Martin Booth
Encyclopedia
Martin Booth was a prolific British novelist and poet
. He also worked as a teacher
and screenwriter
, and was the founder of the Sceptre Press.
, but was brought up mainly in Hong Kong
, where he first attended Kowloon Junior School then King George V School
, and left in 1964.
and Ted Hughes
. His own books of verse include The Knotting Sequence (1977), named for the village in which Booth was living at the time. The book features a series of lyrics in which he seeks links between the present and the Saxon past, and the man called Knot who gave his name to the village. Booth also accumulated a library of contemporary verse, which allowed him to produce anthologies and lectures.
In the late 1970s Booth turned mainly to writing fiction. His first successful novel, Hiroshima Joe, was published in 1985. The book is based on what he heard from a man he met as a boy in Hong Kong and contains passages set in that city during the Second World War.
Booth was a veteran traveller who retained an enthusiasm for flying, also expressed in his poems, such as "Kent Says" and In Killing the Moscs. His interest in observing and studying wildlife resulted in a book about Jim Corbett
, a big-game hunter and expert on man-eating tigers.
Many of Booth's works were linked to the British imperial past in China, Hong Kong and Central Asia. Booth was also fond of the United States, where he had many poet friends, and of Italy, which features in many of his later poems and in his novel A Very Private Gentleman (1990). These interests form a thread through his later novels, travel books and biographies.
Booth's novel Industry Of Souls was shortlisted for the 1998 Booker Prize.
Booth died of cancer in Devon
in 2004, shortly after completing Gweilo, a memoir
of his Hong Kong childhood written for his own children.
The 2010 film The American
, starring George Clooney
, was based on his novel A Very Private Gentleman.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He also worked as a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and was the founder of the Sceptre Press.
Early life
Booth was born in LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, but was brought up mainly in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, where he first attended Kowloon Junior School then King George V School
King George V School
King George V School , often shortened to "KGV" is a co-educational international secondary independent school of the English Schools Foundation, located in the Ho Man Tin area of Hong Kong. Currently school 1,700 students in the Kowloon peninsula, it is one of the oldest schools in Hong Kong,...
, and left in 1964.
Career
He made his name as a poet and as a publisher, producing elegant volumes by British and American poets, including slim volumes of work by Sylvia PlathSylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
and Ted Hughes
Ted Hughes
Edward James Hughes OM , more commonly known as Ted Hughes, was an English poet and children's writer. Critics routinely rank him as one of the best poets of his generation. Hughes was British Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death.Hughes was married to American poet Sylvia Plath, from 1956 until...
. His own books of verse include The Knotting Sequence (1977), named for the village in which Booth was living at the time. The book features a series of lyrics in which he seeks links between the present and the Saxon past, and the man called Knot who gave his name to the village. Booth also accumulated a library of contemporary verse, which allowed him to produce anthologies and lectures.
In the late 1970s Booth turned mainly to writing fiction. His first successful novel, Hiroshima Joe, was published in 1985. The book is based on what he heard from a man he met as a boy in Hong Kong and contains passages set in that city during the Second World War.
Booth was a veteran traveller who retained an enthusiasm for flying, also expressed in his poems, such as "Kent Says" and In Killing the Moscs. His interest in observing and studying wildlife resulted in a book about Jim Corbett
Jim Corbett
James or Jim Corbett may refer to:*Jim Corbett , Edward James "Jim" Corbett , British-Indian hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards, conservationist, naturalist, photographer and author*James J...
, a big-game hunter and expert on man-eating tigers.
Many of Booth's works were linked to the British imperial past in China, Hong Kong and Central Asia. Booth was also fond of the United States, where he had many poet friends, and of Italy, which features in many of his later poems and in his novel A Very Private Gentleman (1990). These interests form a thread through his later novels, travel books and biographies.
Booth's novel Industry Of Souls was shortlisted for the 1998 Booker Prize.
Booth died of cancer in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in 2004, shortly after completing Gweilo, a memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
of his Hong Kong childhood written for his own children.
The 2010 film The American
The American
The American is a 217 ft bronze statue of a Native American to be built at Holmes Peak near Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA, by sculptor Shan Gray....
, starring George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
, was based on his novel A Very Private Gentleman.
Works
- Paper Pennies and Other Poems (1967)
- Supplication to the Himalayas. A Poem and Sketch (1968)
- In the Yenan Caves (1969)
- A Winnowing of Silence (1971) (poems)
- Pilgrims and Petitions (1971)
- The Crying Embers (1971) (poems)
- On the Death of Archdeacon Broix (1971)
- James Elroy Flecker, Unpublished Poems and Drafts (1971) (editor)
- White (1971)
- In Her Hands (1973) (poem)
- Teller: Four Poems (1973)
- Brevities (1974) (poems)
- Hands Twining Grasses (1974) (poems)
- Spawning The Os (1974)
- Yogh (1974) (poems)
- Snath (1975)
- Two Boys and a Girl, Playing in a Churchyard (1975) (poem)
- Stalks of Jade: Renderings of early Chinese erotic verse (1976)
- Horse and Rider, a poem (1976)
- The Book of Cats (1977) (editor with George MacBethGeorge MacBethGeorge Mann MacBeth was a Scottish poet and novelist. He was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire.When he was three, his family moved to Sheffield....
) - Extending Upon the Kingdom (1977)
- Folio/Work in Progress. Poems (1977) (broadside anthology, editor with John StathatosJohn StathatosJohn Stathatos , Greek photographer and writer. Based in London, 1970s-1990s, where he studied at the London School of Economics and was Executive Editor of the student newspaper, The Beaver as well as Editor of two issues of Clare Market Review...
) - The Knotting Sequence (1977)
- The Dying (1978)
- The Earth Man Dreams of a Turned Sod (1978)
- Winter's Night: Knotting (1979)
- Decadal: Ten Years of Sceptre Press (1979)
- Calling with Owls (1979) (poems)
- The Bad Track (1980) (novel)
- Devil's Wine (1980) (poems)
- Bismarck (1980)
- British Writing Today (1981) (editor)
- The Cnot Dialogues (1981)
- Meeting the Snowy North Again (1982) (poems)
- Looking for the Rainbow Sign: Poems of America (1983)
- Tenfold: Poems for Frances Horovitz (1983) (editor)
- Travelling Through the Senses: A Study of the Poetry of George MacBeth (1983)
- Contemporary British And North American Verse (1984) (editor)
- British Poetry 1964 to 1984: Driving through the barricades (1985)
- Hiroshima Joe (1985) (novel)
- Killing the Moscs (1985)
- Under the Sea (Impressions) (1985)
- Aleister Crowley: Selected Poems (1986)
- Carpet Sahib, A Life of Jim Corbett (1986) (biography of a shikariShikariA Shikari is a big game hunter, especially in India, a native hunter who serves as a guide. The word is derived from Persian Shikar + Persian suffix i...
) - The Jade Pavilion (1987) (novel)
- Black Chameleon (1988) (novel)
- Dreaming of Samrkand (1989) (novel)
- A Very Private GentlemanA Very Private GentlemanA Very Private Gentleman is a novel written by British author Martin Booth, published in 1990. It is a tragedy following events in the life of a gunsmith who sells his services to assassins...
(1990) (novel), adapted as the 2010 film The AmericanThe American (2010 film)The American is a 2010 American thriller film directed by Anton Corbijn and starring George Clooney, Thekla Reuten, Violante Placido, Irina Björklund, and Paolo Bonacelli. It is an adaptation of the 1990 novel A Very Private Gentleman by Martin Booth... - American Dreams. A Poem (1992) (broadside)
- Rhino Road: The Black and White Rhinos of Africa (1992)
- The Humble Disciple (1992) (novel)
- The Iron Tree (1993) (novel)
- Toys of Glass (1995) (novel)
- Adrift In The Oceans Of Mercy (1996)
- War Dog (1996) (novel)
- Opium: A History (1996)
- Doctor and the Detective - a Biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1997)
- Music on the Bamboo RadioMusic on the Bamboo RadioMusic on the Bamboo Radio is a novel written by Martin Booth that was first published in 1997. The story revolves around Nicholas Holford, the main character and minor relations can be made to Martin Booth's life during the Second World War.- Plot summary:...
(1997) (novel) - The Industry of Souls (1998) (novel)
- Magick Life: A Biography of Aleister Crowley (2000)
- The Dragon Syndicates: The Global Phenomenon of the Triads (2000)
- PoW (2000)
- Panther (2001)
- Islands Of Silence (2002) (novel)
- The Alchemist's Son: Doctor Illuminatus (2003) (fantasy fiction)
- Cannabis: A History (2003)
- Gweilo: Memoirs of a Hong Kong childhoodGweilo: Memoirs of a Hong Kong childhoodGweilo: Memoirs of a Hong Kong Childhood is an autobiography by author Martin Booth published in 2004 shortly before he died. The book discusses the author's childhood in Hong Kong. The term "gweilo" is Cantonese for ghost, but has been applied as a racial epithet for Caucasians...
(2004) [US ed., 2005, published as Golden Boy] - Midnight Saboteur (2004)
- The Alchemist's Son: Soul Stealer (2004)
- The AmericanThe American (2010 novel)The American is a novel by Martin Booth, published in 2010 by Bantam Books. It is a new edition of the novel A Very Private Gentleman by the same writer, first published in 1990....
(2010 edition of A Very Private GentlemanA Very Private GentlemanA Very Private Gentleman is a novel written by British author Martin Booth, published in 1990. It is a tragedy following events in the life of a gunsmith who sells his services to assassins...
, first published 1990. The cover design is taken from the 2010 Corbijn film The American, which is based upon this novel.)
External links
- Obituary in the Guardian
- "Martin Booth: Poet and novelist with a keen sense of place," The Independent
- "Martin Booth," Obituary in The Times
- "Hong Kong's Golden Boy, Time
- Reviews of The Alchemist's Son