I've just spent an afternoon at Highgate Cemetery in north London. It was one of those perfect autumn days - the leaves on the trees were orange, yellow and red, looking beautiful against dark green trails of ivy.
This wasn't my first visit to the cemetery but I was spurred on because I've just finished reading Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. Anyone read it? It's a gently spooky tale set in and around Highgate Cemetery. I think she captures the Victorian cemetery's peace, beauty and history beautifully, in all its macabre splendor.
The first burial in the Easten side of the cemetery was in June 1860. Since then thousands have used Highgate as their final resting place, the most famous being Karl Marx (visitors flock to his grave today although only 12 people attended his funeral in 1883).
Among these thousands of bodies lie artists, politicians, musicians, philanthropists, heros and writers. Mary Ann Cross (her grave is marked by her pen name George Eliot) was buried here in 1880. She was - and is - considered to be one of the leading writers of the Victorian era.
Douglas Adams, author of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, was buried in 2001. He famously once said 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing noise they make as they go by'. Douglas died while working on the filming of his book. His funeral services closed with the Beatles' song 'Paperback Writer'.
William Foyle, the bookseller, was buried in 1963. His aim was to 'create the best bookshop in the world' and for many Foyles on Charing Cross Road is a favourite place to buy books.
I also made a point of visiting the grave of Eddie Rosen, son of the children's poet Michael Rosen. Eddie died suddenly of meningitis in 1999 (aged 19). Michael wrote his moving and multi-layered 'Sad Book' about coming to terms with his loss and grief. It's one of my all-time favourite children's books.
All people leave a legacy of some sort. And those which truly stand the test of time are often works of art - songs, paintings, sculpture, buildings and books.
Life is for the living, so they say, but thank goodness for those who leave their mark. Good luck making yours.
Warm wishes, Jo
Michael Rosen writes for the Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook »
Thank you for the encouragement Jo, your words give reason for thought. For the starting writer, legacies are double-edged. On one hand, writers should not think too much about them because being too self-conscious could hinder creativity of outstanding work. On the other, not thinking about a legacy can generate regrets and critics in the future. Managing a middle ground where a good work is created that does not jeopardize the writer’s legacy, or how readers view them, is difficult. It is easier and more frequent for people to see a writer through the characters and events described in the writing than for people to read a work detached from the author. After all, contents of a work are almost exclusively the only thing a non-celebrity writer (writer only, not politician or sports star) has of being ‘identified’ and leaving a legacy. But judging an author by their book can sometimes mislead. An authoress could pen an erotic memoir and someone might think that person was a stripper, when in fact the author could be a housewife or doctor. I find writing for quality is probably the best way to find the middle ground, rather than deliberately trying to leave a mark. It may not be able to be accomplished in the first try; as a matter of fact, it may take many tries before a writer gains the understanding to create a work of substantial quality to create an enduring legacy. Young John Wayne starred in many smaller movies before becoming a star in Stagecoach. Similarly, if a writer persists in aiming high, I believe an eventual achievement will generate legacy, regardless of what it is about.
Xean
11/11/2010
Think I've done this the wrong way round. I visited the cemetery and now want to read the book! Sounds intriguing despite the mixed reception to it.