The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell 1914-44

by Bertrand Russell

This new edition of his Autobiography, published for the first time in one hardback volume and introduced by Michael Foot, charts the life of a remarkable man in the lucid and honest style characteristic of all his writing.

Genres: Philosophy, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, History, Politics, Mathematics

339 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell, OM, FRS, was a Welsh philosopher, historian, logician, mathematician, advocate for social reform, pacifist, and prominent rationalist. Although he was usually regarded as English, as he spent the majority of his life in England, he was born in Wales, where he also died.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950 "in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought."

Reviews

[Dozy Pilchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent second volume.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not selling this book, despite the blurb attached to the title. My copy has been in my library for many years, finally to be read in the past few weeks.

I had the good opportunity to peruse the Principia Mathematica in our college library and found it much beyond my desire or ability to appreciate. That was nearly a half-century ago, and I am too far into my dotage to revisit that work, even if logical constructs like "Dedekindin Continuity" excited my thoughts at this stage of life.

Through brief introductions to various periods of his life between the title years, Russell gives a compilation of correspondence to provide his relevant observations and thoughts on those episodes in his life. In this way, he relies on actual documents and not memory.

The correspondence comes from such notable sources as Joseph Conrad, G.B.Shaw, H.G.Wells, to name a few of literary merit; and Harold Laski, A.N.Whitehead, and L.Wittgenstein to the philosophical and mathematical realm.

There are some observations concerning China which seem quite relevant to events in the 21st Century, and others which should make Americans cringe as much today as they did during Russell's life.

[Lance Grabmiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a typical autobiography. Each chapter is about 20 pages or so of autobiography followed by that many pages or more of letters, which makes the narrative a little broken. I think a collection of letters (which mostly this is) isn't really autobiography. Also, I have never read an autobiography that says so little. For instance, he goes on for a paragraph or two about what a great pleasure it was to raise his first two children by the sea then speaks (almost) no more of them. You realize later, more through context than much he says directly, that through divorce and other life circumstances, he really wasn't a part of their lives much by the time they hit their teenage years. Seems to talk around the real subject of his life rather than address any of it directly.

His portraits of D.H. Lawrence and Wittgenstein are interesting and about the only time he really talks about any individuals beyond a sentence.

[Vic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this more accessible than volume 1 but that may just mean that I know more about the people he interacted with. Perhaps it's simply a result of having read the first book and encountering the cast of characters there. Whatever the case, it is interesting to follow the development of Russell's thoughts and the honesty with which he adjusts them to take account of his life experiences. The best thing about him is his willingness to own up to his errors. Not much space to hide if you've been publishing your opinions all along so the inconsistencies are on display for all to see.

[Gary Godefroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bertrand Russell had an amazing intellect and knew many of the giant intellectuals of his long 98 years on earth. He was very candid about his personal life. Much of the autobiography were letters written to him by now famous people. This was a two edged sword. It was interesting to hear what others wrote, but it gave less space for Russell to expound his personal philosophy. That's why I gave it only 3 stars. However, I will read Volume 2, and I know it will be worth reading.

[Vincent Hernot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it, would have wanted a lot more at times (his writing/advising Sassoon, say, his relationship with Graves, Wittgenstein), got too much of some (his school, although it's quite interesting in itself), but Russell has a specific plan, and that didn't include personal revelations. Fine, really, except that in his case it does leave a lot in the dark, and, in his case, is it possible to dissociate the public persona from the man?

[Matthew Calamatta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pacifism, penury, potboilers, marriages, China, Russia, children, Ramsay Macdonald, TS Eliot, GB Shaw, HG Wells, pioneering schooling, lectures in America, money and its lack, obvious achievements versus huge self doubt and sometimes despair. Come for the philosophy, stay for the politics, illnesses and fan mail from Einstein. Fascinating and lots of fun.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this volume pretty interesting, and it held my attention, but the tone was decidedly different from the first volume. It began to be much less optimistic and more grim, and my conception of Russell started to shift as I became aware of his...this isn't even the right word, but, sort of, fragility and sensitiveness and unhappiness in many ways. I realized about halfway through that Dora Russell was the Dora Russell, which shocked me and induced me into revisiting the Dora Russell chapter in Dale Spender's There's Always Been A Women's Movement in This Century, which was interesting, and now I plan on reading My Father, Bertrand Russell by Katharine Tait to get another slightly critical and personal survey of the man. In any case, this was quite fascinating, and I really enjoyed learning about this circle of intellectuals, but I feel much less drawn to give unchecked praise to this volume than the first, and I am, on the whole, rather more conflicted in my feelings about it.

