E. M. Forster

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P. N. Furbank has crafted a significant biography of E. M. Forster, the esteemed author of A PASSAGE TO INDIA and ASPECTS OF THE NOVEL, utilizing Forster's diaries, personal correspondence, and other sources to create an intimate portrayal of a figure who was both prominent in public and hidden in private. Following Forster's death in 1970, two of his final wishes were fulfilled: the publication of his suppressed homosexual novel, MAURICE, and the release of his papers to Furbank for an unrestricted biography. The work is divided into two sections. The first, "The Growth of the Novelist, 1879-1914," chronicles Forster's early life, detailing his upbringing by loving female relatives, his experiences at public school and Cambridge, travels in Italy and Greece, and the success of HOWARD'S END, which propelled him to fame. It also touches on his early awareness of his homosexuality and the writing of MAURICE. The second part, "Polycrates' Ring, 1914-1970," follows Forster from age 34 until his death at 91, detailing his experiences during World War I, his relationships, and his acclaimed work A PASSAGE TO INDIA. Furbank's objective and honest approach reveals Forster as a complex and enigmatic figure, ultimately human and deeply touching.