Under the Sun: The Letters of Bruce Chatwin

by Nicholas Shakespeare

  Camargue

  Cambridgesee also Cambridge University

  Cambridge University

  Trinity Hall

  Cameroons

  Cameroun

  postcard from

  Campbell, Josephand n

  Camp Ghézo

  Campion Hall, Oxford

  Camu, Bernard

  Camu, Ginetteand n

  Canadasee also Toronto

  Canales Fueginos

  Canales Magallanes

  Canberra

  Cannes

  Film Festival

  Sunny Bank Anglo-American Hospital

  Cannon, Michael

  postcard to

  Cape see Jonathan Cape

  Cape Horn

  Cape Pillar

  Cape Sounion, postcard from

  Cape Split

  Cape Verde Islands

  Cape York

  Cardiff

  Carey, Peter: Oscar and Lucinda

  Carmichael, John Wilsonand n

  Carney Farm

  Caroline Islands

  Carp, Bettyand n

  Carver, Anthony

  Carver, Raymondand n

  Cassidy, Butch

  Catalonia

  Cather, Willaand n

  Catholicism/Catholic Churchand n

  Caucasus

  Cendrars, Blaise

  Ceylon

  Cézanne, Pauland nand n

  Afternoon in Naples

  Grandes Baigneuses

  Portrait of Madame Cézanne

  Chad

  Chaisemartin, Louise deand n

  Chalfont, Alun Gwynne-Jones, Lordand n

  Chandigarh

  Chang, Mr

  Chang, Johnsonand n

  Chania

  BC writes from

  Chanler, Adrian (BC’s brother-in-law)and n

  Chanler, Alida (BC’s sister-in-law)and n

  Chanler, Elizabeth see Chatwin (née Chanler), Elizabeth

  Chanler, Felicity (BC’s sister-in-law)and n

  Chanler, Gertrude (BC’s mother-in-law) and n

  letters to

  Chanler, Rear Admiral Hubert (‘Bobby’) and n

  Chanler, Johnand n

  Chanler, Kevin

  Chanler, Robert Winthropand n

  Chanler, Sheilaand n

  Chanler, William Astorand n

  Channel

  Chapelle du Rosaire, postcard from

  Chapman, Chanlerand n

  Chardin, Jean Baptiste

  La Lavendeuseand n

  Pipes and Drinking Vessels, postcard of

  Charlemagne

  Charles the Bold, sword of

  Chatwin, Bruce

  Career and Professional Activities:

  considers his future career

  seeks job at Sotheby’s

  offered a job at Sotheby’s

  years of employment at Sotheby’s

  decides to leave Sotheby’s and study archaeology

  spends period as student of archaeology

  recommended to curate Asia House Gallery exhibition

  gathers examples of nomadic art for exhibition

  further work for the exhibition

  wants to become a writer

  decides to cease studying at Edinburgh

  proposes to write a book on nomads

  Deborah Rogers agrees to act as literary agent

  sends book proposal to Tom Maschler

  gains positive response to proposal

  Desmond Morris comments on the proposal and n

  further letter to Maschler about the book

  prepares to go to opening of Asia House exhibition

  goes to New York for opening of exhibition and n

  submits a chapter of his book to publisher

  sends film ideas to James Ivory and nand n

  makes a documentary film and n

  offered a position at Sunday Times

  manuscript of first book rejected by publisher

  works for Sunday Times

  period of work and research for In Patagonia

  writing, publication and reception of In Patagonia see In Patagonia

  period of work and research for The Viceroy of Ouidah

  wins Hawthornden Prize

  and his review of Lorenz’s The Year of the Greylag Goose

  period of work on On the Black Hill

  wins Whitbread Prize

  given a Fellowship at Yaddo and concentrates on his writing there

  wants to change publisher to Viking Press and n

  gets commission for article from New York Review of Books

  deal with Viking Press goes through

  returns to theme of nomads

  research on the Aborigines in Australia

  writing, publication and reception of The Songlines see Songlines, The

  becomes fellow of the Strehlow Foundation

  appears on TV chat show

  asked to write forewords for various books

  invited to Adelaide Festival

  experience at Adelaide Festival

  attends writer’s conference in Barcelona

  invited to teach at Vassar Collegeand n

  offered trusteeship of National Gallery

  writing and publication of Utz see Utz

  as judge for International Ritz-Hemingway Award

  interviewed by Thubron, and thanks him and n

  achieves Number 1 on Sunday Times bestseller list with The Songlinesand n

  breaks with Deborah Rogers, his literary agent, and moves to Wylie, Aitken and Stone

  invitation to Contemporary Writers Seminar, and his responseand n

  attends conference for Russian and other dissidents

  requests formal agreement with new agent

  nominated for Thomas Cook Travel Award, but withdraws from shortlist

  begins new book

  shortlisted for Booker Prize

  Health:

  eye problems

  problems with his teeth

  tests on gum tissue for cancer

  stomach pains

  back problems

  problems with chest

  operation for varicose veinsand n

  broken arm

  has operation

  illness in Java

  thinks he has bronchitisand n

  fatigue and symptoms of illness

  becomes ill in Switzerland

  in hospital in Oxford

  described as HIV positive

  mould fungus identified

  brain scan

  way of dealing with his illness

  describes his experience of illness

  focuses on diagnosis of fungus in bone marrow

  sees a doctor in France

  ill at Harbourfront Festival in Toronto

  ill after return from holiday in West Indies and n

  health deteriorates

  described as suffering with AIDS

  suffers from toxic brain syndrome, manifesting itself in hypomania

  says he had malaria

  thinks he is making a recoveryand n

  writes about AIDS/HIV

  during final days

  Interest in art and antiquities:

