The Mervyn Peake Review
The Mervyn Peake Review was issued by the Mervyn Peake Society between 1975 and the end of the 1990s, when the Society fizzled out. For the first nine years, the MPR came out regularly, twice a year, and contained original artwork by Peake, critical articles, and reviews. After that, it was irregular and contained no criticism or reviews.
The first eighteen issues are therefore of interest to both scholars and collectors. For the latter, I have a handful of copies of the original paper edition, most of which were printed in runs of 2–300 copies. Contact
me if you are interested in buying some. (Update: Issues 1 & 2 are sold
out. I still have, I think, one complete set of issues 3–18.)
For those who need primarily to read the articles and see the drawings by Peake, I have made pdf copies, which I can send by email. They cost £4 or
€5 or US$5 per issue, which you can pay through PayPal. You do not have to have
an account to use Paypal, just a credit card; make your payment to peakestudies
at gmail.com.
If you use the internet to access your
bank account (known as e-banking), you can also pay by this means, in £
sterling, in euros €, or in Swiss francs. (Not in US$.) Just ask and I’ll send you the appropriate IBAN.
In most European countries, banks do not charge for this service, known as SEPA. I
prefer this means, as it’s both quicker and cheaper.
Sorry: I no longer take credit cards, or cheques (checks) in any currency
other than £ sterling.
For the pdf copies sent by email,
there’s a 10% discount for buying the full set of the first 18 issues.
To order by post, send your £ cheque, plus the email address at which you wish to receive the files, to
Peter Winnington, Ch. du Collège 2, 1453 MAUBORGET, Switzerland.
Contact
me if none of these methods of payments suits you. There is always a solution.
Rather conveniently, an index to the first ten issues was printed at the end of issue 10, listing articles, reviews, and the name of the contributor. There is a similar index to issues 11–18 at the end of the supplement to issue 19. The indexes can be viewed here.
Additionally, all the articles and Peake’s artwork are indexed in Parts H and D-d of ‘Peake in Print’, but the reviews of books other than Peake’s and other short pieces are not. So for your convenience, the contents of each issue are listed below.
* The asterisk signals previously unpublished artwork by Peake.
Issue 1, autumn 1975
published as The Mervyn Peake Society Newsletter
A word of welcome from Maeve Gilmore … p.1
Editorial … p.1
3 poems translated by Patrick Reumaux … p.4
Titus d’Enfer reviewed by Jacques Favier … p.6
The critics’ reception of Titus Groan in French : an annotated checklist for 1974 … p.11
John Batchelor’s Mervyn Peake reviewed … p.13
The Drawings of Mervyn Peake, and Mervyn Peake : Writings and Drawings reviewed by Hugh Brogan … p.1
Recent publications … p.9.
Forthcoming publications … p.2
Work in progress … p.2
A note on contributors to this issue … p.28
Issue
2, spring 1976
published as The Mervyn Peake Society Newsletter
Editorial … p.3
The Book Illustrations of Mervyn Peake by Tim Mitchell … p.5
Mervyn Peake: An Artist of Life by Françoise Roussety … p.11
Peaks and Chasms by Brian Sibley, … p.17
with a bibliographical note by Selwyn H. Goodacre … p.22
The Misfortunes of Captain Slaughterboard by Academicus … p.25
Mervyn Peake: Twelve Poems, reviewed by Brian Sibley
… p.29
C.N. Manlove: Modern Fantasy: five studies reviewed by Austen Wilks … p.31
Recent and Forthcoming Publications … p.33
Work in Progress … p.34
Notes on Contributors … p.35
Illustrations
The Mouse, the Bird and the Sausage from Grimm’s Household Tales … p.9
The Billiard-marker from The Hunting of the Snark … p.16
* Previously unpublished drawing from the MS of Titus Groan … p.18
* Previously unpublished drawing from the MS of Gormenghast … p.19
The Bandersnatch from The Hunting of the Snark … p.21
A page from the 1945 edition of Captain Slaughterboard Drops Anchor … p.28
Issue
3, autumn 1976
the first to be called The Mervyn Peake Review
Editorial … p.3
Guide for Gormenghast: Mervyn Peake’s Trilogy
by Herman Servotte … p.5
‘The Reveries’ in Titus Groan
by Elisabeth Gardaz … p.11
Titus and the Thing in Gormenghast by Cristiano Rafanelli … p.15
Treasure Island reviewed by Hugh Brogan … p.24
A Benighted Editor of Peake?
