| Home
John Fowles News & Notes
This page is devoted to current news, rumors,
notes and anything else of interest regarding John Fowles.
If you have an item to share, please e-mail us at
magusbooks@hotmail.com.
December 15, 2011
A new book of poetry by
John Fowles entitled "Selected Poems" will be published in the
Spring of 2012 by Flambard Press, a small British publisher.
Fowles began writing poetry in the 1940s before turning to
fiction, and continued writing poems throughout his life.
His only previously published book of poems, simply entitled
"Poems," was published in 1973. More details on the
forthcoming book as they become available.
November 26, 2011
The Lymiad, an anonymous
poem written in 1818, has long been one of the most
highly-prized possessions of the Lyme Regis Philpot Museum.
During the 1980s when John Fowles was curator of the museum, he
made a transcript of the poem, prepared a general introduction
and some explanatory notes on local references, and cherished
hopes of its publication. Unfortunately, he passed away before
this could happen.
Fowles' dream has become a
reality with the publication of his
manuscript, designed as it
might have appeared if it had been published in 1819. It
includes: an essay by Fowles on "Lyme in the early 1800s"; a
transcription of the text, with editorial notes by Fowles; and
illustrations from the Museum's rich collection.
To order a copy, call
the museum at 01297 444463, or e-mail at
curator@lymeregismuseum.co.uk. Here's a link to a
recent article of the new publication:
http://www.viewfrompublishing.co.uk/news_view/15111/8/1/lyme-regis-museum-supporters-gather-for
September 22, 2011
Here's a link
to an article about Natalie Manifold, who conducts walks in Lyme
Regis through The Undercliff and other locations made famous by
The French Lieutenant's Woman:
http://www.viewfrompublishing.co.uk/news_view/13688/8/1/lyme-regis-a-love-of-lymes-literary-past
August 17, 2011
Here's a spot
for all John Fowles fans to check out if they visit Lyme Regis,
his home town for many years:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/sita/art/7529903-john-fowles-path
July 12, 2011
Plans to renovate John Fowles' former house in Lyme Regis into a
holiday home continue. The West Dorset District Council
has approved internal and external alterations at Belmont House
on Pound Street, which is a listed building, including
structural repair to the front elevation, south roof and
chimney, demolishing remnants of the east and west wings,
reinstating original window arrangements on the south and east
elevations and converting the stable block.
July 1, 2011
A new literature guide for The French
Lieutenant's Woman does an outstanding job of summarizing
the novel, analyzing various themes, discussing the form and
structure of the prose, and offering advice on how to respond to
possible examination questions. Written by Martin Old and
published by Philip Allan, the book features 94 pages and is
very attractively formatted. Contents include:
This is a very well designed book that will definitely
enhance the reader's understanding of Fowles' great novel. It is
available from Amazon and other on-line booksellers.
June 13, 2011
June 2, 2011
Here is a link to an interesting article
about Alain-Fournier, author of Le
Grand Meaulnes (The Lost Domain),
the 1913 novel that John Fowles, in the
afterward to an English translation of
the book, calls "one of the most famous
private thunderbolts in the history of
love." Fowles has said the this
novel was a major influence on his
writing of The Magus:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-henry/remembering-alainfournier_b_870086.html
April 26, 2011
March 31, 2011
Happy Birthday, John Fowles! The great man was born 85
years ago, in 1926...he passed away on November 5, 2005 at
the age of 79. Perhaps this would be a good time to
revisit The Magus...
March 25, 2011
The Last Chapter, a 30-minute short film based on an
unpublished short story by John Fowles, is now available in
the UK on DVD. Directed by David Tringham, it stars the
fine British character actor Denholm Elliott as a
middle-aged Ian Fleming style thriller writer whose visions
of his fantasy novels feature him pursuing a secret agent.
The Last Chapter has never been available on video or
DVD until now. Click here
for more details.
February 17, 2011
The largest collection of John Fowles first editions,
manuscripts, etc. is archived at the University of Texas at
Austin's Harry Ransom Center (which also features the
archives of several other major writers). Here's a
link to a photo of some Fowles items that will soon be on
display at the Center’s Reading and Viewing Room.