  interest in French furniture

  comments on painting of The America

  period of employment at Sotheby’s

  involved in sale of paintings by Fra Angelico

  and Mughal paintingand n

  Greek head purchased through contributions for wedding giftand n

  buys paintings of Indian fruits

  spends two years as archaeology student

  looks out for Wemyss ware for Derek Hill

  comments on art forgeries

  visits museums in Vienna

  impressed by art in Aix

  comments on art seen in Germany

  approves of Welch’s purchase of Sassanian dishand n

  likes silver plate brought back by Elizabeth

  purchase of salt cellars

>   involved in Asia House Gallery exhibition

  sells a painting

  comments on Stocklet House

  advice to Welch about a proposed purchase

  buys South Sea sculptureand n

  goes to Kervorkian Sale of miniatures

  buys picture of Arctic Ternand n

  owns hanging of feathersand n

  sells various items

  sale of Maroi boardand n

  writes in letter about art seen by Elizabeth on her expedition

  considers purchase of stone whale

  purchases Eskimo seal

  purchases a Shinto Mitsutomoe bronze

  and sale of gold box for Jessie Wood

  buys Moroccan shroud

  involved in sale of work of Ernst and Picasso

  asks Elizabeth to buy a Plains Indian figurine

  considers selling feather cape from Peru

  wants to buy Kotah drawing of an elephant

  hopes to obtain dance mask in Cameroun

  makes art worksand n

  concerned about possible sale of small items

  horror of the art world

  sees Granet painting for sale

  buys Swedish crystal chandelier

  reads Ian Fairweather

  reads essay on Passmore

  buys Romanesque panel

  writes to Bail about Cézanne

  comments on choice of Venturi to build Sainsbury Wing of National Gallery

  writes about a Norman Foster building

  buys marble plaques in China

  extravagant purchases towards the end of his life

  Personal life:

  birth

  early childhood

  as pupil at Old Hall School

  as pupil at Marlborough College

  enjoys acting

  considers his future

  signs lease on flat in London

  friendship with Ivry Guild (later Freyberg)

  encourages parents to travel

  and plants/plant-collecting

  problems after sub-letting his flat

  friendship with Cary Welch

  beginning of relationship with Elizabeth

  engagement

  and wedding arrangements

  engagement announced

  letters to Elizabeth during engagement

  wedding and honeymoon

  party in New York

  starts house-hunting and buys Holwell Farm and n

  hears about death of Raulin Guild

  takes lease on apartment in Edinburgh

  moves into Holwell Farm

  describes life and jobs at Holwell Farm

  friendship with Andrew Batey

  and loss of Elizabeth’s pearls

  buys new car

  talks and writes about his great-grandfather

  friendship with Peter Levi

  attends Andrew Batey’s wedding

  meets James Ivory

  writes to Elizabeth while she is away on expedition

  attends ceremony for unveiling of sculpture in memory of Raulin Guild

  invites Ivry to stay with him in France

  Ivry stays with

  financial affairs

  purchases flat in Sloane Avenue Mansions

  friendship with Lane Fox

  makes suggestions about Holwell Farm

  relationship with Donald Richards and n

  meets Sunil Sethi

  relationship with Elizabeth breaks down and n

  and sale of Holwell Farm

  meets David Mason

  and Elizabeth’s house purchaseand n

  buys flat in London at Eaton Place

  relationship with Jasper Conran

  reconciliation with Elizabeth

  meetings with Australian women

  reviews his life

  and work by Pawson on his London flat

  considers buying a house abroad

  and death of Penelope Betjeman

  family remains ignorant about his sexuality and his HIV diagnosis

  final months

  thinks about how he wants to spend his life

  thoughts about possessions

  concerns about Elizabeth

  spending spree

  starts to shed possessions

  Ignatieff expresses concerns about behaviour

  last days

  death

  cremation and memorial service

  Religious beliefs:

  and Catholicismand n

  has sessions with Father John Murrayand n

  BC proposes to write a chapter of faith in his book on nomads

  visit to Mount Athos

  changed by his experience at Mount Athos

  thinks of himself as orthodox and wishes to visit Mount Athos againand n

  wants to convert to Greek Orthodox faith

  and possibility of becoming a lay brother

  Travels and sojourns abroad:

  holiday in Sweden

  drives to France after passing his driving test

  holiday in Italy

  has opportunity to travel through his work at Sotheby’s

  sends postcard from Beirut

  visits Sardinia

  travels through Greek islands

  sends postcards from France, Egypt, Italy and New York

  first visit to Afghanistan

  frequent trips to America for Sotheby’s

  plans second visit to Afghanistan

  sends postcard from Pakistan

  visits Sudan

  returns home via Greece

  in America for wedding and honeymoon

  visits Russia

  in Paris working on Helena Rubinstein catalogue

  writes from Vienna

  describes his journey through Germany

  describes his experiences in Prague

  in Hungary

  in Turkey

  tour of Soviet Union

  is invited to travel to Afghanistan with Peter Levi

  prepares for Afghan journey

  visit to Afghanistan with Levi

  visit to Mauretania

  spends summer in Greece

  in Turkey with Elizabeth

  travels to Teheran to bring Elizabeth home

  spends summer in France

  in Niger