Anthony Dymoke Powell ( ; 21 December 1905 – 28 March 2000) was an English novelist best known for his 12-volume work ''

A Dance to the Music of Time ''A Dance to the Music of Time'' is a 12-volume ''roman-fleuve'' by English writer Anthony Powell, published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim. The story is an often comic examination of movements and manners, power and passivity in Eng ...

'', published between 1951 and 1975. It is on the

list of longest novels This is a list of the novels over 500,000 words published through a mainstream publisher. Traditionally, '' Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus'' has been considered the longest novel, but it has been surpassed by at least one novel, or two depending on t ...

in English. Powell's major work has remained in print continuously and has been the subject of television and radio dramatisations. In 2008, ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'' newspaper named Powell among their list of "the 50 greatest

British writers British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

since 1945".

Life

Powell was born in

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

, the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Lionel William Powell (1882-1959), of the

Welch Regiment The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1969. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of ...

, and Maud Mary (died 1954), daughter of Edmund Lionel Wells- Dymoke, of The Grange,

East Molesey Molesey is a district of two twin towns, East Molesey and West Molesey, in the Borough of Elmbridge, Surrey, England, and is situated on the south bank of the River Thames. East and West Molesey share a high street, and there is a second retai ...

, Surrey, descendant of a land-owning family in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-we ...

, hereditary

Champions A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...

to monarchs since

King Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father d ...

, having married into the family of the Barons Marmion, who first held the position. The Powell family descended from ancient Welsh kings and chieftains. Anthony Powell had a strong interest in genealogy; he conducted extensive research into the Powell family over many years, establishing a paternal descent from

Gwriad ap Elidyr Gwriad ap Elidyr ( en, Gwriad son of Elidyr) or Gwriad Manaw was a late-8th century figure in Wales. Very little is known of him, and he chiefly appears in the historical record in connection to his son Merfyn Frych, King of Gwynedd from around 8 ...

— himself a descendant of

Coel Hen Coel (Old Welsh: ''Coil''), also called ''Coel Hen'' (Coel the Old) and King Cole, is a figure prominent in Welsh literature and legend since the Middle Ages. Early Welsh tradition knew of a Coel Hen, a 4th-century leader in Roman or Sub-Roman ...

according to the

Genealogies from Jesus College MS 20 The genealogies from Jesus College MS 20 are a medieval Welsh collection of genealogies preserved in a single manuscript, Oxford University, Bodleian Library, Jesus College, MS 20, folios 33r–41r. It presents the lineages of a number of medi ...

and other sources — via

Rhys ap Gruffydd Rhys ap Gruffydd, commonly known as The Lord Rhys, in Welsh ''Yr Arglwydd Rhys'' (c. 1132 – 28 April 1197) was the ruler of the Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth in south Wales from 1155 to 1197 and native Prince of Wales. It was believed that he ...

to the satisfaction of the heralds of the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sovere ...

, who in 1964 granted him use of the ancient Powell arms. This pedigree was included in ''

Burke's Landed Gentry ''Burke's Landed Gentry'' (originally titled ''Burke's Commoners'') is a reference work listing families in Great Britain and Ireland who have owned rural estates of some size. The work has been in existence from the first half of the 19th cen ...

''. Because of his father's career and the First World War, the family moved several times, and mother and son sometimes lived apart from Powell's father. Powell attended Gibbs's pre-preparatory day-school for a brief time. He was then sent to

New Beacon School , motto_translation = Give light out of darkness , established = , closed = , type = Preparatory School , religious_affiliation = , president = , head_label = Headmas ...

near

Sevenoaks Sevenoaks is a town in Kent with a population of 29,506 situated south-east of London, England. Also classified as a civil parish, Sevenoaks is served by a commuter main line railway into London. Sevenoaks is from Charing Cross, the traditio ...

, which was popular with military families. Early in 1919, Powell passed the

Common Entrance Examination Common Entrance Examinations (commonly known as CE) are taken by independent school pupils in the UK as part of the selective admissions process at age 13, though ten independent schools do select at 11 using different test papers. They are set ...

for

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

, where he started that autumn. There, he befriended fellow pupil Henry Yorke, later to become known as novelist

Henry Green Henry Green was the pen name of Henry Vincent Yorke (29 October 1905 – 13 December 1973), an English writer best remembered for the novels '' Party Going'', ''Living'' and ''Loving''. He published a total of nine novels between 1926 and 1952 ...