by Academicus … p.29
Recent Publications … p.31
Forthcoming Publications … p.32
Work in Progress … p.33
Notes on Contributors … p.35
Illustrations
* A sketch from the MS of Titus Groan … p.10
An illustration from the 1st edition of Treasure Island … p.21
An illustration from the 1st edition of Treasure Island … p.22
One of Peake’s illustrations for Treasure Island … p.23
* Peake envelope for sale … p.27
Issue 4, spring 1977
Editorial … p.2
In Memory: M.L.P.
by E.S.D. … p.2
Lost Archives
by Eric Drake … p.3
Planning and Writing a Biography of Mervyn Peake
by John Watney … p.13
Memories of Mervyn: a review of John Watney’s biography with reminiscences and other contributions by Maeve Gilmore, Dr. Gordon Smith, Peter McKenzie and Emil Karafiat, conducted by G. Peter Winnington … p.17
The Smashing of the Central Vase
by Colin Greenland … p.27
Mervyn Peake: Selected Poems
reviewed by Belinda Humfrey … p.30
Mervyn Peake: Letters from a Lost Uncle
reviewed by Bruce Hunt … p.32
Work in Progress … p.37
Recent and Forthcoming Publications … p.39
Notes on Contributors … p.40
Illustrations
The stricken albatross
from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner … p.4
‘I could kick myself’
from Figures of Speech … p.28
Issue 5, autumn 1977
Editorial … p.4
Folkloristic Elements in the Titus Trilogy
by David Sutton … p.6
Titus Groan: Errors and Flaws
by Desmond Mason … p.12
Fuchsia and Steerpike: Mood and Form
by G. Peter Winnington … p.17
Yours Faithfully
by Joy Backhouse … p.24
Witchcraft in England by Christina Hole
reviewed by Hugh Brogan … p.26
The French translation of Gormenghast
reviewed by Jacques Favier … p.31
Household Tales by the Brothers Grimm
reviewed by Belinda Humfrey … p.34
‘Mervyn Peake’ at Edinburgh; a report from the Fringe
by Edwin Morgan … p.38
Recent and Forthcoming publications … p.39
Work in Progress … p.41
Illustrations
* The Chief of the Ants … p.1
From the 1st edition of Witchcraft in England … pp.7, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32
From Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch … p.23
From the 1st edition of Household Tales … pp.35, 36
* Circus dog … p.40
Issue 6, spring 1978
Editorial page … p.2
Mervyn Peake: Sketch for an Overview
by P. McKenzie … p.4
Gormenghast: Psychology of the Bildungsroman
by Bruce Hunt … p.10
Alice and Tenniel and Me: a radio talk
by Mervyn Peake … p.20
Through a Darkling Glass: An appreciation of Mervyn Peake’s
illustrations to Alice by Brian Sibley … p.25
Mervyn Peake at the Warehouse Gallery:
a review by Louise Collis … p.30
Recent Publications … p.31
Notes on Contributors … p.36
Illustrations
* Man and Boy … p.3
* Frail Figure … p.11
* Cat in Hat … p.18
* Hypnotic Cats … p.19
The Jabberwock
from Through the Looking-Glass … p.23
The White Queen
from Through the Looking-Glass … p.29
* A page of drawings … p.35
Issue 7, autumn 1978
Editorial … p.4
My Brother Mervyn by E.L. Peake … p.6
Mr Peake, Mr Pye, and the Paradox of Good and Evil
by Ingrid Waterhouse … p.10
Mr Pye, or The Evangelist and the Dead Whale
by Laurence Bristow-Smith … p.19
Pictures and Conversations: more about the Alice illustrations
by Brian Sibley … p.26
Editions of Alice illustrated by Peake: a bibliographical note
by Denis Crutch … p.30
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner reviewed by Peter Stap … p.31
Collecting Modern First Editions reviewed by Stephen Francis Clarke … p.33
Recent and Forthcoming Publications … p.34
Notes on Contributors … p.35
Illustrations
‘Queen Alice’ … p.5
The Curate from Prayers and Graces … p.12
8-page insert of drawings and cartoons between … pp.18 and 19
Two Pig Babies from Alice … p.27
Issue 8, spring 1979
Editorial … p.2
The Artist’s World, a radio talk
by Mervyn Peake … p.3
Distortions of Space and Time in the Titus Trilogy
by Jacques Favier … p.7
