author
Raymond Mortimer
1895–1980
A sharp, stylish voice in British literary life, he became known for writing about books and art with elegance and wit. His career brought him into the heart of twentieth-century criticism, where he helped shape literary conversation as both a reviewer and editor.
1 Audiobook
The Oxford Circus: A Novel of Oxford and Youth
by Hamish Miles, Raymond Mortimer
About the author
Born Charles Raymond Bell Mortimer in London in 1895, he wrote under the name Raymond Mortimer and built a reputation as a British writer on art and literature. He is remembered chiefly as a critic and literary editor, admired for clear judgment and graceful prose.
Mortimer was closely connected with the literary and artistic world of his time, and his work appeared in influential cultural circles in Britain. Accounts of his life consistently describe him as an important presence in twentieth-century criticism rather than as a novelist in the usual sense, which helps explain why his name is often linked to essays, reviews, and editorial work.
He died in 1980. Although not always as widely known today as some of the writers he reviewed, he remains an appealing figure for readers interested in the art of criticism and the lively literary culture of modern Britain.