Category Archives: Fiction

Charles Ryder’s Van Gogh

Posted on March 8, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

Laura Freeman writing in The Times previews an upcoming exhibit at the Tate Britain. This is Van Gogh in Britain and relates to that artist’s residence in England between 1873-1876.  He was not yet an artist at that time (this had … Continue reading →

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Early March Roundup

Posted on March 3, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

–Laura Freeman writing in the Daily Telegraph (27 February) surveys children’s books and discovers that one of her favorites has been rated as having a “really high difficulty level.” This is Roger Hargreaves’ Mr Men series and she sees the … Continue reading →

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Evelyn Waugh, Walter Gropius and Prof Otto Silenus

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

Fiona MacCarthy, biographer and art historian, has written a biography of architect Walter Gropius. At least two reviewers have noted his contribution to the character of Prof Otto Silenus in Waugh’s debut novel Decline and Fall. Novelist Philip Hensher, writing … Continue reading →

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Brideshead Theme in Syfy TV Series

Posted on February 25, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

The internet newspaper Vox.com has posted an article about a long-running TV series on the Syfy Channel. This is based on the fantasy novels of Lev Grossman called The Magicians Trilogy and is now in its fourth season on Syfy. … Continue reading →

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Compton Mackenzie Reconsidered

Posted on February 24, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

In the wake of the recent New Statesman essay seeking to revive an interest in JB Priestley, the latest New Criterion has published one seeking to create a renewed interest in another neglected novelist of the same period. This is … Continue reading →

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Roundup

Posted on February 23, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

–Two posts independently made the same point earlier this week relating to Jewish-American writer Chaim Potok. Potok wrote mostly of the Orthodox Hassidic Jewish community. The first notice appeared on Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac: When he was about 14 years … Continue reading →

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Some Waugh-Themed Entertainments

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

–Merton College, Oxford and the Lennox Berkeley Society have announced an afternoon program of lecture and music: “To celebrate Lennox Berkeley’s four years as an undergraduate at Merton (1922–6), and to mark the thirtieth anniversary of his death.” This will … Continue reading →

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Crut(t)well Redux

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

Duncan McLaren continues his project of including on his website essays about Waugh’s close associates. In this latest entry he traces Waugh’s relationship with his history tutor and Dean of his college C R M F Cruttwell. The first half … Continue reading →

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Autograph Post Card Sold on E-bay

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

A 1954 handwritten but unsigned post card from Evelyn Waugh to Gerald Matthews (described as a sports journalist) was recently sold on E-bay. The post card is postmarked 2 July 1954 and reads: “Chokey was a minor character who had … Continue reading →

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Presidents Day Roundup

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

–An article in the current issue of Prospect Magazine wonders when contemporary writers will learn how to successfully incorporate text messages into fiction narratives. By way of background, the article by Jemma Slingo explains how Evelyn Waugh pioneered the technique … Continue reading →

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