Selected Letters of Clive Bell

Reviews / Votes

This is a remarkable edition of Clive Bell's letters, expertly introduced and annotated by his biographer, Mark Hussey. From Bell's central position in the Bloomsbury Group, these witty and moving letters illuminate transnational networks of intimacy and artistic debate. This volume is essential and engaging reading for anyone interested in modernism and the arts. -- Anna Snaith, King's College London Whether earnest, funny, critical or reflective, these letters reveal the multifaceted traits of Clive Bell. This selection should justifiably rekindle interest in his thought and writing. Mark Hussey has produced a magnificent edition, innovative in its meticulous arrangement, and one which can be enjoyed by general readers and academics alike. -- Matthew Macer-Wright * Virginia Woolf Bulletin * Considering the success of Mark Hussey's biography of Clive Bell, it's no surprise that his edition of Bell's letters is so perceptive and well-chosen. The letters show Bell at his best, whether debating his art theories or his pacifism or describing a picnic. Generous with friends, feisty with Philistines, he practiced a lost art of letter-writing as a gift and a performance: a "significant form" in itself. -- Regina Marler, editor of Selected Letters of Vanessa Bell