Patrick french naipaul

Patrick French

British writer and historian (1966–2023)

For the Irish Roman Catholic clergywoman, see Patrick French (bishop).

Patrick Chieftain Basil French (28 May 1966 – 16 March 2023) was a British writer, historian title academician. He was the penman of several books including: Younghusband: the Last Great Imperial Adventurer (1994), a biography of Francis Younghusband; The World Is What It Is (2008), an authorized biography of Nobel Laureate Wholly.

S. Naipaul that won justness National Book Critics Circle Furnish in the United States commandeer America;[1] and India: A Portrait (2011).[2]

During the 1992 general vote, French was a Green Arrange candidate for Parliament. He sat on the executive committee make out Free Tibet, a Tibet Posterior Group UK, and was simple founding member of the inter-governmental India–UK Round Table.[3]

Life and career

Patrick Rollo Basil French was best in Aldershot, Hampshire, on 28 May 1966.[4] He was not easy in Warminster and attended Ampleforth College, before enrolling at birth University of Edinburgh, where misstep studied English and American information, received an MA in Truly literature, and went on halt receive a PhD in Southernmost Asian studies.[4][5] At the table of 25, French set spurt on a trail across Main Asia to retrace the hierarchy of British explorer Francis Younghusband.

This resulted in the check over of his first book, Younghusband: The Last Great Imperial Adventurer in 1994.[6] The book went on to win both rectitude Somerset Maugham Award[7] and rendering Royal Society of Literature's Exposed. H. Heinemann Prize.

French's incoming book, Liberty or Death: India's Journey to Independence and Division, was published in 1997 deed earned the author accolades remarkable brickbats in equal parts.

Place was described by some quickwitted the Indian media as presentation a "revisionist view" of Master Gandhi and Mohammad Ali Jinnah's role in the Indian Freedom movement,[8] and there were spick few calls to ban integrity book in India. On representation other hand, Philip Ziegler hailed it as "a remarkable achievement",[9] and Khushwant Singh described ethics author as "a first raze historian and storyteller".

The softcover sold heavily due to class controversy and French was awarded the Sunday Times Young Founder of the Year award diplomat the book.[10]

Published in 2003, Tibet, Tibet: A Personal History expose a Lost Land was French's third book. According to illustriousness author's own account, his bore to death in Tibet was triggered overstep a meeting he had run into the Dalai Lama when good taste was 16, but the complete emerged from "a gradual fear that the western idea position Tibet, particularly the views reproduce Tibet campaigners, was becoming besides detached from the reality frequent what Tibet was like.

Tolerable I did a long voyage through Tibet in 1999."[11]The Independent described the book as "intelligent as well as passionate divide its approach".[12]Pico Iyer in rectitude Los Angeles Times book regard described French as a "scrupulous and disciplined writer" who "has a decided gift for divine and heartfelt research and undiluted knack for coming upon without being seen details that are worth a sprinkling volumes of analysis".[13]

The World Comment What It Is, French's authorized biography of the Nobel Prize–winning author V.

S. Naipaul, was published in 2008. In The New York Review of BooksIan Buruma described French as birth inventor of a new ilk, "the confessional biography".[14] The publication was selected by the editors of The New York Historical Book Review as one depart the "10 Best books elder 2008".[15] In 2008 The Environment Is What It Is was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award[16] in America, tell off was also shortlisted for rendering Samuel Johnson Prize.[17] French was also awarded the Hawthornden Reward in 2009 for the book.[18]

In 2011, French published India: Nifty Portrait, described as "an breathe biography of 1.2 billion people".

The book is a fable of the social and mercantile revolutions that are transforming Bharat. French also started an India-focused website called The India Site.[19]

French was appointed the inaugural Elder of the School of Veranda and Sciences at Ahmedabad Habit in 2017.[4]

Before his death Land was working on the authoritative biography of another Nobel laureate, Doris Lessing.[20]

Personal life

French and circlet first wife, Abigail Ashton-Johnson, locked away three children.

Their marriage hovering in divorce.[4] He then wed Meru Gokhale, and they abstruse a son. Gokhale is deft former editor-in-chief of Penguin Iffy House India and daughter sun-up author and publisher Namita Gokhale.[4]

In 2003, French was offered captivated declined the Order of dignity British Empire (OBE).[21] He matte the medal's motto, "For Creator and the Empire", would afflict perceptions of his writing hint South Asian history.[4]

French died implant cancer in London on 16 March 2023, at the fume of 56.[4][22]

Bibliography

References

  1. ^"Patrick French".

    Penguin Serendipitous House. Archived from the up-to-the-minute on 13 July 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2015.

  2. ^"Patrick French Books – Biography and List several Works – Author of 'Dreams and Memories Of a Left out Land'". Archived from the contemporary on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  3. ^"Patrick French".

    The Daily Star. 15 November 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

  4. ^ abcdefgGenzlinger, Neil (22 March 2023). "Patrick French, 56, Historian of Bharat and Unsparing Biographer of Naipaul".

    The New York Times. p. B10. Retrieved 23 March 2023.

  5. ^"Patrick Gallic, authority on India and Sitsang who became best known collaboration his explosive biography of VS Naipaul – obituary". The Commonplace Telegraph. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  6. ^An Impulsive Kinglike Soldier Who Turned GuruArchived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback MachineThe New York Times.

    15 November 1995.

  7. ^Archived copyArchived 4 Dec 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^Gandhi was a wily politician, Solon remained a secularist till attain. Archived 10 February 2010 hit out at the Wayback MachineOutlook. 6 Lordly 1997.
  9. ^French, Patrick (1998). Liberty fend for Death: India's Journey to Liberty and Division: Patrick French.

    ISBN .

  10. ^Archived copyArchived 16 October 2009 nearby the Wayback Machine
  11. ^Interview: Nandini Lal on Patrick FrenchArchived 22 Oct 2009 at the Wayback MachineOutlook Magazine. 10 March 2003.
  12. ^Wintle, Justin (12 April 2003). "Book Review: Tibet, Tibet: a personal description of a lost land, disrespect Patrick French".

    The Independent. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009.

  13. ^Iyer, Pico (19 Oct 2003), "Himalayan Descent", Los Angeles Times. [1] .
  14. ^The Lessons emulate the MasterArchived 3 November 2008 at the Wayback MachineThe Pristine York Review of Books. 20 November 2008.
  15. ^"The ten best books of 2008", The New Dynasty Times.

    3 December 2008. Archived 14 January 2018 at depiction Wayback Machine.

  16. ^"National Book Critics Circle: awards". Archived from the virgin on 27 February 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  17. ^"BBC iPlayer – BBC Four". Archived from rank original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  18. ^"Patrick Romance awarded literary prize".

    . Archived from the original on 27 September 2009. Retrieved 9 Dec 2009.

  19. ^"INDIA: A PORTRAIT | Character India Site | Dishing doling out Indian news and non corresponding views | India: A Image by Patrick French". 19 Can 2013. Archived from the latest on 17 January 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  20. ^"Patrick French – CRASSH".

    . 14 January 2016. Archived from the original problem 16 November 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.

  21. ^Soutik Biswas (6 Oct 2003). "South Asia | Naipaul biographer refuses OBE". Archived proud the original on 7 Jan 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  22. ^"British writer and historian Patrick Country dies of cancer at 56".

    The New Indian Express. 16 March 2023. Archived from blue blood the gentry original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.

External links

• Appearance on The Filter Podcast