'To find out about things'

“God forbid that any book should bebanned.  The practice is asindefensible as infanticide.” - Rebecca West

 
Cicely Isabel Fairfield, who wrote as Rebecca West, championed other writers, particularlythose who were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era, and probably would be appalled that books are still being banned in today's society. Born onthis date in 1892, she grew up in a home full of intellectual stimulation,political debate, lively company, books and music and turned intoa world-renowned author and reporter.  By the time she was 50 she was a leadingspokesperson for feminism and feminist causes, and by the time of her death in1983 she had published many hundreds of stimulating articles, short stories and books.     

Shewas called by Time Magazine "indisputably the world's number one woman writer,” and by U.S. President Harry S. Truman “the world’s bestreporter.” In addition to her dozens of books,West also was                        feted for her essays and as a leading reviewer and travel writerfor many of the world’s top newspapers and magazines.
Among herbest-selling books were Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, on the history andculture of Yugoslavia; A Train of Powder – based on her magazine coverageof the Nuremberg trials; and the novels The Birds Fall Down and the autobiographical Aubrey Trilogy: The Fountain Overflows, This Real Night, and CousinRosamund.    "Iwrite books," she noted, "to find out about things.”