SOURCE: “A House Is Not a Home,” in Spectator, March 18, 1989, pp. 26–27.

In the following review, Brookner maintains that Have the Men Had Enough? is skillfully written, though difficult to read.

Mrs. McKay is old. Not to put too fine a point on it, Mrs. McKay is senile. She is not yet incontinent, but she will become so, in the course of this novel [Have the Men Had Enough?] in fact. However, she has a loving family: sons Charlie and Stuart, daughter Bridget, daughters-in-law Jenny and Paula, and grandchildren Hannah and Adrian. There is therefore no problem about looking after her at home. Charlie rents a flat for her, and also one in the same house for Bridget, on whom the main burden falls. Jenny and Hannah take turns in helping out, when Bridget is on duty (she is a nurse) or when she is engaged in one of...