Synopses & Reviews
Elspeth Huxley, who died in 1997, is chiefly remembered for her lyrical and evocative memoir
The Flame Trees of Thika (1959). Yet this was only one of the thirty books she wrote, and it took just a few months of her remarkably active life to compose.
A woman of compelling personality and exceptional energy, Elspeth Huxley was not only a celebrated writer, but also a farmer, broadcaster, journalist, conservationist, political thinker, magistrate, and government adviser. She was a vivid chronicler of colonial Kenya, and became increasingly recognized as an observer and interpreter of African affairs over a period of profound change. Initially a staunch defender of the white settlers, she would later come to support moves toward African independence.
After a childhood spent in East Africa and wartime Britain, Elspeth married a grandson of Thomas Huxley and cousin of Aldous Huxley, whom she knew well. Her wide circle also later included George and Joy Adamson, the Leakeys, and Peter Scott (whose biography she wrote). Whatever their subject, her books reveal the adventurousness, warmth, perception, and occasional astringency that made up her own personality; they are also notable for their acute observation and great social range, encompassing the lives of Kenyas poor white farmers, the frivolous Happy Valley set, and Africans alike.
For this, the first biography of Elspeth Huxley, C. S. Nicholls has made extensive use of her papers and letters---including those to and from Elspeths formidable mother Nellie and her hapless father Jos. Elspeth Huxley: A Biography is not merely a fascinating portrait of an extraordinary woman, but an absorbing account of an entire era of colonial and British history.
Review
There is no doubt that this is a complete portrait of a brave and remarkable woman. The Tablet [U.K.]
Review
"C.S. Nicholls offers a robust account of who's who in Huxley's novels." LA Times
Review
"Nicholls' account of [the Huxley's marriage] adds another sphere of interest to a life that already has more than its share of fascinating facets. Nicholls...bears the unusual distinction of having served as editor of Britain's prestigious Dictionary of National Biography. Thus it is not surprising to find that she is a judicious, intelligent biographer who brings to her enterprise grace, balance, and deftness."
—San Francisco Chronicle
"C.S. Nicholls offers a robust account of who's who in Huxley's novels."
—LA Times
"[An] accomplished biography...Nicholls probes with great sensitivity Huxley's literary and emotional attachment to Africa...and her complex and evolving views towards it and British rule there."
—Atlantic Monthly
"The biography is extremely strong when the author paints an insightful and propitious picture that enables readers to better understand bygone eras. The book is well written and will keep readers interested in a proficient, but not popular, defender of the crown."
—Harriet Klausner Reviews
"This first biography of British writer and conservationist Huxley...is lively and well researched...Nicholls plumbs Huxley's personal and published papers for detail, creating skillful illustrations of character and setting...[T]this is a solid exploration of a deserving and challenging subject."
—Publishers Weekly
"A sturdy biography...the first such work devoted to [Huxley]. Nicholls gives a good account of Huxleys life and work...A worthwhile glimpse into European colonialism and its literary chroniclers."
—Kirkus Reviews
“There is no doubt that this is a complete portrait of a brave and remarkable woman.”
—The Tablet [U.K.]
Synopsis
Author of The Flame Trees of Thika, Elspeth Huxley was not only a celebrated writer, but also a farmer, conservationist, and government advisor. She was a vivid chronicler of colonial Kenya, and became increasingly recognized as an observer and interpreter of African affairs over a period of profound change. After a childhood spent in East Africa and wartime Britain, Elspeth married a grandson of Thomas Huxley and cousin of Aldous Huxley. Her wide and influential circle also later included George and Joy Adamson, the Leakeys, and Peter Scott.
C. S. Nicholls has made extensive use of Huxley's papers and letters, making this a fascinating portrait of an extraordinary woman.
Synopsis
“Delicious stories...I recommend this excellent biography to anybody who cares for Huxley's books and for Kenya.”---Aiden Hartley,
Literary Review [U.K.]
“C. S. Nicholls interweaves this personal tale with the intriguing social and political theory of colonial Kenya...accomplished.”---Sunday Times [U.K.]
“Well organized and thoroughly researched.”---Daily Telegraph [U.K.]
“[Nicholls] is a wonderfully informed authority about the externals of life---the dates, the events, the who, and where of it all...scrupulous.”---New Statesman [U.K.]
About the Author
Christine Nicholls grew up in East Africa and knew many of the people in Elspeth Huxley's circle. She was coeditor and then sole editor of
The Dictionary of Natural Biography for twenty years, and also edited
The Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Biography. Her other books include
The Swahili Coast, Cataract, Power: A Political History of the Twentieth Century, a biography of David Livingstone and the official history of St. Antonys College, Oxford. She lives in Oxford.