RelationsJonathan Cape, 2003 - 279 pages "In this remarkable book, Jane Miller writes about the experiences of being a daughter and a sister, of the intensities of family life and of the illuminations that come from the last days and death of parents. Relations offers a portrait of a record-keeping, middle-class kinship, reaching back into the past, which begins from her parents' long marriage, its mysteries and incompatibilities, their shared sense of themselves as artists - she as a painter, he as a pianist. It was a marriage marked by the dismay it met with from both their families. Writing about these things leads Miller to further explorations: her relations with her maternal grandfather, Redcliffe Salaman, scientist, historian, secular Jew, and his with his devoutly Jewish wife. Her father's family were Unitarian - Dissenters since the 17th century - and her great-grandfather, Collet Dobson Collet, was known for his role in the successful campaign to liberate the press from the 'taxes on knowledge' imposed by government and for his friendship with Karl Marx. Collet's daughter Clara was one of the first women civil servants, and an economist who was involved in the first stirrings of the Welfare State. Here are the t |
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Page 66
... seems also to have been the one to propose exile to Broadstairs by the sea in Kent and to have discovered the nursing home where I spent the next nine months . Sending young children away from home was more common in the thirties than ...
... seems also to have been the one to propose exile to Broadstairs by the sea in Kent and to have discovered the nursing home where I spent the next nine months . Sending young children away from home was more common in the thirties than ...
Page 127
... seem possible to feel any enthusiasm for any party whatsoever , they all seem untrue and interested . Parliament is the ... seems to have been one of her tutors , perhaps for Latin . She refused him twice , but she kept a bewildered and ...
... seem possible to feel any enthusiasm for any party whatsoever , they all seem untrue and interested . Parliament is the ... seems to have been one of her tutors , perhaps for Latin . She refused him twice , but she kept a bewildered and ...
Page 189
... seems to have taken the huff , and his concluding sentiment did not let him off . Nor was this the last time he offended her . Eventually , he bought a grand piano for her future use , after four years of nagging her to practise , and ...
... seems to have taken the huff , and his concluding sentiment did not let him off . Nor was this the last time he offended her . Eventually , he bought a grand piano for her future use , after four years of nagging her to practise , and ...
Contents
Portrait of an Artist | 1 |
The Potato Man | 26 |
Three Sisters | 59 |
Copyright | |
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asked aunt Balfour Declaration became become beginning believed boys brother called Cambridge century child Clara Collet daughter died early England English especially expected fact father feel felt friends garden girls Gissing give given grandfather hope imagine interest Jewish Jews John Joseph kind knew later learned least less letters lived London looks male marriage married Marx Mary memory Miss mother moved never occasionally older once parents particular perhaps playing political possible probably published relations remember Salaman seems sense sent sexual sister sometimes Sophy story student studying teacher teaching tell things thought tion told took train University wanted wife woman women wonder writing written wrote young younger