The Letters of Kingsley Amis
Encyclopedia
The Letters of Kingsley Amis
(2001) was assembled and edited by the American literary critic Zachary Leader
. It is a collection of over 800 letters sent from that author to many different friends and professional acquaintances from 1941 until shortly before his death in 1995. About one quarter of these were addressed to Amis' close friend, the poet Philip Larkin
. The collection is a remarkable peek into the private life of one of the most celebrated and notorious men of 20th century literature. Its publication was concurrent with that of Experience, a memoir written by Kingsley's son, the novelist Martin Amis
, largely an homage to Kingsley. The author David Lodge
called the book, "[A] major literary event", and the critic John Carey
proclaimed Leader's editing of the letters to be "omniscient."
Kingsley Amis
Sir Kingsley William Amis, CBE was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, various short stories, radio and television scripts, along with works of social and literary criticism...
(2001) was assembled and edited by the American literary critic Zachary Leader
Zachary Leader
Zachary Leader is a professor of English Literature at Roehampton University. He was an undergraduate at Northwestern University, and later pursued graduate study both at Trinity College, Cambridge and at Harvard University. Though born in the U.S. and remaining an American citizen, Leader has...
. It is a collection of over 800 letters sent from that author to many different friends and professional acquaintances from 1941 until shortly before his death in 1995. About one quarter of these were addressed to Amis' close friend, the poet Philip Larkin
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin, CH, CBE, FRSL is widely regarded as one of the great English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century...
. The collection is a remarkable peek into the private life of one of the most celebrated and notorious men of 20th century literature. Its publication was concurrent with that of Experience, a memoir written by Kingsley's son, the novelist Martin Amis
Martin Amis
Martin Louis Amis is a British novelist, the author of many novels including Money and London Fields . He is currently Professor of Creative Writing at the Centre for New Writing at the University of Manchester, but will step down at the end of the 2010/11 academic year...
, largely an homage to Kingsley. The author David Lodge
David Lodge (author)
David John Lodge CBE, is an English author.In his novels, Lodge often satirises academia in general and the humanities in particular. He was brought up Catholic and has described himself as an "agnostic Catholic". Many of his characters are Catholic and their Catholicism is a major theme...
called the book, "[A] major literary event", and the critic John Carey
John Carey (critic)
John Carey is a British literary critic, and emeritus Merton Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford. He was born in Barnes, London, and educated at Richmond and East Sheen Boys’ Grammar School, winning an Open Scholarship to St John's College, Oxford. He served in the East...
proclaimed Leader's editing of the letters to be "omniscient."
List of Recipients Included in the Collection
- Brian AldissBrian AldissBrian Wilson Aldiss, OBE is an English author of both general fiction and science fiction. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss. Greatly influenced by science fiction pioneer H. G. Wells, Aldiss is a vice-president of the international H. G. Wells Society...
, novelist - Martin AmisMartin AmisMartin Louis Amis is a British novelist, the author of many novels including Money and London Fields . He is currently Professor of Creative Writing at the Centre for New Writing at the University of Manchester, but will step down at the end of the 2010/11 academic year...
, novelist and Amis' second son - Philip Amis, Amis' first son
- John BetjemanJohn BetjemanSir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
, poet - Robert ConquestRobert ConquestGeorge Robert Ackworth Conquest CMG is a British historian who became a well-known writer and researcher on the Soviet Union with the publication in 1968 of The Great Terror, an account of Stalin's purges of the 1930s...
, historian and poet - Brian Cox, literary critic
- Robert GravesRobert GravesRobert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
, poet and novelist - Elizabeth Jane HowardElizabeth Jane HowardElizabeth Jane Howard, CBE is an English novelist. She was previously an actress and a model.In 1951 she won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for her first novel, The Beautiful Visit...
, novelist, Amis' second wife - Philip Larkin, poet
- Anthony PowellAnthony PowellAnthony Dymoke Powell CH, CBE was an English novelist best known for his twelve-volume work A Dance to the Music of Time, published between 1951 and 1975....
, novelist - C.P. Snow, novelist
- Anthony BoucherAnthony BoucherAnthony Boucher was an American science fiction editor and author of mystery novels and short stories. He was particularly influential as an editor. Between 1942 and 1947 he acted as reviewer of mostly mystery fiction for the San Francisco Chronicle...
, novelist - Paul Ferris (author)Paul Ferris (author)Paul Ferris is a British biographer and novelist.Born in Swansea, Wales, in 1929, he was educated at the Bishop Gore School...