The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowry: Souls and Shamans

The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowry: Souls and Shamans is an interdisciplinary investigation of the multifaceted, intuitive insight of international modernist writer Malcolm Lowry through an analysis of a selection of works and correspondence. Nigel H. Foxcroft analyzes his psychogeographic perception of the interconnectedness of East-West cultures and civilizations in terms of pre-Columbian Mesoamerican customs; the Mexican Day of the Dead festival; the Atlantis myth; surrealism; and Russian literary, filmic, and political influences. He traces his intellectual efforts in pursuing philosophical and cosmic knowledge to bridge the gap between the natural sciences and the humanities. This monograph identifies Lowry’s attempts to reintegrate modernism with primitivism in his quest for an elixir of life for the survival of humanity on the brink of global catastrophe, as indicated in In Ballast to the White Sea and Under the Volcano. It also examines his sustained endeavors to attain psychoanalytical atonement with himself and his environment in Ultramarine, Swinging the Maelstrom, “The Forest Path to the Spring,” and October Ferry to Gabriola. It also discusses the odyssey on which Lowry and his literary protagonists embark to connect with the past and to gain a deeper insight into human nature in Dark as the Grave Wherein My Friend is Laid, La Mordida, and “Through the Panama.” Scholars of cultural studies, history, humanities, Latin American studies, literature, and Russian studies will find this book particularly useful.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: The Writer as Shaman: The Interconnectedness of East-West Cultures and Civilizations Chapter 1: Malcolm Lowry’s Modernism: Surrealist, Literary, and Political Influences Chapter 2: The Evolution of Lowry’s Intuitive Consciousness: Bridging the Shamanic Divide in Ultramarine, In Ballast to the White Sea, Swinging the Maelstrom, and The 1940 Under the Volcano Chapter 3: In Search of the Souls of Civilization: The Russian Connection in In Ballast to the White Sea and Under the Volcano Chapter 4: The Mexican Day of the Dead: Under the Volcano’s Zapotec, Aztec, and Spanish Roots Chapter 5: Exorcising the Spectres of the Past: From the Maelstrom of Dark as the Grave Wherein My Friend is Laid to the Atonement of La Mordida and “Through the Panama” Chapter 6: In Pursuit of Celestial Harmony: The Pysychogeographic Ecosphere of Eridanus in “The Forest Path to the Spring” and October Ferry to Gabriola Conclusion: The Quest for the Regeneration of Civilization: A Taoist Climax

About the Author :
Nigel H. Foxcroft is senior lecturer of English literature, Russian studies, and European studies at the University of Brighton.

Review :
Malcolm Lowry, born in England and longtime resident of Mexico and Canada, is one of the greatest yet also one of the least understood and least appreciated of twentieth-century English writers. Nigel Foxcroft's scrupulous study unravels Lowry's heterogeneous erudition and what he calls his 'kaleidoscopic vision of the world'. Foxcroft provides the biographical, historical, cultural and above all the literary contexts of a magpie writer who drew upon American, Norwegian, German and Russian literatures, European silent cinema, contemporary anthropology and philosophy and mystical and esoteric sources to create the remarkable writing, global in scope, of 'an international modernist visionary'. This rich and illuminating account will help readers appreciate more fully the singularity and the achievement of this extraordinary writer. I have just finished reading The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowryand am deeply impressed by Nigel H. Foxcroft’s truly informative and powerful discussion. I am overwhelmed by his wide range of reading and extensive research, from anthropology and ancient religion to European, Russian, and American writings, and even to Indian and Chinese thoughts. I am also attracted by Lowry's religious dimensions, somehow comparable to those of shamans. I am so encouraged to tackle Lowry's works again. I think that this monograph is an important corrective to the Euro-centered understanding of modernism, to be read not only by Lowry specialists but also by everyone interested in modernism in general. The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowryis an excellent and important publication. While I have long been aware of the spiritual and cultural influences in Lowry’s writings, Nigel H. Foxcroft has thoroughly examined those influences and their impacts. Therefore, he has highlighted and connected many new thoughts and ‘visions’ for all those interested in Lowry. Moreover, he does so in a style that is clear and concise. He has made me once again be amazed at Lowry’s ‘kaleidoscopic’ interests and knowledge, and his ability to weave those interests into such unique and riveting novels and short stories. Foxcroft has made me want to re-read all of Lowry’s works again as I now have some fresh insights! I am also amazed at the research that he has conducted, and the rigorous ways in which he has drawn that research together—a major undertaking. I have finished The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowry. I really enjoyed it! The writing is clear and direct, which is a big plus. What I really enjoyed is that Nigel H. Foxcroft has tried to take ALL Lowry’s works, including the letters, and put them into a common, coherent framework. Most commentators just concentrate on ‘Volcano’ or one of the other novels. Foxcroft’s work gives a better idea than any of the others of the depth of Lowry’s reading and the inter-connectedness of his thoughts. I particularly enjoyed Foxcroft’s comments on Donnelly, Charles Fort, J. W. Dunne, and Ouspensky. Now I’m going to have to re-read the Lowry works again. The Kaleidoscopic Vision of Malcolm Lowry is an engaging and enjoyable book that provides a wealth of insights into this important writer. […] this is […] a work that uncovers so much and in a generous manner that will open up the works for generations of readers.