Kindred Spirits: Adrift in Literary London
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Author Description
The humour of self-deprecation is peculiarly English. Few people do it better than Jeremy Lewis. His first two autobiographical volumes - Playing for Time and Kindred Spirits - are being reissued in Faber Finds to coincide happily with his third volume - Grub Street Irregular - being published by HarperCollins.The second volume of Jeremy Lewis's wonderfully entertaining autobiography sees him starting out, with a mixture of diffidence and self-professed incompetence, on a career in publishing. Along the way we see him tucking into cod and chips with Jane and Geoffrey Grigson, drinking tea with Kingsley Amis and retsina with Patrick Leigh-Fermor.When reviewing this book, Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson called it 'The funniest book I have ever read about publishing...this is not merely a hugely entertaining book, but an important one'. That judgment still stands.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This memoir investigates the professional and personal evolution of a young man navigating the idiosyncratic world of London publishing during the mid-twentieth century. Jeremy Lewis, an established editor and writer, utilizes his own career trajectory to document the transition from amateurism to professional competence within the British literary scene. By framing his experiences through a lens of self-deprecating humor, he provides a candid look at the social and professional hierarchies of the era.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Anecdotal accounts of interactions with prominent literary figures such as Kingsley Amis and Patrick Leigh-Fermor.
- A detailed look at the internal culture and operational realities of the British publishing industry.
- A chronological narrative of the author's early career struggles and professional development.
- Observations on the social customs and intellectual climate of London's literary circles.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson characterized the work as a significant and humorous contribution to the literature of the publishing industry. The text is widely regarded as a quintessential example of the English tradition of self-deprecating autobiography, offering both entertainment and historical insight into the professional lives of mid-century writers and editors.
Page Count:
312
Publication Date:
1996-01-01
Publisher:
Flamingo / HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0006543383
ISBN-13:
9780006543381
Biography
Humor
Memoir
Autobiography
Publishing
Literary History
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