. At Eton, Powell spent much of his spare time at the Studio, where a sympathetic art master encouraged him to develop his talent as a draughtsman and his interest in the

visual arts The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile art ...

. In 1922, he became a founding member of the Eton Society of Arts. The society's members produced an occasional magazine called ''The Eton Candle''. In the autumn of 1923, Powell went up to Balliol College, Oxford. Soon after his arrival, he was introduced to the

Hypocrites' Club The Hypocrites' Club was one of the student clubs at Oxford University in England. Its motto in Greek, from an Olympian Ode by Pindar, was ''Water is best''. This led to the members being called ''Hypocrites'', due to the fact that beer, wine an ...

. Outside that club, he came to know

Maurice Bowra Sir Cecil Maurice Bowra, (; 8 April 1898 – 4 July 1971) was an English classical scholar, literary critic and academic, known for his wit. He was Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, from 1938 to 1970, and served as Vice-Chancellor of the Univers ...

, then a young don at

Wadham College Wadham College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street and Parks Road. Wadham College was founded in 1610 by Dorothy W ...

. During his third year, Powell lived out of college, sharing rooms with Henry Yorke. Powell travelled on the Continent during his holidays. He was awarded a third-class degree at the end of his academic years. Upon his arrival in London after Oxford, part of Powell's social life centered around attendance at formal debutante dances at houses in Mayfair and

Belgravia Belgravia () is a district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' during the Tudor Period, and became a dang ...

. He renewed acquaintance with

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires '' Decl ...

, whom he had known at Oxford, and was a frequent guest for Sunday supper at Waugh's parents' house. Waugh introduced him to the

Gargoyle Club The Gargoyle was a private members' club on the upper floors of 69 Dean Street, Soho, London, at the corner with Meard Street. It was founded on 16 January 1925 by the aristocratic socialite David Tennant, son of the Scottish 1st Baron Gle ...

, which gave him experience in London's Bohemia. He got to know painters

Nina Hamnett Nina Hamnett (14 February 1890 – 16 December 1956) was a Welsh artist and writer, and an expert on sailors' chanteys, who became known as the Queen of Bohemia. Early life Hamnett was born in Shirley House, Picton Road in the small c ...

and Adrian Daintrey, who were neighbours in

Fitzrovia Fitzrovia () is a district of central London, England, near the West End. The eastern part of area is in the London Borough of Camden, and the western in the City of Westminster. It has its roots in the Manor of Tottenham Court, and was urban ...

, and composer

Constant Lambert Leonard Constant Lambert (23 August 190521 August 1951) was a British composer, conductor, and author. He was the founder and music director of the Royal Ballet, and (alongside Ninette de Valois and Frederick Ashton) he was a major figure in th ...

, who remained a good friend until Lambert's death in 1951. In 1934, he married Lady Violet Pakenham. Powell was appointed a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE) in 1956, and in 1973, he declined an offer of

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ...

. He was appointed Companion of Honour (CH) in 1988. He served as a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery from 1962 to 1976. With Lady Violet, he travelled to the United States, India, Guatemala, Italy, and Greece. Anthony Powell died on 28 March 2000 at his home, the Chantry, Whatley, west of

Frome Frome ( ) is a town and civil parish in eastern Somerset, England. The town is built on uneven high ground at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, and centres on the River Frome. The town, about south of Bath, is the largest in the Mendip d ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

Work

Powell came to work in London during the autumn of 1926 and lived at various London addresses for the next 25 years. He worked in a form of apprenticeship at the publishers

Gerald Duckworth and Company Duckworth Books, originally Gerald Duckworth and Company, founded in 1898 by Gerald Duckworth, is a British publisher.Covent Garden, leaving their employ in 1932 after protracted negotiations about title, salary, and working hours. He next took a job as a script writer at the

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

studio in

Teddington Teddington is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In 2021, Teddington was named as the best place to live in London by ''The Sunday Times''. Historically in Middlesex, Teddington is situated on a long me ...

