Duncan Fallowell
Duncan Fallowell | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1948 London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Author, travel chronicler, memoirist, journalist, literary critic |
| Years active | 1970–present |
| Known for | Novels, travel writing, memoirs, literary criticism |
Duncan Fallowell FRSL (born 26 September 1948) is a distinguished English author, travel chronicler, memoirist, journalist, and literary critic.[1][2]
Early life
Born in London to Thomas Edgar Fallowell—an ex-RAF officer and founder of Arrow Wire Products in 1965—and Celia Waller, Duncan Fallowell grew up in various locations including Somerset, Essex, and eventually Berkshire. While attending St Paul's School, London, he established a friendship with poet John Betjeman, which provided him with early access to literary networks. In 1967, he matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he earned both BA and MA degrees in Modern History. His academic mentors included Karl Leyser, Hugh Trevor-Roper, and Howard Colvin. During his university years, Fallowell engaged in experimental psychedelic studies and developed a close association with April Ashley, whose life story he later documented.[3]
Career
At the age of 21 in 1970, Fallowell commenced writing a pop column for The Spectator, eventually expanding his role to include film and fiction criticism. Throughout the 1970s, he journeyed extensively across Europe, India, and the Far East, contributing to punk publications such as Deluxe and Boulevard, reviewing for Books and Bookmen and Records and Recording, and collaborating with the German avant-garde band Can. Beginning in 1970, he documented Can’s music scene, visited their base in Cologne, and explored the rock culture prevalent in German cities like Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. After the departure of Can’s vocalist Damo Suzuki in 1973, Fallowell was invited to succeed him but opted not to join.
In 1979, he edited the anthology Drug Tales, followed by two novels: Satyrday (1986) and The Underbelly (1987). Critic Chris Petit remarked on the "frenzied detachment" of his prose style, likening it to the works of Ralph Steadman or Gerald Scarfe.
During the 1980s, Fallowell spent considerable periods in southern France and Sicily, experiences that informed his travelogue To Noto (1989). Patrick Taylor-Martin commended this work for its combination of ornate style with intelligent prose. His subsequent travel narrative, One Hot Summer in St Petersburg (1994), was inspired by his residence in Russia’s historic city and was honored as Book of the Year by Michael Ratcliffe of The Observer. Anthony Cross from Cambridge University praised it as a "stunning tour de force" reminiscent of Nikolai Gogol’s spirit.
While living in St Petersburg, Fallowell authored the libretto for the opera Gormenghast, commissioned by Germany’s Wuppertal Opera and premiered in 1998. The score was composed by Irmin Schmidt of Can, with whom Fallowell had previously collaborated on lyrics for the albums Musk at Dusk (1987) and Impossible Holidays (1991).
His third novel, A History of Facelifting (2003), is influenced by his long-standing familiarity with the Marches area near Herefordshire and mid-Wales—a region he has frequented since 1972. Another travel book, Going As Far As I Can (2008), recounts his explorations throughout New Zealand; Jonathan Meades likened its atmosphere to the dreamlike quality found in de Chirico’s paintings.
Fallowell’s literary output has occasionally provoked strong reactions; Bruno Bayley of Vice observed that some readers have responded vehemently to his novels. Fallowell himself has expressed doubts about much modern fiction while emphasizing his dedication to "high performance language operated by an expert." Roger Lewis referred to him as "the modern Petronius."
As a freelance journalist associated with the New Journalism movement, Fallowell’s oeuvre encompasses reportage, interviews, commentary, autobiography, travel writing, historical analysis, and critique. His articles have appeared in leading publications including The Times, The Sunday Times, Observer, Guardian, Independent, The Daily Telegraph, Vanity Fair, and the intellectual monthly Prospect. He has held regular columns at The Spectator, the Evening Standard, as well as various online platforms. His collection titled Twentieth Century Characters (1994) was acclaimed for its insightful curiosity about diverse human personalities.
Fallowell’s authorized biography of April Ashley—April Ashley's Odyssey (1982)—resulted in legal proceedings after Ashley republished substantial parts without authorization; Fallowell prevailed in securing damages along with a public apology.
His memoir How To Disappear: A Memoir For Misfits (2011) received the PEN/Ackerley Prize in 2012. The judges highlighted its nuanced wit while critics praised its haunting brilliance alongside sharp prose.
In 2020, he released his fourth novel titled London Paris New York as an e-book through Amazon.
Fallowell has sustained a lengthy epistolary friendship with Mexican Surrealist artist Pedro Friedeberg. In a 2008 interview with Prospect, he reflected on being regarded by figures such as Graham Greene as a writer suited for the 21st century—a recognition he interpreted more positively than as rejection.
Additionally, he produces experimental films and has stated that "The artist is the last free person."
Awards
- Recipient of the PEN/Ackerley Prize for memoir writing in 2012
- Honored with the John Heygate Award in 2014
- Inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2015
See also
- List of avant-garde artists
- Psychedelic literature
- Soon Over Babaluma, an album by Can containing lyrics authored by Fallowell
External links
- Film by Sergey Stefanovich from 2011, showcasing a tour of Fallowell's personal library
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