The Memoirs of John Addington Symonds

A Critical Edition

Nonfiction, History, British, Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book The Memoirs of John Addington Symonds by , Palgrave Macmillan UK
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781137291240
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK Publication: February 9, 2017
Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781137291240
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication: February 9, 2017
Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan
Language: English

This edition is the first to reproduce John Addington Symonds's Memoirs in its entirety. It offers a panoramic view of middle-class Victorian life, shedding light upon sexual cultures and life histories too often hidden from history. Symonds (1840-93) began writing his Memoirs in 1889. It was, he confessed, 'a foolish thing to do.' Symonds was a respected man of letters, an historian, translator, essayist and poet; he was also married with children. But rather than unfold a simple tale of public and private achievement, the Memoirs record his struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with these professional and familial identities. His autobiography offers a confessional account of relationships beyond the accepted bounds of nineteenth-century social mores, presenting an alternative case study that contests the legal and medical authorities that would label his desires a crime or disease. Yet being so eloquent on matters of heterodox sexuality, the Memoirs were suppressed. The manuscript survives because Symonds recognised its import, however 'foolish': he instructed his literary executor to preserve the text, a duty ultimately discharged by placing the manuscript under embargo in the care of the London Library.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This edition is the first to reproduce John Addington Symonds's Memoirs in its entirety. It offers a panoramic view of middle-class Victorian life, shedding light upon sexual cultures and life histories too often hidden from history. Symonds (1840-93) began writing his Memoirs in 1889. It was, he confessed, 'a foolish thing to do.' Symonds was a respected man of letters, an historian, translator, essayist and poet; he was also married with children. But rather than unfold a simple tale of public and private achievement, the Memoirs record his struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with these professional and familial identities. His autobiography offers a confessional account of relationships beyond the accepted bounds of nineteenth-century social mores, presenting an alternative case study that contests the legal and medical authorities that would label his desires a crime or disease. Yet being so eloquent on matters of heterodox sexuality, the Memoirs were suppressed. The manuscript survives because Symonds recognised its import, however 'foolish': he instructed his literary executor to preserve the text, a duty ultimately discharged by placing the manuscript under embargo in the care of the London Library.

More books from Palgrave Macmillan UK

Cover of the book The Palgrave Handbook of the Afterlife by
Cover of the book Economic Development Through Regional Trade by
Cover of the book People with Multiple Sclerosis by
Cover of the book Youth Identities, Education and Employment by
Cover of the book Geo-Politics of the Euro-Asia Energy Nexus by
Cover of the book Global Trends in Human Resource Management by
Cover of the book Formulating Research Methods for Information Systems by
Cover of the book Neo-Victorian Fiction and Historical Narrative by
Cover of the book Sustainable Industrialization in Africa by
Cover of the book Displaying Competence in Organizations by
Cover of the book Neoliberalism in Crisis by
Cover of the book Cameron’s Conservatives and the Internet by
Cover of the book Financing the Green Transformation by
Cover of the book Transformations in Global and Regional Social Policies by
Cover of the book Working the Land by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy