George Aldridge biography. James Aldridge short biography

In The Sea Eagle by James Aldridge, three-quarters of the time is spent on boats at sea, dealing with jibs, sheets, masts, rigging, and sails. The action takes place on the coast of the Greek island of Crete, inhabited by fishermen, sponge fishers and winemakers. But the book is still not about the sea, but about the war. The Second World War is coming. Crete is occupied by fascist troops. The few remaining soldiers of the Australian and British armies, who did not have time to evacuate with the main troops, make their way to the coast in groups of two or three in order to get a boat by hook or by crook and leave the island. Getting a boat is very difficult, almost impossible, but it is the only means of salvation. Indeed, even on such an island as Crete it is impossible to hide from the Nazis for a long time, they occupy village after village, their whole hordes.
Enges Burke is one of the many soldiers in hiding. He is an experienced, smart and brave fighter, but he is confused and confused, he feels trapped on the island. At first, I thought that this was the main character, and prepared to watch how he copes with everything. But on his way he meets a Greek named Nis, and the author's attention switches to a new person. With the advent of Nis, the life of Enges and his fellow travelers does not become easier and simpler, no, but at least now Nis clearly sets a goal for them, and they know what needs to be done and in what sequence. Nis is a leader by nature, whether he likes it or not. He himself understands and realizes this not immediately, but people gather around him, look at him with hope, it is he who is able to inspire and direct. If a plan of action is worked out jointly, the final word belongs to him. The crowd, gathered in the square in indecision, is waiting for answers and solutions from him. You probably already guessed who the sea eagle is here.
What I did not like about this book is that it is too unambiguous, correct, black and white, sustained in the right spirit, as if edited and censored. There are "good" ones: Greeks, Australians, British. There are bad ones: Greek Metaxists, Greek scammers and traitors, fascists. Heroes laugh in the face of danger, stand to their full height under the bullets of an enemy machine gun, and even in death their faces are beautiful. In some places, the author uses turns of speech, metaphors that give the text an epic quality, and the appearance of the characters - something from the Olympic gods. Their serenity, calmness and reticence, as it were, show that they are on the right track, so there is nothing to worry about and discuss. However, such epicness often turns into pathos and looks a little ridiculous.
Aldridge's style in this book is relentlessly reminiscent of Hemingway's. The same stinginess of language and brevity of sentences. At the same time, the book is insanely long. Each action of the characters is described in detail, the reader literally follows them in real time.
Yes, it gives immersion in the atmosphere, but it is exhaustingly boring.
We find it funny when the Americans say that they won the Second World War, but, for example, my knowledge is also very one-sided, limited to participation in the war of the Soviet Union. From this book, I partially got an idea of ​​how Greece survived and endured this terrible war, about the suffering of the Greek people and the Greek resistance movement. I learned about the heroes and armies of other countries participating in World War II. But I didn't like this book at all, and what's worse, it's so right that it makes me ashamed that I didn't like it.

James Aldridge - English writer, journalist and public figure - was born July 10, 1918 in White Hill, Victoria, Australia in a large large family.

Mother always taught her son to be honest, to protect the weak, to love nature. The future writer was the fifth, the youngest child in the family. In the mid 1920s Aldridge's family moved to Swan Hill and most of his Australian writing is based on his life in the town. In 1938 Aldridge moves to London.

Studied at Melbourne Commercial College. During World War II, Aldridge worked as a war correspondent in the Middle (Iran) and Middle East and wrote about the Axis invasion of Greece and the island of Crete. Aldridge's early novels, A Matter of Honor and The Sea Eagle, were inspired by Ernest Hemingway.

His first novel, A Matter of Honor, based on his own experiences as a writer, was published in the UK and the US. in 1942 and immediately established itself as a bestseller. The protagonist of the novel, a young pilot of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain, John Kweil, fights on obsolete biplanes against Axis aircraft in the sky over Greece, Crete and North Africa in 1940-41. The novel became Aldridge's best-selling book until before 1988.

