Kyril Bonfiglioli
Encyclopedia
Kyril Bonfiglioli was born Cyril Emmanuel George Bonfiglioli in Eastbourne
, to an Italo-Slovene father, Emmanuel Bonfiglioli, and English mother, Dorothy née Pallett. Having served in the army from 1947 to 1952, and been widowed, he applied to Balliol College, Oxford
where he took his degree. He was variously an art dealer
in Oxford, UK, an editor
, and a writer
. After his divorce from his second wife he lived in Lancashire, Jersey and Ireland. He died in Jersey of cirrhosis
of the liver in 1985. He had five children.
He edited Science Fantasy
magazine for a period from 1964 to 1966, appointed by David Warburton of Roberts and Vinter Ltd.; and the successor Impulse for its first few issues in 1966 before handing the reins to Harry Harrison
.
. Charlie Mortdecai is the fictional art dealer anti-hero
of the series. His character resembles, among other things, an amoral Bertie Wooster
with occasional psychopathic tendencies. His books are still in print and have been translated into several different languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German and Japanese.
Bonfiglioli's style and novel structure have often been favorably compared to that of P. G. Wodehouse
. Mortdecai and his manservant Jock Strapp bear a fun-house mirror relation to Wodehouse's Wooster and Jeeves. The author makes a nod to this comparison by having Mortdecai reference Wodehouse in the novels.
His second wife, Margaret Bonfiglioli wrote and compiled a posthumous anthology of works and anecdotes, called "The Mortdecai ABC."
(ISBN 0-670-91084-8 UK: Penguin / Viking, 2001)
The three original books:
Anthologised in:
An historical prequel about one of Charlie's Dutch ancestors.
The posthumously completed sequel:
Three of the Mortdecai titles, are also featured in 'Fish Who Answer the Telephone' -- a compendium of bizarre books & titles.
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, to an Italo-Slovene father, Emmanuel Bonfiglioli, and English mother, Dorothy née Pallett. Having served in the army from 1947 to 1952, and been widowed, he applied to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
where he took his degree. He was variously an art dealer
Art dealer
An art dealer is a person or company that buys and sells works of art. Art dealers' professional associations serve to set high standards for accreditation or membership and to support art exhibitions and shows.-Role:...
in Oxford, UK, an editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, and a writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. After his divorce from his second wife he lived in Lancashire, Jersey and Ireland. He died in Jersey of cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
of the liver in 1985. He had five children.
He edited Science Fantasy
Science Fantasy (magazine)
Science Fantasy, which also appeared under the titles Impulse and SF Impulse, was a British fantasy and science fiction magazine, launched in 1950 by Nova Publications as a companion to Nova's New Worlds. Walter Gillings was editor for the first two issues, and was then replaced by John Carnell,...
magazine for a period from 1964 to 1966, appointed by David Warburton of Roberts and Vinter Ltd.; and the successor Impulse for its first few issues in 1966 before handing the reins to Harry Harrison
Harry Harrison
Harry Harrison is an American science fiction author best known for his character the Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! , the basis for the film Soylent Green...
.
'Charlie Mortdecai' series
He wrote nearly four books featuring Charlie Mortdecai, three of which were published in his lifetime, and one posthumously as completed by the satirist Craig BrownCraig Brown (satirist)
Craig Edward Moncrieff Brown is a British critic and satirist from England, probably best known for his work in Private Eye.-Biography:...
. Charlie Mortdecai is the fictional art dealer anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
of the series. His character resembles, among other things, an amoral Bertie Wooster
Bertie Wooster
Bertram Wilberforce "Bertie" Wooster is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves novels of British author P. G. Wodehouse. An English gentleman, one of the "idle rich" and a member of the Drones Club, he appears alongside his valet, Jeeves, whose genius manages to extricate Bertie or one of...
with occasional psychopathic tendencies. His books are still in print and have been translated into several different languages including Spanish, French, Italian, German and Japanese.
Bonfiglioli's style and novel structure have often been favorably compared to that of P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
. Mortdecai and his manservant Jock Strapp bear a fun-house mirror relation to Wodehouse's Wooster and Jeeves. The author makes a nod to this comparison by having Mortdecai reference Wodehouse in the novels.
His second wife, Margaret Bonfiglioli wrote and compiled a posthumous anthology of works and anecdotes, called "The Mortdecai ABC."
(ISBN 0-670-91084-8 UK: Penguin / Viking, 2001)
The three original books:
- Don't Point That Thing At Me (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1972)
- Something Nasty In The Woodshed (Macmillan, 1976)
- After You With The Pistol (Secker and Warburg, 1979)
Anthologised in:
- The Mortdecai Trilogy (Black Spring Press, 1991)
An historical prequel about one of Charlie's Dutch ancestors.
- All the Tea in China (Secker and Warburg, 1978)
The posthumously completed sequel:
- The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery completed by Craig Brown (satirist)Craig Brown (satirist)Craig Edward Moncrieff Brown is a British critic and satirist from England, probably best known for his work in Private Eye.-Biography:...
(Black Spring PressBlack Spring PressBlack Spring Press is an independent English publishing house, founded in 1985. The initial published works were lyric and poetry collections by musicians Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen. They have also published Off the Road by Carolyn Cassady, and Nick Cave's debut novel And the Ass Saw the Angel...
, 1999)
Quotes & References
The dry satire and black humour of the books, are (highly) favorably reviewed by the New Yorker and others. Some quotes may be found on WikiQuote, to sample the flavour.- Quotes on WikiQuote
Three of the Mortdecai titles, are also featured in 'Fish Who Answer the Telephone' -- a compendium of bizarre books & titles.