Bernard Shaw once said to me: 'If I ever meet the Almighty I will tell Him that He is in my debt. By my work I have left the world a more enlightened place than He bestowed on me at birth.'

I don't feel a bit like that. Life has given me much more than I have given to life. I have been very fortunate.

I have known many of the most creative persons of my time, from H.G. Wells and Bernard Shaw to Bertrand Russell and Mahatma Gandhi.

I have had the friendship of a host of people, unknown but splendid. I have had the love and partnership of devoted women. I have had the affection and fun of children.

I have travelled over a great part of the world, seen its beauties, and learned to identify myself with all races. I have always done what I wanted to do. Jobs have somehow followed my convictions. The one doubt has been the House of Lords.

I have had opportunity to devote myself to the causes in which I have believed.

I have seen the achievement of many aims: the welfare state, women's enfranchisement, the colonial political revolution and the growth of the peace movement.

I have had spiritual experiences which have revealed to me the meaning of life and given inspiration in activity.

In these last years I have had help, comfort and great happiness.

What more could anyone need or desire?

In what follows I have tried to reflect these experiences and to suggest what has still to be done.

**Contents and Sample Pages**