Justin Cartwright
One discovers the death of someone one knows in all sorts of ways. Normally somebody closer to the deceased than I informs me.
Yesterday I learned of the passing of novelist Justn Cartwright aged 73 from his obituary in the Telegraph.
A few years ago I saw quite a bit of him. I was a consultant to a venture best described as a ‘half dating agency, half book club’. The founders and promoters could not quite make up their mind as to which and when a couple involved separated it never got any further.
Our opening event had as its guest Justin Cartwright who discussed his novel To Heaven by Water.
His life and career were interestingly diverse. Born in South Africa his father was editor of the liberal anti-apartheid Rand Daily Mail, he came to England as a student in Oxford where he met his lifelong friend William Boyd and worked in an advertising agency, the PAL dog advert being his award-winning creation.
He made a soft porn movie starring John le Mesurier and Patrica Hodge called Rosie Dixon Night Nurse.
He had a spell working with David Steel and then became a full time novelist. He has a popular following. His novels often featured brothers and his native South Africa but the normal setting for them was contemporary London.
He was a warm, engaged man.
Our paths have not crossed since those days which is a shame as I enjoyed his company. He was a great admirer of Saul Bellow. Most of our conversations were literary.
Perhaps the saddest element of a death is the disconnect. I no longer have the possibility of meeting him over breakfast in a chic cafe. He always ordered granola and loved fine coffee though a teetotaler.
Two of his novels were shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize and he himself became a judge of the Costa and Man Booker prizes.He was awarded the MBE in 2015.
He will live on in his writings if not as a cineaste and political operator. He led a full and interesting life. I shall miss him.
