Timeline
Title
Country/Nationality
Aldous Huxley
Huxley was born in Godalming, Surrey, England, in 1894. He was the third son of the writer and schoolmaster Leonard Huxley, who edited Cornhill Magazine. As a child, Huxley's nickname was "Ogie", short for "Ogre". He was described by his brother, Julian, as someone who frequently "[contemplated] the strangeness of things". According to his cousin and contemporary, Gervas Huxley, he had an early interest in drawing.
Huxley completed his first (unpublished) novel at the age of 17 and began writing seriously in his early twenties, establishing himself as a successful writer and social satirist.
In 1937 Huxley moved to Hollywood with his wife Maria, son Matthew Huxley, and friend Gerald Heard. He lived in the U.S., mainly in southern California, until his death, and also for a time in Taos, New Mexico, where he wrote Ends and Means (published in 1937). The book contains tracts on war, religion, nationalism and ethics.
On his deathbed, unable to speak owing to advanced laryngeal cancer, Huxley made a written request to his wife Laura for "LSD, 100 µg, intramuscular." According to her account of his death in This Timeless Moment, she obliged with an injection at 11:20 a.m. and a second dose an hour later; Huxley died aged 69, at 5:20 p.m. (Los Angeles time), on 22 November 1963.
Books by Aldous Huxley
Crome Yellow
Fascinating and brilliant at many levels, Huxley’s spoof of Lady Ottoline Morrell’s famous bohemian gatherings is difficult to categorize. The ironic tone and caricaturish rendering of some characters makes it partly entertaining satire, but intertwi...
Brave New World
Brave New World is a dystopian futuristic World State. Intelligence based class that are genetically modified citizens. The novel anticipates huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation and clas...
Leda
It begins with the passionate and slightly erotic poem "Leda", which recalls the love affair between Queen Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy, and her swan, Zeus in disguise. Some short poems follow. The book ends with two long sections. The first, "B...
Antic Hay
The first great novel of Huxley dealing with the disenchantment of affluent Britain with all kinds of belief systems leading to utter wastefulness and decadence. Huxley carefully dissects the idle pursuits that consume the rich and the famous, their...
Mortal Coils
It explore the complexities of human relationships and the intricacies of the human psyche. Originally published in 1922, this book remains a classic of English literature, showcasing Huxley's incredible talent for storytelling and his ability to cap...
Wheels - The Sixth Cycle
In "Wheels - The Sixth Cycle," Aldous Huxley weaves a mesmerizing tale of enigmatic realms and transcendental journeys. Unfolding within the boundless corridors of the mind, this poetic masterpiece takes readers on a voyage through the sixth cycle of...
Wheels - The Fifth Cycle
In the early 20th century, a group of young poets gather in London to challenge the status quo and create a new kind of poetry. Wheels - The Fifth Cycle is an anthology of poems by Aldous Huxley, Alan Porter, Leah McTavish Cohen, Geoffrey Cookson, W...
Crome Yellow, Version 2
Crome Yellow is a satirical novel that depicts a gathering of intellectuals and artists at the estate of Priscilla Wimbush. Through the lens of a young poet, Denis Stone, the novel explores themes of love, art, society, and the looming shadow of war....
Burning Wheel
The Burning Wheel is Aldous Huxley's first work, a collection of thirty poems that pay homage in style to poets who wrote in the Romantic or the French symbolist styles. Published in 1916, many of the poems deal with themes of light, darkness, sight,...
Jonah
Jonah is a collection of twelve poems (four of which are written in French) by Aldous Huxley. It was published in 1917, when Huxley was just 23 years old. The poems in Jonah are characterized by their use of free verse, imagism, and symbolism. They e...
Defeat of Youth and Other Poems
Published in 1918, "The Defeat of Youth and Other Poems" represents Aldous Huxley's third collection of poetry. The work showcases his early exploration of themes that would later become prominent in his novels and essays. The titular sonnet sequence...
Wheels - The Second Cycle
This volume, part of the larger `Wheels` series, showcases poetry from the early years of the 20th century. Edited by the Sitwell family, it features the work of Edith, Osbert, and Sacheverell Sitwell, alongside contributions from a younger Aldous Hu...
Wheels - The Fourth Cycle
This collection of poetry, published in 1919, features works by a diverse group of poets, including several prominent figures of the early 20th century. It is particularly notable for its inclusion of poems by the recently deceased Wilfred Owen, whos...
Those Barren Leaves
**Those Barren Leaves** is a satirical novel by Aldous Huxley that explores the lives of a group of wealthy and sophisticated individuals who gather in an Italian palace to relive the glories of the Renaissance. However, despite their claims to intel...
Limbo
Aldous Huxley's Limbo is a collection of six short stories and a play that explore themes of relationships, social class, marriage, love, family, loss, and the meaning of life. The stories are set in a variety of times and places, but they are all un...
Point Counter Point
Point Counter Point is an intellectually provocative and satirical novel that explores the complexities of love, relationships, and society. Through the interconnected lives of a group of intellectuals and artists in London, Huxley examines the clash...