- Paperback: 520 pages
- Publisher: Sutton Pub Ltd; New edition edition (April 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0750914912
- ISBN-13: 978-0750914918
- Product Dimensions: 21 x 13.6 x 4.2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 599 g
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Product Details |
Product Description
Product Description
Rupert Hart-Davis draws on Walpole's journals, letters and diaries to give a skillful and intimate portrayal of both the man and the writer. Walpole survived unhappy early school days to go on to Cambridge where he first began to write, publishing his first book, The Wooden Horse in 1909. He went on to write more than fifty books calling upon his experiences during World War I and as a reporter witnessing the Russian Revolution. He was acquainted with many of the most eminent writers of the day and was also a frequent visitor to America where he promoted his books and worked in Hollywood.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hugh-man, All Too Hugh-man, Nov 13 2006
By Patrick Odaniel - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Hugh Walpole (Paperback)
Hugh Walpole was, along with such forgotten authors as Priestly and Bennett, one of the most popular writers of middle-brow fiction in Britain during the early and middle years of the Twentieth Century. His biographer, Rupert Hart-Davis, was, for a few years, the publisher of his own imprint that specialized in fine books concerning that soon-to-be extinct literary specimen, the man of letters. Rupert Hart-Davis was also a close friend of Walpole's; and this biography is a labor of love, which, inadvertently, is also a hilarious send up of literary culture. Walpole was a hack, tis true, tis true. And Rupert Hart-Davis knew that in his heart of hearts (a hack cliche if ever there was one). And so, Rupert Hart-Davis writes a brutally honest biography ticking off Walpole's deficiencies while all the time trying to maintain some shred of literary dignity for his subject. There are lots of howlers throughout this book, such as those concerning Walpole's love of Turkish baths, which Rupert Hart-Davis fails to discern played a large role in homosexual culture at the time. Indeed, Rupert Hart-Davis is not too sure what to make of Walpole's homosexuality, although he drops veiled hints here and there about it. As a result, one winds up with bizarre anecdotes concerning Walpole's Woosterish antics to avoid the pressing attentions of various femme fatales. Oh, and Mr. Pooter makes a recurring appearance as well. If you're in the right humor, this is a delightful, and very well written, book. Not for the serious minded.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent and with lovely style, Nov 4 2011
By Giles Penfold - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Hugh Walpole (Paperback)
The previous reviewer is entirely right to say that there is an absurd dishonesty about the biographer's coyness concerning HW's being gay. (Hart-Davis' famous correspondence with G W Lyttelton in six volumes is full of bigoted sneers at 'coal-black clergyman' and 'pansies',and in general shows two self-satisfied elderly bigots congratulating themselves on their exclusivity and taste.) That said, it is only fair to say that it was published in 1952 when non-homophobes were scarcer(not to mention the christo-fascist hate-culture of today's America, where even supposedly liberal types like Obama say they oppose gay marriage because they are christian !!) and the book is written in a fantastic style with a truly absorbing narrative and great wit - so I would recommend it strongly despite my distaste for aspects of HD's character.PS. On re-reading volume three I come across both men agreeing that 'really ugly women' are intolerable!!
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