Peake’s Progress reviewed:
Peake’s Prose Progress by David Lister … p.15
Peake’s Poetic Progress by Bruce Hunt … p.20
Tracking Down the Umzimvubu Kaffirs by Peter Winnington … p.25
Rhymes without Reason reviewed
by Isobel Murray … p.27
Rottensteiner’s Fantasy Book reviewed
by Jacques Favier … p.29
Mervyn Peake at the Bodleian:
Opening Speech by E.J.S. Parsons … p.32
Mervyn Peake at the Bodleian reviewed by Hugh Brogan … p.33
Recent Publications … p.37
Notes on Contributors … p.40
Illustrations
Animal figure … p.6
Sally Devius … p.20
Portrait of E.J.S. Parsons … p.35
Issue 9, autumn 1979
Editorial … p.2
The Rented Room
by Eric Drake, … p.3, followed by
a discussion between Maeve Gilmore and Eric Drake … p.4
The Religion of Gormenghast: a note
by David Sutton … p.11
Book Illustration, a radio talk
by Mervyn Peake … p.14
with notes by G. Peter Winnington … p.17
Mervyn at the Microphone
by Kay Fuller … p.24
Peake: Talent into Genius
by Michael Moorcock … p.28
Fringe Peake: The Wit to Woo at Edinburgh
reviewed by Edwin Morgan … p.31
Commemorative Exhibition: Mervyn Peake at Eltham
reviewed by Diana Gardner … p.34
Recent Publications … p.37
Forthcoming Publications … p.39
Notes on Contributors … p.40
Illustrations
Portrait of Kay Fuller … p.3
The ex-barber’s shop, 163 Battersea Church Road … p.8
A dramatic fall by Stanley L. Wood
from ‘Aztec Gold’ in the Boys’ Own Paper … p.18
Deadly wrestling by Stanley L. Wood
from ‘Medicine Cave’ in the Boys’ Own Paper … p.20
Deadly wrestling by Mervyn Peake,
an illustration from his Treasure Island … p.21
Yellowboy Katto by Stanley L. Wood,
from ‘Under the Serpent’s Fang’ in the Boys’ Own Paper … p.23
* ‘A s-a-a-a-d sight’: a self-portrait
by Mervyn Peake … p.26
The four undertakers from The Wit to Woo … p.33
Issue 10, spring 1980
Editorial … p.2
The Reader Takes Over, a radio discussion of Titus Groan
with introduction and notes by G. Peter Winnington … p.4
Mervyn Peake at the Westminster Art School 1936-39
by Diana Gardner … p.17
The French translation of Titus Alone
reviewed by Jacques Favier, … p.21
followed by Andre Dhotel’s preface to the same
translated by Peter Stap … p.26
Peake in the Provinces, a non-review
of the DLI Exhibition, Durham, … p.30
followed by Maeve Gilmore’s
Introduction to the ‘Voice of a Pencil’ catalogue … p.31
Michael Moorcock’s Gloriana
reviewed by Laurence Bristow-Smith … p.34
Roger Schlobin’s Literature of Fantasy: a bibliography
reviewed by Pierre Versins … p.38
Recent and Forthcoming Publications … p.39
Notes on Contributors … p.40
Index to MPR numbers 1-10 … p.41
Illustrations
* A fantasized portrait of Diana Gardner … p.3
* Dr. Prunesquallor and Irma, from the MS of Gormenghast … p.13
* Back of girl’s head, from the MS of Titus Alone … p.19
* Muzzlehatch and dog, from the MS of Titus Alone … p.23
* Costume Design for The Son of the Grand Eunuch … p.42
Issue 11, autumn 1980
‘A Letter from China’ Discovered
by G. Peter Winnington … p.3
The Crested Wave
by Andrew Murray … p.7
A World in Fragments: Peake and the Titus Books
by C.N. Manlove … p.9
Manlove on Fantasy: Theories and their Consequences
by Peter McKenzie … p.17
Peake and Donaldson: a Comparative Study of their Fantasies
by R. J. Godfrey … p.26
Mervyn Peake/Oscar Wilde
reviewed by Isobel Murray … p.35
Michael Moorcock’s Golden Barge
reviewed by Laurence Bristow-Smith … p.38
Mervyn Peake: Humanist
by Diana Gardner … p.41
Recent Publications … p.45
Work in Progress … p.47
Notes on Contributors … p.48
Illustrations
* Chinaman with Fish … p.2
* The drawing for ‘A Letter from China’ … p.5
* Mervyn Peake and Andrew Murray (photograph) … p.5
‘Requiescat’ from Mervyn Peake/Oscar Wilde … p.36
Old Man and Child … p.44
Issue 12, spring 1981
Editorial … p.2
From Beowulf to Kafka: The Difficulty of Titus Alone
by Colin Greenland … p.4