The writer's second novel, The Sea Eagle, was published in 1944. The plot is based on the story of the fate of Australian pilots after the disaster on the island of Crete in 1941. Despite the fact that reviews from critics turned out to be more restrained, the book received the prestigious John Llewellyn Rice young writer and military pilot award. for 1945.

One of the most successful and widely known novels of the writer was The Diplomat, published in 1949. The action of the novel takes place in the Soviet Union, in northern Iran - Azerbaijan and Kurdistan, as well as in the UK. The book shows in detail and fascinatingly the work of Soviet and British diplomats: how certain political decisions are made at the highest level. It also tells about the political situation in Iran during the 1945 revolution. The life, culture and local flavor of Iranians and Kurds are colorfully shown. The book received mixed reviews from critics.

In 1974 Aldridge published the book "Mountains and Arms", which is a continuation of the novel "The Diplomat". On its pages the reader will meet the main characters of Diplomat again. The action of the book from the struggling Kurdistan is transferred to Europe, where the protagonist travels at the request of his old friends, Iranian Kurds, in search of the money that was destined for the purchase of weapons that disappeared without a trace.

The Hunter novel written in 1949, was the result of the author's attempt to mix different genres and trends in literature. The drama tells about Canadian fur hunters, about their life's difficulties and about the ups and downs of fate occurring around hunting on the shores of Lake Ontario.

The writer lived in Cairo for a long time, to whom he dedicated the book “Cairo. Biography of the city "( 1969 ).

Since the mid 1960s Aldridge writes mainly books for children and teenagers.

In 1971 Aldridge became a member of the jury at the Seventh Moscow International Film Festival.

In 1972 became a laureate of the International Lenin Prize "For strengthening peace between peoples". In the same year he was awarded the Gold Medal of the International Organization of Journalists. James Aldridge categorically condemned the decision of Margaret Thatcher's government to forcefully restore British control over the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands after Argentine troops landed there in 1982. He also took an active part in the movement, whose participants tried to prevent the deployment of American cruise missiles in the UK in 1982-1983 years.

Artworks:
"A Matter of Honor" (Signed with Their Honor, 1942 )
"Sea Eagle" (The Sea Eagle, 1944 )
"About many people" (Of Many Men, 1946 )
“49th state. A play in 5 interludes "(The Five Brief Interludes of the 49th State, 1946 )
"Diplomat" (The Diplomat, 1949 )
"Hunter" (The Hunter, 1950 )
"Heroes of Empty View" (Heroes of Empty View, 1954 )
"Undersea Hunting for Inexperienced Englishmen" (Undersea Hunting for Inexperienced Englishmen, 1955 )
"I don't want him to die" (I Wish He Would Not Die, 1957 )
"The Last Inch" (The Last Inch, 1957 )
"The Last Exile" (The Last Exile, 1961 )
"Captured by a foreign country" (A Captive in the Land, 1962 )
"My Brother Tom" (My Brother Tom, 1966 )
"Dangerous Game" (The Statesman's Game, 1966 )
"Flight number nineteen" (The Flying 19, 1966 )
"Cairo. Biography of the city "(Cairo, 1969 )
"Ride a Wild Pony" (A Sporting Proposition (Ride a Wild Pony), 1973 )
"Julie Detached" (The Untouchable Juli, 1974 )
"Mountains and Weapons" (Mockery In Arms, 1974 )
"The Marvelous Mongolian" (The Marvelous Mongolian, 1974 )
"Last Glimpse" (One Last Glimpse, 1977 )
"Goodbye Anti-America" ​​(Goodbye Un-America, 1979 )
"Broken Saddle" (The Broken Saddle, 1982 )
"The True Story of Lilli Stubeck" (The True Story of Lilli Stubeck, 1984 )
"The True Story of Spit Macphee" (The True Story of Spit Macphee, 1986 )
"The True Story of Lola Mackellar" (The True Story of Lola Mackellar, 1992 )
"Girl from the Sea" (The Girl from the Sea, 2002 )
"The Wings of Kitty St Clair" (The Wings of Kitty St Clair, 2006 )

James Aldridge(born July 10, 1918) is an English writer and public figure.

