adrian clark

Another biography filled with familiar names. The bibliography at the end, I highlighted all the books and biographies I had already read and wrote down those few I was tempted to buy to read. A short mention of Edith Olivier and I find that I have read two books on her and there is one I missed. I read Stephen Tennant's biography which led me to all of the books by and about Cecil Beaton and Peter Watson was the love of Beaton's life. I do relish reading of the English intellectual, political, sexual and aristocratic lives. It is all so incestuous and connected. Everyone knew everyone and their biographies have the same names, places, words, phrases, quotes and history. Bits and bobs of information that have me pulling a book from my shelves or googling potted biographies which may have me searching for a copy to buy. For example: when I read Nick Haslam's biography I googled his house The Hunting Lodge with its history and photos and YouTube video which led me to Knole childhood home of Vita Sackville-West and all her husband Harold Nicolson's diaries and then to Sissinghurst and its great gardens and Chatsworth and the books of Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire which led to a ton of books on and by the Mitford sisters. Deborah's biography Wait For Me was dedicated to Bunny Garnett whose life and books I had read as part of my obsession with Bloomsbury and Virginia Woolf....and John Lehmann was publisher of Gore Vidal (whose biography I am also currently reading) but started his career working for Virginia Woolf at Hogarth Press. It is like following bread crumbs..there is always another trail through the woods. It was musical chairs and beds.… (altro)