The Right Book Club was an English book club founded in 1937 by Christina and William Foyle to counter the influential

Left Book Club The Left Book Club was a publishing group that exerted a strong left-wing influence in Great Britain from 1936 to 1948. Pioneered by Victor Gollancz, it offered a monthly book choice, for sale to members only, as well as a newsletter that acqui ...

, established in 1936 by

Victor Gollancz Sir Victor Gollancz (; 9 April 1893 – 8 February 1967) was a British publisher and humanitarian. Gollancz was known as a supporter of left-wing causes. His loyalties shifted between liberalism and communism, but he defined himself as a Chris ...

Origins and character

In May 1936 the Left Book Club had been established, and towards the end of 1936 a group of “neo-Tories” mooted the idea of a right-wing book club. Christina Foyle and her father William Foyle undertook to organize it, and the Club was launched at a luncheon at the

Grosvenor House Hotel ] JW Marriott Grosvenor House London, originally named the Grosvenor House Hotel, is a luxury hotel that opened in 1929 in the Mayfair area of London, England. The hotel is managed by JW Marriott Hotels, which is a brand of Marriott Internation ...

in April 1937, with

John Baird, 1st Viscount Stonehaven John Lawrence Baird of Urie, 1st Viscount Stonehaven, 1st Baron Stonehaven, 2nd Baronet, 3rd of Ury, (27 April 1874 – 20 August 1941) was a British politician who served as the eighth Governor-General of Australia, in office from 1925 to 19 ...

, the recently-retired

Chairman of the Conservative Party The chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom is responsible for party administration and overseeing the Conservative Campaign Headquarters, formerly Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in government, the offi ...

, presiding.Bernhard Dietz, ''Neo-Tories: The Revolt of British Conservatives against Democracy and Political Modernity (1929-1939)'' (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018)
p. 108
/ref> The Right Book Club published one book every month, occasionally acting as first publisher, but more often reprinting a recent new title from a mainstream publisher. Its members received a monthly magazine, and meetings with authors were also held. Membership was free, and members committed themselves to buying the monthly book, which cost 2s 6d ( half a crown). The first book appeared in June 1937. Arthur Bryant saw the Right Book Club as too radical, and responded by founding a similar monthly book club, the National Book Association, which he intended to be more moderate, and

Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, (3 August 186714 December 1947) was a British Conservative Party politician who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as Prime Minister of the United Kingd ...

agreed to be its President. However, in January 1939 Bryant's association published an expurgated translation of Hitler's ''

Mein Kampf (; ''My Struggle'' or ''My Battle'') is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The work describes the process by which Hitler became antisemitic and outlines his political ideology and future plans for G ...

''. Baldwin resigned in protest, and this proved to be the last book the NBA published. By 1939, the Right Book Club claimed 20,000 subscribers, in comparison with some 50,000 members of the Left Book Club and 5,000 of the National Book Association. On 3 November 1939 the humorist

A. G. Macdonell Archibald Gordon Macdonell (3 November 1895 – 16 January 1941) was a Scottish writer, journalist and broadcaster, whose most famous work is the gently satirical novel ''England, Their England'' (1933). Early life and education Macdonell was ...

replied to an invitation from Christina Foyle to join the Club, "I had no idea that there were twenty thousand members of the Right in politics who could read." Whereas all volumes of the Left Book Club had the same appearance, a soft binding coloured solid orange, with plain black lettering, the Right Book Club described its books as "on good quality paper, with attractive STIFF binding and dignified coloured jacket". A commentator has said that this was a subtly English way to distance the two clubs: "The bindings are as stiff as a colonel's upper lip, not limp as a lounge lizard's handshake." In 2022, the critic Clive Bloom made the claim that the Right Book Club was "thought up by Sir Oswald Mosley to promote fascism", without providing any source for this claim.

Endorsements

In the club's early days, three notable figures gave endorsements of it.Right Book Club
publishinghistory.com, accessed 22 July 2021 In a posthumous message written shortly before his death,

Austen Chamberlain Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain (16 October 1863 – 16 March 1937) was a British statesman, son of Joseph Chamberlain and older half-brother of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer (twice) and was briefly ...

, a former Conservative Party leader, commented "I welcome the appearance of the 'Right' Book Club. I have learned to trust the judgment of our people when the truth is made available to them."

George Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd George Ambrose Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd, (19 September 1879 – 4 February 1941) was a British Conservative politician strongly associated with the " Diehard" wing of the party. From 1937 to 1941 he was chairman of the British Council, in whic ...

, a Conservative on the " Diehard" wing of the party, said "I am glad to learn of the popularity and progress of the 'Right' Book Club. A great responsibility as well as an opportunity of doing work of last national importance lies before the Club."

Lord Sempill Lord Sempill (also variously rendered as Semple or Semphill) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in circa 1489 for Sir John Sempill, founder of the collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch. Sempill was killed at the Battle of Flodd ...

, a well-known

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

, said "The work which you are doing deserves the support of all thinking men and women."

Selection committee

A committee aimed to select one book per month for publication and consisted of Anthony Ludovici, Norman Thwaites,

Trevor Blakemore Trevor Ramsey Villiers Blakemore (13 October 1879 – 8 July 1953) was an English poet and author. Early life Born in Chislehurst, Kent, Blakemore was the son of Ramsey Blakemore, a merchant, of St Leonards-on-Sea,"BLAKEMORE, Trevor Ramsey" in J ...

Collinson Owen Harry Collinson Owen (1882–1956) was a British journalist and author. Background During World War I he edited the British Army newspaper '' Balkan News'', for the Balkan front. He published ''Salonica and After'' in 1919, a book containing p ...

, and

W. A. Foyle William Alfred Westropp Foyle (1885–1963) was a British bookseller and businessman who co-founded Foyles bookshop in 1903 with his brother Gilbert Foyle. William Foyle was one of the leading London booksellers of the 20th century. In 190 ...

Principal authors

The writers of more than one book published by the Right Book Club were:Right Book Club

Open Library Open Library is an online project intended to create "one web page for every book ever published". Created by Aaron Swartz, Brewster Kahle, Alexis Rossi, Anand Chitipothu, and Rebecca Malamud, Open Library is a project of the Internet Archive, ...

, accessed 25 July 2021 * Bernard Newman, four books *

Quentin Reynolds Quentin James Reynolds (April 11, 1902 – March 17, 1965) was an American journalist and World War II war correspondent. He also played American football for one season in the National Football League (NFL) with the Brooklyn Lions. Early life ...

, three books *

Siegfried Sassoon Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (8 September 1886 – 1 September 1967) was an English war poet, writer, and soldier. Decorated for bravery on the Western Front, he became one of the leading poets of the First World War. His poetry both describ ...

, three books *

Edvard Beneš Edvard Beneš (; 28 May 1884 – 3 September 1948) was a Czech politician and statesman who served as the president of Czechoslovakia from 1935 to 1938, and again from 1945 to 1948. He also led the Czechoslovak government-in-exile 1939 to 194 ...

, three books * W. H. Chamberlin, two books * Ivor Halstead, two books * Douglas Jerrold, two books * Viscount Lymington, two books * Charles Petrie, two books *

George Sava George Sava (born George Alexis Bankoff, 15 October 1903 – 15 March 1996) was a British surgeon and prolific writer of Russian origin. Life Described as a "Russian exile", he was born George Alexis Bankoff on 15 October 1903. The grandson of C ...

, two books * Clarence K. Streit, two books *

Arnold Wilson Sir Arnold Talbot Wilson (18 July 1884 – 31 May 1940) was a British soldier, colonial administrator, Conservative politician, writer and editor. Wilson served under Percy Cox, the colonial administrator of Mesopotamia (Mandatory Iraq) ...

, two books * Gerald Kersh, two books *

Henry Williamson Henry William Williamson (1 December 1895 – 13 August 1977) was an English writer who wrote novels concerned with wildlife, English social history and ruralism. He was awarded the Hawthornden Prize for literature in 1928 for his book '' Tark ...

, two books Other authors included Clare Hollingworth, Hesketh Pearson, Ian Hay, Hugh Kingsmill,

Edward Shanks Edward Richard Buxton Shanks (11 June 1892 – 4 May 1953) was an English writer, known as a war poet of World War I, then as an academic and journalist, and literary critic and biographer. He also wrote some science fiction.E. F. Bleiler and Ri ...

, James Bridie,

Arnold Lunn Sir Arnold Henry Moore Lunn (18 April 1888 – 2 June 1974) was a skier, mountaineer and writer. He was knighted for "services to British Skiing and Anglo-Swiss relations" in 1952. His father was a lay Methodist minister, but Lunn was an agn ...

, Aubrey Jones,

R. Welldon Finn Reginald Arthur Welldon Finn (14 March 1901 – 1971) was an English historian whose main interest was in Domesday Book. His work appeared under the names R. W. Finn, R. Welldon Finn, and Rex Welldon Finn. Born at Sandbach, Cheshire, Finn was the ...

, C. E. Vulliamy,

Mairin Mitchell Mairin Marian Mitchell FRGS (20 May 1895 – 5 October 1986), registered at birth as Marian Houghton Mitchell, was a British and Irish journalist and author, mostly on political, naval, and historical subjects. She was also a translator from Spa ...

, and

Harley Williams John Hargreaves Harley Williams Order of the British Empire, OBE Doctor of Public Health, DPH (19 October 1901 – 12 April 1974), often known as J. Harley Williams, was a British physician, barrister, medical author, and novelist. Life Born in Bir ...

Patrons

The published list of the club’s patrons included:

Publications

* Rex Welldon Finn, ''The English Heritage'' (June 1937) *

Laurence Housman Laurence Housman (; 18 July 1865 – 20 February 1959) was an English playwright, writer and illustrator whose career stretched from the 1890s to the 1950s. He studied art in London. He was a younger brother of the poet A. E. Housman and his ...

, ''Victoria Regina'' (July 1937) * W. H. Chamberlin, ''A False Utopia'' (August 1937), an inside picture of Communism and Fascism. *

C. J. M. Alport Cuthbert James McCall Alport, Baron Alport, (22 March 1912 – 28 October 1998) was a Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party politician, minister, and life peer. Early life "Cub" Alport was educated at Haileybury College, Haileybury, He ...

, ''Kingdoms in Partnership'' (September 1937), the story of the Imperial Commonwealth. * G. Ward Price, ''I Know These Dictators'' (October 1937), a "close up" of Hitler and Mussolini. * Harold Cardozo, ''The March of a Nation: My Year of Spain's Civil War'' (November 1937), an account of the Spanish War by an English war correspondent * Douglas Jerrold, ''Georgian Adventure'' (December 1937), about King George V's reign *

Sir Charles Petrie Sir Charles Alexander Petrie, 3rd Baronet (28 September 1895 – 13 December 1977) was a British historian. Early life Born in Liverpool, he was the younger son of Sir Charles Petrie, 1st Baronet and his wife, Hannah. He was educated at th ...

, ''Lords of the Inland Sea: A Study of the Mediterranean Powers'' (1937) * Fred E. Beal, ''Word from Nowhere'' (January 1938), an indictment of the Communist system * Sir Charles Petrie, ''The Chamberlain Tradition'' (February 1938) about Joseph, Austen and Neville Chamberlain. * W. H. Chamberlin, ''Japan Over Asia'' (March 1938), an interpretation of Japan's foreign policy * Viscount Lymington, ''Famine in England'' (April 1938), the case for a constructive social policy on health and well-being * William Teeling, ''Why Britain Prospers'' (May 1938), a study of current political and economic conditions * Sir Arnold Wilson, ''Thoughts and Talks'' (June 1938), thoughts of a Member of Parliament * W. S. Shears, ''This England'' (July 1938), a guide to rural England * Eugene Lyons, ''Assignment in Utopia'' (August 1938), a critique of the Soviet Union * Sir Philip Gibbs, ''Ordeal in England'' (September 1938), a commentary on current events * Prince Christopher of Greece, ''Memoirs by H.R.H. Prince Christopher of Greece'' (October 1938) *

A. J. Mackenzie Alexander Johnston Mackenzie (1912 – 7 April 1945) was a Scottish barrister, soldier, and author. Mackenzie graduated in law from the University of Edinburgh in 1934 and joined Gray's Inn to train as a barrister, succeeding in Bar examinations in ...

, ''Propaganda Boom'' (November 1938) a study of propaganda in totalitarian states * William Foss and Cecil Gerahty, ''Spanish Arena'' (December 1938), an account of the Spanish Civil War *

''Walks and Talks Abroad in 1934–36'' (1939) *

Edith Sitwell Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell (7 September 1887 – 9 December 1964) was a British poet and critic and the eldest of the three literary Sitwells. She reacted badly to her eccentric, unloving parents and lived much of her life with her governess ...

, ''Victoria of England'' (July 1939) *

, ''Revolutionary Socialism in Theory and Practice'' (1939) * "Watchman" ( Vyvyan Adams), ''Right Honourable Gentlemen'' (1940) * Bernard Newman, ''The Secrets of German Espionage'' (1940) * A. G. Street, ''A Year of My Life'' (1940) * W. G. Krivitsly, ''I Was Stalin's Agent'' (1940) * Ralph Ingersoll, ''Report on England'' (1941) *L. De Jong, ''Holland Fights the Nazis'' (1941) * Ivor Halstead, ''Wings of Victory: a tribute to the R.A.F.'' (1941) * Clarence K. Streit, ''Union Now With Britain'' (1941) *

Stephen Leacock Stephen P. H. Butler Leacock (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was a Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist. Between the years 1915 and 1925, he was the best-known English-speaking humorist in the world. He is known ...

, ''Our British empire: its structure, its history, its strength'' (1941) *

Edward Ardizzone Edward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone, (16 October 1900 – 8 November 1979), who sometimes signed his work "DIZ", was an English painter, print-maker and war artist, and the author and illustrator of books, many of them for children. For ''Tim All ...

, ''Baggage to the Enemy'' (1942), experiences in France and Belgium, illustrated by the author *

, ''Back to England: an Account of the Author's Travels on the Continent from 1937 to 1939 and Her Observations on Wartime Conditions in Britain in 1940'' (1942) * Ivor Halstead, ''Heroes of the Atlantic: a tribute to the Merchant Navy'' (1942) * Storm Jameson, ''The Fort'' (1942) * Hermann Rauschning, ''Make and Break with the Nazis'' (1942) * Gerald Kersh, ''The Nine Lives of Bill Nelson'' (1943) * Robert Henriques, ''Captain Smith and Company'' (1944) * Noel Coward, ''Middle East Diary'' (1945) * Viscount Lymington, ''Alternative to Death: the Relationship between Soil, Family, and Community'' (1945) *Douglas Dixon, ''Adventure is Never Done'' (1946) *

Alexander Woollcott Alexander Humphreys Woollcott (January 19, 1887 – January 23, 1943) was an American drama critic and commentator for ''The New Yorker'' magazine, a member of the Algonquin Round Table, an occasional actor and playwright, and a prominent radio ...

, ''Long, Long Ago'' (1946) * Herbert Hodge, ''A Cockney on Main Street'' (1946) *

, ''The Sun in the Sands'' (1946) *

Robert S. Arbib Jr. Robert Simeon Arbib Jr. (March 17, 1915 – July 20, 1987) was an American ornithologist, writer and conservationist. From 1970 to 1984 he was editor of ''American Birds,'' the magazine of the National Audubon Society, and was the author of severa ...

, ''Here we are together: the notebook of an American Soldier in Britain'' (1947) * Aubrey Jones, ''The Pendulum of Politics'' (1947) *Clifton Reynolds, ''Autobiography'' (1947) *

, ''Siegfried's journey, 1916-1920'' (1947) * C. E. Vulliamy, ''Ursa Major: a study of Dr. Johnson and his friends'' (1948)''Ursa Major: a study of Dr. Johnson and his friends''
openlibrary.org, accessed 23 July 2021 * Charlotte Haldane, ''Truth Will Out'' (1949, autobiography) * Hesketh Pearson, ''Talking of Dick Whittington'' (1949) *

, ''The Healing Touch'' (January 1949), *

Godfrey Winn Godfrey Herbert Winn (15 October 1906 – 19 June 1971) was an English journalist known as a columnist, and also a writer and actor. Born in Kings Norton, Warwickshire, he attended King Edward's School, Birmingham.

, ''The Bend of the River: a journey in ten stages'' (1949) *

Viscount Grey of Fallodon A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

, ''The Charm of Birds'' (1950) * A. J. P. Taylor, ''From Napoleon to Stalin: Comments on European History'' (1950) * John Fothergill, ''An Innkeeper's Diary'' (undated)

Notes

{{reflist

External links

Right Book Club
at PublishingHistory.com
Right Book Club

Book publishing companies of the United Kingdom Publishing companies established in 1937 Political book publishing companies Book clubs Series of books 1937 establishments in the United Kingdom Publishing companies disestablished in 2007