Martin Seymour-Smith (1928–1998)

British critic Seymour-Smith maintains that Kipling (1865-1936) was a repressed homosexual who feared his sadomasochistic and other erotic impulses. The author goes through contortions in attempting to bend the scanty biographical evidence to fit his thesis. He probes Kipling's marriage to "gloomy dragon" Caroline Balestier, arguing that he was really in love with her brother Wolcott. Published in Britain to much controversy, this study portrays Kipling as a morbidly secretive self-hater show more who, at his best, rose above his mean-spririted imperialist politics through his writings. Seymour-Smith, who champions Kipling as a major talent, offers close readings of neglected stories as well as of the novels and children's books. He claims that when Kipling's imagination was working at full throttle he was "positively Shakespearean." show less

Superb survey of world fiction of the 20th Century because Seymour Smith has read it all and presents very subjective, strong opinions which are a refreshing change from the namby-pamby resources available with none of the breadth. He includes Islamic, Catalan, African and Asian literature, as well as references to drama and poetry and politics.

Stimulating, but questionable scholarship. I always grow suspicious of an author when their treatment of the Scriptures is filled with factual errors. Why should I trust their judgment of Plutarch, when they get the fundamental facts of Scripture wrong? We are all free to have an opinion, but skewing the text is another issue. I cannot say I dislike chocolate when what I am tasting is actually cheese. Seymour-Smith is a literary butter-fly.

However, I did enjoy his lancing of that boil known show more as Richard Dawkins. it is interesting to see one atheist go after another. There is clearly some history there, as S-S speaks of him a number of times in a very personal way. show less

This amazing encylopedia of 20th century authors reveals the breadth of Seymour-Smith's reading. Broken down by nationality, full of entertaining dismissals and praise. It's one of those books very hard to put down.