author
William James Roberts
b. 1873
A little-known early 20th-century writer whose books wandered through literary biography, travel, and architecture, he is best remembered for his lively study of Mary Russell Mitford. His work has the feel of a curious guide, moving easily from places and monuments to the lives of writers.
1 Audiobook
Mary Russell Mitford : The tragedy of a blue stocking
by William James Roberts
About the author
Born in 1873, William James Roberts was a British author whose surviving bibliography suggests wide-ranging interests rather than a single specialty. Records for his books link him to titles on literary biography, including Mary Russell Mitford: The Tragedy of a Blue Stocking (1913), as well as works such as Picturesque London, Photographed, and Described and The Cathedrals of England and Wales.
His writing on Mitford is the clearest glimpse of his style and interests. In that book, published as by W. J. Roberts, he approached the life of the 19th-century writer Mary Russell Mitford through character, friendship, and literary atmosphere, aiming at an accessible portrait rather than a dry academic study.
Reliable biographical detail about Roberts himself appears to be scarce, so much of his life remains in the background. What does come through is a writer drawn to literary lives, historic places, and the kind of subjects that reward an attentive, companionable guide.