Very interesting article. I just checked the online catalogue of our local library and they have several MacKenzie titles. I’ll give one a try.
Steve Murray
3 months ago
The original film version of Whisky Galore was one of my favourites growing up and there was a half-decent remake in 2016, so the name Compton Mackenzie had a vaguely familiar ring when i read the headings for Andrew Doyle’s latest contribution. I’d no idea of the enormous scope of Mackenzie’s output though, so once again, thanks Andrew for drawing attention to a corner of our cultural heritage in danger of being lost from view..
As an aside, it’s also set me thinking about a Lancashire lass who found fame in the 1930s, Gracie Fields. She was condemned for going to live on Capri with her American husband during WW2 when it was said of her that she was failing to do her duty in the war effort by not entertaining troops, in the Vera Lynn style. Perhaps she was simply misunderstood and her move to Capri was for rather more personal reasons.
This surprises me, given that Gracie Fields was well known for her performances for the troops. Example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roFRz15xhwQ
She did adore Capri. She’s buried there in the Cimitero Acattolico.
Thanks for that correction. It was something i’d just picked up anecdotally from my parents a long time ago, who’d previously been big fans of hers. Possibly an early example of misinformation!
Her husband was Italian. They left England as otherwise he faced internment as an enemy alien.
Charles Corn
3 months ago
I knew nothing of Compton McKenzie before reading this. If I didn’t trust the author I’d have assumed it were a fictional biography! Fascinating stuff.
Jeff Butcher
3 months ago
. “I am temperamentally incapable of dwelling upon unhappiness,” he wrote in My Life and Times, “I sympathise with the sundial’s preference for sunny hours.”
What a lucky man to be blessed with such a cast of mind!
Chris W
3 months ago
What a great name for a ship, the SS Politician. Gives me a new vision when I think of rats deserting a sinking ship.
Sounds intriguing, but I thought the article’s author said his autobiography was in ten volumes rather than one!
Sally Owen
3 months ago
Absolutely fascinating article. I am now on the scout for any of his works. Thank you.
Sue Sims
3 months ago
For those of you inspired by this excellent article to read Mackenzie, if you’re reading any of his fiction published before c. 1925, do read them in order. The characters from different books meet, fall in love (and out), and affect each others’ stories, and in some of the later books, Mackenzie just summarises long conversations that happened in earlier ones.
Anthony Reader-Moore
3 months ago
Thank you for reminding me about Compton Mackenzie. I have Sinister Street on my bookshelves and first read it as a teenager about sixty years ago. Its time I read it again!
A R Manning
3 months ago
Sinister Street is available on Project Gutenberg.
A very enjoyable article. Thank you.
Last edited 3 months ago by A R Manning
Jeremy Bray
3 months ago
Many thanks for this interesting essay on Compton MacKenzie. It is articles like this that keep me reading Unherd despite the tide of dross that all too often appears. I suppose it is hard to keep up a stream of decent articles and the publishers have to include the mediocre as well. It might be better stick to to publishing fewer but excellent articles instead of irritating the readership with poor material.
Gurdy Hurdy
3 months ago
About a year ago I came across his Rival Monster comedy about Nessie in a charity shop. I’d never heard of him but bought it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for this piece – it will act as s guide for me to read more!
Claire D
3 months ago
I did try Monarch of the Glen a few years ago but could’nt get on with it. However I do have his book On Moral Courage which I enjoyed very much and value. I’ll definitely give one of his novels another go after reading this, thanks Andrew.
