Talk:Anthony Burgess

Composer

Why delete "composer" from the opening paragraph? Burgess was, in fact, a composer his entire life. A rather good one, at that. I'm re-inserting it. Microtonal 04:16, 8 July 2005 (UTC)

Conflict of Information

It says Burgess's father died twice. In the beginning it says 1948, but later on under Education it says 1938. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.252.16.85 (talk) 21:00, 17 October 2005 (UTC)

...also, in the repatriation paragraph, his father-in-law apparently died twice as well; at some point before he was discharged and then again to allow the move to Chiswick. What's with the multiple deaths? Madgenberyl (talk) 21:43, 5 March 2012 (UTC)

Teaching post

Anthony Burgess (aka John Wilson) taught me English at Banbury Grammar School during the 1950s. Oyster24 (talk) 11:19, 26 May 2008 (UTC)

I have recently come across my old autograph album which has John Wilson's signature along with the rest of the staff who taught me in 1949/50 onwards. One of the others has dated the page as 6 July 1950. Oyster24 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 12:45, 20 March 2011 (UTC).

Why is this important?

"They later moved to a semi-detached house called "Applegarth" in Etchingham, approximately a mile from the Jacobean house where Rudyard Kipling had lived in Burwash, and one mile from the Robertsbridge home of Malcolm Muggeridge."

Who cares? If you drew a circle with a radius of one mile (or any arbitrary distance) around any random writer's house, would it be important to include the writers found within? Unless Kipling and Muggeridge are somehow relevant to Burgess, I don't see why this would be included. · rodii · 19:10, 26 June 2012 (UTC)

I didn't write it, but I suppose it demonstrates that the area is the sort of tranquil, Home Counties environment where middle class, middle aged Englishmen settle down to pen tomes. To that end, I suggest leave it in. It helps portray the location as comfortable, middle class etc. Farrtj (talk) 01:44, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

I'm with User:Rodii - Kipling had died 25 years before Burgess moved to Etchingham, Muggeridge died in Robertsbridge, but I don't know whern he moved there, As worded it sounds as if they were a literary circle - except Kipling was dead, and I can't imagine Burgess and Muggeridge having a cosy chat. If the article is trying to say something about Etchingham it should say it, with a sourced WP:RS - not hope the reader can interpret something. - Arjayay (talk) 08:08, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

I'm with Farrtj. Keep it in. Kipling and Muggeridge are both important people who lived close to Burgess. What's the harm? Span (talk) 19:38, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

Desert Island Discs

On the BBC's Desert Island Discs radio programme in 1966, Burgess chose as his favourite music Purcell's "Rejoice in the Lord Alway"; Bach's Goldberg Variations No. 13; Elgar's Symphony No. 1 in A flat major; Wagner's "Walter's Trial Song" from 'Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg; Debussy's "Fêtes"; Lambert's The Rio Grande; Walton's Symphony No. 1 in B flat; and Vaughan Williams' On Wenlock Edge.

Is it relevant to list what his favourite songs were at one point in his life? Who cares? Candidate for removal as per Wikipedia:Handling trivia Farrtj (talk) 01:44, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

It is certainly on the border of trivia - I can see an argument for retaining it as, although Burgess was a composer, very few readers will know his works - this shows what music he liked - although it could be reduced to:-

"On the BBC's Desert Island Discs radio programme in 1966, Burgess chose music by Purcell, Bach, Elgar, Wagner, Debussy, Lambert, Walton and Vaughan Williams"

Or even:-

"On the BBC's Desert Island Discs radio programme in 1966, Burgess chose Elgar's Symphony No. 1 in A flat major as his favourite piece of music"

I will add a source (which it needs in any case) so if the article is reduced, the reader can look up the actual works if they are that interested. I suggest we wait to see if others think it should be shortened - or removed entirely. - Arjayay (talk) 08:37, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

Yes, it certainly needs to be shortened, at any rate. Farrtj (talk) 09:14, 12 July 2012 (UTC)

Clockwork Orange - 21st chapter?

Discussion is make of the American edition of CO not having a 21st chapter, whereas the British edition does. And the film version of CO thus not including the 21st chapter material. What is in the 21st chapter?--TGC55 (talk) 23:57, 7 October 2012 (UTC)

The main character is very happy in middle-age and getting on with his life. It seems the American publishers did not like and refused to publish the bit that made little or no references to youth and violence. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.40.206.49 (talk) 18:22, 18 December 2012 (UTC)

Correct Name

It is incorrect to list his birth name as "John Anthony Burgess Wilson." His birth name was "John Burgess Wilson," so I made the correction. The name "Anthony" came from the name he used at his Catholic Confirmation. Although a person's Confirmation name does not designate a formal name change, Burgess did consider "Anthony" as part of his "full name." The pen name "Anthony Burgess" was derived from his Confirmation name and his middle name. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.81.94.72 (talk) 15:56, 2 July 2015 (UTC)

Early life

Re: the AJP Taylor reference - in a British university, would Burgess have written anything that could be described as a term paper? Notreallydavid (talk) 23:03, 15 August 2015 (UTC)

No. In Britain it would be called an essay. Khamba Tendal (talk) 19:28, 4 May 2017 (UTC)

"growing up during the Great Depression, the Wilsons were fairly well off, as the demand for their tobacco and alcohol wares remained constant [clarification needed]" - is the comment in square brackets a complaint about the grammar? Deipnosophista (talk) 18:56, 27 September 2015 (UTC)