Hoare's account of the heyday of the Bright Young People, the notorious band of English aesthetes who flourished in the 1920s, is particularly grueling. At one point he even remarks that an operation that Tennant underwent "appeared to be successful in restoring his breathing difficulties," and American readers will be surprised to learn of the "Florida desert" across which one must drive to reach Sarasota. Sadly, Philip Hoare's style is often breathless, novelettish and littered with solecisms. Such a subject surely demands an exquisite prose style. When asked by his father what he wanted to be when he grew up, he replied unhesitatingly "A great beauty," and he might have added "like mother." What he did unquestionably grow up to be was an eccentric, homosexual aesthete in the distinguished tradition of William Beckford and Ronald Firbank.
Tennant was already seeing himself flatteringly reflected in nature. The attached photos are of the copy we have in our inventory.AT THE AGE of 4, while walking in the gardens of Wilsford, the Tennant family mansion, Stephen Tennant experienced a moment of profound recognition: Catching sight of a pansy he exclaimed, "Oh! Something's looking," and crouched down to commune with the flower. This is not a remainder copy, not a library discard. No former ownership marks, no writing on the text pages.
Edges of the text block show some small dots of bump marks to the top edge. Cover boards are flat, the corners are not bumped or creased, no edge wear to the cover boards. Black cloth covered cover boards, with the author name and title imprinted on the spine in gold. Tear is not very noticeable though as the jacket has been protected with a clear, removable cover. There is a 1" closed tear on the back panel of the jacket - to the right of the William Hickey blurb. The dust jacket is intact and is not price clipped. 464 pages with Index, Notes and four sections of photos, 6-3/8" X 9-1/2". An in-depth look at the life of Stephen Tennant, from his early life at Wilsford Manor to his friendships with Rex Whistler and Cecil Beaton, Great Garbo, Christopher Isherwood, and his relationship with Siegfried Sassoon, to his later years in seclusion. First edition hardcover with dust jacket, published by Hamish Hamilton, 1990.
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