My Life and Loves by Frank Harris
One of the most notorious autobiographies ever written is My Life and Loves, which has long been prohibited in the United States and England. It is well known for its sensual parts and offers one of the most complete and enjoyable portraits ever of fin-de-siècle literature and social life.
We get to witness Frank Harris (1855–1931) in all his glory in this unedited biography. This is the story of one of the greatest editors of his time, a man of vision, vanity, and ambition who offered many writers their first opportunities and acclaim, including H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, and Stephen Crane.
Also included are Harris’ startlingly direct and frequently contentious opinions of the leading figures in the literature and politics of the time, including, but not limited to, Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, Lord Randolph Churchill, and the Prince of Wales. Additionally, there are numerous instances of Harris’s lively, though infamous, descriptions of his sexual encounters—paragraphs that are responsible for this unique book’s enduring notoriety.
My Life and Loves by Frank Harris
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Frank Harris is not an unassuming person. He describes his numerous romantic experiences as a young guy in the first volume. Later books focus on the numerous famous literary and political figures he encountered while working as a newspaper editor in London, but he still makes time to describe his horizontal rejuvenation.
He was without a doubt a wise and talented man who lived a full and very successful life. But after reading a few hundred pages, I thought he did go on and on about it. Maybe it’s just that there are a lot more reliable and superior sources regarding the history of his time.
Sometimes what is offered as wise counsel is simply incorrect. For instance, he completely misunderstands how conception and the menstrual cycle work. Any young couple who follows his advice will be damned! Along with that, he has a very big ego. Writing at his advanced age, he positions himself at the pinnacle of literary accomplishments and depicts himself as a former confidant to the great. I wasn’t always persuaded that his job was what he claims it to be. Frank Harris is a talented writer, although his work is a little stale and pretentious.
