Clayton Joyce

An interesting little volume. This "tribute" was commissioned before the great novelist's death but published shortly thereafter. 38 creatives - from historian Manning Clark to actor Tyler Coppin, poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe and novelist Elizabeth Jolley - share their perspectives on Patrick White, ranging from one to six pages. Some knew White well, some had specific interactions with him, a few never met him at all.

The opinion pieces are all interesting enough, although the book's intention is to provide a range of reflections on experiences with the author's work or with the man himself, rather than to provide an overview of his life or art. As such, some subjects (his relationship with Manoly Lascaris, his most well-known books "Voss" and "Riders in the Chariot") are repeated constantly while others are barely touched upon. A sweet piece, and no doubt rather effective in 1991, but not at the top of my White studies list.… (lisätietoja)