Enemies of Promise

First edition (UK)
AuthorCyril Connolly
LanguageEnglish
GenreLiterary criticism
Autobiography
PublisherGeorge Routledge & Sons
Publication date
1938
Publication placeUnited Kingdom

Enemies of Promise[1] is a critical and autobiographical work by English writer Cyril Connolly published in 1938,[2] later enlarged when it was first reprinted in 1948.[3] Together with The Unquiet Grave (1944), it is one of the two books for which the author is mainly remembered.[4]

It comprises three parts, the first dedicated to Connolly's observations about English literature and the English literary world of his time, the second a list of adverse elements that affect the ability to be a good writer and the last an account of Connolly's early life. The overarching theme of the book is the search for understanding why Connolly, though he was widely recognised as a leading man of letters and a highly distinguished critic, failed to produce a major work of literature.[5]

  1. ^ Connolly, Cyril (25 April 2024). Enemies of Promise. Deutsch. ISBN 978-0-233-97936-6.
  2. ^ Hitchens, Christopher (1 May 2008). "Arrested Development". Atlantic Monthly. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  3. ^ Holiday, Ryan (23 July 2017). "How to stand the test of time as an artist". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  4. ^ Andrews, Robert & Hughes, Kate (2000). The New Penguin Dictionary of Modern Quotations. London: Penguin. p. 86. ISBN 0140293078 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ Taylor, D. J. (1 January 2016). "The modern enemies of promise". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 April 2024.