Paul Delany

This biography definitely did not live up to its alluring title: Brooke does not come off as glamorous, nor is there much evidence that many of his acquaintances thought him to be while he lived. The book is actually more about Brooke's circle of friends and acquaintances than about Brooke himself, though obviously the two must overlap even in an excellent biography. The book is best where it quotes directly from Brooke's correspondence. The author makes many unsubstantiated claims, for example that Brooke had a massive nervous breakdown and that he was manic depressive. Based on the information supplied, Brooke does seem to have been depressed for a time, but whether that constitutes a nervous breakdown is debatable. Nor is it clear (from the evidence presented) that Brooke was manic depressive. Final chapter was the most interesting.… (meer)