Impossible Author Dies at 70
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ESSAY Henry Alford Impossible Author Dies at 70 [Impossible Author], who has died aged sounded like Bette Davis.10 ber of the National Rifle Association).14 He was 70, was a talented television journalist, writer But there were bad memories, too.11 It was barred from several hotels for trivial offenses and photographer; he was also a nightmare his habit, for example, to howl at the moon. In such as being found with his trousers round his drunk.1 He died of a heart attack in an airliner 1984 he was in a bar in California when other ankles in the corridor.15 “Mainly I sleep with over the Atlantic after an argument concern- drinkers took exception to his howling. Matters cats and the female,” he once said, describing ing what he insisted was his right to have his came to a head when he decided to exorcise a his domestic situation. “I love female.”16 The seat “upgraded.” 2 His body was discovered at- neighboring drinker, who hit him over the head most promising time for conversation was be- tired in a frogman’s outfit.3 with a shovel, shouting: “I’ll knock the Devil out tween 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. — after two double “I Am an Alcoholic” (1959) recounted how of you!”12 He also kept explosives, to blow the vodkas, but before the sixth.17 his political life had been ruined by the demon legs off pool tables or to pack in a barrel for [Impossible] was given his first shotgun drink.4 Meanwhile [Impossible] had developed target practice.13 He held several exhibitions at the age of 10.18 An empty bottle didn’t stand a curious technique for writing novels, where- of paintings on wood riddled with bullet holes any more of a chance outside than a full one by he would cut several pages into quarters (“shotgun art” he called it; he was also a mem- would have had within.19 and then join them up willy-nilly, in the hope that chance would produce some new and po- etic effect.5 A publisher to whom he submitted his most outrageously nauseating book, “I Was Difficult Writer Found Dead in Spain Dora Suarez” (1984), claimed to have vomited when he read the manuscript.6 [Impossible] was a very good talker, but [Difficult Writer], a dramatist and novel- limited by deafness. He used to detach his hear- ist, died in Malaga, Spain, on May 4.20 Cyril Con- ing aid at luncheon not, he said, to banish bores nolly visited her there shortly before his death, but because the ancient contraption made hor- and spent an afternoon rummaging through rible noises when wine was being poured into his her papers. “You certainly were a sexpot in glass.7 To encounter [Impossible] at 9 in the eve- your day,” he concluded.21 ning in the Colony Room Club, for example, was [Difficult] was a little woman with a dollish to witness a transformation that any film actor face and basset-hound eyes, in whose mouth but- in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” would have thought ter hardly ever melted.22 [Difficult] enjoyed love strained credibility. Within minutes, fueled by affairs with King Farouk of Egypt, the painters a rapid series of large gins scarcely diluted by Felix Topolski and Michael Wishart. The cast tonic, his polite talks about his great-uncle Bram also included a metropolitan policeman — “sex Stoker or his interlocutor’s latest book would turn is a great leveler,” she reflected.23 Young [Dif- into a rant of increasing volume and decreasing ficult] was educated at the Girls’ High School intelligibility: “I loathe you, I can’t stand you,” he in Brooklyn and Cornell University, where she would roar, gargling in his podgy throat.8 fell in love with Louis Gottschalk, an assistant Illustrations by Ray Bartkus [Impossible] himself began writing in the teacher in ancient history, whom she married cating that an Irish poet called Geoffrey Phibbs, 1940’s, locking himself in a stall in the men’s in 1920.24 Country neighbors of the [Difficults] who had been discriminating enough to praise room in the subway. Making his base of