... Elizabeth Jane Howard: A Dangerous Innocence by Artemis Cooper, which has just come out.
The author acknowledges her subject thus:
"In giving me the opportunity to write her life, Elizabeth Jane Howard bestowed a great gift; so my first and most heartfelt thanks must go to her. I had five long interviews with Jane at her house in Bungay, Suffolk, over the course of 2013. She enjoyed the process of being interviewed and talked simply and easily about her life, more diffidently about her books. She was justly proud of what she had achieved, yet I felt it had come at a great cost. Her hands were always busy as we talked, with knitting or embroidery; and occasionally she lifted her eyes from her work to give me a glance of such startling intensity that I felt she was looking straight through me."
For more from both ladies I can recommend Slipstream: A Memoir by Elizabeth Jane Howard, and Writing at the Kitchen Table, Artemis Cooper's biography of Elizabeth David.
I read Slipstream earlier this month, what bad choices she made in her men. I heard most of the EJH story on Radio 4 recently and it seemed not much different from Slipstream. I shall look out for the E David biography though.
Posted by: Toffeeapple | 26 September 2016 at 06:48 PM
I thought I'd read the Elizabeth David biog, but it's not on the shelf - so maybe I'm getting it confused with the earlier book by Lisa Chaney. So that's another one for the list! Artemis Cooper was at Kew Gardens literary festival the other day - a very interesting talk, and it was such a gorgeous day to be at Kew.
Posted by: Mary | 26 September 2016 at 10:15 PM
You're right about the men!
Posted by: Cornflower | 27 September 2016 at 09:15 AM
How lovely!
Posted by: Cornflower | 27 September 2016 at 09:15 AM
The Book People currently have the five book Cazalet collection for £6.00.
Posted by: Callmemadam | 28 September 2016 at 09:25 AM
What a bargain! Many thanks for that.
Posted by: Cornflower | 28 September 2016 at 09:50 AM