entertaining media pundits right now, than we are great novelists.
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