Then again, that also may very well have been his greatest flaw.
In "Anthony Burgess: A Biography," famed biographer Roger Lewis touches upon Burgess' bipolar nature, one torn between a love of language and a desperate need to shelter a past better left unspoken.
Burgess (born John Wilson) was a man who lived for his work, if for no other reason than he had little else to live for. He was an uncanny wordsmith, a man who possessed a power over language unlike most other writers. Yet whereas he demonstrated a significant stronghold over words and all things analytical and objective, he was emotionally detatched, due much in part to his sad and neglected childhood, the experiences from which would come to define and sculpt his world view and the nature of his work.
His novels are cold, calculated dreamlands of lies, fantasy and exaggeration, where Burgess expresses and reinvents himself through the numerous characters he creates. He worked with unrelenting speed and consistency, pumping out over 30 novels throughout his life, as well as numerous reviews, essays and musical compositions.
His writing was his safeguard, a retreat away from a troublesome lifestyle he simply didn't have the heart to face.
For Lewis, the biography is more than simply a chronicle of Burgess's life and work, but a labor of love. He begins the book by expressing his fear and admiration of Burgess, stating, "I don't like to meet my heroes."
In fact, Lewis never did meet Burgess. Instead, the book is a meticulously detailed and thoroughly researched study 20 years in the making, put together not from the personal experience of having known Burgess, but rather through insightful quotes, critiques and allusions to Burgess's work and that of many of his contemporaries, such as James Joyce and Somerset Maugham.
Readers may be inclined to question the credibility of "Anthony Burgess" due to Lewis' admitted admiration of Burgess's work. The book is peppered page by page with in-depth references to many of his novels, from "A Clockwork Orange" to "Honey for the Bears." It's evident from the reading that Lewis is a firm appreciator of the subject matter at hand. However, he's careful not to let his awe for Burgess affect his objectivity, allowing for an unbiased, nonpartisan critique of the author's stone cold brilliance and infamous eccentricities.
The book chronicles Burgess's life in five chapters, each designed to analyze and document a stage in the author's life. Lewis begins with "Jack Be Nimble," an unflinching account of Burgess's tumultuous childhood, plagued by the death of his mother and a distant relationship with his stepfamily.
The opening chapter in many ways sets the tone for the rest of the book, hinting at his predilection toward imagination and illusion (he once claimed to have been abandoned next to his dead mother and sister in a morgue) and his tendency to distance himself from others because of his intelligence.
"Sex and Violence" covers his trying relationship with his wife Lynne, a raging alcoholic and alleged nymphomaniac, and how their relationship impacted his views on sex — particularly incest — which is a prevalent theme in many of his novels.
The third chapter, entitled "Happy Days," documents a tranquil period in Burgess's life, where he taught at London's prestigious Branbury Grammar School under his given name. "Jungle Books" marks the evolution of Burgess from Wilson, after he leaves Branbury for Malaya to produce his Malyan Trilogy, and it is during this era that Burgess wrote many of his most famous and influential novels.
Finally, "Renaissance Man" looks at the balance between Burgess's personal life and his work, how he lived through the characters he created, and the influence Lynne had on much of his latter day writings and compositions.
Lewis' biography is so detailed and crammed with so many precise references to Burgess's work that it narrows its audience down to a very thin margin, particularly to avid Burgess fans.
Those who know Burgess only as "the guy who wrote 'A Clockwork Orange'" may find the incessant namedropping a bit excessive and hard to grasp. Yet Lewis makes a point to try and let everyone in on the book. While those who are readily familiar with Burgess and his writings may have the upper hand, the book is written and constructed in such a way that unfamiliar readers will still be able to appreciate and see the man behind the legend.
Lewis approaches "Anthony Burgess" like a detective trying to solve a mystery. He's careful and diligent, all with a razor sharp eye for detail. Lewis pieces together the fruits of his research to cut through the folklore and the legend that is Burgess to expose the man that lies beneath.
He poses many questions; all in an effort to break down the author's many barriers. Yet while many such questions are left unresolved, when the subject matter is Burgess, the best questions are the ones left unanswered.
Grade: B