Dunway brings us a well crafted account of the prolific Huxley's American years using interviews with Huxley's family and frieds, his FBI files, and little-known scripts of 'Jane Eyre' and 'Pride and Prejudice.'
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Dunway brings us a well crafted account of the prolific Huxley's American years using interviews with Huxley's family and frieds, his FBI files, and little-known scripts of 'Jane Eyre' and 'Pride and Prejudice.'
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Near Fine in Near Fine jacket. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. Carroll & Graf Publishers, 1995, First Edition, 8vo, 225 pages, illustrations, remainder mark bottom edge. Book and jacket in near fine condition.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Aldous Huxley had planned to write an autobiography. Sadly, he didn?t feel up to the task after his papers were destroyed in a fire in 1961. Fortunately, David King Dunaway has attempted to fill this gap by creating an oral history of Aldous Huxley. He spent years tracking down and interviewing Aldous Huxley?s friends and family. The persons interviewed included Julian Huxley (Aldous Huxley?s brother), Matthew Huxley (Aldous Huxley?s son), Laura Archera Huxley (Aldous Huxley?s widow), his daughter-in-law, his grandchildren, his closest friends and colleagues, as well as some neighbors and acquaintances. The result is some 900 pages of transcripts now archived at the Huntington Library and this 224-page book.
Overall, I found this book to be delightful reading. The recorded memories are very personal, yet also very informative and full of insights into Huxley?s personality, his spiritual journey and his work. Although the interviews focus a little too much on Huxley?s personal relationships, they are far less gossipy than one would expect ? the contributors clearly loved and admired this remarkable man. When Huxley?s weaknesses, flaws and eccentricities are discussed, it is always with compassion. These memories have a sincere and authentic ring to them.
In this book, I learned that Huxley psychologically blocked all memories of his mother who died when he was fourteen, and that he lost his eyesight at age sixteen. At age 22 he married a 17 year-old girl, Maria Nys, whose love, attention and altruism shaped his life and work for the next 35 years. After reading the recorded recollections of Huxley?s relatives and in-laws, it was clear that Maria consciously worked to create a safe, nurturing environment for Huxley in order to foster his development as an author; that she tried to insulate him from day-to-day stresses, anxieties and distractions.
When recollecting Huxley after his marriage to his second wife, Laura, some of the interviews take on a harsh tone. Several of Huxley?s close friends spoke of their dislike and distrust of the second Mrs. Huxley. One acquaintance admittedly withdrew from Huxley as a result of the antipathy. Laura Huxley?s memories, in turn, becomes defensive. Upon reflection, I concluded that this portion of the book is, most likely, unfair to Laura Huxley. But it is interesting (and revealing) to contrast Laura Huxley?s statements in this book with her account of her marriage in her memoir, This Timeless Moment, which is another interesting and worthwhile book.
The final chapter is devoted to interviews of approximately two dozen Huxley scholars around the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the life and work of Aldous Huxley.
