William Plomer: A Biography - Hardcover

Alexander, Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0192122436 ISBN 13: 9780192122438

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1989

Synopsis

This is the first authorized biography of William Plomer (1903-1973) and looks at the man and his circle, taking the reader chronologically through his life and dealing with his homosexuality, an issue he entirely evaded in his published autobiographies while admitting privately, that it was central to his life and work. Plomer was born in South Africa and came to prominence with his novel of miscegenation, "Turbott Wolfe". Plomer knew many important literary figures and this biography tells a story of four decades of British writing as well as of his life. He co-founded the magazine "Voorslag" with Roy Campbell and Van der Post and settled in England in 1929. Here he was befriended by the Woolfs and made a circle of literary acquaintances. As principal reader to the publisher Jonathan Cape in the 1930s, he was instrumental in bringing such talented newcomers as Arthur Koestler, Ted Hughes, John Betjeman, Vladimir Nabokov and Ian Fleming to public attention and quotations from Plomer's reader's reports are included. He was also responsible for the publication of Francis Kilvert, the Victorian clergyman whose diaries Plomer edited and who is now considered one of the greatest English diarists. In addition, Plomer wrote four other novels and produced ten volumes of verse and his poetry, especially his ballads, influenced poets as diverse as W.H.Auden, Frank Sargeson and Charles Causley. He also wrote librettos for several of Benjamin Britten's operas, including "Gloriana" in 1952. In particular, the author used letters, interviews with Plomer's family and friends and archive material from publishers and schools to recreate this portrait of William Plower.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0192122436
• ISBN 13: 9780192122438
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 415