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John Fowles Tours the U.S.- A Review
Professor Dianne Vipond conducted a question-and-answer
session with John Fowles during his May 28, 1998 appearance
at the Los Angeles Public Library (photo by Arielle DePaolo).
John Fowles toured the United States in 1998 to promote his
new book, Wormholes. During appearances in New York
City, San Francisco and Los Angeles, he was interviewed on
stage by Professor Dianne Vipond.
Although the 72-year-old Fowles walked with a cane and
spoke
slowly, his incredible intellect was intact, as was his wit.
He was also extremely gracious, spending over an hour after
each event signing books and talking with admiring fans.
About 300 people attended Fowles' appearance in San Francisco,
while about 200 saw him speak in Los Angeles. Here are some
of the highlights from those two events:
On writing: "Writing
is the most difficult thing in the world and takes great courage,"
Fowles said. "Writing novels is hideously difficult."
He went on to say that writers must metaphorically kill their
parents and teachers in order to break free from their influences,
and he urged all potential writers to keep a diary (something
he has done since he was a young man).
On future work: "I have
a problem everywhere I go in America," Fowles said. "People
ask me 'what are you writing now,' and I tell them I'm not
writing anything. I think I have more or less written myself
out, although I can't keep ideas from popping into my head."
On fame: "I'm not interested
in the least, in the American sense, of being a famous, well-known
writer. I would like simply to be someone who has helped perpetuate
the enormously difficult skill of writing novels."
On movie adaptations of his work:
Although a screenplay of Daniel Martin is currently
in the works, Fowles said he remains "skeptical"
of Hollywood. His disdain for the film version of The
Magus is well documented, and he said of The Collector
that "the whole film went terribly wrong." He noted
that every night during filming, attractive young women would
gather around Terence Stamp (who played the lead) and beseech
him to "please catch me."
On novelists he admires: Fowles
greatly admires the work of Thomas Hardy and D.H. Lawrence,
although he noted that some of their personal character traits
left much to be desired. He mentioned Mason & Dixon
by Thomas Pynchon as a current novel that he regards highly,
and he called Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness "one
of the greatest novels ever written."
On future plans for his estate in
Lyme Regis: Fowles plans to have his house and garden
donated to a college or other institution once he is gone.
"I wish to give back to the world all that it has given
me; I have a deep feeling of indebtedness to the world around
me."
On the current state of the world:
"Somehow we need to learn to live in this world,"
he said. "And at the same time, realize how exquisitely
beautiful it is."
Those who were lucky enough to hear Fowles speak and meet
him afterwards discovered what a unique individual he truly
was: a literary giant with strong convictions who has nonetheless
maintained a great sense of humility. Rarely is artistic genius
been couched within a person of such kindness and compassion.
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