, where he remained for six months. He made an abortive attempt to find employment in Hollywood as a screenwriter in 1937. He next found work reviewing novels for ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'' and memoirs and autobiographies for ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

''. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Powell, at age 34, joined the British Army as a second lieutenant, making him more than 10 years older than most of his fellow subalterns, not at all well prepared for military life, and lacking in experience. His superiors found uses for his talents, resulting in a series of transfers that brought him special training courses designed to produce a nucleus of officers to deal with the problems of military government after the Allies had defeated the Axis powers. He eventually secured an assignment with the Intelligence Corps and additional training. His military career continued with a posting to the War Office in

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...

, where he was attached to the section known as Military Intelligence (Liaison), and later for a short time to the Cabinet Office, to serve on the Secretariat of the Joint Intelligence Committee, securing promotions along the way. Returning to Military Intelligence (Liaison), in the War Office, he had responsibility for dealings with the Czechs, later with the Belgians and Luxembourgers, and later still the French. In November 1944, Powell acted as assistant escorting officer to a group of 14 Allied military attachés taken to France and Belgium to see something of the campaign. After his demobilisation at the end of the war, writing became his sole career. Despite a holiday trip to the Soviet Union in 1936, he remained unsympathetic to the popular-front, leftist politics of many of his literary and critical contemporaries. A confirmed

Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. The ...

, Powell maintained a certain skepticism, often associating with George Orwell and

Malcolm Muggeridge Thomas Malcolm Muggeridge (24 March 1903 – 14 November 1990) was an English journalist and satirist. His father, H. T. Muggeridge, was a socialist politician and one of the early Labour Party Members of Parliament (for Romford, in Essex). In ...

. He was wary of right-wing groups and suspicious of inflated rhetoric.

Family

Anthony Powell with Violet on their wedding day in 1934

Powell married Lady Violet Pakenham (1912–2002), sister of

Lord Longford Francis Aungier Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford, 1st Baron Pakenham, Baron Pakenham of Cowley, (5 December 1905 – 3 August 2001), known to his family as Frank Longford and styled Lord Pakenham from 1945 to 1961, was a British politician and ...

, on 1 December 1934 at All Saints, Ennismore Gardens,

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End. Toponymy Knightsbridge is an ancien ...

. Powell and his wife relocated to 1 Chester Gate in

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwee ...

, London, where they remained for 17 years. Their first son, Tristram, was born in April 1940, but Powell and his wife spent most of the war years apart, while he served in the

and later in the Intelligence Corps. A second son, John, was born in January 1946. On 30 April 2018, Powell's granddaughter Georgia Powell (born 18 February 1969) married Henry Somerset, 12th Duke of Beaufort.

Writing

Powell's first novel, ''

Afternoon Men ''Afternoon Men'' is the first published novel by the English writer Anthony Powell. In its characters and themes it anticipates some of the ground Powell would cover in ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', a twelve-volume cycle that spans much of ...

'', was published by

Duckworth Duckworth may refer to: * Duckworth (surname), people with the surname ''Duckworth'' * Duckworth (''DuckTales''), fictional butler from the television series ''DuckTales'' * Duckworth Books, a British publishing house * , a frigate * Duckworth, W ...

in 1931, with Powell supervising its production himself. The same firm published his next three novels, two of them after Powell had left the firm. During his time in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, Powell contributed several articles to the magazine ''Night and Day'', edited by

Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...

. Powell wrote a few more occasional pieces for the magazine until it ceased publication in March 1938. Powell completed his fifth novel, ''

What's Become of Waring ''What's Become of Waring'' is the fifth novel by the English writer Anthony Powell. It is his final novel of the 1930s, and the only one not published by Powell's first employer and publisher, Duckworth. Published in 1939, Powell's book was over ...

'', in late 1938 or early 1939. After being turned down by Duckworth, it was published by Cassell in March of that year. The book sold fewer than a thousand copies. Anticipating the difficulties of creative writing during wartime, Powell began to assemble material for a biography of 17th-century writer

John Aubrey John Aubrey (12 March 1626 – 7 June 1697) was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the '' Brief Lives'', his collection of short biographical pieces. He was a pioneer archaeologist ...

