Jim Holt

Ghastly Vision

In a ghastly vision of future desolation, Lord Byron foresees the contemporary American novelist’s dust-jacket photo:

… and some did rest
Their chins upon their clenchéd hands, and smiled

‘Darkness’, lines 25-26

John Updike

TC Boyle

Anne Tyler

Don DeLillo

Cynthia Ozick

Thomas Pynchon

10 November 2009 at 4:14pm

Geoff Roberts says:

As I never look at the portraits of the artist I can only hazard a guess about each. Top left: sitting in his workroom with jacket and tie - Updike? Middle: Andrew O'Hagen? Left The Lindgren who wrote Pipi whatever. Bottom left is obviously an early portrait of Diana Spencer and in the middle is William Burroughs or maybe that is Updike and top left is Clancy Sigel.
11 November 2009 at 7:28pm

Geoff Roberts says:

Thanks for the clarification - I should have thought of that myself. Led me to an excellent review of De Lilo's Underworld. Wallace's job on Updike gains credence when you see his picture.
14 November 2009 at 1:27pm

Geoff Roberts says:

You have started me off looking at the portraits on book covers. I can well understand why Pynchon an co leave the picture out. It allows editors to make iffy comments about their appearance.

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Ghastly Vision