Bruce Chatwin: Travel Writer and Storyteller
Charles Bruce Chatwin (13 May 1940 – 18 January 1989) was an English travel writer, novelist and journalist. He won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his novel On the Black Hill (1982), and his work is credited with reviving the genre of travel writing.
Early Life and Education
Chatwin was born on 13 May 1940 in Sheffield, England, to Charles Leslie Chatwin, a Birmingham solicitor and Royal Naval Reserve officer, and Margharita (née Turnell), daughter of a Sheffield knife manufacturer’s clerk. His early childhood was spent moving frequently with his mother while his father served at sea. During World War II, his family relocated several times seeking safety from The Blitz, staying with various relatives. Chatwin later recalled that “Home, if we had one, was a solid black suitcase called the Rev-Robe, in which there was a corner for my clothes and my Mickey Mouse gas mask.”
During one wartime stay at his paternal grandparents’ home, Chatwin encountered a curiosity cabinet containing a piece of mylodon skin (a giant sloth) that had been sent by his grandmother’s cousin Charles Milward, who had discovered the creature’s remains while travelling in Patagonia. Though the family mistakenly called it a “piece of brontosaurus,” this artifact would inspire Chatwin decades later to visit and write about Patagonia.
After the war, Chatwin lived in West Heath in Birmingham with his parents and younger brother Hugh. At age seven he was sent to boarding school at Old Hall School in Shropshire, followed by Marlborough College in Wiltshire, where he attained A-levels in Latin, Greek, and Ancient History. Though an unexceptional student academically, he gained attention for his performances in school plays.
Career and Achievements
In 1958, Chatwin began work at Sotheby’s in London as a porter in the Works of Art department. He was quickly moved to a junior cataloguer position in the Antiquities and Impressionist Art departments, where he developed a reputation for discerning forgeries and learned to describe objects concisely. He advanced to become Sotheby’s expert on both Antiquities and Impressionist art, eventually running both departments. Many colleagues believed he would become chairman of the auction house.
In 1966, Chatwin left Sotheby’s to read archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, but abandoned his studies after two years to pursue writing. The Sunday Times Magazine hired him in 1972, and he travelled extensively for the publication, interviewing figures including politicians Indira Gandhi and André Malraux. In 1974 he left the magazine to visit Argentina and Chile.
Chatwin’s 1977 book In Patagonia, based on his travels to Argentina and Chile, established him as a travel writer, though he considered himself a storyteller interested in bringing unusual tales to light. He subsequently wrote five other books, including The Songlines (1987), about Aboriginal Australians, which became a bestseller. His work influenced writers such as William Dalrymple, Claudio Magris, Philip Marsden, Luis Sepúlveda, Rich Cohen, and Rory Stewart.
Notable Events and Milestones
In Patagonia was published in 1977 and marked the beginning of Chatwin’s career as a travel writer. In 1982, his novel On the Black Hill won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. The Songlines appeared in 1987 and achieved bestseller status. His final novel, Utz, was published in 1988 and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2008, The Times ranked Chatwin as number 46 on their list of “50 Greatest British Writers Since 1945.”
Awards and Honors
Chatwin received the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for On the Black Hill in 1982. His novel Utz (1988) was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2008, The Times included him in their ranking of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945, placing him at number 46.
Additional Resources
Chatwin’s life and literary legacy are documented extensively in biographical sources and literary archives. Readers seeking more detailed information about his travels, correspondence, and influence on contemporary travel writing can consult Wikipedia and other biographical resources dedicated to twentieth-century British literature and journalism.
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