A new exhibition opening in Manchester next week will cast new light on Anthony Burgess’s complex relationship with the United States.
Burgess and his family made regular visits to the United States between 1966 and 1993. He lived there for extended periods in the 1970s and 1980s. At one time he described himself as a New Yorker, describing the city as ‘vicious but beautiful’, and he felt more at home there than in London.
This exhibition also tells the story of his visits to North Carolina, Princeton, Iowa, Boston, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and elsewhere, through a selection of items from the Burgess Foundation’s archive.
Burgess’s creative life in the U.S. produced apocalyptic novels, music, stage plays, Hollywood screenplays, and an award-winning Broadway musical.
‘I felt myself to be more of a New Yorker than I ever had a Londoner, a Roman, even a Mancunian. My British accent was no handicap; in a town with so many varieties of immigrant English it seemed even to approach a decent American eastern seaboard norm. New York is an accepting city, and I was accepted.’
– Anthony Burgess, You’ve Had Your Time
This exhibition has three special viewings, and can be seen when attending general events at the Burgess Foundation:
Wednesday 11 October, 6:00 pm to 8.30 pm — special launch event, which will include a special introductory talk, drinks and an opportunity to speak to the curators of the exhibition.
Saturday 21 October, 12:00 pm to 2.30 pm — with a screening of Lots of Fun at Finnegans Wake at 1:00 pm.
Friday 27 October, 12:00 pm to 2.30 pm — with a free talk and music from ‘The Eyes of New York’.
These events are all free, and open to everybody.
