A Slender Reputation

by Kathleen Hale

Kathleen Hale, born more than a century ago in 1898, is the creator of one of the most popular children's book characters of the 1940s and 50s-Orlando the Marmalade Cat. A Slender Reputation is the story of her life, told with an artist's gift for detail and a zest that so many readers have enjoyed in her Orlando tales.

Genres: Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1994

About the author

Kathleen Hale was born in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire and was brought up in a suburb of Manchester. Her childhood was far from idyllic: her father died when she was very young and she was forced to endure long periods of separation from her mother. This, along with the frustrations of an unexpressed artistic talent, produced a rebellious reaction in the young girl's naturally ebullient nature. However, her talent as an artist was recognised at school by a sympathetic headmistress at Manchester High School for Girls and she went on to attend art courses in Manchester and at the University College, Reading.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

In 1917, Kathleen moved to London to make a life for herself as an artist. She worked for some time as Augustus John's secretary whilst developing a wide circle of friends in the artistic community, such as Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. During the 1920s she earned a living as an illustrator, accepting commissions for book jackets as well as selling her own drawings.

She married Douglas McClean, a young doctor working in medical research. They settled in Hertfordshire where they could bring up their two young sons and entertain their friends. She created Orlando and his world to entertain her children at bedtime. Orlando The Marmalade Cat 'with eyes like twin gooseberries' was one of the classic children's book characters of the 1940s and 1950s. The stories are known for their quirky wit and extravagant illustrations. They combine adventure with friendship and family life. As the creator of Orlando, Kathleen was awarded the OBE in 1976.

Kathleen Hale died on 26 January 2000 at 101 years of age.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up for the lovely examples of Kathleen Hales paintings which I hadn't seen before.

Autobiographies fascinate me, getting to look inside someones life and see a piece of social history but at the same time quite sad as you get to know someone as a child and then the book takes you through their life in a few hours reading.

Lots of details about Kathleen's bohemian life and her work on the Orlando books. Lots of sad and difficult times and as you would expect many examples of outdated attitudes towards women and treatment of children and animals.

Kathleen comes across as a very creative and happy person who seems to have lived a creatively productive life.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not for everyone. However, if, like me, you are a fan of Hale's Orlando books, and if you are an Anglophile who enjoys reading about the art and cultural life of England ca. 1900-1960, you'll love this one. Hale knew everybody. She was Augustus Johns' secretary; she worked for Duncan Grant;
Antonia White lived with her during the Second World War. I would love to know where any of her adult work is now, but am happily amassing a collection of the Orlando books, which are even more charming than I remembered upon re-reading.

[Story · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful!

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming autobiography and delightful vignettes of bohemian life between the wars. Hale is best known for her books about Orlando the marmalade cat, but her career as artist and writer extended well beyond them.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Autobiographies are not really my cup of tea and this was no exception. Kathleen Hale was author and illustrator of the Orlando books for children (which seem to have passed me by). Born early in the twentieth century and taking up art as a career she naturally led a very unconventional and quite interesting life. She worked for a period for Augustus John and was befriended by many well known artists and intellectuals of that period. I found the name dropping tedious. In 1918 she worked as a landgirl on a market garden outside London and her trips to Covent Garden market with a horse and cart were amusing. Some of her story after her marriage and subsequent move to the country and the arrival of her two sons were also amusing and interesting. How she started writing the Orlando books and the difficulties she encountered with publishers etc was interesting, but, on the whole not a book for me. Had it not been loaned to be by a very enthusiastic friend I would never have chosen it.

[Austen to Zafón · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful to know more about Hale. I have collected all of her children's books but one: Orlando Goes to the Moon, which sells for much more than I can afford.