"It is hard to imagine Christopher Hitchens’ short and acrid meditation on the life of Mother Teresa, The Missionary Position (1995) – which portrays her as an evil-minded, rapacious Albanian dwarf – being published before Strachey lit his flare-path and established for ever that biography can legitimately mock, diminish and demote."
Yes, particularly considering the dates of birth of Hitchens and Mother Teresa.
Iris Origo cites Hugh Trevor-Roper on the irresponsibility of Strachey, adding a made-up detail to his depiction of Matthew Arnold because he felt he ought to. As for "mock, diminish, and demote", Johnson deals in ironies rather than sneers, but there are some strong punches dealt in the Lives of Milton, Waller, and Swift, to name only those who come to mind.
"It is hard to imagine Christopher Hitchens’ short and acrid meditation on the life of Mother Teresa, The Missionary Position (1995) – which portrays her as an evil-minded, rapacious Albanian dwarf – being published before Strachey lit his flare-path and established for ever that biography can legitimately mock, diminish and demote."
ReplyDeleteYes, particularly considering the dates of birth of Hitchens and Mother Teresa.
Iris Origo cites Hugh Trevor-Roper on the irresponsibility of Strachey, adding a made-up detail to his depiction of Matthew Arnold because he felt he ought to. As for "mock, diminish, and demote", Johnson deals in ironies rather than sneers, but there are some strong punches dealt in the Lives of Milton, Waller, and Swift, to name only those who come to mind.