Flourishing：Letters 1928-1946

FlourishingisthefirstvolumeofakeenlyawaitededitionofthemarvellouslyreadableandentertaininglettersofthemostfamousEnglishintellectualofthelastcentury.“Lifeisnotworthlivingunlessonecanbeindiscreettointimatefriends,”wroteIsaiahBerlintoacorrespondent.FlourishinginauguratesakeenlyawaitededitionofBerlin’slettersthatmightwelladoptthisremarkasanepigraph.IsaiahBerlin’slifewasenormouslyworthliving,bothforhimselfandforus;andfortunatelyhesaidagreatdealtohisfriendsonpaperaswellasinperson.Theindiscretions,thoughengaging,areofcourseonlypartofthestory.Berlinisoneofthebestmodernexponentsofthedisappearingartofletter-writing.Duringthetwodecadescoveredhereweseehispersonalityandcareergrowingandblooming.InAmericahewritesaregulartelegramtohisanxiousparents,oftensayingjust“flourishing.”Thewordisentirelyapt,notonlyforhiswartimeexperience,butforthewholeofhisearlylife,vividlydisplayedinthisbookinallitsmulti-faceteddelightfulness.