num_pages: 1103
description: At times pious, at times profane but always unashamedly honest, "The Diaries of Christopher Isherwood" provide an inside look at the life and times of one of the most celebrated writers of the century. Chronicling Isherwood's life from 1939, when he emigrated to the United States, until 1960, these entries cover some of the most turbulent years of his career and give readers unprecedented insight into the major turning points in his life. Here, Isherwood relates the spiritual crisis he went through as World War II began, his discipleship (along with Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard) with the Hindu monk Swami Prabhavananda and his decision to become a pacifist. Here also are his accounts of his intense social life in Hollywood, his career as a screenwriter and his many sexual affairs. Readers will be particularly fascinated by his revealing anecdotes and gossip about the literary greats (such as W. H. Auden, Thomas Mann, E. M. Forster, and Tennessee Williams) and movie stars (such as Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin and Sir Laurence Olivier) of the time.
language: English
title: Christopher Isherwood Diaries: 1939-1960
titlecomplete: Christopher Isherwood Diaries: 1939-1960
characters: W. Somerset Maugham, Dylan Thomas, Swami Prabhavananda, Gavin Lambert, Joseph Cotten, W.H. Auden, Tom Driberg, Heinz Neddermeyer, Aldous Huxley, Don Bachardy, Christopher Isherwood, Gore Vidal, Bertrand Russell, William Caskey, Howard Austen, Cyril Connolly, Julian Huxley
genres: Biography, LGBT, Queer, Gay, Diary, Classics, Autobiography, Nonfiction, Writing, Memoir
ratings_count: 158
places: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
publisher: Methuen Publishing Ltd