Showing results by author "Rose Macaulay" in All Categories

The Towers of Trebizond, published in 1956, is Rose Macaulay’s best-known novel and follows the protagonist, Laurie Panton, and her eccentric Aunt Dot as they embark on a journey to Turkey. Throughout their travels, they undergo various adventures and mishaps while exploring the rich cultural heritage and religious tensions of Turkey.

Rose Macaulay was a fascinating and influential British writer, known for her wit and intellect. Crewe Train was published in 1926 and follows the story of Denham Dobie, a young woman in her early thirties, who lives a rather uneventful life in London. She is an independent and intelligent woman working as a scriptwriter for a film studio. Feeling dissatisfied with her mundane existence, Denham decides to embark on a journey to visit her eccentric and wealthy father in Crewe. Throughout her journey, Denham encounters a variety of intriguing characters and unexpected events.

In the original British release, this novel was titled They Were Defeated, a nod to the English Civil War that raged from 1642 to 1651. This title suggests an inevitable defeat for both sides long before the conflict erupted. The American edition, The Shadow Flies, derives its name from a poignant poem reflecting on the futility of human desires. Yet, amid these themes, the narrative bursts with life, yearning, and the joy of existence, weaving together threads of assertion, tolerance, conscience, and love. The story is intricately linked to the renowned poet Robert Herrick, who lived in the ...

“How varied is humanity! How diverse are our experiences, perspectives, and conclusions!”—H. Belloc. “And every single one of them is right.”—R. Kipling. Written during her tenure in the Propaganda Department of the War Office, The Making of a Bigot offers a captivating exploration of young Eddy Olivers journey from Cambridge University. As he encounters individuals with stronger personalities, he finds himself swayed by their compelling arguments, all while grappling with his own mysticism and skepticism towards organized religion. (Lynne Thompson)

Rose Macaulay was a fascinating and influential British writer, known for her wit and intellect. First published in 1920, Potterism is a powerful satire about the Potter newspaper empire, and the ways in which journalists struggled during the First World War and the 1920s to balance the truth and what would sell. While Jane and Johnny Potter are at Oxford they learn to despise their father’s popular newspapers, though they still end up working for the family business. But Jane is greedy and wants more than society will let her have.

In this engaging exploration of the impact of the First World War, an art student finds herself drawn to the ideals of pacifism. Rose Macaulays satirical novel combines passion with wit, offering a thought-provoking and humorous perspective on the era. Summary by Anthony Ogus.

The Great War has come to an end, and England finds itself in a new era of peace. But what led to such devastation, if not sheer folly? And what, if anything, can intelligence do to avert future conflicts? Enter the newly established Ministry of Brains, tasked with curbing foolish unions and imposing taxes on the unwise offspring of the nation. Yet, will the public accept such drastic measures? Can the natural desire for unrestrained love be stifled—both in the bustling townships of England and within the very halls of the Ministry? (Summary by Jack Larsen)

The book opens with Neville celebrating her 43rd birthday and contemplating middle age now that her children are grown. Her mother, in her 60s, seeks answers to her melancholy in Freudianism. Her sister, Nan, a writer who has hitherto led a single and carefree life in London, experiences the loss of love and with it her plan for the future. And Neville's principled daughter, Gerda, who is determined not to follow her mother's generation into the institute of marriage, finds herself at an impasse with the man she loves.

The World My Wilderness was published in 1955 and follows the story of Barbary Deniston, a 17-year-old girl growing up in London during World War II. Barbary’s parents are divorced, and she divides her time between her mother’s bohemian lifestyle and her father’s more conventional life. The novel explores themes of identity, family, and the impact of war on individuals and society. It is considered one of Macaulay’s most personal and autobiographical works.

The satirical novel What Not was published in 1918. Foreshadowing Orwell’s 1984, it is set in a futuristic England where a government agency, known as the Ministry of Brains, is responsible for regulating and controlling relationships and marriages based on intelligence and eugenics.