Description
Priestley defined the essay as a 'prose masterpiece in miniature' and understood that to perfect the form, the essayist had to stand 'naked and shivering' in the very first sentence. A prodigious essayist, Priestley expressed his unique thoughts on a diverse range of subjects from the delights of smoking to the futility of conferences. Witty, controversial and sometimes grumpy, Priestley's essays reveal the many faces of one of Britain's most distinguished writers.
About the Author
JB Priestley (1894 - 1984) was born in Yorkshire, and read English literature at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was an author, novelist, playwright, prolific essayist, broadcaster, scriptwriter, social commentator and man of letters. His best-known play, An Inspector Calls, is currently touring the UK in an award-winning production directed by Stephen Daldry. Valerie Grove has been a journalist for fifty years, writing recently about Priestley in the New Statesman (2014) and the Guardian Review (2015). She has been on the staff of the Evening Standard, The Sunday Times and The Times, as an interviewer, reviewer and columnist. Her books include the biographies of Dodie Smith, Laurie Lee, John Mortimer and Kaye Webb. She is a Tynesider by origin - but has lived in London since adolescence.
Reviews
'It would be foolish to disregard his achievement and make little of his vast creative energies.' - Anthony Burgess; 'An outstanding prose realist... with a piercing eye of social reportage and a unique line in imaginative fiction. A writer and a man who is surely ripe for rediscovery.' - The Guardian, January 2012
Book Information
ISBN 9781910749180
Author J. B. Priestley
Format Hardback
Page Count 192
Imprint Notting Hill Editions
Publisher Notting Hill Editions
Weight(grams) 250g
Dimensions(mm) 190mm * 120mm * 19mm
About the Author
JB Priestley (1894 - 1984) was born in Yorkshire, and read English literature at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He was an author, novelist, playwright, prolific essayist, broadcaster, scriptwriter, social commentator and man of letters. His best-known play, An Inspector Calls, is currently touring the UK in an award-winning production directed by Stephen Daldry. Valerie Grove has been a journalist for fifty years, writing recently about Priestley in the New Statesman (2014) and the Guardian Review (2015). She has been on the staff of the Evening Standard, The Sunday Times and The Times, as an interviewer, reviewer and columnist. Her books include the biographies of Dodie Smith, Laurie Lee, John Mortimer and Kaye Webb. She is a Tynesider by origin - but has lived in London since adolescence.
Reviews
'It would be foolish to disregard his achievement and make little of his vast creative energies.' - Anthony Burgess; 'An outstanding prose realist... with a piercing eye of social reportage and a unique line in imaginative fiction. A writer and a man who is surely ripe for rediscovery.' - The Guardian, January 2012
Book Information
ISBN 9781910749180
Author J. B. Priestley
Format Hardback
Page Count 192
Imprint Notting Hill Editions
Publisher Notting Hill Editions
Weight(grams) 250g
Dimensions(mm) 190mm * 120mm * 19mm