James Aldridge entered English literature in the early 1940s; in a relatively short time, he went through a significant creative evolution. The birth of Aldridge as a writer, his ideological growth are closely connected with the liberation struggle of the peoples during the Second World War. Most of Aldridge's writings are extremely topical; at the same time, journalistic sharpness is combined with the gift of artistic generalizations. The focus of the writer is a man with his search for freedom and happiness. The power of Aldridge's satirical denunciations is directed against those who, in his words, are trying to "base their calculations on lucrative deals with dead souls."

James Aldridge (James Aldridge, p. 1918) was born in Australia, in Swanhill (Victoria), in the family of an English writer who settled here shortly before his birth. Already at the age of fourteen, he entered the editorial office of one of the Melbourne newspapers as a messenger, while continuing to study. He also lived on the Isle of Man (near Scotland) in his mother's old house.

After moving to England, Aldridge entered the university at Oxford; then he attended flight courses and actively collaborated in a number of London newspapers.

During the years of the liberation struggle of the Spanish people, young Aldridge followed with ardent sympathy all the vicissitudes of the historical battles against fascism in Spain, where many outstanding representatives of the British intelligentsia fought. The events of those days played a big role in the ideological formation of Aldridge - an anti-fascist.

Aldridge was 21 years old when he headed to Finland as a war correspondent. A sharp-eyed journalist correctly assessed the events unfolding before his eyes. In the messages of the astute correspondent, there was a condemnation of the destructive anti-national policy of the Finnish ruling circles of that time and recognition of the historical correctness of the Soviet Union. For this he was expelled from Finland.

During the Second World War, Aldridge traveled as a correspondent in many countries (Norway, Greece, Egypt, Libya, Iran, etc.) and in many theaters of war. He also visited the Soviet Union, where he spent almost a year (1944-1945). The writer was an eyewitness to the selfless struggle of the Soviet people, who gave everything for victory and played a decisive role in the defeat of the Nazi war machine.

The first books of Aldridge aroused considerable interest not only for their truthfulness and authenticity of the story, but also for the deep democracy of the writer, who is vitally interested in the victory of the people.

James Aldridge's early works Signed with Their Honor (1942), The Sea Eagle (1944) and Of Many Men (1946) are major achievements in cutting-edge English military literature. time. These works pleased with novelty, freshness of the writer's voice, clarity of political thought. They were perhaps the first messengers in England from the fields of war, bringing the truth about the suffering of millions and the determination of peoples to defend their independence and freedom.

The first novel by James Aldridge, A Matter of Honor, paints a vivid picture of the popular liberation movement in Greece, from the moment of the invasion of the Italo-fascist invaders in October 1940 until the capture of the country by the Nazis in April 1941. The Greek people, defending their freedom, are opposed in novel of the rotten fascist-metaxist elite in power. The writer shows how selflessly poorly armed Greek soldiers fought for their land and what an ominous, treacherous role the Metaxists and representatives of the British high command played.

Already by the first novel, marked by an undoubted talent, one can judge Aldridge's democracy, his significant life experience, great powers of observation, persistent search for his own individual style of writing.

In the early works of Aldridge, especially in the novel A Matter of Honor, echoes of the Hemingway intonation are heard. However, this influence, which Hemingway had on Aldridge at the time of the formation of his creative method, should not be overestimated. The young writer inevitably enters into a kind of ideological and artistic polemic with him. Aldridge rethinks the theme of courage in the face of death, takes a new approach to depicting the patriotism of the people fighting for their independence. Its heroes experience the same bitterness as the heroes of Hemingway's novel A Farewell to Arms, but they see more clearly the perpetrators of the senseless and tragic death of people, and all of them make their way to the truth in one way or another, overcoming the mood of political indifference, characteristic of many representatives of the English bourgeois intelligentsia. .

