A North Light

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Published here for the first time, John Hewitt's autobiography charts his life in Northern Ireland from his early years until his 'enforced exile' in Coventry in 1957. It details his career in the Belfast Museum and Art Gallery, his maverick political views on his homeland, the evolution of his critical and literary thinking, and his quest for identity and creative space. The book provides a fascinating glimpse into Hewitt's association with key literary characters, including W.B. Yeats, George Orwell, and Brendan Behan. This hitherto-unpublished text - one of the most anticipated Irish memoirs of the 20th century - will be invaluable to those interested in Hewitt's achievement, work, and legacy, and to those wishing to gain an insight into Northern Ireland's cultural and political history.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of Illustrations (p. vii)
• Acknowledgments (p. viii)
• Introduction (p. xi)
• 1 How It All Started (p. 3)
• 2 The Free Library (p. 9)
• 3 My Application Goes In (p. 17)
• 4 Sworn In (p. 25)
• 5 Men My Brothers, Men the Workers (p. 32)
• 6 Kabooti (p. 37)
• 7 My First Exhibition (p. 42)
• 8 Chance Encounter (p. 48)
• 9 Billy and Jack (p. 50)
• 10 Welwyn 1933 (p. 59)
• 11 The First Year (p. 62)
• 12 My Generation (p. 66)
• 13 The Henrys (p. 70)
• 14 Ulster Unit (p. 77)
• 15 The Art Critic (p. 83)
• 16 The Fair at Kilrea (p. 90)
• 17 The Taste of Mayors (p. 95)
• 18 Adelphi Centre (p. 105)
• 19 Diploma for the Straw Man (p. 113)
• 20 Griffin (p. 119)
• 21 The Sour Laugh (p. 122)
• 22 The War Years I (p. 127)
• 23 The War Years II (p. 133)
• 24 Regionalism (p. 142)
• 25 Lagan (p. 148)
• 26 Council for Encouragement (p. 156)
• 27 Jack B. Yeats (p. 163)
• 28 Welsh Rarebit (p. 174)
• 29 Van Gogh at Glasgow (p. 177)
• 30 'The Funeral of Mr W.B. Yeates' (p. 181)
• 31 Annus Mirabilis (p. 189)
• 32 From Chairmen and Committee Men (p. 205)
• 33 Stanley Spencer (p. 213)
• 34 Silver Jubilee (p. 221)
• 35 Amsterdam 1954 (p. 224)
• 36 Brendan Boy (p. 236)
• 37 Vienna, 1955 (p. 240)
• 38 Exeat (p. 248)
• Index (p. 251)