Christopher Isherwood

Jake Poller teaches in the English department at Queen Mary University of London. His books include Aldous Huxley (Reaktion, 2021).

• Abbreviations                                                                                    Introduction: Autofiction                                                                1 The Poshocracy, 1904–252 Tea-Tabling, 1925–303 The Lost, 1931–74 Ivar Avenue, 1938–445 Samsara, 1945–536 Kitty and Dobbin, 1954–64                                                              7 Life Writing, 1965–80                                                                    EpilogueReferencesSelect BibliographyAcknowledgementsPhoto Acknowledgements

This is the Christopher Isherwood biography we have been missing: informative, readable, and concise. Jake Poller covers both Isherwood’s “monumental life” and his considerable work without producing a doorstop. Poller understands and appreciates both the English and the American Isherwood. He provides enough analysis of the major works to inspire readers to go to (or go back to) the source, without overwhelming them or imposing his interpretation on the audience. Poller provides fresh insight without being dogmatic, offering alternate readings of events and works. This is a book Isherwood fans will learn from and enjoy reading. - James J. Berg, editor of Isherwood on Writing