Aldridge very soon discovers his independence as an artist, and this is greatly facilitated by the breadth of his views and the ever-increasing historical experience he has taken from the liberation struggle of peoples. Aldridge's path in this sense is directly opposite to the path of various Hemingway epigones, who blindly canonize the early manner of their teacher, his deliberately simplified, stylized tale, which Hemingway himself later largely abandoned.

The desire to depict noble human characters, which is one of the main features of Aldridge's work, makes him related to the best traditions of English and world classical literature.

The lyrical theme - the love of the Greek patriot Elena Stangu and the English pilot John Quayle, the awakening and development of this love, its tragic nature, due to the harsh environment of the war - occupies a large place in the novel "A Matter of Honor". The personal destinies of the heroes, inextricably linked with the nationwide struggle against fascism, are, as it were, illuminated by its light. In the family of Elena Stangu, John Quail found the true patriots of Greece, people of advanced convictions who were persecuted by the Metaxists. Communication with this family, bitter military experience encourage the hero to think about a lot, reevaluate his views on life.

Quail saw that "his views are not ugly" and that he was not alone. And Mann, and young Gorelle, and many others are in the same mood as he is. "The day will come when they will all unite," is Quail's conclusion.

The novel "A Matter of Honor", dedicated to the fate and searches of John Quayle, brings the writer close to the theme of the people who have risen to fight. This theme is developed in the novel "The Sea Eagle", in which the clarity of political thought, the courage to denounce the perpetrators of the tragedy of the Greek people are combined with high artistic merit.

The novel is preceded by an epigraph, which gives the key to the author's intention and introduces him into a dynamically developing action full of passionate struggle.

“Nys defended Megara,” the epigraph says, “when the Minotaur invaded the country. His half-brother planned to take Megara into his own hands as soon as Nis defeated the Minotaur. Nis penetrated his plan and told Zeus about it. Zeus turned his half-brother into a fish, and gave Nisu the power to turn into a sea eagle at will, in order to pursue his half-brother in this image and observe the actions of enemies.

The action of the novel "The Sea Eagle" takes place on the island of Crete at the moment when the last act of the drama that the Greek people were experiencing came: having occupied Greece, the Nazis occupied Crete, destroying the Australian, New Zealand and English detachments that did not have time to leave the island.

These days, the wounded Australian Enges Burke wanders in search of salvation. A skeptical person, he tries to remain an outside observer of the events unfolding before him. He meets on his way the Greek patriot Nis; close acquaintance with him and participation in a joint struggle prompt Burke to think and doubt the correctness of his position of political indifference. Fate brings another Australian with Nees, the simple-hearted giant Stone, a man of unbending will, possessing endurance and humor; Accepted as a brother by the kind-hearted Lithosian fishermen, Stone becomes close to them.

The image of the freedom-loving Greek Nis - the "sea eagle" - a man of great spiritual strength and nobility, who knows how to be a devoted friend and a passionate, uncompromising fighter, helps to understand how deep the roots of the people's liberation movement are. This is one of the best images of the folk hero in the literature of the Second World War period.

James Aldridge proves himself in this novel as a master of intense, fascinatingly developing plot. He knows how to convey the drama of life, to show the clash of social forces, the deep antagonism between the people and their enemies. The novel shows that the reactionary aims and plans of the metaxist clique claiming power found sympathy and support in well-known English circles.

Showing how people infected with ironic skepticism overcome it and join the ranks of the fighters against fascism, Aldridge does not separate this theme from the image of the nobility and strength of ordinary people, like Nis or the giant Sarandaki, boldly going towards danger. The lyrical subtext is especially noticeable in the masterful dialogues, which eloquently testify to the deep emotional experiences of the characters in The Sea Eagle.

The book "About Many People" consists of separate chapters-short stories, of essays written at different times, but connected by the unity of the ideological concept and the image of the protagonist. In bright fragments, she gives a brief chronicle of the outbreak of the Second World War, outlines its dramatic course and completion.