Click on the link and scroll down to the fifth photo:
http://www.utexas.edu/opa/blogs/culturalcompass/2011/02/04/photo-friday0204/ January 15, 2011
Here's an update on the disagreement that has broken out between two major
conservation charities over the £2million plans to restore
Belmont House, John
Fowles’ former home in Lyme Regis:
http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/localnews/8785707.Lyme_Regis__Councillors_urged_to_reject_plans_for_John_Fowles__former_home/
December 26, 2010
The Paris Review has recently opened their online interview
archive to the public. This includes a 1989 session
with John Fowles, which can be accessed here:
December 7, 2010
A disagreement has broken out between two major
conservation charities over the £2million plans to restore John
Fowles’ former Lyme Regis home. Read about it here:
http://www.thisisdorset.co.uk/news/Conservation-row-sparked-plans-author-s-home/article-2821093-detail/article.html
November 5, 2010
Today is the fifth anniversary of the death of
John Fowles, who passed away on November 5, 2005 at the age of
79. It's hard to believe he has been gone for five years.
Unfortunately, I think he would be appalled by the current state
of the world--particularly the recent U.S. election, and what is
going on with the environment. The world is in desperate
need of more intelligent and clear-thinking people in the mold
of John Fowles.
October 19, 2010
A poll of 2,000 readers in the UK has rated
The Collector as the 5th scariest book of all time, trailing
only The Silence of the Lambs, Dracula, The Shining and
American Psycho. Here are the details:
http://newslite.tv/2010/10/18/the-silence-of-the-lambs-tops.html
October 10, 2010
John Fowles is receiving some glowing new
reviews for The Tree,
will was recently re-issued in a 30th anniversary edition by Ecco
Press. Here's a very good one:
http://www.seattlepi.com/books/428118_145879-blogcritics.org.html
And here's an interview with Barry Lopez, who
wrote the introduction to the new edition:
http://abooksblog.com/2010/10/07/barry-lopez-and-%E2%80%98the-tree%E2%80%99/
September 25, 2010
Here's an interesting blog entry from an
individual who recalls briefly meeting with John Fowles as a
young man after a reading, and their ensuing conversation about
The Collector:
http://obey1.posterous.com/what-only-we-two-will-know
August 31, 2010
John Fowles' famous long essay, The Tree,
will be published in a 30th anniversary edition by Ecco Press on
September 28. From the publisher:
"First published a generation ago, The Tree
is a provocative meditation on the connection
between the natural world and human creativity,
and a powerful argument against taming the wild.
In it, Fowles recounts his own childhood in
England and describes how he rebelled against
his Edwardian father’s obsession with the
'quantifiable yield' of well-pruned fruit trees
and came to prize instead the messy, purposeless
beauty of nature left to its wildest.
The Tree is an inspiring, even life-changing
book, like Lewis Hyde’s The Gift, one
that reaffirms our connection to nature and
reminds us of the pleasure of getting lost, the
merits of having no plan, and the wisdom of
following one’s nose wherever it may lead—in
life as much as in art."
August 1, 2010
Here's an excellent new blog posting on John
Fowles' decision to follow the mega-success of his first book,
The Collector, with his book of philosophical musings
entitled The Aristos:
http://exhaustionjunkie.blogspot.com/2010/07/aristos-john-fowles.html
July 19, 2010
Looking for a good summer read? Check out
"Le Grand Meaulnes" (English title "The Lost Domain" or "The
Wanderer"), a major influence on Fowles' masterpiece The
Magus. The only novel written by Alain-Fournier
(who died fighting for France in World War I at the age of 28),
according to Fowles "it belongs to, and is the finest example
of, a category of fiction that has no name, but exists.
French Classic young man coming of age." It's a
mesmerizing read, with clear undertones of The Magus
throughout.
June 27, 2010
Here's an update about the
ongoing plans to turn Belmont House, John Fowles' long-time home
in Lyme Regis, into a Landmark Trust site open to the public:
http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/8197012.print/
June 9, 2010
The Lyme Regis Philpot
Museum is planning to publish a manuscript put together by John
Fowles that is based on The Lymiad, an anonymous poem
written in 1818. During the 1980s when John Fowles was
curator of the Lyme Regis Philpot Museum, he made a transcript
of the poem, prepared a general introduction and some
explanatory notes on local references, and cherished hopes of
its publication. Unfortunately, he passed away before this
could happen.
The Museum has secured grants towards the cost of
production from charitable foundations and other donors; to
complete the task of publishing the manuscript, they need 100
subscribers at £20 per volume. All those who subscribe will
have their names recorded in the publication itself.
Update: about 70
subscriptions have been received, so 30 more or needed.
