The curator and art dealer picks five favourites. His latest, "Gilbert & George and the Communists", is an account of his travels with the duo in the USSR and China, and a sequel to his memoir "Bacon in Moscow".
A Hero of Our Times
Our hero is a restless contradictory character, troubled by his unsuccessful search for romantic love. I'm fascinated by Lermontov's portrayal of a decadent 1840s society – he wrote it when he was 26 and died a year later after a duel. On my trip through the Caucasus in 1991, I paid homage at the site in Pyatigorsk.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Way of a Transgressor
Negley Farson, 1936
I was travelling with the journalist Dan Farson – Francis Bacon had introduced us, and he came to Moscow and Shanghai with Gilbert & George. His father, Negley Farson, was the only Western journalist in Red Square when the Revolution was declared in 1917. Farson Snr's story is immortalised in "The Way of a Transgressor". We proudly completed his interrupted journey.
Put Out More Flags
Evelyn Waugh, 1942
We took a boat down the Volga River to Volgograd: a week's journey, but we were arrested at every port while they checked our papers. Evelyn Waugh's "Put Out More Flags" kept me sane; I laughed even while I was being poked in the stomach with a gun.
Bel-Ami
Guy de Maupassant, 1885
Also on the boat, I read "Bel-Ami" by Guy de Maupassant. It charts George Duroy's rise to fame in the world of newspapers in late 19th century Paris through his exploitation of wealthy and intelligent women. He's the ultimate anti-hero – charming, gracious and utterly without a moral compass. It depicted a life far from the crumbling USSR.
Mrs Jekyll
Emma Glass, 2024
I love 19th century literature and "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" was a particular favourite, so I was intrigued to read this contemporary retelling. It didn't disappoint: although entirely different from the original, it is as compelling and beautifully written.
-
A little-visited Indian Ocean archipelagoThe Week Recommends The paradise of the Union of the Comoros features beautiful beaches, colourful coral reefs and lush forests
-
Diane Keaton: the Oscar-winning star of Annie HallIn the Spotlight Something’s Gotta Give actor dies from pneumonia at the age of 79
-
Heirs and Graces: an ‘enthralling’ deep dive into the decline of nobilityThe Week Recommends Eleanor Doughty explores the ‘bizarre fascination’ with the British aristocracy
-
6 sporty homes with tennis courtsFeature Featuring a clay tennis court in New York and a viewing deck in California
-
Critics’ choice: Seafood in the spotlightFeature An experimental chef, a newspaper-worthy newcomer, and a dining titan’s fresh spin-off
-
Taylor Swift’s Showgirl: Much glitter, little goldFeature Swift’s new album has broken records, but critics say she may have gotten herself creatively stuck
-
Theater review: Masquerade218 W. 57th St., New York City 218 W. 57th St., New York City
-
Film reviews: Roofman and Kiss of the Spider WomanFeature An escaped felon’s heart threatens to give him away and a prisoner escapes into daydreams of J.Lo.
