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Ardent Spirits: Leaving Home, Coming Back
In his third volume of memoir, Reynolds Price explores six crucial years of his life -- his departure from home in 1955 to spend three years as a student at Oxford University; then his return to North Carolina to begin his long career as a university teacher.
He gives often moving, and frequently comic, portraits of his great teachers in England -- such men as Lord David Cecil, Nevill Coghill, and W. H. Auden, who was the most distinguished English-language poet of those years. In London the poet and editor Stephen Spender becomes his first publisher and a generous friend who introduces him to rewarding figures like the essayist Cyril Connolly and George Orwell's encouraging widow, Sonia. He spends rich months traveling in Britain and on the Continent; and above all he undergoes the first loves of his life -- one with an Oxford colleague whom he describes as a "romantic friend" and another with an older man.
Back in the States, in his first class at Duke he meets a startlingly gifted student in the sixteen-year-old Anne Tyler; and he soon combines the difficult pleasures of teaching English composition and literature with his own hard delight in learning to write a first novel. At the end of three lonely years, he completes the novel -- A Long and Happy Life -- and returns to England for a fourth year before his novel appears in Britain and America and meets with a success that sets the pace for an ongoing life of fiction, poetry, plays, essays, and translations (Ardent Spirits is his thirty-eighth volume).
The droll memories recorded here amount to the unsurpassed -- and, again, often comical -- story of a writer's beginnings; and the young man who emerges has proven his right to stand by his fellows of whatever sex and goal. Ardent Spirits is a book that penetrates deeply into the life of a writer, a teacher, and a steadfast lover.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Reynolds Price
215 books122 followersReynolds Price was born in Macon, North Carolina in 1933. Educated at Duke University and, as a Rhodes Scholar, at Merton College, Oxford University. He taught at Duke since 1958 and was James B. Duke Professor of English.
His first short stories, and many later ones, are published in his Collected Stories. A Long and Happy Life was published in 1962 and won the William Faulkner Award for a best first novel. Kate Vaiden was published in 1986 and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Good Priest's Son in 2005 was his fourteenth novel. Among his thirty-seven volumes are further collections of fiction, poetry, plays, essays, and translations. Price was a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his work has been translated into seventeen languages.
Photo courtesy of Reynolds Price's author page on Amazon.com
His first short stories, and many later ones, are published in his Collected Stories. A Long and Happy Life was published in 1962 and won the William Faulkner Award for a best first novel. Kate Vaiden was published in 1986 and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Good Priest's Son in 2005 was his fourteenth novel. Among his thirty-seven volumes are further collections of fiction, poetry, plays, essays, and translations. Price was a member of both the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his work has been translated into seventeen languages.
Photo courtesy of Reynolds Price's author page on Amazon.com
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 25, 2012
This third volume of Reynolds Price's memoirs is a graceful and elegiac view of his life in the 1950's as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and his return to his native South to teach writing and literature at Duke University. The precocious Price embarks on his first major journey, concerned about leaving his mother and younger brother but also driven to make his mark by ambitiously attempting to write both short fiction and a major study of Milton's poetry. Price portrays himself as an earnest young man already encouraged by major writers like Eudora Welty and renowned scholars such as Lord David Cecil. At Duke, Price accepts a three-year contract, expecting that he will then have to look elsewhere for work. But the English department chairman, impressed with Price's fiction, suggests that his plans to move and an earn a Ph.D. will not be necessary if Price continues to produce work of such high quality. The memoir ends as Price returns for another year at Oxford--not to earn a degree but to work on his fiction and renew the rewarding friendships that he formed three years earlier.
March 27, 2010
I've loved Reynolds Price's writing and have read his other two memoirs. Although I think there's a lot of "name-dropping" in this (and it does get annoying at times), the writing is simply beautiful. If you like Price's novels (two favorites of mine are Roxanna Slade and Tongues of Angels), you'll want to read the now three memoirs. This book gives a bird's eye view of life at Oxford Univ. in England in the '50s. I loved the descriptions of students, their what we'd call dormitories, the professors and the town. And, I loved how Mr. Price included photos with long descriptive captions. Just charming and a delight to look at and read.
