Jan 5 Tuesday

Got up, dressed, got 4 breakfasts.
Sam went off after visit to aurist and hearing bird noises for first time & for first time carrying on a conversation with Nancy across the room. In 2 years time his ears should be stimulated to be able to act for themselves.
Lunch with N.N. at Josef. Too wobbly & appetiteless to make this a pleasure for either.
N. went to Belleville. I went to bed only after supper (Alan & Karl) Laura such a bad cough that she consented to go to bed at 6.
Read Kafka's Castle1.
Flu at Denham & everywhere. Everything tastes odd & rather nasty. Could not sleep with semi-aches and angry thoughts of Charles.

Editorial Notes

1Gift to me [KG] from Norman KG; Franz Kafka. The Castle. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1930. eds.

Hands Referenced

Places Mentioned

  • Belleville

    London, England
    a private nursing home where Jenny Nicholson convalesced in late 1936/ early 1937 RPG 264

  • Josef

    Westminster, London, England
    restaurant on Greek St. eds

  • Denham

    England
    usually associated with Denham Studios and Alexander Korda eds.

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Karl/Carl

    Goldschmidt, Karl
    Karl Goldschmidt, later Kenneth Gay: Graphic artist, friend and secretary of Robert Graves and Laura Riding since 1934. R. G. spells both as Carl and Karl.

  • Norman Cameron

    Cameron, Norman
    Poet. Built Can Torrent in 1932-1933. W.G.; m. to Elfriede, then to Catherine Vandervelde; friend and contributor to LR and RG's work eds.

  • Alan

    Hodge, Alan
    Oxford history graduate. Became close friends with LR & RG. First husband of Beryl Graves. CP & WG

  • Sam

    Graves, Samuel
    R.G.'s youngest child by Nancy Nicholson. C.P.& WG

  • Charles

    Graves, Charles Patrick Ranke
    RG's brother with whom he did not get on. WG Estranged from RG in 1937 over Jenny Nicholson's crisis. See RPG p.281 CP

  • Nancy

    Nicholson, Nancy
    (1899-1977) First wife of Robert Graves; married 1918, separated 1927, divorced 1949. eds.

  • Kafka

    Kafka, Franz
    Austrian author (1883-1924) eds.