I spent yesterday thinking about the wonderful writer Elizabeth Taylor. I went along to Battle library in Reading with my friend Liz, for the Elizabeth Taylor day they were holding. It was doubly exciting because we were also going to be meeting some friends from the Librarything Virago group, who were also attending. On the train, Liz and I pulled out our books.
The same book in the same edition – and the same bookmark. Great minds indeed!
We arrived in Reading in good time and walked the mile and half or so to the venue and found it after stopping to ask someone who turned out to be going to the same place for exactly the same reason.
There was a room full of people – the library had been closed to the public for the event – and I was pleased so many people were so enthusiastic about Elizabeth Taylor. Liz and I met the other people from Libraything – which was really exciting – but almost immediately had to take our seats for the first speaker. We were enormously blessed in the speakers who attended, they each brought something different to the event – but what united them was their shared love of Elizabeth Taylor and her work.
The speakers were: Prof Neil Reeve – head of English literature at Swansea University. Personal reminiscences came from Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter, Joanna Kingham and son Renny Taylor. Also on the panel were authors Elizabeth Jane Howard, Philip Hensher and Roisin McAuley. One of the book discussions was led by blogger Dovegreyreader – Lynne Hatwell – whose blog I read often. The other was led by Diane Freeborn from the school of literature and creative writing University of East Anglia.
As I stupidly didn’t take notes – and my memory seems to be getting worse as I get older I won’t attempt to repeat too much of what was said- as I am bound to misremember things. Professor Reeve talked about the themes in Elizabeth Taylor’s writing, and read us a short story that hasn’t been published before. His book Elizabeth Taylor: A Centenary Celebration is now available and contains short stories never before published. He talked a lot about how Elizabeth Taylor explores the self-delusions in everyday people’s lives.
I adored hearing the personal stories from Elizabeth Taylor’s son and daughter and also from author Elizabeth Jane Howard – who had got to know Elizabeth Taylor toward the end of her life. I did feel at this point however – that there was an elephant in the room – in the shape of Nicola Beauman’s biography The Other Elizabeth Taylor – which I have to admit to having read and rather enjoyed. It was referred to in passing only by Elizabeth Jane Howard as “ a biography” that had been written by someone “digging around” like “one of those journalists” I almost felt I should climb up on a chair and admit to my shame in having read it – as if it was some sort of grubby book in a brown paper cover. Having heard the adult children of Elizabeth Taylor speak about their mother – I was forced to wonder why Nicola Beauman wrote that book – and yes it was done well I think and with a certain amount of sensitivity but had I been Joanna or Renny – I would hate her for it.
After lunch – which we ate on the terrace at the back of the library Liz and I got to know our online friends a little better it was so lovely meeting people with whom we have such a shared interest.
After lunch there were two book group discussions, one about the novel At Mrs Lippincote’s and one about Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont – both books I read not that long ago really and yet the discussions made me want to settle down and read them again. Liz and I decided to attend both book discussions, rather than go on the walk around Reading. It was so interesting hearing what other people had taken from the books. I have to admit to having kept quiet – not feeling I had anything special to bring to the discussions but enjoying hearing what others thought.
All in all it was an excellent day and I am very glad that I went along. There are still 4 novels of Elizabeth Taylors that I haven’t read, as well as a couple of volumes of short stories. As the Librarything Virago group are reading all the novels in order of publication this year – I will have read all of them in the next few months – and I am intending to re-read some of the others too, as well as reading more of the short stories. It seems fitting in this her centenary year to read so much of her work, and to try in my small way to encourage others to do so too.
What a wonderful event and very interesting the comments about the biography, writers become the subject of scholars and historians which I guess might offer a different perspective than a family member would. It reminds me of the reissue of Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’ with certain chapters added back in, as the first edition had those chapters removed by his son because they related to his mother.
I think we can only agree that it is almost always controversial and the reason why many writers insist on their journals being destroyed, knowing there is a hunger by the public to know all, no matter how sensitive material may be.
It sounds like a fantastic day! Like you, I enjoyed the biography so your comments about the “reaction” are interesting. I wish I’d been there with all of you!
Lovely report of the day! Wasn’t it fun? I especially liked Diane, who did a great job leading the Lippincote book group.
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