And in a sense, the fact that Byatt chooses to register it in a fictional work published in 1996 seems to dispute Sandbrook's claim that the event is "over-rated."

Oh, of course not! It's a registration of the time within a conversation among several characters with different views on art and literature, and only one of several conversations at the party. But I'm struck now by the way the last comment echoes Barry Miles: "...made the whole thing so boring."

Thanks! I read your blog review in August, which is why you immediately came to mind when I came across the paragraph in Byatt.