Mervyn Peake, a Life

Famouslywitty,eccentric,widelypopular,andattractivetowomen,Peakewasalsosturdilyindependentoftheliteraryandartisticmovementsofhisdayandachievedcultstatusevenbeforehisearlydeathin1968.MalcolmYorkebringsusthefirstobjectivebiographyofthisbrilliantfigure,writtenwiththePeakefamily'sfullcooperation.Withaccesstoletters,photographs,anddrawingsneverpreviouslypublished,Yorkechartsalifeoftenshadowedbymentalturmoilandworryyetalways,untilitstragicend,relievedbyPeake'squirkyhumorandceaselesscreativity.MervynPeakewasbornin1911inrevolutionaryChina,wherehisparentsweremissionaries.Helaterdrewonhisexoticchildhoodanditsoftensavageimagesinhisadultcreations.Throughouthislife,hewasabohemian:asastudentandthen,later,inanartists'colonyontheislandofSark,aplacetowhichheoftenreturnedwhencitylifebecametoostressfulorexpensive.TeachinginLondon,hefellinlovewithoneofhisstudents,MaeveGilmore,andthetwomarrieddespiteherfamily'sopposition.Itturnedouttobeacloseandlastingrelationship,livedamongacircleoffriendsthatincludedGrahamGreene,AugustusJohn,DylanThomas,andWalterdelaMare.PeakeprovedtobeamiserableandincompetentsoldierduringWorldWarII,anditwasduringthisunhappyperiodthathebegantowriteTitusGroan,thefirstbookoftheGormenghasttrilogy.In1945hewassentbyamagazinetoGermany,wherehevisitedtheBergenBelsenconcentrationcampimmediatelyafteritsliberation-anexperiencethatwouldprofoundlyaffecthissubsequentwork.