A House in St. John's Wood: In Search of My Parents

A son's personal exploration of one of the most influential—and troubled—artistic couples of the twentieth century

Stephen Spender's life, with all its secrets, successes, and contradictions, is a vivid prism through which to view the twentieth century. He befriended Auden and Isherwood while at Oxford, and together the three had wildly transgressive adventures in Europe and were early vocal critics of Hitler and the rise of fascism in their celebrated writings. Like his friends, Spender wa...