In the absence of a definitive biography of Christopher Isherwood, this rich resource of personal reminiscence and considered critical reflection is the next best thing. It may even become one of the essential books for students of English literature and culture in the 20th century, as well as for those drawn to the rowdy and fertile expatriate communities around Hollywood during and after World War II. Concentrating on Isherwood's life in Southern California, where he settled in 1939, here are essays by younger friends and students, among them the photographer Stathis Orphanos and the writers Carolyn Heilbrun and James P. White; an interview with Isherwood's companion, the artist Don Bachardy; and excerpts from his dairies. Critical essays from Edmund White and others range from discussions of the "long road of understanding" that Isherwood began with Prater Violet (1945) and his explorations of Vedanta to his collaborations with his friend W.H. Auden and the drawings Bachardy made of Isherwood as he lay dying in the winter of 1985-86. The contributions to this book are thoughtful, somewhat modest, and unfailingly entertaining. It is a fitting homage to a writer who devoted many years to trying to curb his ego, the better to see reality behind appearances and the better to write it down. --Regina Marler


From Publishers Weekly
Filled with passionate tributes, this reader-friendly volume offers a sturdy collection of wonderful writings. In four sections--"Meeting Isherwood," "Artist and Companion," "The Writer in Context" and "Finding a Path"--friends, acquaintances, biographers and critics of the late Isherwood (whom, the editors maintain, stands as "the pivotal figure of his generation") cast keen light on the man and his work. Essayists cover the writer's influence and unstable place in English and American literature, his spiritual beliefs (especially the influence of Vedanta, a branch of Hinduism based on the ancient teachings of the Vedas, on his life and work) and his personal life. Michael S. Harper contributes a memoir in the form of a poem; feminist scholar Carolyn G. Heilbrun weighs in with an unlikely essay; and there are moving and humorous excerpts from the diary of Don Bachardy, Isherwood's longtime lover, an interview with the writer himself and a handful of critical essays informed by gender theory and gay/lesbian scholarship. However, as a whole, the book does not effectively counter the view that Isherwood was "both remote and obscure" (as the editors say he felt himself to be in 1941). There's no question that Isherwood influenced a number of subsequent writers, particularly gay men searching for the means to make their voices heard; but the claim that he was central to the development of literature in the 20th century--this excellent collection of writings on his life notwithstanding--remains unconvincing. B&w illustrations. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Anglo-American novelist Isherwood (1904^-1986) is not simply recalled but also revered in this selection of essays by people who knew him and appreciated him. The essays fall into two basic categories: reminiscence and literary criticism. The former tends to explain in intimate terms Isherwood's personal impact on people, and the latter evaluates the impact of his writing on English and American literature. Isherwood is known primarily as the author of The Berlin Stories, written about his stay in the German capital in the early 1930s and the people he met there, upon which the various theatrical and cinematic incarnations called Cabaret have been based. It is established here that he made "semiautobiographical fiction" his own genre; and it is equally established here that the love and admiration he generated among the people who knew him resonate well beyond the time he actually had to spend among them. A collection such as this should, and will, compel readers to turn to Isherwood's works again. Brad Hooper

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Winner of the 2001 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Studies. Best known for The Berlin Stories -the inspiration for the "Tony and Academy Award-winning" musical Cabaret -Christopher Isherwood has always been considered both a literary and a gay pioneer. Through twenty-four essays and interviews, The Isherwood Century offers a fresh, in-depth view of the author, his literary legacy, and his continuing influence.

" The Isherwood Century allows us to see [Isherwood's] long and colorful life as an expression of the freedom to reinvent oneself." -Los Angeles Times

Author Biography: James J. Berg is the director of the Center for Teaching and Learning for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Chris Freeman is assistant professor of English at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Filled with passionate tributes, this reader-friendly volume offers a sturdy collection of wonderful writings. In four sections--"Meeting Isherwood," "Artist and Companion," "The Writer in Context" and "Finding a Path"--friends, acquaintances, biographers and critics of the late Isherwood (whom, the editors maintain, stands as "the pivotal figure of his generation") cast keen light on the man and his work. Essayists cover the writer's influence and unstable place in English and American literature, his spiritual beliefs (especially the influence of Vedanta, a branch of Hinduism based on the ancient teachings of the Vedas, on his life and work) and his personal life. Michael S. Harper contributes a memoir in the form of a poem; feminist scholar Carolyn G. Heilbrun weighs in with an unlikely essay; and there are moving and humorous excerpts from the diary of Don Bachardy, Isherwood's longtime lover, an interview with the writer himself and a handful of critical essays informed by gender theory and gay/lesbian scholarship. However, as a whole, the book does not effectively counter the view that Isherwood was "both remote and obscure" (as the editors say he felt himself to be in 1941). There's no question that Isherwood influenced a number of subsequent writers, particularly gay men searching for the means to make their voices heard; but the claim that he was central to the development of literature in the 20th century--this excellent collection of writings on his life notwithstanding--remains unconvincing. B&w illustrations. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Booknews

Best known for , the inspiration for the award- winning musical , Christopher Isherwood has been considered both a literary and a gay pioneer. These essays and interviews shed light on Isherwood's life and work, his literary legacy, and his continuing influence. Mixing critiques with personal reminiscences, the collection includes an essay and drawings by Don Bachardy, Isherwood's partner, recollections by celebrated authors, and memoirs by contemporaries. Includes b&w photos and drawings. Berg teaches English at the University of Maine. Freeman teaches English at St. John's University. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Internet Bookwatch

The Isherwood Century is an impressive collection of essays and interviews on the life and work of Christopher Isherwood, including a fresh, in-depth view of his literary legacy and continuing influence. Included are Katherine Bucknell (Who is Christopher Isherwood?); Dan Luckenbill (Isherwood in Los Angeles); Stathis Orphanos (In the Blink of an Eye: Evolving with Christopher Isherwood); Michael S. Harper (Ish circa 1959-1963); Michael S. Harper (Reading from Isherwood's Letter circa 1959-1963); Robert Peters (Gay Isherwood Visits Straight Riverside); Carolyn G. Heilbrun (My Isherwood, My Bachardy); James P. White (Write It Down or It's Lost: Isherwood as Mentor), and sixteen other informative and insightful contributors. The Isherwood Century is a "must" for all students and fans of Isherwood's accomplishments and thoughts.

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