Paul Bowles: A Life - Tapa dura

"Carr deeply mines Bowles' childhood and early years as a spokesman for non-Western music; her account of his initial success as a novelist ("The Sheltering Sky", inspired by Jane's writing) moves blithely and is chock-full of encounters with famous musicians and belletrists. . . Nonanalytical and nonjudgmental, very much the way Bowles would have wanted it."--"Kirkus Reviews"

Later Gore Vidal suggested that Spencer Carr postpone her work in order to write a life of Paul Bowles instead. Following an offer of 'no strings attached' cooperation from Bowles and a new two-book contract from her US publisher, she began to write. Twelve years and thirteen trips to Morocco later, Carr has delivered a biography that she was able to read aloud to Bowles shortly before his death. Gathering a wealth of information about Bowles's youth, his writing, his music, his marriage with Jane Bowles and his sexual relationships, this compelling and erudite biography is the definitive account of an extraordinary life. Paul Bowles was born in 1910. He grew up in New York and at a young age embarked upon an artistic journey all over the world. He studied music with composer Aaron Copland, befriended a generation of artists including Gertrude Stein, Allen Ginsberg and W.H. Auden, and married the writer Jane Auer (later known as Jane Bowles). He composed music for plays and films, wrote poetry, short stories and novels including The Sheltering Sky. He captured the imaginations of American counter-culturalists when he took up residence in Morocco where he remained until his death in 1999. His writings are today recognized as some of the most original and powerful of the twentieth century.