The book is, as it were, a survey of the most important theaters of the war. Events are given through the perception of the protagonist, the sharp-sighted journalist Wolf, a Scot by birth. Wolf visited Spain during the war of the Spanish people against the fascist invaders and is full of sympathy for the anti-fascists. The book contains silhouettes of many people he has seen. He writes about his encounters on the mountain roads of Norway, where he comprehended the calm courage of the Norwegian people, writes about people he encountered in the rear, in America. He talks about close friends and literary snobs deeply alien to him, whom he mentally calls "corrupt creatures." In Italy, Wolf saw such folk heroes as the Italian anti-fascist Fabiano, who was held accountable by the representatives of the Anglo-American command for punishing fascist murderers who mocked the Italian people. Wolf characterizes the persecution to which Fabiano was subjected as a typical manifestation of a certain policy of encouraging revanchism. Wolf visited the USSR, where the people gave everything for victory, met with persistent people who defended Stalingrad.

The figure of Wolf, a man seeking truth, plays a fundamentally important role in the book. It enables the author not only to cement together disparate fragments, but also to show the aspirations of one of the typical representatives of the English democratic intelligentsia.

The genre of the book "About Many People" is peculiar: it is more like links of short stories, closely related to each other, than a complete novel. Aldridge proved himself here as a brilliant storyteller, possessing the secret of a dynamic development of action, prominently outlining his images, skillfully building a dialogue, always with a deep undercurrent of thought.

The book "About Many People" is one of the writer's approaches to the great epic canvas - the novel "The Diplomat".

Written in 1946, the play Forty-Ninth State can also, to some extent, be seen as a forerunner of The Diplomat. And not only because Aldridge turned to acute international problems, which in itself is indicative of his creative development, but also because this work fully revealed an important side of the writer's talent - the ability to create satirical images.

The events depicted in the play take place "80 years after our time", but it bears the stamp of our days.

The novel "The Diplomat" (The Diplomat, 1949), on which James Aldridge worked for four years and in which, according to him, he invested himself, is one of the most significant phenomena of English literature of the post-war period. Despite the attacks of reactionary criticism, this novel found its way to a wide range of readers and was a well-deserved success.

The novel is set in the winter of 1945/46, first in the Soviet Union, then in Iran and England. The sharp vicissitudes of the struggle between the two main characters - Lord Essex, who arrived in the Soviet Union on a "special" diplomatic mission, and his assistant, a geologist, the Scot MacGregor, who gradually discovers the true goals of his patron and courageously opposes him, express the inner essence of the central conflict of the novel. The essence of the conflict is emphasized by the very composition of the novel, which is divided into two books: the first is called Lord "Essex", the second - "MacGregor". In the first book, the figure of Lord Essex is given in close-up, trying to play a dominant role in everything and showing his diplomatic skills; in the second part, Lord Essex gives way to MacGregor.

The image of Lord Essex is a great creative achievement of Aldridge. This character embodies the typical features of bourgeois politicians who imagine themselves to be the arbiters of the destinies of the nation. This image, which has its predecessors in the gallery of portraits of "polyps" and "snobs" created by Dickens and Thackeray, is snatched from modern life and shown in a new way by an artist who stands at the height of an advanced worldview.

It is as natural for Essex to weave dirty intrigues, to cynically recruit hired agents from among the most criminal elements, as it is unnatural for the whole and honest MacGregor.

The image of the geologist MacGregor, a thoughtful, direct, honest, internally independent person, represents the democratic circles of the English intelligentsia in the novel.

Aldridge portrays this character in development, showing how MacGregor overcomes his weaknesses and shortcomings, his narrowness. The artistic power and persuasiveness of the novel "The Diplomat" lies, in particular, in the fact that the image of an advanced contemporary, a representative of the English democratic intelligentsia, is depicted not straightforwardly, but in his complex and painful search, in overcoming many illusions, in the process of accumulating new observations and generalizations. , which lead to sudden changes in the mind and actions of the hero.

