An enduring classic by one of England's finest critics, on why so many gifted writers fall short of attaining greatness.
""Whom the gods wish to destroy they first call promising.""--Cyril Connolly
Cyril Connolly (1903-1974) was one of the most influential book reviewers and critics in England, contributing regularly to "The New Statesman, The Observer," and "The Sunday Times," His many books and essays have been published to great acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic.
First published in 1938 and long unavailable, "Enemies of Promise" is considered his major work. An inquiry into the problem of how to write a masterpiece, Connolly identifies the forces that work against the fulfillment of artistic promise--among them, politics, domesticity, advertising, and journalism. His concluding recollection of his education at Eton examines the factors which interfered with his own "promise."
Seventy years after it was written, "Enemies of Promise" remains powerful and true. It is a brilliant work by one of the most important critics of the period.