Friends, Foes and Foreigners

Description

FROM his rich experience of European life and politics in this century, Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart has drawn several volumes of lively and illuminating reminiscence, from "Memoirs of a British Agent" to "Your England". Those books all described scenes and events with which he had been personally concerned, sometimes as a witness, sometimes centrally. Now shifting his focus, he examines the records and careers of a score of contemporaries: some famous, like Lord Beaverbrook; some little known; some infamous, like Zdenek Fierlinger. In each case he recounts an episode that has seemed significant of the part his subject has played: and in this examination of the influence of personalities, he once again shows his own penetrating insight into the development of the politics and culture of our time. His brilliant reporting of sporting events is again also demonstrated, in his portraits of the great rugger players, Barrington Ward and Moir Mackenzie, and of the boxing champion Bob Fitzsimmons. Kerensky, Robert Sherwood, Tamara Karsavina, Compton Mackenzie, Lord Bracken are typical of the wide range of friends of whom he has stories to tell--not always entirely creditable, sometimes ironic, but always genial and witty. Dustwrapper ......Page 1 Backstrip ......Page 2 Flyleaf ......Page 3 Half-title ......Page 5 By the same Author ......Page 6 Title Page ......Page 7 Printer's imprint ......Page 8 CONTENTS ......Page 9 Book I: My Salad Days ......Page 11 1. The Rigour of the Game ......Page 13 2. From Rugger Pack to Empire Jack ......Page 19 3. Selfless Surgeon ......Page 24 4. The Lone Champion ......Page 33 5. Keepers, Gillies, and a Miracle ......Page 41 6. A French Family ......Page 54 7. Rostand Romance ......Page 63 8. Some Schoolmasters ......Page 70 9. Schoolmaster into Author ......Page 78 10. Father and Schoolmaster too ......Page 82 Book II: Seven Foreigners and one Foe ......Page 89 1. Queen of the Dance ......Page 91 2. Tall American ......Page 101 3. Russian Optimist ......Page 111 4. Man of Zion ......Page 123 5. Portrait of a Czechoslovak Quisling ......Page 132 6. The Good German ......Page 144 7. Soldier of Fortune ......Page 155 8. A Dreamer of Dreams ......Page 162 Book III: Mainly Personal ......Page 171 1. Tyro Among Tycoons ......Page 173 2. Passport to Paradise ......Page 180 3. The Girl of the Golden West ......Page 185 4. Impassive Diplomatist ......Page 191 5. Sir Anthony and the Pen-buglers ......Page 203 6. Friend of France ......Page 215 7. The Faithful Chelas ......Page 227 8. Sir Compton Mackenzie ......Page 239 9. Peer Journalist ......Page 250 10. Bavarian Journey ......Page 263 11. "The Lockhart Conspiracy" ......Page 275 Index ......Page 285