June 23, 2012
I love Reynolds Price's inimitable, companionable but learned voice, and this was a pleasure to read just for that. His time at Oxford is an interesting picture of the place and how Americans were viewed there in the late 1950's, and the sense of his discovery of his vocation--writing--and his work--teaching--lend a quiet excitement to the book. He met and befriended some famous people, like W.H. Auden, and treats them fairly. One of his very first students at Duke was Anne Tyler and he was thrilled by her intelligence and clear gift. So on to his unfinished memoir,"Midstream". :
November 8, 2012
Reynolds Price love of life and language fill every page of AS. It made me yearn for a time and place when such scholarship was the norm and indeed expected. A loving tribute to a time and place vanished and irreplaceable.
Reynolds' picture on the cover....what a gorgeous young man.
Reynolds' picture on the cover....what a gorgeous young man.
June 21, 2018
Renyolds Price is the kind of person I would like to have in my life. Honest, forthcoming, humble, reachable, loyal, supportive, a healthy life attitude, and as he quotes in the book of not regretting his economies. This is a rareity in today's world.
February 2, 2011
I was prompted to remember and revisit the work of Reynolds Price because he died a couple of weeks ago. I feel chagrined when that happens, experiencing some regret that I failed to pay attention when the author was alive.
But my connections with this author have been a little different. I have mixed reactions to his fiction, to say the least. His prose often feels mannered, but then there are flashes of recognition, and I keep going. Several years ago I read his memoir “A Whole New Life,” and I keep it around when I need reminding of how a valiant life can grow even in adversity. Price’s horrendous cancer treatments, resulting in paraplegia and pain, did not deter him from a continued life of writing and teaching. I found that book more compelling than his fiction.
So I went on to this book, his final one, a coming-of-age recollection covering his post-graduate studies in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and his first three years as a teacher of writing upon his return to the U.S. I whipped right through, sharing the rarified world that was possible for someone of his gifts.
The longer section, covering his years in England, can seem too often like a travelogue, with detailed information about books, concerts, lectures, and meals. And there was a lot of namedropping, but there was also a beginning to his life as a queer man (he does not like the term “gay”). That his memory is so keen for this period is a testament to how important it was. In fact, it was the only period in his whole life in which he lived away from North Carolina. The joys of intense study and important friendships were recalled as vividly as yesterday, suggesting that a keen memory is a particularly valuable asset for a writer.
I particularly appreciated that the final section, when he returned to teach writing at his alma mater, Duke, included further reflections on his life as a gay man at a time when it was still criminalized, and when it certainly could thwart a career. It’s a topic on which he had previously been silent, to my knowledge.
I need to add a few disclaimers. I found a lot of Reynolds Price’s life really interesting because… I have a degree in English, I’ve taught writing, I went to the same high school (Broughton in Raleigh) and the same university (Duke) that he did. In fact, the high school teacher whom he credits with setting him on the path to be a writer was also my teacher, and I can also attest that she was quite special.
But my connections with this author have been a little different. I have mixed reactions to his fiction, to say the least. His prose often feels mannered, but then there are flashes of recognition, and I keep going. Several years ago I read his memoir “A Whole New Life,” and I keep it around when I need reminding of how a valiant life can grow even in adversity. Price’s horrendous cancer treatments, resulting in paraplegia and pain, did not deter him from a continued life of writing and teaching. I found that book more compelling than his fiction.
So I went on to this book, his final one, a coming-of-age recollection covering his post-graduate studies in Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and his first three years as a teacher of writing upon his return to the U.S. I whipped right through, sharing the rarified world that was possible for someone of his gifts.
The longer section, covering his years in England, can seem too often like a travelogue, with detailed information about books, concerts, lectures, and meals. And there was a lot of namedropping, but there was also a beginning to his life as a queer man (he does not like the term “gay”). That his memory is so keen for this period is a testament to how important it was. In fact, it was the only period in his whole life in which he lived away from North Carolina. The joys of intense study and important friendships were recalled as vividly as yesterday, suggesting that a keen memory is a particularly valuable asset for a writer.
