West Sussex author explores world of Malcolm Lowry

Angmering author Nigel Foxcroft explores the world of English late modernist writer Malcolm Lowry in his new book.
Nigel FoxcroftNigel Foxcroft
Nigel Foxcroft

The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowry: Souls and Shamans has been published by Lexington Books, Lanham, MD, USA and is available online at amazon.ca.

Nigel, senior lecturer in English Literature, Russian and European Studies, School of Humanities (Falmer), University of Brighton, said: “The book invites you to step into my world. It will take you on a highly-topical journey into the life and works of Malcolm Lowry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Born in New Brighton, Wirral, this great fiction author had close links to Sussex. Writing in the first half of the 20th century, he was fascinated by the complex and interrelated realm of his experiences: it was – and is – one where ancient and contemporary cultures meet.

“Join me on an expedition which spans the continents of Europe, the Americas, and Asia. We shall trace Lowry’s steps by venturing to Russia, Mexico, Canada and the Far East on a quest to decipher the hidden secrets of cultures and civilizations.

“My book will provide you with a historical lens which highlights literature’s role in heightening awareness of contemporary issues of global significance too. These include current economic and political uncertainties, environmental concerns and ecological degradation. I hope readers will share a glimpse into Lowry’s colourful, yet often disturbing works, whilst being prompted to see some of our own society’s challenges from a different perspective.

“The publication of The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowry brings to fruition an odyssey on which I embarked – somewhat unexpectedly – seventeen years ago. I was inspired by Alistair Davies, my former tutor at the University of Sussex, who introduced me to Lowry’s masterpiece, Under the Volcano.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Set in Mexico on the Day of the Dead in November 1939, it cinematically flashes back to events happening in 1938, before the outbreak of the Second World War. Conjuring up the Consul’s recollections of his childhood and adolescence in Wirral, Liverpool, and Cambridge, it then spins forward to his dreamt of prospects in British Columbia, Canada….

“Intrigued by the bright, dazzling skull on the cover of my copy of Under the Volcano – and stimulated by reading this amazingly complex novel – I set off on a parallel journey. It took me to Mexico City (where I witnessed the opening scenes of the James Bond film, Spectre being filmed in 2014) and on to Quauhnahuac – modern-day Cuernavaca – for the Día de Muertos.

“Mesmerised by the interconnectedness of various cultures, I delved back into the pages of Under the Volcano to assess the authenticity of the living souls depicted and to fathom out how Lowry laments the loss of indigenous cultures by linking the past, present, and future contexts of Mexican, Hispanic, and Russian civilizations. I found particularly appealing his insight into human nature derived from his pursuit of an elixir of life for the survival of humanity on the brink of catastrophe. His long-lost work of the 1930s In Ballast to the White Sea immersed me in a world afflicted by economic depression and political polarisation and vacillating between fascism and communism….

“As if in a dream, my vocation had beckoned me to travel to the weird and wonderful country of Mexico to appraise its exotic treasures and to gather materials for my book-project. I delivered an invited keynote lecture on Lowry’s East-West connections at the Museo de la Casona Spencer in Cuernavaca on that very Day of the Dead, November 2. A short field-trip to Oaxaca – the land of the Zapotecs – enabled me to follow in his footsteps by visiting the archaeological sites of Mitla and Monte Albán (White Mountain), dating back to 900 BC and 500 BC, respectively.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“An excursion to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City reminded me of one I had taken to the Aztecs exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2003. Shocked by the desecration of that civilization by the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez in his 1519-21 conquest of Mexico, I realised that the Día de Muertos commemorates the preciousness of life and cultural heritage. I discovered that this fiesta originates from 2 500-year-old shamanic rituals which were cherished by the Aztecs and then fused with Hispanic influences.

“Conceived as a means of bringing the spirits of the fallen back from the Underworld, if only for a day, it combines historical traditions with visually stunning modern interpretations. These comprise displays of dazzling masks, processions of exotic costumes, and reverberating folk recitals of regional Mexican Spanish music performed by local mariachi bands…”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

*************

A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Stay safe, and best wishes.

Gary Shipton

Editorial Director