The autobiography of a middle-class Englishman of fifty years ago which unites the characteristics of the novel with the interest of a human document. The author turns analyst, and includes father, mother, friends and self in a sketch that runs close to the heart. He follows his boyhood days, and youth amid poverty, his Oxford days which developed an inordinate love for chess as well as mechanical inventive ability, and colors the latter happenings with his love for a woman whom he does not marry. The life-story reflects much of middle-class English thought and customs of fifty years ago.
“We wish that Mr. de Morgan had been content with a manner of construction as simple and direct as the actual writing of his book.”
+ – Acad. 71: 112. Ag. 4, ’06. 270w.
“Is fresh, original, and unusually clever.”
+ + Ath. 1906. 2: 97. Jl. 28. 250w.
“In my personal opinion this ‘ill-written autobiography’ is wise, witty, gentle and of unflagging interest, but then, I have been frightfully prejudiced in its favour—by reading it.” Mary Moss.
+ + Bookm. 24: 277. N. ’06. 1480w.
“It is not a book that the reviewer can boom, much as he would like to; nor can he give a more definite idea of it than to say that, if the reader likes both ‘David Copperfield’ and ‘Peter Ibbetson,’ he can find the two books in this one.”
+ + Ind. 61: 1161. N. 15, ’06. 100w.