For Your Eye Alone: The Letters of Robertson Davies

Robertson Davies, who died in 1995, was a major voice in Canadian literature. Davies’ novels explore the human condition, and all of his writing is deeply rooted in his interest in Jungian psychology. In his essays and reviews, Davies wrote with lively wit and sharp eyes and ears about music, theater, literature, and art.

Davies’ interest in what it is to be human and in the arts is equally evident in his letters. This collection, selected and edited by his biographer, Judith Skelton Grant, reflects many of the same qualities that readers enjoy in Davies’ fiction and nonfiction—crisp prose; strong, carefully (sometimes sharply) expressed opinions; and a love for music, literature, and theater.

Davies is never shy about his opinions, and in his letters he expresses himself in what is at times a less than politically correct fashion, especially when critiquing modern culture. But he is also generous with his praise, as can be seen in his correspondence with the artist who designed the covers for the American editions of Davies’ novels from 1981 on. Letters to Davies’ family blend easily here with notes to publishers and fellow writers. All of the letters evidence Davies’ humor as well as his love of language.

Unlike E. B. White’s letters (reviewed yesterday), these letters were all written during Davies’ adult life (1976-1995). Nonetheless, the reader gets occasional glimpses into his youth in rural Canada in the early 20th century and into his early years as a writer, newspaperman, and actor. Anyone who enjoys Davies’ elegant prose and wit will enjoy this collection.

Check the WRL catalog for For Your Eye Alone