Paul Bowles is an American writer and composer, whom many call a classic of modern literature. His work mainly fell on the second half of the 20th century. He is the author of the novels “Under the Veil of Heaven”, “Let It Pour,” “The House of the Spider,” “Above the World,” and collections of short stories. In this article we will talk about his biography, as well as about the main works.
Childhood and youth
Paul Bowles was born in 1910. He was born in one of the districts of New York. He grew up in a family with very conservative views. He was an only child with his parents.
In literature, Paul Bowles made his debut in 1928 with the story "Waterfall", which was published in a student literary newspaper. Within a few months, his poems appeared in French publications. Gradually, popularity began to come to him.
When the hero of the article was 18 years old, he left America, going to travel the world. Paul Bowles traveled to Europe, Mexico, North Africa, traveled almost the whole of Central America.
Passion for music
Returning home, Bowles began to study music. And in 1931 he first appeared in the Moroccan city of Tangier, which played a big role in his fate. The people and the village itself made a lasting impression on the writer.
Once again in the United States, he writes music for chamber orchestras and theaters, actively publishes critical articles in which he describes modern theater productions.
Personal life
In 1937, Bowles met with novice writer Jane Auer, who at that time was only 20 years old. A romance arises between them, a year later they get married, but the marriage is short-lived. After spending about a year and a half together, Bowles and Auer diverge.
At the same time, they continue to maintain close friendly relations and help each other in everything. They even work together. In the future, in several Bowles works dedicated to Algeria and Morocco, episodes about their relationship with Auer can be found.
In 1943, the first novel of the ex-wife of the hero of our article was published in print, which critics perceive ambiguously. After the end of World War II, she began work on the second major prose work, and Bowles left for Tangier in 1947. In the north of Morocco, he spends almost his entire life.
A year later, Auer returns to his spouse, they are reunited. In Tangier, they live in a creative union, meeting with many famous writers: Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, Gore Vidal. It was in Morocco that Bowles began to write his most famous work - the novel "Under the Cover of Heaven", which was published in 1949. After several decades, he was even filmed by Bernardo Bertolucci, and the author himself appeared in the final scene of the picture. The experts of Time magazine included the book among the best one hundred novels of the 20th century.
Spouse's death
In 1957, Jane was diagnosed with a serious illness. She suffers during this period from drug and alcohol addiction. From time to time, she experiences epileptic seizures. Paul takes care of his wife, takes her to the doctors, but all is useless. In 1973, she dies in the Spanish Malaga.
During this period, Bowles writes many short stories, the most famous of which is Midnight Mass, as well as the novel Spider House. In Morocco, he actively participates in the cultural life of the country, supports local modernist writers. In particular, Muhammad Zefzaf, the author of the story "Guide" and the novel "Another attempt to survive." It also helps Muhammad Shukri, even translates into English his novel "One Bread."
In recent years, Bowles has done a lot of translation. Adapts for the English-speaking reader the works of Swiss writer of Russian origin Isabelle Eberhard and Guatemalan Rodrigo Ray Rosa.
In 1999, Bowles dies in Tangier. He was 88 years old. The writer was buried in his native New York.
The novel "Under the cover of heaven"
This novel became the most famous work of the American writer. In the book “Under the Cover of Heaven” Paul Bowles describes the events that unfold in the Algerian port city of Oran. A couple of Americans come here - Keith and Port Moresby - along with mutual friend George Tanner. They travel throughout Algeria, hiding from a world crippled by war. Recall that the novel was written in 1949 - just a few years after the victory over fascism.
In Oran, the port is infected with typhoid. In torment, he dies in the French fort right in the middle of the Sahara desert. After this tragedy, Keith leaves the fort, going to wander where his eyes look. She joins a passing caravan.
It turns out to be a merchant, whose name is Belkassim. He makes Keith his mistress and takes him to the village. The American is locked in the harem of Belcassim. Other wives help her organize an escape.
Caught alone in the middle of a foreign country, she goes a hard way to survive. On the street, she becomes a victim of rape, after which she finally goes crazy. She is found by the sisters of mercy, who transfer the woman to the American embassy. This is one of the most dramatic novels written by Paul Bowles. "Under the cover of night" ends in the same cafe in Oran, where it all began. George Tanner meets Keith, who by then had already lost her mind.
