This work investigates the collective influence and interconnected lives of the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of intellectuals who reshaped British cultural and social thought in the early twentieth century. Leon Edel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer known for his definitive study of Henry James, utilizes his expertise in psychological biography to dissect the complex personal and professional dynamics of this group. He argues that their shared commitment to aesthetic and intellectual freedom, despite their disparate fields, created a distinct cultural force that challenged Victorian conventions. The text synthesizes biographical data with critical analysis of their individual contributions to economics, literature, and art.

Critics often praise Edel for his ability to weave individual biographies into a cohesive narrative of a social circle. Readers frequently note that the prose is accessible yet maintains a high level of scholarly rigor, making it a standard reference for those interested in the history of the Bloomsbury Group.