Title: Famous Last Words
Author: Timothy Findley
First published January 1, 1981
396 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780140062687 (ISBN10: 0140062688)
Rating: 3.98
Overview
In Timothy Findley’s Famous Last Words, the final days of the Second World War are recounted through the desperate account of Hugh Selwyn Mauberley, who leaves an astonishing testament scrawled on the walls and ceilings of his prison high in the Austrian Alps. As the liberating army discovers his frozen, disfigured corpse, they are fascinated yet horrified by the sordid truth that he alone possessed.
The story delves into a world of scandal and political corruption, where an array of dazzling characters including the exiled Duke and Duchess of Windsor, von Ribbentrop, Hitler, Charles Lindbergh, and Sir Harry Oakes play sinister parts in an elaborate scheme to secure world domination. Famous Last Words is a gripping historical fiction that will leave readers breathless.
About the Author
Timothy Irving Frederick Findley was a talented Canadian writer and playwright who was affectionately known as Tiff or Tiffy. He was born in Toronto, Ontario to Allan Gilmour Findley, a stockbroker, and Margaret Maude Bull.
Findley grew up in the affluent Rosedale district, and attended St. Andrew’s College, a boarding school, until he left during grade 10 due to health issues.
Findley started his career in the arts by studying dance and acting. He found great success as an actor, working alongside Alec Guinness in the original Stratford Festival company during the 1950s.
He also acted in the first production of Thornton Wilder’s The Matchmaker at the Edinburgh Festival and played Peter Pupkin in Sunshine Sketches, the CBC Television adaptation of Stephen Leacock’s Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. However, he eventually decided to pursue writing after being inspired by Ruth Gordon, whom he met through Wilder.
Findley’s first two novels, The Last of the Crazy People (1967) and The Butterfly Plague (1969), were initially rejected by Canadian publishers but were eventually published in Britain and the United States. His third novel, The Wars (1977), was a critical success and won the Governor General’s Award for English-language fiction.
The novel was also adapted into a film in 1981.
Throughout his writing career, Findley received many accolades, including the Governor General’s Award, the Canadian Authors Association Award, an ACTRA Award, the Order of Ontario, and the Ontario Trillium Award. In 1985, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
He was a founding member and chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada and was also a president of the Canadian chapter of PEN International.
Findley’s writing was heavily influenced by Jungian psychology and often explored themes of mental illness, gender, and sexuality. He was open about his homosexuality and mentioned it publicly for the first time on a broadcast of the programme The Shulman File in the 1970s.
Findley and his partner, Bill Whitehead, lived at Stone Orchard, a farm near Cannington, Ontario, and in the south of France. In 1996, Findley was declared a Chevalier de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres by the French government.
In addition to his novels, Findley was also a playwright, writing dramas for television and the stage. Elizabeth Rex, his most successful play, won a Governor General’s award and premiered at the Stratford Festival of Canada to rave reviews.
His last completed work, Shadows, was first performed in 2001. Findley was known for being an active mentor to young Canadian writers, including Marnie Woodrow and Elizabeth Ruth.
Editoral Review
Famous Last Words by Timothy Findley is a captivating and introspective novel that explores the nature of identity, memory, and the human experience. As one of Canada’s most celebrated writers, Timothy Findley masterfully blends historical fiction with a touch of magical realism in this 1981 bestseller.
The novel is set in Hollywood in the summer of 1942, during the height of World War II. The main character, Hugh Selwyn Mauberley, is a renowned Canadian poet who finds himself in exile due to his views on Canadian politics.
In Hollywood, he meets an array of eclectic characters from different walks of life, including a demented film director, a mysterious and alluring actress, and a cadre of young men preparing for war. The story explores their relationships, secrets, and experiences as they navigate a world that is rapidly changing.
But the plot of this novel is not as important as its themes. Findley’s Famous Last Words is a meditation on the power of storytelling and its impact on our collective memory.
The novel is a commentary on the role of artists in times of war and how their work can both inspire and deceive. It also explores the complex nature of identity, and how it can be shaped by our experiences, memories, and illusions.
The novel is also a study of human psychology, portraying individuals grappling with their inner demons and trauma. One of the strengths of Famous Last Words is its writing.
Timothy Findley’s prose is laced with emotional resonance, wit, and humor. He flawlessly crafts vivid and imaginative scenes that transport the reader to a different time and place.
The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with their flaws and virtues laid bare for the readers to explore. Findley’s ability to imbue the novel with a surreal and dreamlike quality is nothing short of remarkable.
However, the novel is not without its flaws. The pacing sometimes feels slow, and some readers may find that the novel’s central themes are not explored enough.
The novel also has a tendency to be overly melodramatic, and some of the characters’ actions may be perceived as implausible. Overall, Famous Last Words is a must-read for fans of historical fiction and magical realism.
Timothy Findley’s exploration of the human psyche is both powerful and unforgettable. This novel is a testament to the author’s skill in crafting intricate and meaningful stories that stand the test of time.
I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking and beautifully written novel that delves into the complexities of the human heart. Score: 4 out of 5 stars.
