The Wind in the Willows needs no introduction - children have enjoyed the exploits of its characters for generations. Few would guess that its author, Kenneth Grahame, was a tortured soul. Marriage to the predatory Elspeth Thomson, when both seemed destined for the single life, was a shared fantasy of invented truth. Out of that union came a catastrophically spoiled son, 'Mouse', for whom that greatest of children's stories was written. It was the child's tragedy that he was sucked into the unreality of his parents' lives and did not survive it, ending his life in suicide.
Alison Prince brings her own highly acclaimed expertise as a children's writer to this remarkably perceptive biography of Kenneth Grahame. Drawing on hitherto unpublished material she uncovers layer upon layer of Grahame's personality to reveal the truth behind the myth of this intriguing man, 'the tortured soul of Mr Toad'.
'Alison Prince describes the grim story of Grahame's marriage and fatherhood squarely and sensitively.'
Independent
'A meaty, well-constructed biography.' Allan Massie
Daily Telegraph
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Information
Subtopic
Literary BiographiesIndex
LiteratureTable of contents
- Cover
- Landing Page
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- 1: Edinburgh and the Wild West
- 2: All on Fire
- 3: Schooling and Learning
- 4: Dreams Demolished
- 5: The Solitude of the Roaring Street
- 6: Long John Silver and the Great God Pan
- 7: Golden Days
- 8: An End to Childhood
- 9: Dino and Minkie
- 10: Durham Villas
- 11: Mouse
- 12: The Wind in the Reeds
- 13: A Difficult Freedom
- 14: Alastair at School
- 15: No Pity
- 16: University and Tragedy
- 17: North and South
- 18: Going Home
- Bibliography of the Works of Kenneth Grahame
- Secondary Bibliography
- Index
- Plates
- Copyright
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Yes, you can access Kenneth Grahame by Alison Prince in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & Literary Biographies. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.