In the contest with Lord Essex, MacGregor wins politically and morally. Subtly using the weapon of irony, Aldridge debunks Lord Essex. The further the action of the novel develops, the clearer becomes the inconsistency of the ideas defended by Essex, who has a blind hatred for the people, for the forces of historical progress, for the world of socialism. Readers are convinced of how pitiful his personal goals, his concerns about his career, how deceptive his "greatness" is, and what an essentially small man he appears in comparison with MacGregor.

Having embarked on the path of struggle, MacGregor will be true to his social vocation - such is the logic of the development of this integral character. “Only now,” he admits, “a real fight has begun for me, and I see that I cannot leave the field.” MacGregor can no longer refuse to fight. “It even seems to me that I have only just begun to live, and I know that my time and my labors have not been in vain.”

The novelist depicts social events in the life of English society in the light of great historical perspectives. He clearly sees the features of the new in the destinies of the peoples of the Middle East, he knows that the victory of the democratic forces is inevitable, although the reaction may temporarily triumph. The system of images of his novel serves to reveal the opposite of the two worlds. Full of tension and drama, the novel "Diplomat" is imbued with a sense of historical optimism, faith in the strength of the people.

The writer came so close to the problems of today, to the chronicle of the events of our time, that he was in danger of slipping into the path of illustration and cursory sketches. But the artist happily avoided this. Unfolding before readers a motley string of events of international significance, the novelist created capacious, plastic images against their background, revealed the complex and contradictory play of public interests, showed the connection and clash of various human destinies as an expression of social antagonisms, as a manifestation of contradictions between the outgoing world and the world that is being born in fight.

The special success of Aldridge, the satirist, is the image of Essex precisely because it is not given in isolation, but included in a larger perspective, and this allowed the writer to show with all persuasiveness how hopeless the cause that Essex defends, how tragicomic his attempts to make history. In a deep and consistent debunking of the philosophy of a sophisticated diplomat, who plays a tragic role in the life of peoples, lies the vital truth of this image.

Using all the positive that he obtained in the early period of his work, the author deeply solves the problem of the positive hero of our time. In rapprochement with the people and their liberation struggle, the best sides of the character of John Quail, Enges Burke, Stone, Wolf - the positive heroes of Aldridge's early works, appeared. All the previous artistic discoveries of the writer were further developed in the novel "Diplomat", acquired a new quality. Compared to earlier works, the tone and style of the novel The Diplomat takes on a different character. Aldridge appears in it both as a deeper and more mature realist artist, boldly invading the world of political passions, clarifying the subtle connection between the hero's personal feelings and actions and the social situation, and as a militant satirist. The novel "Diplomat" is an important milestone on the creative path of a talented artist. And at the same time, it testifies to the victory of innovative tendencies, marking the emergence of a new stage in the development of advanced English literature of our day.

“It has been a long time since I read such a good novel, which gives such a topical political lesson as this book,” wrote Harry Pollitt about the novel The Diplomat. “It can make a great contribution to the cause of the struggle for peace and national independence.”1

In June 1953, the World Peace Council awarded James Aldridge a gold medal for The Diplomat. This testifies to the recognition by the world community of the great merits of this outstanding artist and fighter for peace.

The novel The Hunter (1950), which followed The Diplomat, Aldridge dedicates to working people who have preserved nobility and purity of soul in the cruel conditions of their existence. Aldridge shows interest in the spiritual world and the fate of such people from the very first steps of his literary activity. In this book, he contrasts his understanding of man with the mockery of him, which is characteristic of modernist literature.

Although "The Hunter" does not have the breadth of the social horizons of "The Diplomat", the author in this novel also touches on the disturbing social problems facing his heroes - Canadian hunters and farmers. Aldridge is deeply concerned about human destinies.

