Socialist, philosopher, and poet, William Morris (1834-1896) was at the center of the design renaissance of the 1880's, t only because of his celebrated hostility to aspects of machine culture but because of his success as a designer and businessman whose work had ermous influence on the next generation of artists, craftssmen, and designers. A very readable and enjoyable book. It is t so much a biography of William Morris as a consideration of him as a political and esthetic phemen and as the founder of a number of organizations--the Century Guild, the Arts Workers Guild and the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. Mr. Stansky examines them with a learning that is never pedantic, frequently humorous and always intelligent. --New York Times Book Review. Peter Stansky is professor of history at Stanford University and the author of numerous works on British history