Such Things Happen by John Lewis

Tutor in graphic design at London's Royal College of Art (1951-64), John Lewis worked post-war in Suffolk, as art director of the distinguished firm of colour printers, W.S. Cowell. In this account, with refreshing modesty, he tells of his life as illustrator, wartime camoufleur, typographer, author, sailor and boat restorer. The war brought him into contact with such like-minded friends as Victor Stiebel, Oliver Messel, Gabriel White, Edward Ardizzone, Basil Spence and Lynton Lamb. Later, he met Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears and designed not only programme books for the Aldeburgh Festival from its beginnings in 1948, but scenery and costumes for "Let's Make an Opera".