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Huxley completed his first (unpublished) novel at the age of 17 and began writing seriously in his early twenties, establishing himself as a successful writer and social satirist.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
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...
Burning Wheel
Though Aldous Huxley is best known for his later novels and essays, he started his writing career as a poet. The Burning Wheel is his first work, a collection of thirty poems that pay homage in style to poets who wrote in the Romantic or the French s...
Jonah
Though Aldous Huxley gained popularity from his novels and essays, he started his writing career as a poet. Jonah, his second compilation of poetry, is a collection of twelve poems (four of which are written in French). He published it, at the age of...
Defeat of Youth and Other Poems
Though later known for his essays and novels, Aldous Huxley started his writing career as a poet. Published in 1918, The Defeat of Youth and Other Poems is his third compilation of poetry. The volume begins with "The Defeat of Youth", a sequence of t...
Wheels - The Second Cycle
A series of six volumes of Wheels anthologies was produced by members of the Sitwell family between 1916 and 1922. The second volume, published in 1917, contains poems by the Sitwells and also Aldous Huxley, among others. - Summary by Algy Pug
Wheels - The Fourth Cycle
A series of six volumes of Wheels anthologies was produced by members of the Sitwell family between 1916 and 1922. The fourth volume, published in 1919, contains several notable poems by the recently deceased Wilfred Owen. The other poets represented...
Those Barren Leaves
Those Barren Leaves is a satirical novel by Aldous Huxley published in 1925. It is the story of Mrs. Aldwinkle and her entourage, who are gathered in an Italian palace to relive the glories of the Renaissance. For all their supposed sophistication, t...
Limbo
This is Aldous Huxley's first collection of short stories, which consists of 6 stories and a play. Characters in the play, "Happy Families", read by the following LibriVox volunteers: Aston: ToddHW Aston's Dummy: James R. Hedrick Topsy: czandra...