The biography of one of the greatest British historians - but also of a uniquely strange and various man.
Minoo Dinshaw lives in London and Outlandish Knight is his first book.
Brilliantly entertaining ... Mr Dinshaw's choice of subject for his
first book is an inspired one. He interweaves the strands of a long
and variegated life with sympathy, elegance and awareness of the
wider picture ... Mr Dinshaw has done Runciman proud. To whom will
he turn his attention next?
*Economist*
Minoo Dinshaw's biography is itself a splendid mosaic, a careful
and well-written account ... I wonder where Minoo Dinshaw goes from
here. His is a splendid book, to be put at once onto the Wolfson
Prize shortlist.
*Oldie*
An astonishing feat of empathy as well as research ... What keeps
the reader's interest on every page is, precisely, this
biographer's sensitivity to atmosphere and his humorous awareness
... Near-omniscient thoroughness, gentle humour and psychological
precision.
*New Statesman*
'An extraordinary book ... exceptionally fascinating, always
readable and penetratingly intelligent account of one of Britain's
most distinguished and colourful historians'
*Standpoint*
More than a biography; it is also a work of substantial literary
criticism... This dazzling young writer is a mine of fascinating,
memorable and totally useless information... I have been riveted by
this book from start to finish, and leave the reader with one word
of advice. Watch Minoo Dinshaw. He will go far
*The Sunday Telegraph*
Casts fresh light on [Runciman's] sexuality and his adventures as a
part-time spy.
*The Sunday Times*
This biography is both funny and erudite and empathetic but
critical as it chronicles a fascinating caste of dangerously
charming spies, poet-scholars, scheming Oxbridge academics, dashing
majors and clever queens.
*Country Life*
Dinshaw does a superb job in avoiding a chronological
cradle-to-grave account of the life. Only towards the end of the
book, for example, does he deal with Runciman's homosexuality, and
his judgment here is perfectly balanced. The account of Runciman's
old age (he died, aged 97, in 2000), playing the laird and host at
his Borders tower Elshieshiels, couldn't be bettered. ... [Dinshaw]
vividly brings alive this secretive, ludic man, making good his
case that Runciman, like all the best historians, should be
considered, first and foremost, as a writer
*Spectator*
This obscure, ever-so-slightly discredited historian is an inspired
choice of subject by Minoo Dinshaw. ... Dinshaw, rather than
writing a crisp biography, has written a gigantic one, as rich,
funny and teemingly peopled as Anthony Powell's A Dance to the
Music of Time ... Dinshaw writes with wit and elegance, and the
most elegiac passages of Outlandish Knight evoke a lost society
London and way of life
*Financial Times*
A kaleidoscopic biography, studded with vivid portraits and
entertaining footnotes. The writing is as elegant and as attentive
to cadence as Runciman's ... Dinshaw has Runciman's talent for
characterisation. ... Minoo has triumphed. He conjures up the
worlds, works and harlequin career of Runciman with a magical touch
of his own.
*Literary Review*
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