Brilliant portrait, detailed, sympathetic but honest
Disadvantages:
Can be heavygoing in places
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Bruce Chatwin was one of the UK's most extraordinary writers of the post-war years and, as the reviewers of this biography have stated, he was also something of an enigma. He had worked as an art expert and studied archaeology before turning his hand to journalism and both fiction and non-fiction works - like In Patagonia and The Songlines. But his books defied description - the lazy would call it travel writing but Chatwin was keen to explore much deeper themes in his publications - the origins of man and humans as nomads for example. Shakespeare's wonderful biography paints a picture of a complex man, at times likeable and at others truly monstrous to his wife, friends and colleagues alike. He married but mostly had sex with men and was one of the UK's first high-profile AIDS casualties. He could be remarkably generous and at other times rude and selfish. Shakespeare's book paints a fascinating picture and tries to get under the skin of his subject. On the whole he succeeds - but it may take several readings to truly get to grips with this strange but remarkable man.
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English novel; by the time he died of an AIDS-related illness aged 49 in January 1989 he had produced the startlingly original masterpieces that made his name. Cha...
available worldwide. International Delivery Rates much lower than most sellers on Abe - Delivery just ** 2 - 3 ** days on this book - DISPATCHED FROM THE UK - AI...
of an AIDS-related illness aged 49 in January 1989 he had produced the startlingly original masterpieces that made his name. Chatwin came late to being a publishe...
