Diana Athill has corresponded with the American poet Edward Field for over thirty years, freely sharing jokes, pleasures and pains with her old friend, and writing with an intimacy and spontaneity even more revealing than the candour of her celebrated memoirs. Edited, selected and introduced by Athill, and annotated with her own delightful notes, this collection of those letters reveals a sharply intelligent woman with a keen eye for the absurd, a brilliant turn of phrase and a wicked sense of humour. Covering her career as an editor, the adventure of her retirement, her immersion in her own writing and her reactions to becoming unexpectedly famous in her old-age, and including gossip about mutual friends, sharp pen portraits, and uninhibited accounts her relationships - and ailments - Instead of a Book gives a wonderful description of a woman growing older without ever losing her zest for life.
Instead of a Book: Letters to a Friend
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More About the Author
Diana Athill was born in 1917. She worked for the BBC throughout the Second World War and then helped Andre Deutsch establish the publishing company that bore his name. She is the author of five volumes of memoirs - Stet, Instead of a Letter, After a Funeral, Yesterday Morning, Make Believe - and a novel, Don't Look at Me Like That. A selection of her memoirs appear in Life Class published in November 2009. She lives in London.
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Review
`Fascinating and surprising ... Every page of this book shows that Athill's eye is as beady as ever'
--Sunday Times
'These are vivid reports on life in late 20th-century Britain ... Athill has given us a great deal' --Guardian
`A charming, witty and utterly life-affirming collection ... A delight' --Time Out
'A joy to read and wonderfully entertaining. Athill makes you hope that letter-writing is not a lost art' --Metro
'A candid picture of Athill's past 30 years and a testament to the cathartic nature of letter-writing'
--The Times
'Athill describes beautifully those "lovely moments of pure being" that make it all worthwhile' --Financial Times
'This hand written insight into the sharp wit and tenacious, nurturing soul of Athill is a joy' --Psychologies
'The author once described a new friend as `on the side of the angels'. So is Diana Athill'
--Spectator --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
--Sunday Times
'These are vivid reports on life in late 20th-century Britain ... Athill has given us a great deal' --Guardian
`A charming, witty and utterly life-affirming collection ... A delight' --Time Out
'A joy to read and wonderfully entertaining. Athill makes you hope that letter-writing is not a lost art' --Metro
'A candid picture of Athill's past 30 years and a testament to the cathartic nature of letter-writing'
--The Times
'Athill describes beautifully those "lovely moments of pure being" that make it all worthwhile' --Financial Times
'This hand written insight into the sharp wit and tenacious, nurturing soul of Athill is a joy' --Psychologies
'The author once described a new friend as `on the side of the angels'. So is Diana Athill'
--Spectator --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
About the Author
DIANA ATHILL was born in 1917. She helped Andre Deutsch establish the publishing company that bore his name and worked as an editor for Deutsch for four decades. Athill's distinguished career as an editor is the subject of her acclaimed memoir Stet, which is also published by Granta Books, as are five volumes of memoirs, Instead of a Letter, After a Funeral, Yesterday Morning, Make Believe, Somewhere Towards the End and a novel, Don't Look at Me Like That. In January 2009, she won the Costa Biography Award for Somewhere Towards the End, and was presented with an OBE. She lives in London.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By smartie
Format:Hardcover
Brilliant format of letters which can be easily dipped into. Diana Athill was candid, sympathetic and extremely generous in her friendships. I was particularly interested in her reporting of her personal circumstances and relationships. Her work with Andre Deutsch over many years, in publishing, gives an insight into her professional stamina.
Very enjoyable.
Very enjoyable.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By S. Walsgrove
Format:Hardcover
Yet another stunning read from Diana Athill. My admiration just grows and grows. I am fascinated by the way in which she manages to look back at her life in such a dispassionate way, while conveying all the passion that was there at the time. She is truely a role model for how to age with not an ounce of self-pity or too much regret - and someone who inspires me more and more (although I suspect that the very idea of being an inspiration to anyone would horrify her!)
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Vee
Format:Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
The letters make for fascinating reading due to the honesty, integrity and self-deprecation of the author. At times sad but also at times made me laugh out loud. I certainly want to read more by Diana as she shows such humanity and humour.
By J. R. Miles
Format:Hardcover|Verified Purchase
I love all of Dianas work she is a natural writer and very engaging at all times very quick and easy to read
Format:Hardcover|Verified Purchase
I loved this book as I love her writing, her style, her literary knowlwdge. I was also able to get her to sign it at the OLF, so it makes it very special.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
This was a present for a friend.
I'm sure I'd like it if it was mine. Now you'll tell me I have to put in a ton of extra words, so here they are and this is annoying me, so no more reviews.
Published 17 months ago by Mrs. B. J. Bell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Read
A credit to the writing skills of Dianna Athill that you only read one side of the correspondence but you feel completely involved.
Published 20 months ago by tmor
5.0 out of 5 stars
thoroughly enjoyable
What a remarkable woman and wonderful correspondent. It was a privilege to be let in on her wonderfully warm, witty and observant musings to two obviously dear friends.
Published 20 months ago by melinda
5.0 out of 5 stars
reading this book felt like making a new friend
This compilation of letters gives the reader just a glimpse here and there into the life of an amazingly interesting lady. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Lizzie Bryan
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