For more information or to subscribe, click here:
http://www.fowlesbooks.com/Subscribe.htm
May 26, 2010
Lyme Regis fossil hunter Mary Anning has been acclaimed as the
third most influential female scientist in British history, and
also was a secret inspiration for John Fowles. Fowles
wrote about Anning and help bring to light her many scientific
accomplishments during the early part of the 19th century; in
addition, he claimed she inspired the character Sarah Woodruff
in The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Click here for
the whole story:
http://www.realwestdorset.co.uk/wordpress/index.php/2010/03/24/lyme-regis-fossil-hunter-mary-anning-acclaimed-influential-woman-scientist-royal-society-secret-inspiration-john-fowles-french-lieutenants-woman/
April 29, 2010
Recently had a chance to see the great British author Ian McEwan
on tour in San Francisco to promote his new novel. During
the book signing afterwards, got to chat with him for a minute
and of course asked him his opinion of John Fowles. He
said that he read The Collector when he was first trying
to become a novelist and that it had a profound impact (no
surprise there). He also expressed his admiration for
The French Lieutenant's Woman. By the way, for those
who haven't yet had the pleasure of reading McEwan, pick up
Enduring Love...it will knock your socks off.
March 31, 2010
Happy Birthday, John Fowles! The great writer was born on
this day, 1926, in Leigh-on-Sea, a small town located about 40
miles from London in the county of Essex, England.
March 28, 2010
Walking tours that explore the literary landscape of Lyme Regis
are now available, focusing on John Fowles and Jane Austen.
The Fowles tour explores the areas of Lyme Regis that inspired
The French Lieutenant's Woman; here is an itinerary:
"Take a walk to Fowles' recent home, Belmont House, and then
follow the sunlit cliff tops to the Undercliff nature reserve
which forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour
includes sites featured in the novel and film, but the best is
left till last. We visit the secluded farmhouse that
Fowles adored and in which he wrote The French Lieutenant's
Woman. We explore the grounds as Fowles would have done,
reading and discussing excerpts from his novel and diaries."
For more information, visit the following site:
www.literarylyme.co.uk
February 26, 2010
John Fowles enthusiasts will be able to participate in the
production of a new publication that was near and dear to
Fowles' heart. The Lymiad, an
anonymous poem written in 1818, has long been one of the most
highly-prized possessions of the Lyme Regis Philpot Museum. During the 1980s when John Fowles was curator of the museum, he
made a transcript of the poem, prepared a general introduction
and some explanatory notes on local references, and cherished
hopes of its publication. Unfortunately, he passed away
before this could happen.
Fowles' dream will hopefully
soon become reality with the publication of his
manuscript, designed as it might have appeared if
it had been published in 1819. It will consist of some 200 pages, soft-back but
with stitched pages and card covers marbled in the Regency
manner. It will include: an essay by Fowles on "Lyme
in the early 1800s"; a transcription of the text, with editorial
notes by Fowles; and illustrations from the Museum's rich
collection.
The Museum has already secured
grants towards the cost of production from charitable
foundations and other donors. To complete the task of publishing
the manuscript, they need 100 subscribers at £20 per
volume. All those who subscribe will have their
names recorded in the publication itself.
Click here for more details.
February 13, 2010
A stage adaptation of The Collector is currently running
at the Ruskin Group Theatre in Santa Monica, California.
Playwright Mark Healy adapted Fowles' novel for the stage, and
this performance will run through March 6. More
information at (310) 397-3244.
January 30, 2010
The passing of J.D. Salinger inevitably brings to mind The
Collector, for two reasons. First, both books were
unfortunately linked over the years to deranged killers, who in
their own twisted way used the novels for inspiration. More
specifically, in The Collector the kidnapped Miranda
gives Clegg a copy of Catcher in the Rye to read, but he
cannot understand why Miranda likes the novel. "I don't
see much point in it," Clegg tells her, completely missing the
point that in his own way, he is an outsider much like Holden
Caulfield.
January 17, 2010
Just came across a link on the web about a novel called
"Epiphany" by David Hewson, a contemporary British author of
crime and mystery novels. The review of the book
characterized it as "John Fowles on acid"(!). I'm curious
if anyone has read the book, and if so what they think.
January 1, 2010
We'll start the New Year off with an interesting quote from John
Fowles, which I think not only applies to how too many people
lead their lives, but also to the current unhappy state of
affairs in the world. This is actually something Conchis
says to Nicholas in The Magus:
"You are like a porcupine. When the
animal has its spines erect, it cannot eat. If you do not
eat, you will starve. And your prickles will die with the
rest of your body."
