The Use of Books [1951]

This paper was delivered on 21 June 1951 to a private luncheon for corporate customers of the printing firm and board game producer, Waddingtons. The company’s managing director, Norman Watson, greatly admired Russell and wanted him to attend this gathering as guest of honour. An invitation to speak was duly issued on 4 April 1951 through Watson’s friend, Donald McCullough, who was acquainted with Russell as a former question master on BBC radio’s Brains Trust. The broadcaster sweetened the offer to Russell with the promise of 100 guineas worth of new books, a prospect the latter conceded was “irresistible” (7 April 1951). No journalists were present when Russell spoke at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on “The Importance of Books and Printing in 1951” (as the talk had been billed by McCullough in a letter of confirmation dated 2 May). But arrangements were made for a verbatim record to be taken with a view to printing all or part of the address in a broadsheet for circulation as a keepsake to those attending the event. Russell had acceded to this request from McCullough, so long as he was “allowed a censorship”.