Catherine Carswell, the Scottish novelist, biographer, and critic is recognised as a substantial figure in the Scottish literary Renaissance. Her Life of Robert Burns produced a furore in Scottish newspapers for its depiction of a man, rather than a legend, and her biography of D. H. Lawrence, The Savage Pilgrimage, was withdrawn amid threats of legal action. As a working journalist, she knew many of the great literary figures of her day in Scotland, England, and America. She worked with the Irishman William Fay to write a history of the Abbey Theatre, and was the lifelong friend of the novelist D. H. Lawrence, remaining his supporter throughout his battles with British censorship.