. His army career, though, forced him to postpone even that biographical work. When the war ended, Powell resumed work on Aubrey, completing the manuscript of '' John Aubrey and His Friends'' in May 1946, though it only appeared in 1948 after difficult negotiations and arguments with publishers. He then edited a selection of Aubrey's writings that appeared the following year. Powell returned to novel writing, and began to ponder a long

novel sequence A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their pub ...

. Over the next 30 years, he produced his major work: ''A Dance to the Music of Time''. Its 12 novels have been acclaimed by such critics as A. N. Wilson and fellow writers including

and

Kingsley Amis Sir Kingsley William Amis (16 April 1922 – 22 October 1995) was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, short stories, radio and television scripts, and works of social a ...

as among the finest English fiction of the 20th century.

Auberon Waugh Auberon Alexander Waugh (17 November 1939 – 16 January 2001) was an English journalist and novelist, and eldest son of the novelist Evelyn Waugh. He was widely known by his nickname "Bron". After a traditional classical education at Downsid ...

dissented, calling it "tedious and overpraised—particularly by literary hangers-on". Long-time friend

V. S. Naipaul Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (; 17 August 1932 – 11 August 2018) was a Trinidadian-born British writer of works of fiction and nonfiction in English. He is known for his comic early novels set in Trinidad, his bleaker novels of alienati ...

cast similar doubts regarding the work, if not the Powell ''oeuvre''. Naipaul described his sentiments after a long-delayed review of Powell's work following the author's death this way: "it may be that our friendship lasted all this time because I had not examined his work". While often compared to

Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, critic, and essayist who wrote the monumental novel '' In Search of Lost Time'' (''À la recherche du temps perdu''; with the previous E ...

, others find the comparison "obvious, although superficial." Its narrator's voice is more like the participant-observer of ''

The Great Gatsby ''The Great Gatsby'' is a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby ...

'' than that of Proust's self-regarding narrator. Powell was awarded the 1957

James Tait Black Memorial Prize The James Tait Black Memorial Prizes are literary prizes awarded for literature written in the English language. They, along with the Hawthornden Prize, are Britain's oldest literary awards. Based at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, Uni ...

for the fourth volume, ''At Lady Molly's''. The eleventh volume, ''Temporary Kings'', received the W. H. Smith Prize in 1974. The cycle of novels, narrated by a protagonist with experiences and perspectives similar to Powell's own, follows the trajectory of the author's own life, offering a vivid portrayal of the intersection of bohemian life with high society between 1921 and 1971. The title of the multivolume series is taken from the painting of the same name by

Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was the leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythological subjects painted for ...

, which hangs in the

Wallace Collection The Wallace Collection is a museum in London occupying Hertford House in Manchester Square, the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. It is named after Sir Richard Wallace, who built the extensive collection, along ...

. Its characters, many modelled loosely on real people, surface, vanish, and reappear throughout the sequence. It is not, however, a ''

roman à clef ''Roman à clef'' (, anglicised as ), French for ''novel with a key'', is a novel about real-life events that is overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship be ...

''. The characters are drawn from the upper classes, their marriages and affairs, and their bohemian acquaintances. In parallel with his creative writing, Powell served as the primary fiction reviewer for the ''

Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to '' The Times'' but became a separate publication ...

''. He served as literary editor of ''

Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pun ...

'' from 1953 to 1959. From 1958 to 1990, he was a regular reviewer for ''

'', resigning after a vitriolic personal attack on him by Auberon Waugh appeared in that newspaper. He also reviewed occasionally for ''

''. He published two more novels, '' O, How the Wheel Becomes It!'' (1983) and ''

The Fisher King ''The Fisher King'' is a 1991 American fantasy comedy-drama film written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, with Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, and Michael Jeter in supporting role ...

'' (1986). He reprinted many of his book reviews in two volumes of critical essays, '' Miscellaneous Verdicts'' (1990) and '' Under Review'' (1992). Several volumes of ''Journals'', covering 1982 to 1992, appeared between 1995 and 1997. His '' Writer's Notebook'' was published posthumously in 2001, and a third volume of critical essays, '' Some Poets, Artists, and a Reference for Mellors'', appeared in 2005. Between 1976 and 1982, he published four volumes of memoirs with the overall title of ''To Keep the Ball Rolling''.