[Huub · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boeiende autobiografie, afwisselend beschrijvende tekst en briefwisselingen met familie en prominenten als Heidegger, TS Eliot, Einstein. Pacifist in WO1 verandert hij van mening na de opkomst van de nazi's.
Ook interessant is zijn (mislukte) initiatief voor het opzetten van een eigen school en de controverse rondom zijn benoeming als hoogleraar in New York .

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE RENOWNED PHILOSOPHER'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Bertrand Arthur William Russell (1872-1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, and social critic, who also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950; the other volumes of his autobiography are 'The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell, 1872-1914' and 'The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell: 1944-1969.'

He begins this 1956 book by stating, "The period from 1910 to 1914 was a time of transition. My life before 1910 and my life after 1914 was as sharply separated as Faust's life before and after he met Mephistopheles. I underwent a process of rejuvenation, inaugurated by Ottoline Morrell and continued by the War... it shook me out of my prejudices and made me think afresh on a number of fundamental questions. It also provided me with a new kind of activity, for which I did not feel the staleness that beset me whenever I tried to return to mathematical logic." (Pg. 3)

He admits, "Throughout my life I have longed to feel that oneness with large bodies of human beings that is experienced by the members of enthusiastic crowds. The longing has often been strong enough to lead me into self-deception. I have imagined myself in turn a Liberal, a Socialist, or a Pacifist, but I have never been any of these things, in any profound sense. Always the sceptical intellect, when I have most wished it silent, has whispered doubts to me, has cut me off from the facile enthusiasms of others, and has transported me to a desolate solitude." (Pg. 35)

He wrote in a 1916 letter, "I wrote a lot of stuff about Theory of Knowledge, which [Ludwig] Wittgenstein criticized with the greatest severity. His criticism, tho' I don't think you realized it at the time, was an event of first-rate importance in my life, and affected everything I have done since. I saw he was right, and I saw that I could not hope ever again to do fundamental work in philosophy... Wittgenstein persuaded me that what wanted doing in logic was too difficult for me... So I want to work quietly, and I feel more at peace as regards work than I have ever done since Wittgenstein's onslaught." (Pg. 66-67)

While recovering from a serious illness in China, he mused, "Lying in my bed feeling that I was not going to die was surprisingly delightful... I discovered... that life was infinitely sweet to me... there came heavy rains bringing the delicious smell of damp earth through the windows, and I used to think how dreadful it would have been to have never smelt that smell again... I have known ever since that at bottom I am glad to be alive. Most people, no doubt, always know this, but I did not." (Pg. 188)

He records wryly, "The Japanese journalists were continually worrying Dora [his wife] ... At last she became a little curt with them, so they caused the Japanese newspapers to say that I was dead. This news was forwarded by mail... It provided me with the pleasure of reading my obituary notices, which I had always desired without expecting my wishes to be fulfilled." (Pg. 189)

Of his 'A History of Western Philosophy,' he states, "I was sometimes accused by reviewers of writing not a true history but a biased account of the events that I arbitrarily chose to write of. But to my mind, a man without a bias cannot write interesting history---indeed, if such a man exists... I think the best that can be done with a large-scale history is to admit one's bias and for dissatisfied readers to look for other writers to express an opposite bias. Which bias is nearer to the truth must be left to posterity." (Pg. 340-341)

Russell was one of the greatest intellectuals and public figures of the 20th century; his story is essential reading for anyone interested in philosophy, mathematics, politics, and modern history.

[JD Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a little more preachy than the previous two volumes. It's probably the only weak point in a book where nuclear disarmament is the main theme. I have noticed how many times the British government balked after Clement Atlee lost control of Parliament. There was a lot of delicate negotiations even when the people swept Harold Wilson into power in 1964.