Bombay to Bloomsbury: A Biography of the Strachey Family

by Barbara Caine

The Stracheys were an exceptionally intelligent and unusual family. Prominent in imperial administration, science, and feminism in the nineteenth century, and in the suffrage movement, women's education, and the bringing of new approaches to sexuality in the twentieth century, they had a wide
and significant influence. Examining Lytton Strachey, his parents and nine siblings, Barbara Caine provides a fascinating picture of a diverse and complex family in a period of change from Victorian England to the beat generation.

Genres: History

526 pages, Paperback

First published February 24, 2005

About the author

Barbara Caine is the Head of the School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry. Prior to taking it up, she was a Professor of History and ARC Professorial Fellow at Monash University.

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book quite a bit. It was pretty readable, and this subject is certainly interesting. The Strachey family, in case you don’t know, are part of the English imperialist tradition. The parents considered themselves Anglo-Indian, and some of the sons do follow the family tradition and work in India. It is a large family and many of them become accomplished and successful. Lytton, for one becomes a famous writer. Some of the siblings and their friends comprise the Bloomsbury group, which I know about from reading Virginia Woolfe.

The book breaks up the history into chapters with titles such as: "Single life" and "A feminist Family", so some might fine it too simplified, but I felt it kept the pace interesting and saved it from being a boring list of who went where.

True historical scholars might find it all to simple and predictable. You could also say you would not need to read the book because you could just read the chapter titles. But, while there is not a lot of detail to events, there is a good amount of drama, homosexual as well as heterosexual. There are pages and pages assessing their marriages and relationships, including their sex lives.

In the end, it is about the end of the Victorian age and hello twentieth century, which I find interesting, and is clumping nicely with the book I’m reading about the grandsons of Queen Victoria. Also, coming from a large family, I could relate to the shifting alliances and historical stalagmites of ten siblings.

I lent it to my mother, will see how she likes it.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me ages to read this, not because of the book but, rather because life things got in the way. Every time I came back to it, though, it always grabbed my attention. It is a very interesting insight into a really rather extraordinary family. If you’re interested in all things Bloomsbury, this book is a must-read.

[Molly Furnival · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mariette Van Der Ent · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exceptional good book!