Writers' lives

    Artemis Cooper is to write an authorised biography of Elizabeth Jane Howard, who sadly died on 2nd. January aged 90. While we wait for that, may I recommend Elizabeth Jane Howard's memoir Slipstream (and Artemis Cooper's life of Elizabeth David, Writing at the Kitchen Table).

                                                    ~~~~~

    While we're on the subject, which writers' auto/biographies would you rate highly?

    I've spoken recently of Hermione Lee's Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life, and Alister McGrath's excellent C. S. Lewis: A Life; I've got Anne Chisholm's Rumer Godden: A Storyteller's Life waiting in the TBR pile, and I have my eye on Kevin Crossley-Holland's The Hidden Roads: A Memoir of Childhood.

    Do any others spring to mind?

Comments

[Nicky]

Victoria Glendinning's biography of Vita Sackville-West

[Aparatchick]

Victoria Glendinning's biography of Elizabeth Bowen (I sense a theme here in the comments....).

Slipstream was excellent; so searingly honest. I'm glad that Cooper is writing Howard's biography and look forward to reading it.

[Claire]

I have just enjoyed Penelope Lively's memoir Ammonites and Leaping Fish and the C.S. Lewis is on my mental wishlist. As the Penelope Fitzgerald biography was so good I think I'll wait a little before starting another writer's biography. I want to enjoy thinking about that biography and reading more of her novels. However, Slipstream is on a bookshelf and so is Hermione Lee's biography of Elizabeth Bowen. And so it goes on......

[Cindy]

Hazel Holt's A Lot to Ask looks good. At present I'm enjoying her A Very Private Eye, an autobiography in diaries and letters, also on Barbara Pym, so may be biased.

[Barbara]

Another vote for Victoria Glendinning here.

I enjoyed Valerie Grove's biography of Dodie Smith and So Much To Tell, her life of Kaye Webb (best known as the editor of Puffin Books).

[Erika]

Rosemary Sutcliff's "Blue remembered Hills' comes immediately to mind. It is honest and modest and very engrossing. The descriptions of her appalling wrestling with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can bring me near to tears.

[litlove]

Sarah Bakewell's 'How to Live' on Montaigne, Laura Thompson's bio of Agatha Christie and Judith Thurman on Colette. I'm currently writing a book on crisis and creativity in the lives of authors so I hope very very much that one day I'll make it onto this sort of list myself!

[Cornflower]

Yes, I read that a few years ago and enjoyed it very much.

[Cornflower]

Many thanks for the Elizabeth Bowen recommendation, Aparatchick - duly noted.

[Cornflower]

Ammonites and Leaping Fish is very good.
Two biographies of Elizabeth Bowen, and both worth reading - the wish list lengthens ...

[Cornflower]

Hazel Holt's biography is very interesting and somehow very 'fitting' its subject, that is I think it had the right tone and degree of depth.

[Cornflower]

Yes to the Dodie Smith - very good - and I've had the Kaye Webb book on my list for ages and am keen to read it.

[Cornflower]

Another from my wish list, and Slightly Foxed have recently re-issued it: https://foxedquarterly.com/2012/07/blue-remembered-hills/

[Cornflower]

Mr. C. recently read the Montaigne, admired it greatly, and promised me a post on it - as yet unforthcoming (you can't get the staff these days ...)
I have Laura Thompson's book on the shelf, and look forward to reading yours when the time comes!

[Aparatchick]

Thurman's biography of Colette was very good indeed. And that reminds me to suggest her biography of Isak Dinesen.

[Cornflower]

Isak Dinesen is someone about whom I'd like to know more, so thank you for that recommendation.

[Fran H-B]

Artemis Cooper's Patrick Leigh Femour: An Adventure was very enjoyable.
Loved Anne Chisholm's bio of Rumer Godden, which I read along with RG's own two autobiographies; A Time to Dance, No Time to Weep and A House with Four Rooms

[Cornflower]

Glad to hear that, Fran, thank you.