PositiveThe Spectator (UK)It is no surprise to find his letters well-written and entertaining. In them he is by turns affectionate, touchy, encouraging, witty, self-deprecating, egotistical, kind and even (as a young man) camp. The letters provide a narrative of his life from schooldays onwards, so that it is possible to read this book as a form of autobiography – though readers should be cautious of believing everything he writes ... The later ones tend to be less fun to read, especially those sent by email and typed by others, which are inevitably less personal ... Tim Cornwell, who died as this book was going to press, has proved an excellent editor. He has chosen carefully and found some interesting letters that escaped me, particularly the ones to his stepmother Jane. He has arranged them thematically, with helpful introductions and explanatory footnotes. I should have liked a few more of these.
Andrea Wulf
RaveThe Observer (UK)... exhilarating ... This is indeed an electrifying book, in its illuminated portraits, its dynamic narrative and its sparking ideas. Wulf writes clear, flowing prose, which is a pleasure to read. It’s informed by scholarship without being bogged down by jargon.
