Dr. White begins his commentary, “The Life of Evelyn Waugh,” with an exploration of the author’s background. Drawn on varied aspects of Waugh’s life this background formed the inspiration for Brideshead Revisited. The novel reveals that Waugh was in fact an apologist for the Catholic faith, albeit well aware of his own human failings. And his experiences during his years at Oxford also seep through the pages of the book. White goes on to explore Waugh’s life during the Roaring 20s, a time when the author ran with what was known as “the smart set.”