Elizabeth Bowen Society Reading Group - Love's Civil War

Please join us for a special session of the Elizabeth Bowen Reading Group on Wednesday, 28 January, as we discuss Love’s Civil War: Elizabeth Bowen and Charles Ritchie, Letters and Diaries 1941–1973, edited by Victoria Glendinning in collaboration with Judith Robertson. This volume brings together Bowen’s letters to her lover, the Canadian diplomat Charles Ritchie, written over more than three decades, alongside selected entries from Ritchie’s diaries. Their correspondence traces a largely long-distance relationship that began during the Second World War and unfolded across continents, offering insight into Bowen’s thoughts on love, writing, war, and the friendships and travels that shaped her busy life. Reviewing the book for The Irish Times, Mary Morrissy (2009) observes: “Bowen once declared that she was a writer before she was a woman, so while these are primarily love letters, they also offer a fascinating slice of social history.”

All are welcome!