Herbert Read

Herbert Read
Unknown author · Public domain · source
Name	Herbert Read
Birth date	1893
Birth place	Muscoates, North Riding of Yorkshire
Death date	1968
Death place	Stonegrave, North Riding of Yorkshire
School tradition	Anarchism, Modernism
Main interests	Aesthetics, Poetry, Art criticism

Herbert Read was a prominent British poet, literary critic, and art critic, known for his association with the Bloomsbury Group and his advocacy of Anarchism. Read's work was influenced by the likes of T.E. Hulme, Wyndham Lewis, and Ezra Pound, and he was a key figure in the development of Modernist thought in the UK. His writing often explored the intersection of art, politics, and philosophy, drawing on the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche, Henri Bergson, and Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Read's work was also shaped by his experiences in World War I, where he served alongside Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon.

● Early Life and Education

Herbert Read was born in Muscoates, North Riding of Yorkshire, in 1893, and grew up in a family of Quakers. He was educated at Leeds Modern School and later at Leeds University, where he studied English literature and developed an interest in the works of William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and John Keats. Read's early life was also influenced by his involvement with the Theosophical Society, which introduced him to the ideas of Helena Blavatsky and Rudolf Steiner. After completing his studies, Read worked as a teacher and later as a civil servant, during which time he became acquainted with the work of D.H. Lawrence and E.M. Forster.

● Career

Read's career as a writer and critic began to take shape in the 1920s, when he became associated with the London Group and the Bloomsbury Group. He was a regular contributor to The Criterion, a literary magazine edited by T.S. Eliot, and his work was also featured in The TLS and The Nation. Read's early writing was influenced by the Imagist movement, which emphasized clear and concise language, and he was particularly drawn to the work of H.D. and Richard Aldington. In the 1930s, Read became increasingly involved in Anarchist politics, and he was a key figure in the development of the Anarchist Federation of Britain, alongside Emma Goldman and Rudolf Rocker.

● Anarchist Philosophy and Politics

Read's anarchist philosophy was shaped by his reading of Peter Kropotkin, Mikhail Bakunin, and Errico Malatesta, and he was a strong advocate for non-violent resistance and direct action. He was also influenced by the ideas of Gandhi and the Indian independence movement, and he saw anarchism as a means of achieving social justice and human liberation. Read's anarchist politics were reflected in his involvement with the Spanish Revolution, where he supported the CNT-FAI and the POUM, and he was a vocal critic of Fascism and Totalitarianism. His work was also influenced by the ideas of Georges Sorel and the Syndicalist movement, which emphasized the importance of workers' self-management and industrial unionism.

● Literary Criticism and Poetry

Read was a prolific literary critic, and his work on Modernist poetry was particularly influential. He was a strong advocate for the work of T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and Wallace Stevens, and he saw modernism as a means of revitalizing English literature. Read's own poetry was influenced by the Imagist movement, and he was particularly drawn to the work of H.D. and William Carlos Williams. His poetry collections, such as "Song of the Bugle" and "The End of a War"', reflect his experiences in World War I and his subsequent disillusionment with Nationalism and Militarism. Read's literary criticism was also shaped by his interest in Psychoanalysis, particularly the work of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and he saw literature as a means of exploring the human psyche.

● Art Criticism and Curatorship

Read was a prominent art critic, and his work on Modern art was highly influential. He was a strong advocate for the work of Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Ben Nicholson, and he saw modernism as a means of revitalizing British art. Read was also a curator, and he organized several exhibitions at the London Gallery and the Tate Gallery, featuring the work of Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Juan Gris. His art criticism was shaped by his interest in Aesthetics, particularly the work of Friedrich Nietzsche and Theodor Adorno, and he saw art as a means of exploring the human condition. Read's work as a curator and art critic was also influenced by his involvement with the Arts Council of Great Britain, which he helped to establish alongside John Maynard Keynes and Kenneth Clark.