opera- used to complain of Mrs. [Difficult’s] erratic her poetry, had been summoned to the ménage tions the Angle bar at 42nd Street and Eighth behavior, especially of her distressing tendency in Hammersmith. Yet Phibbs still showed some Avenue, he sold drugs at times and himself to “lash out with her walking stick at those who disposition toward matrimonial loyalty.27 [Dif- at others, not always with notable success.9 got in her way.”25 Visits to other people’s houses ficult], entirely without expert help, perforce [Impossible] looked like Truman Capote and were invariably disastrous. “Do come back when relied on trial and error to learn the arcane arts you’re less cross,” suggested one hostess.26 of animal husbandry — castration, dehorning, In 1924 Robert Graves came across [Diffi- branding, calving and rearing.28 cult’s] poem “The Quids” in an obscure Ameri- In 1938 [Difficult’s] “Collected Poems” were can literary magazine. Graves wrote to express published, to a stunning display of critical indif- his appreciation. Some trans-Atlantic corre- ference. In January 1939, however, a poetaster spondence ensued; and at the end of 1925 [Dif- called Schuyler Jackson reviewed the poems in ficult] was invited to accompany him to Egypt, Time. Jackson’s opinion that the work was “the where he had taken a chair in English litera- book of books of the mid-20th century” seemed to ture. From the moment of her arrival the new- [Difficult] to betray an uncommon insight. Plans comer dominated the poet’s household. For a were now laid for an American visit. It was un- while even his relations with his wife improved. fortunate that Jackson was married, but after “It is extremely unlikely that Nancy, [Difficult] [Difficult] had subjected Katherine Jackson to and I will ever disband,” Graves told Siegfried a series of “talks,” this difficulty was removed. Sassoon in March 1925. Yet by May 1927 he and Mrs. Jackson, who had initially professed a high [Difficult] had moved to a flat at St. Peter’s regard for her interrogator, now cracked up, be- Square, Hammersmith, while Nancy and the came violent and was removed to an asylum.29 children were installed nearby on a barge on During the honeymoon she chanted “Un- the Thames. In 1929 she declared that “three- til Death Us Do Part” at her husband through life” had become “four-life” — her way of indi- clenched teeth.30 □ Source Obituaries 1. Daniel Farson; The Daily Telegraph, Nov. 28, 1997. 11. William Burroughs; The Economist, Aug. 9, 1997. 21. Barbara Skelton; Daily Telegraph, Jan. 29, 1996. 2. Albert Goldman; Daily Telegraph, March 31, 1994. 12. R. D. Laing; Daily Telegraph, Aug. 25, 1989. 22. Dorothy Parker; The New York Times, June 8, 1967. 3. James Rusbridger; Daily Telegraph, Feb. 8, 1994. 13. Hunter S. Thompson; The Economist, Feb. 26, 2005. 23. Barbara Skelton; Daily Telegraph, Jan. 29, 1996. 4. Raymond Blackburn; Daily Telegraph, Nov. 5, 1991. 14. William Burroughs; The Guardian, Aug. 4, 1997. 24. Laura Riding; Daily Telegraph, Sept. 5, 1991. 5. William Burroughs; Daily Telegraph, Aug. 4, 1997. 15. Daniel Farson; Daily Telegraph, Nov. 28, 1997. 25. Fanny Cradock; Daily Telegraph, Dec. 29, 1994. 6. Robin Cook; Daily Telegraph, Aug. 1, 1994. 16. Gregory Corso; The Guardian, Jan. 20, 2001. 26. Barbara Skelton; Daily Telegraph, Jan. 29, 1996. 7. R. G. G. Price; Daily Telegraph, Sept. 20, 1989. 17. Jeffrey Bernard; Daily Telegraph, Sept. 8, 1997. 27. Laura Riding; Daily Telegraph, Sept. 5, 1991. 8. Daniel Farson; Daily Telegraph, Nov. 28, 1997. 18. Ernest Hemingway; The New York Times, July 3, 1961. 28. Pamela Scott; Daily Telegraph, Feb. 10, 1992. 9. Herbert Huncke; The New York Times, Aug. 9, 1996. 19. Hunter S. Thompson; Slate, Feb. 22, 2005. 29. Laura Riding; Daily Telegraph, Sept. 5, 1991. 10. Albert Goldman; Daily Telegraph, March 31, 1994. 20. Jane Bowles; The New York Times, May 31, 1973. 30. Barbara Skelton; Daily Telegraph, Jan. 29, 1996. Henry Alford is the author of “Municipal Bondage” and “Big Kiss.” THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 31.