The novel reveals the tragedy of Indian Bob, a driven, lonely, withdrawn and proud man. He treats Roy with love and respect, who sacrifices his interests for him, and despises his oppressors. Democratic views of Aldridge and his humanism are also manifested in the historically truthful depiction of Indian tribes doomed to slow death by capitalism. The author shows the unity of the white and colored peoples in their struggle for their vital interests. In the friendship of Roy McNair and Indian Bob, in their growing mutual understanding, the best aspects of their nature are revealed - integrity of character, responsiveness and humanity, manifested in a restrained form that only emphasizes the strength of their emotions.

Beautiful descriptions of the harsh nature in the novel, among which Aldridge's heroes live, fight and win. The writer, as it were, returns to the mood of the novel "The Sea Eagle" and writes a book imbued with lyrics and philosophical reflection on the fate of people who are close to nature and feel their inextricable connection with it, leading a fierce struggle so as not to perish and become brutalized in vast forest wilderness.

“The Hunter is a beautifully constructed novel,” wrote the Daily Worker, “reflecting hope, struggle and the victory of man over despair; this side of the book is very important at the moment. This novel, of course, does not have the scope and scale of the Diplomat” , but thanks to the skill of the author, dedication, "Hunter" is immeasurably higher than most of the books that appear today"

True and meaningful coverage of the significant social problems put forward by reality is combined in Aldridge with the art of creating images that express the characteristic features of this reality.

The protagonists of Aldridge's writings about the Second World War are modest heroes, born of the trials of a just war, brought forward by fierce struggle from the most national depths. The writer emphasizes their humanity, camaraderie, severity and ruthlessness towards the enemy. Their inherent shortcomings and weaknesses do not obscure from him their spiritual beauty, their civic feelings, awakening in the struggle. Following the best traditions of English literature, and above all the traditions of Byron and Shelley, Aldridge, along with the images of his compatriots, draws images of participants in the liberation movement of other countries - Greek, Italian patriots, courageous fighters against Hitlerism, full of hatred for the invaders.

The problems of the post-war world, significant events in the life of the English people are also of great concern to Aldridge, who takes an active part in the struggle for peace. In one of his articles entitled “This is Patriotism,” he wrote: “Before my eyes lay in all its charm the nature of England, its beautiful cities and villages. And I suddenly thought: in the event of war, these densely populated and closely spaced cities and villages, our islands are a good target for atomic bombings. One had only to imagine how little of all this beauty and human comfort would be left after a few atomic explosions - and any of these charming landscapes suddenly acquired a gloomy, tragic coloring, as if reminding us that only in the struggle to preserve peace on our earth can we find true peace. patriotism, that people who deliberately endanger their peoples and their country should be branded as traitors ... The world will win because patriotism wins, the feeling of humanity wins. By loving our own country, we learn to love all other countries and want peace for all."

The writer illuminates specific national problems and general, international problems - in close interconnection, shows the revolutionary development of reality; this is one of the essential features of the creativity of the innovative artist. Aldridge exposes the social contradictions of bourgeois society, revealing the potential forces of the people who create history, showing the justice and inevitability of the victory of advanced, democratic tendencies in modern life.

Aldridge's works are usually built on acute dramatic situations, they are always full of action, revealing the interconnections of reality, intense social conflicts, the struggle of opposing tendencies in social development, the psychological structure of images, and fundamental changes in the minds of the characters.

Aldridge's work has undergone a significant artistic evolution from the first front-line sketches and novels to the latest works.

The ideological and artistic searches of Aldridge the realist are reflected in his meaningful and interesting statements on the development of advanced literature and aesthetics.

In his speech at a solemn meeting in Moscow dedicated to the centenary of the death of V. V. Gogol, James Aldridge highly appreciated the power of the great writer's smashing satire and at the same time vividly expressed his ideological and aesthetic views, clearly defined the artist's place in the struggle for happiness and freedom of peoples.

Aldridge highly appreciates the life-giving value of the realistic traditions of both national and world literature. At one of the meetings with Soviet readers, Aldridge spoke about the enormous contribution of Leo Tolstoy to the development of the artistic thought of mankind, about the strength of his genius and the unfading power of his realism.

