Cyril Connolly facts for kids

A historical marker plaque in St. John's Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Cyril Vernon Connolly (10 September 1903 – 26 November 1974) was an English writer and literary critic. A literary critic is someone who studies and writes about books and literature. He was the editor of an important literary magazine called Horizon from 1940 to 1949. He also wrote a famous book, Enemies of Promise (1938). This book mixed literary criticism with his own life story. In it, he explored why he didn't become the successful fiction writer he hoped to be.

Early Life and School Days

Cyril Connolly was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England. He was the only child of Major Matthew William Kemble Connolly. His father was an army officer and also a malacologist. This means he studied mollusks like snails and clams. Cyril spent his childhood in different places. He lived with his father in South Africa and with his mother's family in Ireland. He also stayed with his grandmother in England.

Cyril went to St Cyprian's School in Eastbourne. There, he became friends with famous people like George Orwell and Cecil Beaton. He was a favorite student of the headmistress, Mrs. Wilkes. However, he later felt the school focused too much on "character-building." He believed intelligence and sensitivity were more important. Cyril was a good student. He won the Harrow History Prize and the English prize. He then earned a scholarship to Eton College, a year after George Orwell.

Life at Eton College

At Eton, Cyril had a difficult start. But he soon settled in and became known for his wit. He made friends and was involved in school activities. He wrote about these experiences in his book Enemies of Promise.

Cyril became known as an intellectual. He earned respect from his teachers and peers. His close friends included Denis Dannreuther and Roger Mynors. In 1921, his father took him on a trip to France. This trip sparked Cyril's lifelong love for travel.

By this time, his parents were living separate lives. His mother had a new relationship, and his father was busy studying slugs and snails. In 1922, Cyril achieved more academic success. He won the Rosebery History Prize. This led to a scholarship to Balliol College, Oxford. He visited his old school, St Cyprian's, to share his good news. Then he traveled to Spain with a school friend.

In his final term at Eton, he was elected to "Pop." This was a special group of senior students. He met other respected students there. Cyril always looked back on his time at Eton with fondness.

Adventures at Oxford University

Before starting at Balliol College, Oxford, Cyril traveled through Germany, Austria, and Hungary. At Oxford, he felt a bit out of place. He wasn't keen on the sports-focused students. His friends were mostly from Eton. He also met Kenneth Clark, who became a good friend. Cyril joked that their only exercise was "running up bills."

His main teachers were Francis Fortescue Urquhart and Maurice Bowra. Cyril's studies at Oxford weren't his main focus. Instead, he spent his time on travel adventures. In 1923, he went to Italy with his college group. He also visited Spain and the French Alps. He even went to Italy and Tunis at the end of the year.

In 1924, he made a new friend, Patrick Balfour. He traveled to Spain, Greece, Crete, and Naples. He spent Christmas with his parents, which was rare. In 1925, he went to Minehead with his college group. In his last year, he became friends with younger students like Anthony Powell. He returned to Spain before taking his final exams. Cyril left Oxford in 1925 with a history degree.

Starting a Literary Career

After Oxford, Cyril found it hard to get a job. His friends and family helped him pay off his debts. He continued his travels, visiting the French Alps, Spain, and Portugal. In late 1925, he got a job tutoring a boy in Jamaica. He returned to England in 1926.

He then worked as a secretary for Logan Pearsall Smith, a writer. Pearsall Smith introduced Cyril to the literary world. He taught Cyril to dislike journalism and focus on serious writing. Pearsall Smith gave Cyril a good salary and a place to stay.

In 1926, Cyril met Desmond MacCarthy, a literary editor. MacCarthy invited Cyril to write book reviews for the New Statesman magazine. Cyril traveled to Budapest and Eastern Europe. He also spent time in London. He continued his travels to Spain, North Africa, and Italy. In Florence, he met Kenneth Clark again.

Cyril's first published review appeared in the New Statesman in June 1927. He became a regular reviewer for the magazine. He moved into a flat with Patrick Balfour. He started working on several books, but most were never finished. He also began writing for other publications.

Cyril traveled a lot during this time. He visited Paris, Italy, Berlin, and other European cities. He met many interesting people, including James Joyce. He also met Jean Bakewell, who would become his first wife. They traveled to Spain together. In 1929, Cyril moved to Paris to be with Jean. They started collecting pets, including ferrets and lemurs.

Marriage and Travels

In February 1930, Cyril, aged 26, and Jean Bakewell traveled to America. They got married in New York on 5 April 1930. Jean was a lively and adventurous person. She provided some financial support. This allowed Cyril to travel and enjoy good food and drink.

