I was similarly disappointed by The Biographer's Tale. Where Possession entangled you in the passion of an academic's quest, TBT seemed self-contained and cold. Like The Name of the Rose versus Foucault's Pendulum.

'Clever' is the best word to sum up Happiness&trade. Clever like undergraduates think they're clever.

What did you make of Thinks...? It's the only David Lodge I've read and I found it hysterical, but maybe I appreciated my knowledge of pop cognitive science being flattered.