Vol IV of Sitwell’s five-volume autobiography. There can be little doubt that Osbert Sitwell’s finest achievement was his five-volume autobiography published by Macmillan between 1945-50. Vol I’ Left Hand, Right Hand! ‘ Vol II ‘The Scarlet Tree’ Vol III ‘Great Morning’ Vol IV ‘Laughter in the Next Room’ Vol V’ Noble Essences or Courteous Revelations’ ‘Tales my Father Taught Me’. Son of the eccentric fourth baronet Sir George Reresby Sitwell, whom he succeeded in 1943, Osbert Sitwell was a member of a family descended from the Saxon Earls of Northumberland. The cold and unloving home environment undoubtedly contributed to the rather frosty front presented to the public by Osbert and his siblings, Edith and Sacheverell. The three went on, however, to become one of Britain’s most remarkable literary families, producing a dazzling variety of work in many fields. Educated, as he put it, “during the holidays from Eton”, Osbert became a regular soldier and fought in Flanders during the 1914-18 war and his bitter experiences there were noticeably reflected in some of his writings. He was invalided home in 1916 and there collaborated with his sister on a first book of poetry. Many more works of poetry and literature were to follow. He was made a Companion of Honour in 1958 and a Companion of Literature in 1967. Unmarried, Osbert moved to Italy in 1965 to live at the family property, the Castello di Montegufoni, near Florence.