Andrew Biswell, The Real Life of Anthony Burgess [1917-1993].

Andrew Biswell, The Real Life of Anthony Burgess [1917-1993]. London: Picador, 2005. ISBN 0-330-48170-3. x + 434pp. Plates, bibliography, index. Hardback, 20.00 [pounds sterling].

It was predicted in the Borneo Research Bulletin 2004 (page 214) that Roger Lewis's "venomous" biography published in 2002 was unlikely to provide the last word on John Anthony Burgess Wilson (hereafter JABW). And so it has proved; and rather sooner than anticipated. The new biographer, Andrew Biswell, certainly employs a calmer, more reasonable tone of voice; but it should not be supposed that he adopts an uncritical approach or accepts all of Dr. Burgess's assertions at face value. This might not be an official biography, but the widow, the Contessa Pasi, "supported and encouraged" the research (p. 395).

Curiously enough, although listing Mr. Lewis's work in his own bibliography, Mr. (1) Biswell hardly engages with his predecessor in any way, unless the title is an oblique comment on it (as well as on JABW's propensity to embroider his past). Judging from the footnotes and references to assistance from persons now deceased, Dr. Biswell must have been at work on this book for some years; and indeed he is stated to have been publishing articles on JABW since 1995.

In the first part of the volume Dr. Biswell traces JABW's Mancunian roots (1917-1940) and intellectual development through school, university, marriage, "reluctant" military service during the Second World War, and schoolmastering at Banbury Grammar School (1950-1954). Key influences included the novels of James Joyce (pp. 30-37, 287-88, 311, 318-19) and the Nazi genocide (p. 111). JABW lost his Catholic faith at a young age (pp. 33,373), but found it difficult to shake off the influence of that religion entirely (e.g. pp. 284, 341). In particular, Dr. Burgess retained an Augustinian belief in Original Sin, in opposition to neo-Pelagianism (pp. 104-6, 247, 267, 374-75), the latter being guilty of producing "Russia, America, youth organizations and holiday camps" (p. 127).

JABW had a commitment to high culture (music, drama, novels), for which the outlet in the United Kingdom seemed unpromising. He also found his salary as a teacher insufficient to enable him to afford the books, records, and subscriptions which he coveted. In 1954, therefore, he set off for a new career in Southeast Asia out of cultural disillusionment and for financial reasons (pp. 145-46, 156, 157, 199).

JABW spent one year at the elite Malay College in Kuala Kangsar (1954-1955) before being transferred to the teachers' training college in Kota Bharu, where he remained until his three-year contract with the Colonial Office expired in the summer of 1957 (p. 198). After some months in Europe, he arrived at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin College in Brunei Town in January 1958 (p. 201) and remained there until September 1959 (p. 204).

"Anti-establishment by temperament," JABW "shared many of George Orwell's liberal doubts about imperialism" (p. 155). (2) Like Orwell, he remained something of an outsider, cold-shouldered by fellow Europeans because he broke the "unwritten rule" about socializing with the local population (p. 160). The latter, for their part "were united only in their common hatred of the British" (p. 168). JABW regretted that he was unable to inspire any of his pupils to go on to become famous poets or novelists, as he had hoped (p. 164). His career in the Federation was, therefore, "a kind of failure" (p. 163); and even his own confidence in Western culture was undermined (pp. 162-63). Contrary to a jibe by Mr. Lewis (2002:230), JABW's linguistic expertise in Malay is given full and repeated recognition here (pp. 162, 163, 165-66, 170, 174, 177).

Dr. Biswell's long chapter on Malaya and Brunei ("Beds in the East") undoubtedly shows a sound appreciation of the issues involved and, in general, avoids crass error. It is not entirely true, however, that "all" of the communist guerrillas were Chinese (p. 151); (3) and another statement on the same page also requires some attention, namely: "Although the nine principal states within the Federation of Malaya ... were theoretically governed by sultans, the Straits Settlement of 1875, engineered by Sir Stamford Raffles, had installed a British "adviser in each of these territories" (sic several times over).

JABW appears to have taken a dislike to Brunei from the outset (p. 201). Dr. Biswell has gathered original first-hand testimony from Mrs. Margery Fishenden, a fellow teacher at SOAS College. Evidently JABW and his first wife fitted in with expatriate society in the sultanate no more than they had done earlier in Malaya (p. 202; cf. pp. 160, 170-73, 176). The vexed "brain tumour" issue is not conclusively cleared up, principally because of medical-confidentiality ethics; the best we get is that something must have been wrong with JABW in 1959 (pp. 212-13,222). Little is said about Devil of a State, beyond three passing mentions. Interestingly, the list of acknowledgements includes Simon Francis (p. 396), whose name will be familiar to readers of this Bulletin.

The second half of the book is devoted to JABW's full-time career as a writer from 1959/60 until his death in 1993. A splendid tribute to him is given by Joseph Heller (pp. 348-50). The biographer rather skates over the final quarter-century of JABW's life (pp. 335-93) and it might not be coincidental that this is the period of his second marriage (1968-1993), given that JABW's widow is still alive.

It would appear that Dr. Burgess' reputation is back on the upswing. In the spring of 2005 the International Anthony Burgess Foundation was opened in his native Manchester (Sunday Times Magazine, London, 13 March 2005:18-24). Mr. Biswell's book appeared in the autumn, one commentator suggesting that "It is hard to believe he [JABW] will ever be forgotten; and if he is, he is bound to be rediscovered" (John Gross, Sunday Telegraph, London, 30 October 2005:R13). Dr. Biswell himself argues that Dr. Burgess's work "speaks to an unusual variety of readers and for different reasons" (p. 392). And with the official Life still to come, Dr. Burgess's rehabilitation seems to be assured. Meanwhile, even Mr. Lewis may look on the bright side. Paradoxically, a debunking biography can endure only if it "fails." In other words, it will not continue to be read unless the overall standing of the target survives intact; otherwise both subject and biographer would eventually be forgotten together. (AVM Horton, [e-mail])

(1) His academic style is not stated, beyond a reference on the blurb to the effect that he is a lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University.

(2) The relative importance of the two men is indicated by the fact that while Orwell appears in Burgess's biography, the same is not true vice-versa (judging from a quick glance at the index, pp. 663,676 in Bernard Crick, George Orwell: A Life. London: Penguin, 1992 edition).

(3) Cf. Malcolm Caldwell, "From 'Emergency' to 'Independence' 1948-57," In Mohamed Amin and Malcolm Caldwell (Eds), Malaya: The Making of a Neo-Colony (Nottingham: Spokesman, 1977), especially pp. 224-31.