Letters etc

“I greatly enjoyed your Lorne Thyssen piece - as well as being tickled to read that he propositioned you. Does this mean his therapy for moral degeneracy must be considered a failure?”

“Caroline writes really well. I like the way she gives the impression of herself at the scene without bringing herself in obtrusively. Very clever. Norman Mailer sounds as dreadful as I’d always imagined...”

“I must commend you for having the guts to stand up to that arrogant bully Norman Mailer who usually cows interviewers to such an extent that they treat him with kid gloves...”

“What a tour de force to have jigsawed so brilliantly a whole complicated lifetime into a delightful and very kind article...”

“I think you captured me very accurately. The talent you have for this (and it is a real talent) is exceptional. Had I not known otherwise, I’d have guessed you’d done a bit of time yourself!!!...”

“Congratulations on becoming a commissioning editor. There are no limits to how far you will go, because you establish such a rapport with your interviewees that they open up and do not fear betrayal. You have human qualities not always found in your profession. When I find a piece by you in the Standard, I rejoice. You write so well...”

“Jolly good interview - much enjoyed...”

“You treated me with courtesy and forbearance in your piece and I think it read very well... as a flattering profile of a geriatric.”

“Thank you for your articles. You are a very good journalist and they’re great pieces, but as a potential subject I’d rather cross Niagara Falls naked on a tightrope...”

“Thanks for sending your article. Although it found its way to the dustbin unread, I was tempted to break my self-imposed rule - but resisted!”

“I’m a great fan of your work. Lovely piece you did on Edward Heath especially. I interviewed Richard Harris the day after you and he said you'd been “amazing”, so sharp. Did he play with himself?...”

“Just to say how very good I think your pieces are... I love your gimlet-eyed descriptions...”