Editing M. R. James (section)

==Views on literature and politics==
James held strongly traditional views about literature. In addition to ghost stories, he also enjoyed reading the work of [[William Shakespeare]], the detective stories of [[Agatha Christie]], and the works of [[Charles Dickens]] and [[P. G. Wodehouse]].<ref name="rwp">Pfaff, Richard William (1980). ''Montague Rhodes James''. London: Scolar Press. p. 401.</ref> 
He disliked most contemporary literature, strongly criticising the work of [[Aldous Huxley]], [[Lytton Strachey]] and [[James Joyce]] (whom he called "a charlatan" and "that prostitutor of life and language").<ref name="mc" /><ref name="dj" /><ref name="rwp" /> He also supported the banning of [[Radclyffe Hall]]'s 1928 novel about [[lesbianism]], ''[[The Well of Loneliness]]'', stating, "I believe Miss Hall's book is about birth control or some kindred subject, isn't it? I find it difficult to believe either that it is a good novel or that its suppression causes any loss to literature."<ref name="rwp" />

When he was a student at King's, James had opposed the appointment of [[Thomas Henry Huxley]] as [[Provost of Eton]] because of Huxley's [[agnosticism]]; he later became Provost of Eton himself.<ref name="dj" /> In his later life James showed little interest in politics and rarely spoke on political issues. However, he often spoke out against the [[Irish Home Rule movement]],<ref name="mc" /> and in his letters he also expressed a dislike for [[Communism]].<ref name="dj" /> His friend [[A. C. Benson]] considered him to be "reactionary", and "against modernity and progress".<ref name="dj" />