The couple lived in various places in England. In July 1930, they settled in Sanary, France. Their neighbors included famous writers like Edith Wharton and Aldous Huxley. However, Cyril and Huxley didn't get along. The Connollys' home was a bit messy with their pets. They also had rising debts.

Around 1931, they left Sanary and toured many parts of Europe and North Africa. They visited Provence, Normandy, Spain, Morocco, and Majorca. They returned to England and found a flat in London. Cyril started writing for the New Statesman again.

Cyril also became an art critic for the Architectural Review. He met John Betjeman and Evelyn Waugh through this work. The Connollys enjoyed London's literary social scene. However, Jean had a health issue that meant she couldn't have children.

In 1933, they went to Greece for Jean to recover. They met Brian Howard there. They also traveled to Spain and Portugal. After a small incident, they were sent back to England. In June, they rented a house in Rottingdean. Jean struggled with their finances.

In 1934, the Connollys moved to a flat in King's Road, London. They entertained friends like Evelyn Waugh. They also had dinner with Virginia Woolf, but Cyril and Virginia didn't like each other. They traveled to Ireland. Cyril met Dylan Thomas at a party. By this time, Cyril's father could no longer help him financially.

However, Jean's mother funded a trip to Paris, Venice, and Budapest. In Paris, Cyril met Henry Miller, another writer. In Budapest, they stayed in the same hotel as Edward VIII, then Prince of Wales. In 1934, Cyril was working on a series of books. Only one, The Rock Pool, was completed.

First Books and Horizon Magazine

Cyril Connolly's only novel, The Rock Pool (1936), is a funny story. It describes a group of carefree people at a French seaside resort. This was based on his own experiences in France. A London publisher first accepted it, but then changed its mind. So, Cyril published it in Paris.

He then wrote a non-fiction book, Enemies of Promise (1938). The second half of this book is about his own life. In it, he tried to explain why he didn't write the great literary masterpiece that many believed he could.

In 1940, Cyril started an important literary magazine called Horizon. Peter Watson provided the money for the magazine. Cyril edited Horizon until 1950. During World War II, he wrote The Unquiet Grave. This was a collection of thoughts and quotes, published under the pen name 'Palinurus'.

From 1952 until his death, he was a main book reviewer for The Sunday Times. In 1962, Cyril wrote a funny story called Bond Strikes Camp. It was a spoof about Ian Fleming's James Bond character. He had also worked with Ian Fleming in 1952. They wrote about two spies, Guy Burgess and Donald MacLean, in a book called The Missing Diplomats.

Later Life and Family

Cyril Connolly was married three times. His first wife, Jean Bakewell, left him in 1939. She moved back to the United States and later remarried. She passed away at age 39.

Cyril Connolly's grave in Berwick, East Sussex, 2017.

Cyril married his second wife, Barbara Skelton, in 1950. His third wife was Deirdre Craven, whom he married in 1959. They had two children later in his life. One of their children is the writer Cressida Connolly.

In 1967, Cyril settled in Eastbourne. He died suddenly on 26 November 1974. He continued working as a journalist for The Sunday Times until the end. He was buried in Berwick churchyard, Sussex. His grave has a Latin inscription that means: "Within, fresh water and seats in the living rock."

Since 1976, Cyril Connolly's writings and his large collection of over 8,000 books have been kept at the University of Tulsa.

His Legacy

Cyril Connolly often reflected on his own writing. In The Unquiet Grave, he wrote about feeling like a "total failure" as he approached forty. He felt he didn't make the effort needed for great writing. He described his writing style as sometimes "bright, cruel and superficial" or "pessimistic."

However, others praised his work. Kenneth Tynan, a famous critic, said in 1954 that Connolly's style was "one of the most glittering of English literary possessions."

Published Works

• The Rock Pool, 1935 (novel)
• Enemies of Promise, 1938
• The Unquiet Grave, 1944
• The Condemned Playground, 1945 (collection of writings)
• The Missing Diplomats, 1952
• The Golden Horizon, 1953 (he edited this collection from Horizon magazine)
• Ideas and Places, 1953 (collection of writings)
• Les Pavillons: French Pavilions of the Eighteenth Century, 1962 (with Jerome Zerbe)
• Previous Convictions, 1963 (collection of writings)
• The Modern Movement: 100 Key Books From England, France, and America, 1880–1950, 1965
• The Evening Colonnade 1973 (collection of writings)

Images for kids

• 

  A historical marker plaque in St. John's Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex.

• 

  Cyril Connolly's grave in Berwick, East Sussex, 2017.

See also

In Spanish: Cyril Connolly para niños