Alan Furst Alan Furst (; born 1941) is a Jewish-American author of historical spy novels. Furst has been called "an heir to the tradition of Eric Ambler and Graham Greene," whom he cites along with Joseph Roth and Arthur Koestler as important influences. M ...

, an author of

spy novels Spy fiction is a genre of literature involving espionage as an important context or plot device. It emerged in the early twentieth century, inspired by rivalries and intrigues between the major powers, and the establishment of modern intelligen ...

, has noted of him, "Powell does everything a novelist can do, from flights of aesthetic passion to romance to comedy high and low. His dialogue is extraordinary; often terse, pedestrian and perfect, each character using three or four words. Anthony Powell taught me to write; he has such brilliant control of the mechanics of the novel." Powell has been called the "English Proust", but two essays by

Perry Anderson Francis Rory Peregrine "Perry" Anderson (born 11 September 1938) is a British intellectual, historian and essayist. His work ranges across historical sociology, intellectual history, and cultural analysis. What unites Anderson's work is a preoc ...

demonstrate significant differences between the two writers.

Recognition

''Dance'' was adapted by

Hugh Whitemore Hugh John Whitemore (16 June 1936 – 17 July 2018) was an English playwright and screenwriter. Biography Whitemore studied for the stage at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where he was taught by Peter Barkworth, then on the staff at RADA ...

for a television miniseries during the autumn of 1997, and broadcast in the UK on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network, which is independently operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fou ...

. The novel sequence was earlier adapted by Graham Gauld and

Frederick Bradnum Frederick Bradnum (8 May 1920 – 25 December 2001), was a British radio dramatist, producer, and director who penned over 70 plays and 140 dramatisations of novels for the BBC. Along with the likes of Tom Mallin, Jennifer Phillips, Peter Tegel ...

for a

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

26-part series broadcast between 1978 and 1981. In the radio version, the part of Jenkins as narrator was played by

Noel Johnson Noel Frank Johnson (28 December 1916 – 1 October 1999) was an English actor. He was the voice of special agent Dick Barton on BBC Radio and Dan Dare on Radio Luxembourg. Life Johnson was born 28 December 1916 in Birmingham, England and at ...

. A second radio dramatisation by Michael Butt was broadcast during April and May 2008. A centenary exhibition in commemoration of Powell's life and work was held at the Wallace Collection, London, from November 2005 to February 2006. Smaller exhibitions were held in 2005 and 2006 at Eton College,

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

, the

Grolier Club The Grolier Club is a private club and society of bibliophiles in New York City. Founded in January 1884, it is the oldest existing bibliophilic club in North America. The club is named after Jean Grolier de Servières, Viscount d'Aguisy, Tre ...

in New York City, and

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

. In 1995, he was awarded an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the

University of Bath (Virgil, Georgics II) , mottoeng = Learn the culture proper to each after its kind , established = 1886 (Merchant Venturers Technical College) 1960 (Bristol College of Science and Technology) 1966 (Bath University of Technology) 1971 (univ ...

Hilary Spurling Susan Hilary Spurling CBE FRSL ( Forrest; born 25 December 1940) is a British writer, known for her work as a journalist and biographer. Early life and education Born at Stockport, Cheshire, to circuit judge Gilbert Alexander Forrest (1912–19 ...

, a newspaper colleague, had written at Powell's request in 1977 ''Invitation to the Dance: A Guide to Anthony Powell's Dance to the Music of Time'', and in 2017 published his biography, ''Anthony Powell: Dancing to the Music of Time''.

Bibliography

''
A Dance to the Music of Time ''A Dance to the Music of Time'' is a 12-volume ''roman-fleuve'' by English writer Anthony Powell, published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim. The story is an often comic examination of movements and manners, power and passivity in Eng ...
''

#''

A Question of Upbringing ''A Question of Upbringing'' is the opening novel in Anthony Powell's ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', a twelve-volume cycle spanning much of the 20th century. Published in 1951, it begins the story of a trio of boys — Nicholas Jenkins (the ...

'' (1951) #''

A Buyer's Market ''A Buyer's Market'' is the second novel in Anthony Powell's twelve-novel series, ''A Dance to the Music of Time ''A Dance to the Music of Time'' is a 12-volume ''roman-fleuve'' by English writer Anthony Powell, published between 1951 and ...