Alan Jackson
3 months ago
“Cultural amnesia”: undoubtedly. Where is the recognition that criticism, distinguishing the profound from the shallow , the necessary to keep from the throw-away, to be found. Certainly not in university literature depts. obsessed with identity politics;certainly not in the review columns of the so-called quality press. No review of quality I know of has survived since Ian Robinson’s “Human World” in the seventies; F. R. Leavis- one of the most important intellectuals of the century is held in derision for being elitist and/or simply ignored. D.H. Lawrence the greatest English novelist , short story-writer is known only for his one-failure (yet another film edition of Lady C. is out apparently). Compton MacKenzie? While one appreciates what Doyle is doing here I have suspicions he is investing a small talent with greater significance than deserved. Lawrence rather brilliantly apparently used his island-hopping as the stimulus for his short-story “The Man Who Love Islands”. However, the article is a good encouragement to have another look.
By no means a small talent. Those who considered Mackenzie a major literary talent included Henry James, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Orwell and P. G. Wodehouse. I’m with them…
I think Carnival, Sinister Street and Sylvia Scarlett are likely to be considered his best. Personally, I prefer Vestal Fire and Extraordinary Women – but I’m probably in a minority there.
I agree that his was a major talent. I suspect that one reason for his virtual disappearance from modern shelves (other than that strumpet Fashion) is also one of things that appealed to his original readers: his tight and detailed focus on contemporary characters and moeurs. I’m particularly fond of his church trilogy: The Altar Steps, Parson’s Progress and The Heavenly Ladder. the first two, in particular, are ‘romans à clef’ – one can identify many of the characters and institutions Mackenzie describes, and they’re a wonderful insight into the early 20th-century C of E.
Michael Cuenco
3 months ago
Great essay
R K
3 months ago
Thanks for this article. We watched the wonderful Ealing production of Whiskey Galore on DVD for the second time just before seeing this piece. I knew of Compton MacKenzie from that and also from a bound volume of the Gramophone from the early ’50’s that I dip into from time to time. I will have to find his novels: its always a treat to learn more about the world we have lost [or sometimes actively suppressed].
Very interesting article. I just checked the online catalogue of our local library and they have several MacKenzie titles. I’ll give one a try.
The original film version of Whisky Galore was one of my favourites growing up and there was a half-decent remake in 2016, so the name Compton Mackenzie had a vaguely familiar ring when i read the headings for Andrew Doyle’s latest contribution. I’d no idea of the enormous scope of Mackenzie’s output though, so once again, thanks Andrew for drawing attention to a corner of our cultural heritage in danger of being lost from view..
As an aside, it’s also set me thinking about a Lancashire lass who found fame in the 1930s, Gracie Fields. She was condemned for going to live on Capri with her American husband during WW2 when it was said of her that she was failing to do her duty in the war effort by not entertaining troops, in the Vera Lynn style. Perhaps she was simply misunderstood and her move to Capri was for rather more personal reasons.
ROCHDALE lass please!
Whenever I hear of Brits on Capri, I think of Noel Coward and his Bar on the Piccola Marina.
Yes, the best song he ever wrote IMO.
This surprises me, given that Gracie Fields was well known for her performances for the troops. Example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roFRz15xhwQ
She did adore Capri. She’s buried there in the Cimitero Acattolico.
Sir William Walton, another Lancastrian (Oldham) seems similarly to have adored adjacent Ischia, and at about the same time.
Must be something to do with “Dark Satanic Mills” and “La Dolce Vita”
The latter is now just a well-known Italian restaurant on the outskirts of Greater Manchester!
Not by any chance near Mr Pierrepoint’s old pub?
Thanks for that correction. It was something i’d just picked up anecdotally from my parents a long time ago, who’d previously been big fans of hers. Possibly an early example of misinformation!
P.G. Wodehouse suffered from that as well.
Her husband was Italian. They left England as otherwise he faced internment as an enemy alien.
I knew nothing of Compton McKenzie before reading this. If I didn’t trust the author I’d have assumed it were a fictional biography! Fascinating stuff.
. “I am temperamentally incapable of dwelling upon unhappiness,” he wrote in My Life and Times, “I sympathise with the sundial’s preference for sunny hours.”
What a lucky man to be blessed with such a cast of mind!
What a great name for a ship, the SS Politician. Gives me a new vision when I think of rats deserting a sinking ship.
A few months ago I went on a fishing trip from Whitby and caught quite a lot of cod on the wreck of the SS Boris.
Top shelf, Andrew.
And his autobiography is an absolute delight and a must read
https://www.amazon.com/As-Much-Dare-Autobiography-Mackenzie/dp/B000V3QF28
Ah, but that book was written by his wife!
Sounds intriguing, but I thought the article’s author said his autobiography was in ten volumes rather than one!
Absolutely fascinating article. I am now on the scout for any of his works. Thank you.
For those of you inspired by this excellent article to read Mackenzie, if you’re reading any of his fiction published before c. 1925, do read them in order. The characters from different books meet, fall in love (and out), and affect each others’ stories, and in some of the later books, Mackenzie just summarises long conversations that happened in earlier ones.
Thank you for reminding me about Compton Mackenzie. I have Sinister Street on my bookshelves and first read it as a teenager about sixty years ago. Its time I read it again!
Sinister Street is available on Project Gutenberg.
A very enjoyable article. Thank you.
Many thanks for this interesting essay on Compton MacKenzie. It is articles like this that keep me reading Unherd despite the tide of dross that all too often appears. I suppose it is hard to keep up a stream of decent articles and the publishers have to include the mediocre as well. It might be better stick to to publishing fewer but excellent articles instead of irritating the readership with poor material.
About a year ago I came across his Rival Monster comedy about Nessie in a charity shop. I’d never heard of him but bought it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for this piece – it will act as s guide for me to read more!
I did try Monarch of the Glen a few years ago but could’nt get on with it. However I do have his book On Moral Courage which I enjoyed very much and value. I’ll definitely give one of his novels another go after reading this, thanks Andrew.
“Cultural amnesia”: undoubtedly. Where is the recognition that criticism, distinguishing the profound from the shallow , the necessary to keep from the throw-away, to be found. Certainly not in university literature depts. obsessed with identity politics;certainly not in the review columns of the so-called quality press. No review of quality I know of has survived since Ian Robinson’s “Human World” in the seventies; F. R. Leavis- one of the most important intellectuals of the century is held in derision for being elitist and/or simply ignored. D.H. Lawrence the greatest English novelist , short story-writer is known only for his one-failure (yet another film edition of Lady C. is out apparently). Compton MacKenzie? While one appreciates what Doyle is doing here I have suspicions he is investing a small talent with greater significance than deserved. Lawrence rather brilliantly apparently used his island-hopping as the stimulus for his short-story “The Man Who Love Islands”. However, the article is a good encouragement to have another look.
By no means a small talent. Those who considered Mackenzie a major literary talent included Henry James, F. Scott Fitzgerald, George Orwell and P. G. Wodehouse. I’m with them…
OK-fair answer. I shall reconsider by reading a few.
I think Carnival, Sinister Street and Sylvia Scarlett are likely to be considered his best. Personally, I prefer Vestal Fire and Extraordinary Women – but I’m probably in a minority there.
THanks for this. I’ll try them.
I agree that his was a major talent. I suspect that one reason for his virtual disappearance from modern shelves (other than that strumpet Fashion) is also one of things that appealed to his original readers: his tight and detailed focus on contemporary characters and moeurs. I’m particularly fond of his church trilogy: The Altar Steps, Parson’s Progress and The Heavenly Ladder. the first two, in particular, are ‘romans à clef’ – one can identify many of the characters and institutions Mackenzie describes, and they’re a wonderful insight into the early 20th-century C of E.
Great essay
Thanks for this article. We watched the wonderful Ealing production of Whiskey Galore on DVD for the second time just before seeing this piece. I knew of Compton MacKenzie from that and also from a bound volume of the Gramophone from the early ’50’s that I dip into from time to time. I will have to find his novels: its always a treat to learn more about the world we have lost [or sometimes actively suppressed].