Duncan McLaren has advised that literary scholar Prof. Simon J James died earlier this week. He was active in the EWS and was editor of the Decline and Fall volume of the OUP’s Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh. This would be volume 1, not yet published. According to Duncan, Prof. James also wrote the introduction to Penguin’s 2022 edition of Vile Bodies. Here is an excerpt from the announcement issued by Durham University where he taught:
Simon passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife Kate and close family, having been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer just over a month ago. He faced these last few weeks with grace, courage, and characteristic good humour. The sense of loss and shock will be profound and lasting.
We knew Simon as a brilliant critic, an inspirational lecturer and teacher, and an illuminating supervisor, mentor, and friend. He was a leading authority on H. G. Wells, late-Victorian literature, and the modern novel.
In every way, he was utterly committed to what he did – to our discipline, his students and our department, which he served for 25 years, including as Head of English Studies, and to worlds beyond academic life…
The Society joins the University in extending its condolences to the members of Prof. James’ family.