'' (1952) #''

The Acceptance World ''The Acceptance World'' is the third book of Anthony Powell's twelve novel sequence, ''A Dance to the Music of Time''. Nick Jenkins continues the narration of his life and encounters with friends and acquaintances in London, between 1931 and 1 ...

'' (1955) #''

At Lady Molly's ''At Lady Molly's'' is the fourth volume in Anthony Powell's twelve-novel sequence, ''A Dance to the Music of Time''. Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize 1957, ''At Lady Molly's'' is set in England of the mid-1930s and is essentially ...

'' (1957) #''

Casanova's Chinese Restaurant ''Casanova's Chinese Restaurant'' is a novel by Anthony Powell (). It forms the fifth volume of the twelve-volume sequence ''A Dance to the Music of Time'', and was originally published in 1960. Many of the events of the novel were included in t ...

'' (1960) #'' The Kindly Ones'' (1962) #'' The Valley of Bones'' (1964) #''

The Soldier's Art ''The Soldier's Art'' is the eighth novel in Anthony Powell's twelve-volume masterpiece ''A Dance to the Music of Time ''A Dance to the Music of Time'' is a 12-volume ''roman-fleuve'' by English writer Anthony Powell, published between 1951 an ...

'' (1966) #'' The Military Philosophers'' (1968) #'' Books Do Furnish a Room'' (1971) #'' Temporary Kings'' (1973) #''

Hearing Secret Harmonies ''Hearing Secret Harmonies'' is the final novel in Anthony Powell's twelve-volume series, ''A Dance to the Music of Time''. It was published in 1975, twenty-four years after the first book, ''A Question of Upbringing ''A Question of Upbringin ...

'' (1975)

Standalone Novels

*''

'' (1931) *'' Venusberg'' (1932) *'' From a View to a Death'' (1933) *'' Agents and Patients'' (1936) *''

'' (1939) *

Baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...

(1962) *O How the Wheel Become it! (1983) *The Fisher King (1986) Partial bibliography of other plays, and works: *'' The Barnard Letters'' (1928) *"The Watr'y Glade", in ''The Old School: Essays by Divers Hands'', ed.

(1934) *'' John Aubrey and His Friends'' (1948) * ''Brief Lives and Other Selected Writings of John Aubrey''. Edited by Anthony Powell. Cresset Press, London 1949 *'' Two Plays: The Garden God, The Rest I'll Whistle'' (1971) *'' O, How the Wheel Becomes It! (novel)'' (1983) *''

'' (1986) * ''A Writer’s Notebook'', 2001 * ''Miscellaneous Verdicts. Writings on Writers 1946-1989'', 1990 * ''Under Review. Further Writings on Writers 1946-1989'', 1991 * ''Some Poets, Artists & 'A Reference for Mellors, 2005 * ''The Acceptance of Absurdity.'' Anthony Powell & Robert Vanderbilt: Letters 1952 - 1963. Edited by John Saumarez Smith & Jonathan Kooperstein. Maggs Brothers, London 2011 * ''Anthony Powell on Wine''. Edited by Robin Bynoe. Anthony Powell Society, Greenford 2017 Memoirs *''To Keep the Ball Rolling: Memoirs of Anthony Powell'' *''vol. 1, Infants of the Spring'' (1976) *''vol. 2, Messengers of Day'' (1978) *''vol. 3,

Faces in My Time The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...

'' (1980) *''vol. 4, The Strangers All are Gone'' (1982) A one-volume abridgment, called simply ''To Keep the Ball Rolling'', was published in 1983. Diaries *''Journals 1982–1986'' (1995) *''Journals 1987–1989'' (1996) *''Journals 1990–1992'' (1997)

References

External links

* Anthony Powell Society * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Anthony 1905 births 2000 deaths Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford British Army personnel of World War II Commanders of the Order of the British Empire English diarists English memoirists Intelligence Corps officers Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour Modernist writers People educated at Gibbs School People educated at Eton College People from Westminster Royal Artillery officers Welch Regiment officers James Tait Black Memorial Prize recipients 20th-century English novelists 20th-century diarists