The press in recent months has brought back news of the marriage Bowles. Paul and Jane, whom many of us remember more than their writings, the strange, cold, and beautiful Italian film director Bernardo Bertolucci, " The Sheltering Sky."
A conference held in Malaga in April " The Bowles world" and edited by the City Council of a book on the last years of life of Jane, died in Malaga in 1973 psychiatric illness after a long confinement in the clinic until the end of his life, has prompted my curiosity to know something more about the life of this writer " Jewish, lesbian and take " as defined itself and which inevitably put the face of Debra Winger (true was less graceful.)
Millicent Dillon, his biographer, picks testimonies of American writers, including Tennessee Williams, who is considered one of the best yet, less valued writers of American literature, not so well known to the general public as it should, but it has the loyalty of a handful of faithful readers .
Jane was born in New York on February 22, 1917. Father was orphaned at 13 and moved with his mother in Manhattan. With tuberculosis as a teenager on one knee and had to be treated in a sanatorium in Switzerland. There was awakened an intense love for literature, while hatched fears and obsessions. On his return to New York thought about a career literature and had numerous affairs with men and mostly women.
In 1937 John Bowles met and married the following year and went from their honeymoon to Central America. Then moved to Paris, living separate lives, she began writing a novel ("Two Serious Ladies " published in 1942) and lesbian bars to visit. Back in New York, Bowles, travelers unrepentant, went to Mexico, where Jane went with her novel and her lover met Helvetia Perkins. In 1947 Paul moved to Tanger and Jane followed a year later. He wrote a comedy In the Summer House "and fell for a native Moroccan Charifa. Led an active social life and started having problems with drinking.
In 1957 he suffered a severe crisis that affected his eyesight and the brain. It was getting progressively worse and after successive hospitalizations in England, New York and Manchester, was admitted to the clinic, "Los Angeles" in this Andalusian city where he died in 1973.
Looking at home a few press clippings from the 90's, I found a related story Jane Bowles may well be labeled as bizarre to the point that I initially doubted its veracity. Briefly exposed the story is as follows:
In 1996, a 18 year old student, admirer of Jane, who preferred to remain anonymous, came to visit the grave of the writer in the San Miguel Cemetery Malaga, being impressed to see that everything was destroyed " as if there had been a war " 1 . Attempted to locate the grave of Jane, which cost him several visits and finally found it with the help of an undertaker who informed him that the cemetery was to be dismantled because it had to go through there a highway. " If you pay the expenses, you can take the remains " the said, " if not, go to the grave ."
Then, as bold, AL (these are the initial stock of which is the student) went by ferry to Tangier to interview with John Bowles 2 who, with little enthusiasm (" everything ends with death, "he said), authorized him to take charge of the remains of Jane. The intention of the young man was paid to exhume the remains and place them in an ossuary in the ancient cemetery of Marbella.
The second episode of this incredible story I find two days later told the same newspaper 3. Intellectuals Malaga grouped in the Association of Friends of the San Miguel Cemetery oppose the proposed exhumation and relocation of the remains of the cemetery in Marbella Jane and, instead, propose that a project will be held in 1985 sponsored by several writers Bowles locals and friends, supported even by this, and that was to make "a new and simple grave in the same place where lies the writer: a stone tablet designed by the painter Paul Runyan where only appeared carved figure a parrot and the dates and places (sic) of birth of the American. " The latest news I have registered on this issue is current. A group of friends and supporters of the New York writer participated in a tribute at the tomb restored in the cemetery of San Miguel. At the foot of a marble tombstone sober black with the inscription " Malaga Jane Bowles 1917-1973" and under " gardenia head" as he called Truman Capote. It seems that finally the tomb was restored and the remains of the writer lie where they should.
I've been researching on the internet on "the intermediate stages" of this issue and I found a news item published in El Pais. 17.09.1998 Andalusia, where, on one hand, reveals the identity of this student COU, Alia Luque, who came to pay 40,000 pesetas for the transfer of the remains of the writer to the cemetery in Marbella and on the other, it is reported that the City of Manchester " finally installed a memorial to the writer to tidy up his painful break " which is nothing but the above headstone installed on a stand solid brick.
I have not had a chance to see the photo exhibition "World of Bowles "Held in the gallery Alfredo Viñas de Málaga or the remainder of the events planned to commemorate the centenary of Paul Bowles, that rare writer and avid traveler who wrote that they" the difference between a traveler and a tourist is that first do not buy a return ticket . "
I would also like to hear from Aida Luque, this student decided COU, which I guess now graduated and eternal lover of literature (in Facebook include up to three people with the same name) and ask how She lived the end of the film and, of course, congratulate him on his gesture, which, I think contributed to the final resolution of the story I've told you, in the little that is, thinking that a follower of this blog will be interested as much as me and motivate you to learn and read more about this odd couple of intellectuals and travelers, who for so many reasons, left their mark on this world, which is enough.
Manuel Martínez Bargueño
May, 2010
May, 2010
If you have interested in this article and want to ask, comment or contribute something about it can leave a comment or write to my email address e manuelblas222@gmail.com with confidence be promptly addressed.
Thanks. Manuelblas
NOTES
1. The Last Journey of Jane Bowles. El País, November 1, 1996.
2. John Bowles died in Tangier on November 17, 1999, at 89 years of age. His remains were moved to New York where they were incinerated along with their parents.
3. Malaga intellectuals oppose the transfer of the remains of Jane Bowles at San Miguel Cemetery. El País, November 3, 1996
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