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E. M. Forster: A Biography
Edward Morgan Forster is one of the most revered of modern English novelists…
His 1908 novel, A Room with a View , is his most optimistic work, while Howard’s End (1910) and A Passage to India (1924) brought him his greatest success, and are widely considered his greatest achievements.
But what was the nature of Forster's genius, and why are his books still so popular?
The value of his fiction lies to a great extent in his representative portraits of people.
On the title page of Howards End , Forster placed a phrase representing the philosophy of one of his characters, which is essentially his own philosophy - “Only connect.”
Forster’s main works revolve around the failure of people to communicate with one another satisfactorily, their failure to smash down the walls of prejudice that have risen between them and to establish among themselves the relationships that could be possible.
Given a wider application, Harry T. Moore sees this as the history of humanity in our time.
Forster, beginning his work early in this century of wars, saw from the first the schisms between people and the separate worlds they live in.
Harry T. Moore examines Forster’s five novels, and his collections of short stories to get to the heart of his writing and to shed light on the life of this remarkable man.
‘Moore has drawn from the long out of print’ – Kirkus reviews
‘A literary must’ – Kirkus reviews
‘Harry T. Moore, prolific critic and…biographer’ – Paul Schlueter
Harry T. Moore (1908-1981) is best remembered for his studies of the life and works of D.H. Lawrence. He also wrote and edited books on the writings of John Steinbeck, E.M. Forster, Henry James, as well as several collections of essays on twentieth-century literature. Moore’s biography of Lawrence, The Priest of Love became the basis for a film starring Ian McKellen and Janet Suzman in 1981. Moore became a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, as well as the President of the College English Association. He also won the Guggenheim Fellowships in 1958 and 1960.
His 1908 novel, A Room with a View , is his most optimistic work, while Howard’s End (1910) and A Passage to India (1924) brought him his greatest success, and are widely considered his greatest achievements.
But what was the nature of Forster's genius, and why are his books still so popular?
The value of his fiction lies to a great extent in his representative portraits of people.
On the title page of Howards End , Forster placed a phrase representing the philosophy of one of his characters, which is essentially his own philosophy - “Only connect.”
Forster’s main works revolve around the failure of people to communicate with one another satisfactorily, their failure to smash down the walls of prejudice that have risen between them and to establish among themselves the relationships that could be possible.
Given a wider application, Harry T. Moore sees this as the history of humanity in our time.
Forster, beginning his work early in this century of wars, saw from the first the schisms between people and the separate worlds they live in.
Harry T. Moore examines Forster’s five novels, and his collections of short stories to get to the heart of his writing and to shed light on the life of this remarkable man.
‘Moore has drawn from the long out of print’ – Kirkus reviews
‘A literary must’ – Kirkus reviews
‘Harry T. Moore, prolific critic and…biographer’ – Paul Schlueter
Harry T. Moore (1908-1981) is best remembered for his studies of the life and works of D.H. Lawrence. He also wrote and edited books on the writings of John Steinbeck, E.M. Forster, Henry James, as well as several collections of essays on twentieth-century literature. Moore’s biography of Lawrence, The Priest of Love became the basis for a film starring Ian McKellen and Janet Suzman in 1981. Moore became a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, as well as the President of the College English Association. He also won the Guggenheim Fellowships in 1958 and 1960.
49 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 27, 2024
برای زمانهای که ویکیپدیا و سایر سایتهای ریویونویسی امروزی وجود نداشتهاند، شاید کتاب خوبی در معرفی فورستر بوده. اما وارد جزئیات ریز داستانها شدن و تعریف بخشهای زیادی از آنها ضرورتی ندارد و این معرفی را بیش از اندازه کسالتبار کرده. در مجموع با وجود احترامم برای میرعلایی فقید، بهنظرم انتخاب خوبی برای ترجمه نبوده.
November 28, 2016
Those wonderful people at Endeavour Press provided me with a Review Copy of this book.
Edward Morgan Forster has written 5 novels, nonfiction and many short stories (besides a number of short essays on the lives of authors, Forster has written two full-length biographies: Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson (1934) and Marianne Thornton (1956). The first was a friend and the second a beloved relative (his great-aunt)).
This 40 page book by Harry T. Moore goes over Forster's output. The book was originally released in 1965 I believe. I really only knew of EM Forster due to the marvellous Merchant Ivory Film Productions and specifically 'A Room with a View' (1985) and 'Howards End' (1992).
After a very brief background of Forster's early life including his time at Cambridge and his travels which were to shape his books Moore starts with the short stories.
If you have read Forster then this short book is a nice add-on. If you have not, like me, then it is always interesting and does get you to wishing you really had more time to sit in front of a roaring open fire with book in hand (I can oh but dream).
Edward Morgan Forster has written 5 novels, nonfiction and many short stories (besides a number of short essays on the lives of authors, Forster has written two full-length biographies: Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson (1934) and Marianne Thornton (1956). The first was a friend and the second a beloved relative (his great-aunt)).
This 40 page book by Harry T. Moore goes over Forster's output. The book was originally released in 1965 I believe. I really only knew of EM Forster due to the marvellous Merchant Ivory Film Productions and specifically 'A Room with a View' (1985) and 'Howards End' (1992).
After a very brief background of Forster's early life including his time at Cambridge and his travels which were to shape his books Moore starts with the short stories.
If you have read Forster then this short book is a nice add-on. If you have not, like me, then it is always interesting and does get you to wishing you really had more time to sit in front of a roaring open fire with book in hand (I can oh but dream).
November 25, 2016
Not a biography.
I was so disappointed that this is not a biography, as the title suggests. Rather it is a rambling, disjointed, series of book reviews. Of Forster's works, and several other authors.
I was so disappointed that this is not a biography, as the title suggests. Rather it is a rambling, disjointed, series of book reviews. Of Forster's works, and several other authors.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews