Category Archives: Letters

Waugh, Nabokov and a Booker Nominee

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

In today’s Times newspaper, critic and novelist D J Taylor reviews a long-shot Booker prize nominee entitled Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann. This is a 1000 page novel written in the form of a single sentence. The review opens with … Continue reading →

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Waugh Letter for Sale

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

A 4 December 1959 letter from Evelyn Waugh to a reader in Columbus, Ohio is for sale. The letter is offered on the internet by Charles Agvent Rare Books and Autographs of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. The letter is addressed to Jane … Continue reading →

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Basil Seal Rides Yet Again

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

The Daily Telegraph has a review of a book entitled Master of Deception: The Wartime Adventures of Peter Fleming by Alan Ogden. This is about something called D Division (or “deception organization”) in the Inter-Services Liaison Department. Peter Fleming, Ian’s older … Continue reading →

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Late July Roundup

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

–The latest issue of The Oldie has an article by David Horspool comparing the WWII novels of Lev Grossman (Stalingrad), recently published for the first time in a complete English translation, and Joseph Heller (Catch 22), recently adapted into a … Continue reading →

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Biography of Orwell’s 1984

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

Today’s New York Times reviews what it describes as a biography of George Orwell’s novel 1984. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the novel’s publication on  8 June 1949 in London and a week later in New York. The book’s … Continue reading →

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4th of July Weekend Roundup

Posted on July 7, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

–America: The Jesuit Review has reposted on its website a 2013 essay about Waugh written by Jon M Sweeney. The essay was a response to the re-issuance of all of his fiction in the USA by Little, Brown and all … Continue reading →

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Letters to Maro

Posted on June 15, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

An auction house has on offer 5 letters and a post card from Evelyn Waugh to Maro Stathatos (nee Vatimbella, 1919-1989) and her son John. These were written in the period February 1962-October 1963 and are in the nature of … Continue reading →

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The Art (and Power) of the Book Blurb

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

In the current issue of the TLS, DJ Taylor addresses in the “Freelance” column “blurb-writing” for book covers and promotional materials. He begins with a discussion of the various considerations brought to bear in composing a successful blurb. These are … Continue reading →

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Norman Douglas: Forgotten Author?

Posted on March 14, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

An article about writer Norman Douglas (noted pedophile) has been inspired by the flurry of activity stirred up by a recent HBO documentary about the posthumous reputation of the singer Michael Jackson. This is by the author of a forthcoming … Continue reading →

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Upgrades at Two Waugh Venues

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Jeffrey Manley

Two of Waugh’s longstanding London-based venues (the Hyde Park Hotel and The Tablet magazine) have announced important upgrades: –What Waugh knew as the Hyde Park Hotel in Knightsbridge has announced an extensive upgrade that will be fully opened next month. … Continue reading →

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