Vainglory

"Vainglory" is Ronald Firbank's first major novel, a sophisticated masterpiece of social satire and modernist experimentation. Set in the fictional English cathedral city of Ashringford, the narrative follows the unconventional ambitions of Mrs. Shamefoot, a society figure determined to secure her own legacy by having a stained-glass window dedicated to herself in the local cathedral-while she is still very much alive.

Characterized by its witty, fragmented dialogue and a cast of eccentric c...