Book Notes: "A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt

A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I used a quote from this play in my first academic publication. I first read this play in high school and I would enjoying seeing it performed. Sir Thomas More's integrity is admirable and appealing, yet I cannot help but think it is futile. Bolt captures many themes in a short play that is very clever. While More's lack of political "ability" seems outdated, former Prime Minister the late Gough Whitlam suffered the same fate by believing that the Governor General would follow convention and only act on the advice of the Prime Minister. More thought he cold keep his conscience and placate King Henry VIII. They were both wrong. Honourable, yet in the grand scheme of history, rather pointless. Better to be the Common Man and die in one's bed, methinks.



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Book Notes: "An Orderley Man" by Dirk Bogarde

An Orderly Man by Dirk Bogarde

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the third of Bogarde's autobiographical works. I am reading these in random order as I stumble upon each book in second-hand book stores. Yet there is a continuity in Bogarde's writing that seems to make it easy to piece together. Each work is a standalone wonder of personal stories that are somehow vividly interesting. I "discovered" Bogarde after reading Thomas Mann's Death in Venice and then watching the movie of the book. I also "discovered" Mahler. After watching the movie, I have become more aware of the name of Dirk Bogarde and this has sent me on a mission to read all of his works (15 I believe). An Orderly Man is of interest because it covers the period of Bogarde's portrayal of Gustave Aschenbach. The work brings to life Visconti and other famous Art House directors and screen writers and presents in sharp relief the life of an English actor of the period working on the Continent versus the excesses of fame and fortune in Hollywood. Bogarde's humility shines through and it is difficult not to admire the "underdog" and his trials and tribulations. Mind you, living in Provence and existing by acting and writing are hardly the banal stuff of most people's lot. Yet the stories are fascinating, Bogarde makes a wonderful success of writing about writing (and acting) and finishing each of his books so far leaves me calmly contented and eager for the next book.



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Book Notes: "Nightwood" by Djuna Barnes

Nightwood by Djuna Barnes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


While it is not fair to compare Barnes to other authors (and on International Women's Day it was poignant to read T.S.Eliot's foreword suggesting that Barnes is one of the few good female authors), I could not help but feel like I was reading a cross between Thomas Mann and Franz Kafka, with a touch of Gertrude Stein. The discussion of night and day was interesting, especially after reading Scott Fitzgerald's "The Crack Up" from Esquire magazine in 1936 which touched on similar ideas. Given that Nightwood and "The Crack Up" were both published in 1936, it is clear that the period represents a significant change in the style and tone of literature from the greats of the 1920s. Nightwood has intrigued me enough to want to read Barnes' earlier work. What distinguishes Barnes' dialogue from Charlotte Brontë and Mary Shelley was that when I felt it was far too long for realistic conversations, the author indicates that the listener had also tuned out (on occasion). I found this clever and kept me intrigued, whereas Brontë and Shelley drag on with their dialogue without apology, and I find this hard work to stay interested. Not so with Djuna Barnes and I am glad I found this gem at the Argyle Emporium in Goulburn the other day.



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