James Aldridge sees all the deceit and madness of the rotten old world and all the grandeur of the victories of the new world, where free people are embraced by the enthusiasm of creative labor.

Aldridge's books, translated into Russian and published in large editions, enjoy the well-deserved love of the reader, attracting with their great ideological and artistic merits, the exciting significance of the problems raised in them and the vital brightness of the images and characters depicted in them. The creations of an outstanding realist artist have an enduring aesthetic value, they testify to the significant victories of advanced English literature, reflecting the needs and aspirations of the broad masses of the people, their desire for peace and independence.

Aldridge James (born 1918) is an English writer and publicist.

Major works: "Sea Eagle" (1944), "Diplomat" (1949), "The Last Inch" (1959), "Mountains and Weapons" (1974), "Last Look" (1977).

Read a short biography of James Aldridge below.

Aldridge was born into an English family, spent his childhood in Australia, from the age of fourteen he worked, combining journalism with education. Subsequently, he becomes a student at Oxford University, studying economics. At the same time, Aldridge dreams of becoming a pilot, enrolling in an aviation school. During the Second World War, he, as a reporter, covered military events in Norway, Albania, Egypt, Libya.

Aldridge writes works filled with humanistic pathos. He is convinced that the forces of reason and justice must become the basis of the life of the human community. Aldridge boldly opposes the incitement of war between nations, stands for the establishment of peace on earth. In 1953, the writer was awarded the gold medal of the World Peace Council for his novel The Diplomat.

Features of creativity in the biography of James Aldridge

Aldridge's work is diverse: essays, reports, political speeches, novels, short stories, novels. The writer addresses various topics. The first works of Aldridge are devoted to the struggle of the partisans of Greece against the German occupation (the novels "A Matter of Honor", "The Sea Eagle"), the struggle of the colonial peoples for their independence ("The Diplomat").

The author reveals social contradictions in the works "Prisoner of the Earth", "A Dangerous Game". It also reveals the beauty of the soul of a small person, his courage, nobility, humanity. The problem of alienation between relatives is discussed in the story "The Last Inch". The human drama depicted in the work is a fairly common phenomenon, because it is the result of glaring social problems. Father and son cannot find a common language. An unexpected misfortune brings them together. And the author does not answer whether Ben and Davy will be able to overcome the last inch of alienation.

If you have already read a short biography of James Aldridge, you can rate this writer at the top of the page. In addition, we bring to your attention the Biographies section, where you can read about other writers, in addition to the biography of James Aldridge.

James Aldridge (English journalist and writer) was born in the small town of White Hill in southeastern Australia on July 10, 1918. The boy's family had five children, of which James was the youngest. Aldridge's parents moved to Swan Hill in the mid-1920s. Then the young man studied at the Melbourne Commercial College, and then, in 1938, he independently moved to London.

When World War II broke out, Aldridge began working as a correspondent in Iran as well as the Middle East. At the same time, his first novel A Matter of Honor (1942) was published, which immediately became a bestseller.

This work, as well as the novel The Sea Eagle (1944) that followed it, were written by the writer under the influence of Ernest Hemingway. The second book of the author, unlike the first, was not so warmly received by critics, but nevertheless in 1945 she received the prestigious John Llewellyn Literary Prize.

One of the most successful works of the writer was also the novel Diplomat (1949). In 1974, Aldridge even wrote a sequel to it called Mountains and Guns. Artistically interesting was the writer's novel The Hunter (1949). In it, Aldridge tried to combine various genres and literary movements.

The writer lived in Cairo for a long time. In 1969, Aldridge dedicated a whole book to this country called “Cairo. Biography of the city.

From the mid-1960s, Aldridge began writing primarily children's and teen books. For a long time, the writer maintained friendly relations with the USSR, and therefore in 1972 he was awarded the honorary Lenin Prize "For the strengthening of peace between peoples." In the same year, Aldridge was awarded the Gold Medal of the International Organization of Journalists.

The writer lived a long and interesting life. He died in London, being at his home, on February 23, 2015. At that time, James Aldridge was 96 years old.