It is known that the writer devoted the work to a relationship with his wife Jane Auer. The book has been translated into Russian twice. In 2011, Alexander Skidan did this, and four years later - Vladimir Boshniak.
Film adaptation
Bowles' most famous novel was filmed by Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci in 1990. The picture of the tragic journey of an American couple in North Africa, he gave the same name as the literary work itself.
The main roles in the film were played by John Malkovich and Debra Winger. George Tanner was played by Campbell Scott.
In the finale of the picture, the author himself appears, Paul Bowles. It turns out that throughout the film he acted as a storyteller.
Reviews
Readers are very controversial about the novel written by Paul Bowles. Reviews of "Under the cover of heaven" were diametrically opposed. Most, noting that the book was written, certainly talented, admitted that after reading they felt raped, like the main character. Once again, there was a conviction of how cruel and unfair the woman is in the Muslim world. And also how reckless a person must be in order to face him of his own free will.
At the same time, the novel was highly appreciated by a contemporary of Bowles Tennessee Williams, claiming that it reflected all that is beautiful and terrible that contains the Sahara and the surrounding cities.
Those who especially liked this work are advised to read it slowly, so as not to miss the revelations that the author prepared in the course of this narrative.
"Let it pour"
The second novel that Paul Bowles composed is Let It Pour. It was written in 1952, three years after a high-profile debut. With the work of this American classic, the domestic reader got the opportunity to get acquainted for the first time relatively recently. For example, this book was first translated and published only in 2015.
The action of the book “Let It Pour” takes place on the territory of the beloved city of Bowles Tangier, in which he spent many years of his life. The main character is the ordinary cashier of the New York Bank Nelson Daer, who comes to Morocco in search of a new life. She was supposed to be fundamentally different, not like what he constantly had to face in America.
In Tangier, he finds himself among impoverished aristocrats, successful international swindlers, crooks of all stripes and awkward foreign spies. It is here that he feels within himself the strength to give free rein to his own instincts, starting to explore the inside of a civilized society. It soon turns out that stopping Daeru will not be so easy. As a result, he goes too far.
Impressions of the novel
Paul Bowles has been working on the book for quite some time. Readers characterize it as stuffy, muddy and sandy, just like the Sahara, against which the events of this novel unfold. Daer, who comes to Tangier to diversify his boring life, is faced with the fact that here everything is the same, and in some manifestations even worse. The work on which he was counting could not be found, nor could you see a kindred spirit. Therefore, he has to wander around the bars, drink gin and conduct lengthy philosophical conversations with dubious personalities.
Everything that he aspires to the reader seems petty and insignificant. The main thing is that he himself understands this very well. Under the sultry Moroccan sun, the hero is another “outsider”, as is the main character of the novel Albert Camus. As a result, Daer is increasingly thinking that life is pain, entropy, and loss. Moreover, to the person she is completely silent and indifferent.
"Spider House"
The novel "Spider House" Paul Bowles wrote in 1955. At this time, he cared a lot for his wife Jane, who was suffering simultaneously from illness and alcohol addiction.
The heroes of this work are a tourist from America Lee, the cynical writer Stenham and a young apprentice of the potter Amar. Three of these heroes, whom, at first glance, nothing can unite, find themselves in the midst of a powerful political hurricane. In the ancient city of Fez, Moroccans rebel against the policies of the French colonialists. From the exchanged life of heroes soon there is no trace left.
Political instability
Stormy events unfold in this novel. Paul Bowles in "Spider House" talks about incidents that he himself witnessed. An important place in the work is occupied by the city of Fes. In the mid-50s, when this book was written, it was divided into two parts: French and Spanish.
The French are able to overthrow the Sultan in order to seize the more controlled and accommodating monarch on the throne. At this time, among the young, educated Moroccans, more and more ambitious personalities appeared who seek to gain power over the dark people.
The modern reader may be struck by the fatalism of Moroccans. They are convinced that fate cannot be changed. All of this fascinates even more in Paul Bowles’s Spider House.
"Above the World"
After a break of 11 years, Bowles writes his last novel, the fourth in a row. In the book “Above the World,” the main characters also go to an exotic country to dispel boredom. Not to North Africa, but to Panama.
Dr. Taylor Slade and his young wife very naively believe that common sense and money can protect him from any misfortunes.