December 20, 2009
A controversy recently arose in Lyme Regis, John Fowles' home
for many years, regarding a footpath that has been created in
his memory near Belmont House, his former home. Read about
it here:
http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/lymenews/4761731.Lyme__Friends_hit_back_at_verbal_attack_on_author_John_Fowles/
November 23, 2009
Here's a link to a nice site for anyone who might be considering
a trip to Lyme Regis, England, long-time home to John Fowles and
setting for The French Lieutenant's Woman. It
includes information about The Philpot Museum, which now
features an exhibit on Fowles in its "Writers Gallery."
http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/If-You-Are-In-England-Come-And-Visit-The-Lyme-Bay-Coast/824868
November 10, 2009
The French Lieutenant's Woman was published in the U.S.
exactly 40 years ago, on November 10, 1969. It was
immediately hailed by critics as a masterpiece, and was a huge
bestseller (much to Fowles' surprise). Only one other
novel outsold it in the U.S. in 1970--Love Story by Erich
Segal. Here's the original Time Magazine review from 1969:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,840332,00.html?internalid=atb100
October 28, 2009
Here's an interesting blog by a writer of children's books that
does a good job of capturing the magical experience of reading
The Magus for the first time.
http://normblog.typepad.com/normblog/2009/10/writers-choice-228-sue-mongredien.html
October 16, 2009
A link recently became available that provides an audio archive
of John Fowles' appearance in San Francisco in 1998 during the
Wormholes tour (his final tour of the U.S.). Be
aware that Fowles was tired during this interview, and the
effects of his stroke from the previous decade are quite
apparent in his speech. UPDATE: the audio at the link
below has been taken down...hopefully it will be available again
soon.
http://fora.tv/1998/05/26/Interview_with_John_Fowles#fullprogram
October 4, 2009
Belmont House, the Lyme Regis home that John Fowles lived in for
many years, is now under the control of Britain's Landmark
Trust. The organization is currently reviewing options
on how to develop it into a landmark building. For more
information, click on the following link:
http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/future_landmarks/Belmont.htm
September 24, 2009
For better or worse, there is now a "John Fowles" page on
Facebook. At this point it mostly consists of individuals
talking about their favorite Fowles novels. It is
gratifying to see 1,305 fans currently registered to the site!
Here's a link:
http://www.facebook.com/fowles?_fb_noscript=1
September 11, 2009
We recently came across a
very interesting article in the archives of the London Telegraph
(August, 2003). It is by author Tim Lott and recounts his
visit to the Greek island of Spétses, where John Fowles
taught in the early 1950s. Spétses subsequently served as the
model for Phraxos, the island setting of The Magus. Here
is the link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/greece/728075/Greece-The-realm-of-The-Magus.html
September 3, 2009
Ray
Roberts, John Fowles’ editor in the U.S. for many years, died
August 12 in New York at the age of 71. Roberts, who worked for
several publishers including Macmillan, Doubleday, Little Brown,
Henry Holt and Viking, also edited heavyweights such as Ansel
Adams and Thomas Pynchon. At one time Roberts owned the most
extensive collection of John Fowles first editions in the world;
he sold it a few years ago to the University of Texas at Austin,
where it now resides with the John Fowles Papers at the
Harry
Ransom Humanities
Research Center.
Ray
was an extremely interesting and erudite individual who
developed a strong friendship with John Fowles over the years
(his favorite Fowles novel was Daniel Martin). He was a
major player in the New York literary scene, and counted among
his close friends Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis when she worked for
Doubleday. He will be greatly missed by all of us who knew him.
August 30, 2009
Our friend Ellis Sharp currently has some
wonderful Fowles-related photos on his blog, including some that
were taken during a recent trip to Lyme Regis. Also
featured is a series of photos showing the homes in Hampstead
and Highgate where Fowles and his wife lived during the decade
1954-64. Click the following link for the latter, and then
the individual archives on the right for the Lyme photos:
http://barbaricdocument.blogspot.com/2009/07/john-fowles-in-hampstead-and-highgate.html
August 21, 2009
A new DVD version of The French Lieutenant's
Woman is expected to be released by Criterion sometime next
year. Using the best available source materials, the
company produces technologically improved versions of classic
films. Starring Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, The
French Lieutenant's Woman was released theatrically in 1981
and nominated for five academy awards.
Home
|