I particularly appreciated that the final section, when he returned to teach writing at his alma mater, Duke, included further reflections on his life as a gay man at a time when it was still criminalized, and when it certainly could thwart a career. It’s a topic on which he had previously been silent, to my knowledge.
I need to add a few disclaimers. I found a lot of Reynolds Price’s life really interesting because… I have a degree in English, I’ve taught writing, I went to the same high school (Broughton in Raleigh) and the same university (Duke) that he did. In fact, the high school teacher whom he credits with setting him on the path to be a writer was also my teacher, and I can also attest that she was quite special.
November 25, 2010
This memoir by Reynolds Price got off to a very slow start, but finally became more engrossing by the time I got about a hundred pages in.
11/25/10: It remained engrossing until the end of Part One on page 297, which conclude his narrative about his experiences in Britain and on the Continent during his three years at Oxford. Travelling around during the 'vacs' Price met with almost unfailing kindness from people in post-WWII England, Italy, and the Netherlands - residents of cities, towns and villages who were willing to open their homes (often very humble homes) to offer lodging to other total strangers, often including huge meals as part of the deal. Price established friendships with fellow students, several of which endured long past the Oxford years, and also met and became friends with a number of literary and theatrical lights of the day, such as W.H. Auden, Stephen Spender, and Sir John Gielgud.
Once back in the U.S. for the final 90 pages of the book, things are, surprisingly, much less interesting, though one would think that since they chronicle the beginning of Price's long career as a college teacher, as well as the writing and publication of his first novel, A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE, things would be interesting. But this part of the book, for me, plodded along just as the first 100 or so pages did, and I really had to push myself to keep reading.
This is actually the first Price book I've ever read, and at this point I'm sad to say it hasn't made me want to rush out to get hold of another (actually, I wouldn't have to rush - I have three signed Price books on my shelf, but those belong to the collector in me rather than the reader).
11/25/10: It remained engrossing until the end of Part One on page 297, which conclude his narrative about his experiences in Britain and on the Continent during his three years at Oxford. Travelling around during the 'vacs' Price met with almost unfailing kindness from people in post-WWII England, Italy, and the Netherlands - residents of cities, towns and villages who were willing to open their homes (often very humble homes) to offer lodging to other total strangers, often including huge meals as part of the deal. Price established friendships with fellow students, several of which endured long past the Oxford years, and also met and became friends with a number of literary and theatrical lights of the day, such as W.H. Auden, Stephen Spender, and Sir John Gielgud.
Once back in the U.S. for the final 90 pages of the book, things are, surprisingly, much less interesting, though one would think that since they chronicle the beginning of Price's long career as a college teacher, as well as the writing and publication of his first novel, A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE, things would be interesting. But this part of the book, for me, plodded along just as the first 100 or so pages did, and I really had to push myself to keep reading.
This is actually the first Price book I've ever read, and at this point I'm sad to say it hasn't made me want to rush out to get hold of another (actually, I wouldn't have to rush - I have three signed Price books on my shelf, but those belong to the collector in me rather than the reader).
June 10, 2015
Before picking up this book I had never heard of Mr. Price, or his writings. It was recommended to me by a friend who, knowing I attending Oxbridge myself, thought I would enjoy hearing the author's view on life in the UK.
And I did. It is funny, although he attended Oxbridge nearly 50 years before I did, not all that much has changed. In speaking of the afternoons spent in a pub, or out in the countryside, I felt that in his friendships he described I could see my own connections. And while not everything I could identify with, I thought his depiction of the opportunity that comes especially when you are on the cusp of life are truly timeless.
After finishing this book I would love to read one of his novels. The book's prose was beautifully written - it felt like I was sitting in his living room speaking to him as a friend. I also came to a greater understanding of the works of Mr. Price's favorite authors. I have a list now of books I wish to discover based on his reflections on reading them himself.
