Cyril Vernon Connolly (1903-1974) was an English literary critic and writer. As the founder and editor of the literary magazine Horizon, he was an influential figure in the English literary scene and in English popular culture for many years. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his contributions to British culture, and has been referenced in a number of popular works including a Monty Python song, Ian McEwan’s Atonement, Donna Tartt’s A Secret History, and Alan Bennett’s An Englishman Abroad.
This particular compilation of juvenile correspondence is from Connolly to author and archivist, Noel Blakiston (OBE). The letters have been “edited by their recipient” and “tell of a youthful friendship, of Connolly’s development as an undergraduate, of his first experiences of literary London, and of his astonishing travels” (flap copy). It is a lovely and witty epistolary work depicting an intimate friendship spanning many years.
- Title: A Romantic Friendship: The Letters of Cyril Connolly to Noel Blakiston
- Author: Cyril Connolly
- Publisher: Constable and Company Ltd.
- Place: London
- Year: 1975
- Edition: 1st Edition
- Length: 355pp
- Dimensions: 75” x 8.75” x 1.25”
- Condition: The dustjacket is in good condition—minimal wear and soiling—but the original olive/sage green color of the paper has tanned to an orange/brown on the spine and around the extremities. The mossy green paper-covered boards are in pristine condition. The binding is tight, and there are no missing pages. The pages are crisp and clean—no folds, tears, or extraneous marks. There is some foxing along the edges of the text block.