Reviews

Trollope: His Life and Art by C.P. Snow

eddie's review

3.0

Recently read my first Trollope novel and serendipitously picked this up in a second-hand bookshop in order to learn more about the writer. I think it's somewhat dated now, but a good general introduction to Trollope, his art and his life. Snow isn't afraid to make quite sweeping judgments based on assumption and inference - I think Trollope's mother comes off particularly badly, given all the family troubles devolved on her. Snow makes a great deal about what he terms Trollope's 'percipience' - whilst I agree Trollope does have stunning psychological insight, to me he also is great on the psychology of social groupings and how they interact. And Auden pointed out how great Trollope is on the financial underpinning of society. The book has great illustrations.