Record Number: 30436
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Meeting held at “Oakdene”, Northcourt Avenue. 14.2.44
S. A. Reynolds in the chair.
[...]
2. The minutes of the last meeting were read and signed.
[...]
5. After an interval for refreshment we turned our thoughts to the Study of the Life and Works of André Maurois, which proved to be a subject of absorbing
interest. Rosamund Wallis was his Biographer up to the time of the outbreak of this war — her chief source of information being Maurois’ autobiography “Call no
man happy” from which she read several extracts. She revealed to us the child Emil Hertzog, born an Alsatian Jew & brought up in the sheltered atmosphere of
French family life. Brilliantly successful at school, in business, as a soldier and under the name of André Maurois as a writer. Success was his easily and
immediately for allied to his native genius was an infinite capacity for hard work.
6. Readings from Maurois’s works were given as follows:-
Howard Smith from ‘The Silence of Colonel Bramble’
Isabel Taylor [from] Ariel
F. E. Pollard [from] Disraeli
Frank Knight [from] Byron
Knox Taylor [from] History of England
Maurois has been very fortunate in his translators and all the readings were much enjoyed. Colonel Bramble was his first book & remains the most widely read &
generally acclaimed of them all. ‘Ariel’ his life of Shelley gained him a reputation for writing ‘Romanticized Biography’ which he resented and tried to counteract
in his lives of Byron and Disraeli. The general opinion of the Book Club was that he writes always with more charm and wit than accuracy & Knox Taylor’s
criticism of the ‘History of England[’] was that in trying to give a general impression without much detail, Maurois has picked out the wrong details and therefore
gives the wrong impression.
7. Kenneth Nicholson then continued the story of Maurois’ life up to the present day, when he is living in America with his wife, while their children remain in
France.
[signed as a true record by] J. Knox Taylor 13/3/44.'
1900-1945
Date:14 Feb 1944
Country:England
Timeevening
Place:city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: Oakdene, Northcourt Avenue
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:n/a
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:n/a
Religion:Quaker or associated with the Friends
Country of Origin:n/a
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
Members of the XII Book Club
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:History of England
Genre:History
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceunknown
Source Information:
Record ID:30436
Source:Manuscript
Author:Margaret Dilks
Title:XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952)
Location:private collection
Call No:n/a
Page/Folio:3-5
Additional Information:
Margaret Dilks was secretary to the XII Book Club from 1940 to 1970. It is inferred from this, and from the handwriting, that she was the author of this set of minutes.
Citation:
Margaret Dilks, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 5 (1944-1952), private collection, 3-5, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30436, accessed: 17 August 2024
Additional Comments:
Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).