WEST (Dame Rebecca, 1892-1983, Novelist, Journalist, Biographer and Critic)

Fine Typed Letter Signed ‘Rebecca West’ to Mr Russell saying that “on returning here after a holiday in France I have found a letter from you concerning a volume of tributes to Ruth Pitter dated 3.9.68. I have no recollection of having seen it before, and I do not think you can have received an answer. I would just like to explain to you that just about that time my husband was taken gravely ill, and had to go into hospital, where he died in November. I would not wish you to think that my failure to answer you was due to any discourtesy or any failure to recognise the genius of Ruth Pitter. Since then I have moved from my country house, and my papers and correspondence have been swept into hopeless disorder, and I really was powerless to prevent it. I have not seen the volume and will look forward to reading it...”, 1 side 4to., 48 Kingston House North, Prince’s Gate, 5th August

In September 1912, West accused the famously libertine writer H. G. Wells of being "the Old Maid among novelists". This was part of a provocative review of his novel Marriage published in Freewoman an obscure and short-lived feminist weekly review. The review attracted Wells's interest and an invitation to lunch at his home. The two writers became lovers in late 1913, despite Wells being both married and twenty-six years older than West. Their 10-year relationship produced a son, Anthony West. Their friendship lasted until Wells's death in 1946. West is also said to have had relationships with Charlie Chaplin, newspaper magnate Lord Beaverbrook, and journalist John Gunther. In 1930, at the age of 37, she married a banker, Henry Maxwell Andrews, and they remained nominally together, despite one public affair just before his death in 1968.
Arthur Russell, edited the 1969 volume Ruth Pitter ; Homage to a Poet which came out in January 1969 so he must have sent her an advance copy.

Item Date:  1969

Stock No:  41938      £275

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