NOVEMBER 1937

At the beginning of the month Graves' yew bow finally breaks; local rodents and wild fowl are safe for the next few weeks as Graves and Riding pack, say their good-byes at Ewhurst, and make the move to 31 Alma Square, NW8, London.
It is a month of late nights as Graves continues to work on Belisarius and sends sample chapters of the book to Random House. He promises to have the full draft to the publishers by the end of January in the new year. He completes a draft of a new poem entitled "Self-praise," and expresses no surprise when he doesn't win the Nobel Prize for Literature, which goes instead to Martin Du Gard, a French author. This month Graves begins to write personal commentary in the diary in Spanish.
Also this month, Graves begins to write a book on Riding, a project inspired by talks with her the previous month. Riding herself is busy with the last section of the "Letter Book" (The World and Ourselves). She receives a "silly, patronizing" note from Heinemann about her poems and declares she will frame it.
November is a busy month socially. Graves and Riding extend a grudging welcome to Gordon (of whom Graves disapproves) "as a Christmas present to Honor." Mary Lucy visits from Ireland. Evenings often include marble tournaments with Alix, Harry, Beryl and Alan. (Hodge's negotiations with the Times Literary Supplement to publish his letter on Auden seem promising at first, but in the end the letter is deemed "too controversial.") A new game - alliterative sentences - also proves popular. Riding comes up with "Public praise pleases poets provided private payment plays prominent part." This time spent with friends is clearly rewarding: at one point Graves writes, "Honor to supper. Went for a walk with her at night round her childhood memories."
On 15 November Karl and Marie are married, and Graves and Riding move into the new flat, which Graves declares is the best place they've lived in since Deyá. The remainder of the month includes shopping for home décor (including a painting by Polish refugee Yankel Adler) and renewing London friendships.
Graves' mother comes to lunch at the new flat, and Graves takes a walk with Clarissa through Kensington Gardens. David drops by as well, though he brings disturbing news about Nancy: apparently she fainted in the bathtub and spent five days unconscious. She seems to have recovered fully, but clearly Graves is disturbed by the account.
There are three enclosures this month: