Anthony Powell at 100: A Centennial Exhibition

The year 2005 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of English author Anthony Powell, who is most remembered for his 12-volume work A Dance to the Music of Time. Born on December 21, 1905, in London, England, Powell studied at Eton College (1919-1923) and Oxford (1923- 1926). Early in his career, he worked for London publisher Duckworth, and, in 1931, published his first novel, Afternoon Men, with Duckworth. Powell wrote several novels on prewar society, including Venusberg (1932).

Powell embarked on a career in journalism in 1936, and in total he wrote for the The Daily Telegraph for almost 50 years. Following service in World War II, Powell wrote the biography John Aubrey and His Friends (1948). Then, in 1951, Powell published A Question of Upbringing, the first volume in his masterpiece series of 12 novels known as A Dance to the Music of Time. Once Hearing Secret Harmonies was published 24 years later in 1975, the series had ended.

Powell wrote additional novels after his famous series was complete. He also published his memoirs To Keep the Ball Rolling in 1983. Anthony Powell died on March 28, 2000 near Frome, Somerset, England.