THE YOUNG ARE HAVING a terrible to-do about Aldous Huxley; they flutter and buzz about his candle, without so much danger of singeing their wings as of beating each other down. His greatest endowment, says one of his appraisers, is "a gift of satire and a sort of cosmic irony superimposed upon a genuine poetic gift and a superb technique." He has caught on splendidly for a young man of twenty-five. He has four or five little books. But the other Anatole, the Anatole of burning indignation, of passionate sympathy, the ...
Read More
THE YOUNG ARE HAVING a terrible to-do about Aldous Huxley; they flutter and buzz about his candle, without so much danger of singeing their wings as of beating each other down. His greatest endowment, says one of his appraisers, is "a gift of satire and a sort of cosmic irony superimposed upon a genuine poetic gift and a superb technique." He has caught on splendidly for a young man of twenty-five. He has four or five little books. But the other Anatole, the Anatole of burning indignation, of passionate sympathy, the valiant champion of unpopular causes - there is no trace of this in Mr. Huxley. "It is not that he does not agree that there are many undesirable aspects of life. A recurrent problem of Mr. Huxley's young men is whether they shall choose a literary career or become social reformers. Mr. Huxley has chosen a literary career - chiefly, we suspect, because he felt he would be ineffectual as a social reformer. And, having chosen, he does not mix the roles. He does not write novels to reform the world-perhaps he does not believe that novels ever do reform the world. No, the choice, in Mr. Huxley's mind, is a definite one. Literature means something bright, amusing, fantastic. Its cardinal virtue is to his credit. "Leda: and other Poems" has called forth a critic's praise as "a glorious stretch of color in Keats's most luscious vein." Then there are collections of short stories such as "Limbo," "Crome Yellow," and finally "Mortal Coils," which puts him almost with the angels. The critics use up all their highest praises before he turns twenty-seven. Perhaps it is because of the twin names of Matthew Arnold and Thomas Henry Huxley, from whom he descends, that have blinded them. They take him a little more calmly at home. "At first sight Mr. Aldous Huxley seems to be distinguished from our other young writers chiefly by his lack of earnestness," says a writer in the London Times. "He has the rest of their qualities-on the positive side a sound knowledge of literary tradition, and on the negative, a certain short-windedness. But he appears to be the least serious of a very serious group." - The Literary Digest , Volume 74 [1922]
Read Less
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Used-Good. Good hardback (no dust jacket) Endpapers browned; otherwise internally VG. Green cloth faded around board edges; spine heavily browned making title label illegible. Corners bumped.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. In good all round condition. No dust jacket. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 350grams, ISBN:
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Brand New! Not Overstocks or Low Quality Book Club Editions! Direct From the Publisher! We're a small town bookstore that loves books and loves it's customers! Buy from US! Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 150 p. Mint Editions (Short Story Collections and Anthologies).