The only downside was that at times Mr. Price seemed quite full of himself - and the pomposity did come through the page. But I have to say that I laughed when I read it, as that very pomposity reminds me of many Oxbridge grads - I think it is a certain characteristic that is granted to graduates of those two fine universities. Yes *ahem* quite. But again, a very good read for fans of memoirs and one of the best books in terms of prose and storytelling that I have read in quite some time.
And I did. It is funny, although he attended Oxbridge nearly 50 years before I did, not all that much has changed. In speaking of the afternoons spent in a pub, or out in the countryside, I felt that in his friendships he described I could see my own connections. And while not everything I could identify with, I thought his depiction of the opportunity that comes especially when you are on the cusp of life are truly timeless.
After finishing this book I would love to read one of his novels. The book's prose was beautifully written - it felt like I was sitting in his living room speaking to him as a friend. I also came to a greater understanding of the works of Mr. Price's favorite authors. I have a list now of books I wish to discover based on his reflections on reading them himself.
The only downside was that at times Mr. Price seemed quite full of himself - and the pomposity did come through the page. But I have to say that I laughed when I read it, as that very pomposity reminds me of many Oxbridge grads - I think it is a certain characteristic that is granted to graduates of those two fine universities. Yes *ahem* quite. But again, a very good read for fans of memoirs and one of the best books in terms of prose and storytelling that I have read in quite some time.
August 3, 2023
Seems there is always something interesting to be found in a writer’s memoirs, and Price’s is no exception. This, one of three volumes of his memoirs, is an account of his years of study abroad and his first years of teaching at Duke University. Yet, of course, it also includes much else along the way: the many close friendships and collegial relationships he acquires in academia; familial relationships, tangentially at least; his desire to be and early practices of becoming a novelist; his relationships with other writers and those associated with the publishing business (some natural sort of name-dropping allowed). And finally, he does address his homosexuality (having been born in 1933, he abhors the term “gay” and justifies his disapproval). Both in the UK and US, such sexual actions are strictly illegal, so he lives primarily a lonely life, never establishing a long-term relationship, though he does come close while in England, falling in love with a European man just prior to returning to the States to teach. Their long distance love fizzles out, but they do remain friends. Price dies in 2011, just as gay marriage is being accepted as a norm. Pity. I would love to know what his thoughts about it might have been.
October 4, 2009
A lot to like--queer North Carolinian in Oxford in the mid-'50s. Mostly about figuring out about work and career, also a little about figuring out about sexuality. I liked reading about his friendships and inner life, and I suppose I haven't read much memoir or maybe any because it was interesting to learn that a factual book in which nothing happens is different from a fictional book in which nothing happens. But nice in its own way.
September 28, 2009
Reynolds Price is a local, teaching writing at Duke for 50 years. I've had the chance to hear him speak at local events. This is his third volume of memoirs, focusing on a period of six years - including three years at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Fascinating to realize that some of his works I've enjoyed were created while he was a student in this challenging program. "A Long and Happy Life," a novel; and one of my favorite short stories "The Warrior Princess Ozimba."
January 4, 2010
Wow, to be a Rhodes scholar in the early 60s and meet all the people he did must have been pretty heady. Not a bad book, but I don't know Reynolds Price's work so it's kind of lacking in context for me.
June 20, 2011
Reynolds Price was born and raised in North Carolina. "Ardent Spirits" is about the 3 years he spent in England during the 1950s as a student scholar. It is a thorough read--be willing to experience England through the eyes of Reynolds Price.
November 3, 2012
One of my all time favorite authors and fellow North Carolinian, Reynolds Price had a unique voice and will be missed. I am so pleased he shared his experiences with us in such an honest and elegant way. Brilliant writer.
August 18, 2009
You should definitely read this book if you have ever had the desire to haul off to Europe for a few years in your twenties before returning to Sweet Carolina :)
May 26, 2010
I tried, I really tried... but this book didn't engage me, despite his beautiful writing. I quit after about 50 pages.
April 18, 2015
3.5 stars. Interesting but prone to repetition. It did pique my interest in his fiction, though.
September 12, 2009
Just beginning it. Reynolds Price is my all time favorite author. This is memoir.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews