Michael holroyd is one of our best known writers, yet one of the most mysterious. Michael holroyd farrar, straus and giroux farrar, straus and giroux. Books by michael holroyd author of a book of secrets. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers michael holroyd on. Find a book of secrets by holroyd, michael at biblio. From the first page a book of secrets casts the spell of a time long gone, of loves endured and lost, expectations. There seemed to be a lot of meandering and no real point. His scholarly, entertaining biographies from lytton strachey. Buy a book of secrets by michael holroyd from waterstones today. A book of secrets is a treasuretrove of hidden lives, uncelebrated achievements and family mysteries. With grace and tender imagination, holroyd brings a company of unknown women into the light. But its eves book that is perhaps the best illustration of how full a. But halfway in, when the writer appears as a character himself, he switches suddenly to.
Michael holroyd has 59 books on goodreads with 23563 ratings. Sir michael holroyd, who is a youthful 75 this year, is the englishlanguage worlds senior biographer. Uncommonly good collectible and rare books from uncommonly good booksellers. Knighted for his services to literature, he is the president emeritus of the royal society of literature and. Knighted for his services to literature, he is the president emeritus of the royal society of literature and the only nonfiction writer to have been awarded the david cohen british prize for literature. Nov 08, 2010 in the concluding paragraph of a book of secrets, michael holroyd presents his readers with a final revelation. A book of secrets by michael holroyd summer entertainment. More specifically, he takes the whiteknuckle ride that links naples to ravello in a series of crazy hairpin bends. The characters who move through michael holroyds a book of secrets are destined never to meet, yet the villa cimbrone and one man unite them all. Nov 12, 2010 i n a book of secrets michael holroyd takes what might be described as the scenic route, all interesting diversions and fine views. A time top ten nonfiction book of 2011a seattle times best book of 2011 on a hill above the italian village of ravello sits the villa cimbrone, a place of fantasy and makebelieve. Their lives are fluid and vulnerable they play the role of mistress, fiancee, or muse and always somehow illegitimate. Michael holroyd, british writer and editor best known for his meticulous, scholarly biographies of lytton strachey, augustus john, and george bernard shaw.
Alice keppel was the mistress of both the second lord grimthorpe and the prince of wales. Acclaimed biographer michael holroyd peers into dusty corners to bring a company of unknown women into the light. Nov 15, 2010 a book of secrets is a treasuretrove of hidden lives, uncelebrated achievements and family mysteries. A book of secrets by michael holroyd a dreamlike villa in italy unites the women into whom michael holroyd breathes warmth and life in this glowing work. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The potential for scandal in eves book is contained by a web of tacit agreements and antagonisms, all of them relished by holroyd. The characters who move through michael holroyd s a book of secrets are destined never to meet, yet the villa cimbrone and one man unite them all this elegiac work is about the quest of unearthing and. Above all, holroyd suggests, this is a book of secrets. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers holroyd, michael on. Michael holroyd finally reveals himself in book of secrets. Michael holroyd s tripartite biography is a triumph, says kathryn hughes.
A master of biography does not disappoint in his new book, finds daisy hay. Theres a small, nearly perfect comic moment not far into michael holroyds new book, a book of secrets. Aug 04, 2011 the centerpiece of a book of secrets is villa cimbrone, a glorious and fantastical palazzo above ravello in italy, bought in the early 1900s by ernest beckett, the second lord grimsthorpe. Mosaic 2004, written partly in response to the reactions and discoveries of readers of basil street blues, combines elements of a love story and a detective story and further explores some family secrets which the first book left unresolved. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers by michael holroydbuy. A book of secrets, michael holroyd shop online for books. From the bestselling author of a book of secrets, a brisk, charming, illustrated account of a motoring life. Eve fairfax was lord grimthorpes abandoned fiancee and sometime. The characters who move through michael holroyds a book of secrets are destined never to meet, yet the villa cimbrone and one man unite.
This week he publishes his latest work, a book of secrets. Carl rollyson, the wall street journal a book of secrets frequently casts a rosy comic glow. After graduating from eton college, holroyd worked at a. The characters that move through michael holroyd s new book are destined never to meet, yet the villa cimbrone unites them all. More specifically, he takes the whiteknuckle ride that links. This absorbing, unconventional biography requires some mental agility on the part of the reader to keep track of the parade of famous men. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers 2010 concerns the villa cimbrone on the gulf of salerno and the edwardian literary and society figures who lived there, such as ernest beckett, 2nd baron grimthorpe. The characters that move through michael holroyds new book are destined never to meet, yet the villa cimbrone unites them all.
The characters who move through michael holroyd s a book of secrets are destined. He traces the tangled, thwarted lives of those who brushed up against greatness, often at. An extraordinary, unclassifiable book by one of englands most distinguished biographers lytton strachey, augustus john, george bernard shaw, a book of secrets finds michael holroyd prowling around the shadowy edges of historys spotlights for a change. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers by michael holroyd isbn. A book of secrets is a masterfully atmospheric treasuretrove of hidden lives, uncelebrated achievements and family mysteries. At the beginning of a book of secrets, holroyd starts again with some fairly obscure historical figures. A book of secrets by michael holroyd overdrive rakuten. A book of secrets is a book of magic, a sleight of hand by a master conjurer singing his swan song, sweetly, softly, with piercing wit and. Through a book of secrets, holroyd continues to trace the inconvenient lineage of baron grimthorpe, from mistresses he knocked up to the novelist violet trefusis, the product of an equally philandering grimthorpe grandson.
An italian villa unites aristocratic characters from different ages in michael holroyds magical book, writes lisa appignanesi. A book of secrets is a treasure trove of hidden lives, uncelebrated achievements, and family mysteries. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Download and read books by michael holroyd in pdf, epub, mobi formats for iphone, mac and ipad. Michael holroyd a book of secrets is a book of magic, a sleight of hand by a master conjurer singing his swan song, sweetly, softly, with piercing wit and overwhelming compassion, his poetry in prose evoking a time past, with all its outrageous obsessions, its illegal passions, its melancholy perfume. In a book of secrets michael holroyd takes what might be described as the scenic route, all interesting diversions and fine views. On a hill above the italian village of ravello sits the villa cimbrone, a place of fantasy and makebelieve. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers, by michael holroyd. Aug 07, 2011 through his exit holroyd is well found. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers first edition by michael holroyd isbn.
This book was one of the time magazine top 10 nonfiction books of 2011 and a publishers weeklys best nonfiction title for 2011. Like those that come before and a book of secrets is truly a book. In v1970 michael holroyd, seeing vauguste rodins v1905 bust of veve fairfax in londons vvictoria and albert museum, was profoundly. The book was interesting but it didnt have the spark to light my bibliofire. A book of secrets by michael holroyd the sunday times. Oct 30, 2010 e arly in this gem of a book, michael holroyd points out that it marks the last volume in his confessions of an elusive biographer, a trilogy that began with his memoir basil street blues and. He has written about the lives of lytton strachey, augustus john and george bernard shaw. Buy book of secrets reprint by holroyd, michael isbn. Aug 09, 2011 above all, holroyd suggests, this is a book of secrets. I n a book of secrets michael holroyd takes what might be described as the scenic route, all interesting diversions and fine views. The importance of being ernest and some women of no importance.
Michael holroyd is the author of acclaimed biographies of george bernard shaw, the painter augustus john, lytton strachey, and ellen terry and henry irving. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers michael holroyd. Illegitimate daughters, absent fathers by michael holroyd. Knighted for his services to literature, he is the president emeritus of the royal society of literature and the only nonfiction writer to have been awarded the david cohen british prize for. On a hill above the italian village of ravello stands the villa cimbrone a place of fantasy and makebelieve. Alice keppel was mistress to both the prince of wales and lord grimthorpe.
But its eves book that is perhaps the best illustration of how full a life lived on the margins can be. It was said that eve fairfax had an illegitimate child, but i did not believe this until, helped by the grimthorpe family, i was given evidence. A book of secrets ebook by michael holroyd rakuten kobo. Grimthorpes abandoned fiancee eve fairfax was sometime muse to rodin. After graduating from eton college, holroyd worked at a law firm for two years before joining the army. Michael holroyd peers into dusty corners to bring a company of unknown women into the light.
A book of secrets is a treasuretrove of hidden lives. Eve fairfax was lord grimthorpes abandoned fiancee and. A biographical trilogy concludes the latest book by michael holroyd tells a familys secrets in unconventional ways. This elegant and quietly powerful book part social. Holroyd has also written biographies of augustus john and, in four volumes, of bernard shaw. It is ernest who links what we shall call the books main characters. The characters that move through michael holroyds new book are destined never to meet they lived through different eras and reside in different countries. Michael holroyd british author and editor britannica. Nov 03, 2011 a book of secrets is a masterfully atmospheric treasuretrove of hidden lives, uncelebrated achievements and family mysteries acclaimed biographer michael holroyd peers into dusty corners to bring a company of unknown women into the light. In the concluding paragraph of a book of secrets, michael holroyd presents his readers with a final revelation. A book of secrets by michael holroyd penguin books australia. May 19, 2011 holroyd is one of the most eminent biographers working today.
Michael holroyd is the author of acclaimed biographies of george bernard shaw, the painter augustus john, lytton strachey, and ellen terry and henry irving, as well as two memoirs, basil street blues and mosaic. Book of secrets by michael holroyd, 9781250007667, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Michael holroyds most popular book is a book of secrets. Sir michael holroyd discusses his a book of secrets wsj. Michael holroyd was awarded the 2005 david cohen british literature prize. A book of secrets is a book of magic, a sleight of hand by a master conjurer singing his swan song, sweetly, softly, with piercing wit and overwhelming compassion, his poetry in prose evoking a time past, with all its outrageous obsessions, its illegal passions, its melancholy perfume. A time top ten nonfiction book of 2011 a seattle times best book of 2011. Michael holroyd sees the biographers art, his art, as combining the discipline and factual concreteness of history with the creativity and psychological insight of the novel. The biographer michael holroyd s new book reads like a series of short stories linking the lives of several women around whom more famous men revolve. Like those that come before and a book of secrets is truly a book of revelations.