Russell and His Obituarists

Even in a life full of unusual achievement and distinction, Bertrand Russell managed the remarkable feat of dying twice—first, in China in 1921, and then, in Wales in 1970. He prompted, therefore, two distinct sets of obituaries, written five decades and much controversy apart. This paper examines both clutches of obituary notices, traces Russell’s evolving public renown over the twentieth century, and makes plain how he himself set the contours of much of this memorializing thanks to his own many autobiographical writings.