A Critical Conclusion: The End of Titus Alone
by Laurence Bristow-Smith … p.10
Mervyn Peake: a Pupil Remembers
by John Wood … p.15
The Mervyn Peake Manuscripts at University College London … p.29
The Makers of Modern Culture: an excerpt
by Duncan Fallowell … p.30
The Swedish translation of the Titus books
reviewed by David Lister … p.32
McKenzie on Manlove on Peake:
responses by C. N. Manlove (p.35)
and Peter McKenzie … p.37
Recent Publications … p.37
Forthcoming Publications … p.39
Forthcoming Events … p.39
Notes on Contributors … p.40
Illustrations
Cat tracks, by Ernest Thompson Seton … p.2
* Girl’s Head … p.3
* Life Study … p.14
* Prunesquallor, and a man’s head … p.17
* Swelter, a lithograph … p.20-21
An illustration to ‘The Wendigo’ by Algernon Blackwood … p.23
* An unspecified character from Gormenghast … p.24
* Boy with owl … p.27
Tramp, by John Wood … p.28
Issue 13, autumn 1981
Editing Peake by G. Peter Winnington … p.3
Peake in Print: a Bibliographical Checklist
by Dee Berkeley and G. Peter Winnington, Part A … p.8
Rosemary Jackson’s Fantasy: The Literature of Subversion reviewed by Peter McKenzie … p.37
The Wonder of It All: extracts from reviews of
the Theo Waddington Gallery exhibition … p.43
Maeve Gilmore’s Captain Eustace and the Magic Room
reviewed by John Watney … p.45
Recent and Forthcoming Publications … p.47
Recent and Forthcoming Events … p.48
Notes on Contributors … p.48
Illustrations
The dustwrapper of Shapes and Sounds (A3a) … p.13
The dustwrapper of Titus Groan (Ma) … p.15
The dustwrapper of Titus Groan (A4b) … p.17
The dustwrapper of Gormenghast (A9a) … p.25
The dustwrapper of Titus Alone (Al2a) … p.29
* Two Boys and Animals in Seascape … p.36
Issue 14, spring 1982
The Meaning of ‘Boy in Darkness’
by Ronald Binns … p.3
The Visitors’ Book
by Billy Thorne … p.11
Peake in Print: a bibliographical checklist. Part B
by Dee Berkeley and G. Peter Winnington … p.15
The Genius of Mervyn Peake
by Quentin Crisp … p.37
Peake in the Saleroom
by Pauline Turner … p.43
Recent Publications 46
Work in Progress 47
Illustrations
‘The Daily Help’ … p.2
* Walking Figures … p.7
* Figure astride a monster … p.13
* ‘The Sad Departure’ … p.14
The mouse from the backstrip of B8b … p.23
The young blackbird … p.31
From B18a … p.33
* Sleeping … p.36
* ‘Best wishes from C’n Slaughterboard’ … p.39
* ‘The Lost Uncle’ … p.42
* Rumpelstiltskin sitting on a log … p.45
Issue 15, autumn 1982
What is drawing?
by Mervyn Peake … p.3
Peake among the masters of chiaroscuro
by Rosa Gonzalez … p.4
Gormenghast: fairytale gone wrong?
by Margaret Ochocki … p.11
Peake in Print: a bibliographical checklist. Part C
by Dee Berkeley and G. Peter Winnington … p.18
Style in Fiction, an extract from the book
by Geoffrey N. Leech and Michael H. Short … p.30
Mervyn Peake by Bernard Denvir … p.36
Alice in Wonderland
reviewed by Selwyn Goodacre … p.39
Dramatizing Peake … p.42
Recent Publications … p.43
Notes on Contributors … p.44
Illustrations
Frontispiece from Ballet … p.2
* ‘Scroll’ … p.9
* ‘Infant and fairies’ … p.13
Drawings from Harvest … pp.20, 21, 23, 28
The front cover of Tales of the Supernatural … p.24
The title-page of Tales of the Supernatural … p.27
‘Vulture’ … p.37
The Dodo from Alice in Wonderland (1954) … p.41
Issue 16, spring 1983
Pictorial and descriptional
by Peter McKenzie … p.3
London Fantasy
by Mervyn Peake … p.11
Gormenghast in Morocco
by Laurence Bristow-Smith … p.17
Peake in Print: a bibliographical checklist. Part D
by Dee Berkeley and G. Peter Winnington … p.20
Tolkien’s Mr Bliss
reviewed by Laurence Bristow-Smith … p.37
Sotheby Peakes … p.38
Recent and forthcoming publications … p.42
Notes on contributors … p.44
Illustrations
* ‘Interior’ … p.6
‘Drawing on Peake’ … p.16
* ‘Balancing act’ … p.23
‘Anne Frank’ … p.24
‘Practically Poetry’ … p.27
‘Love among the Ruins’ … p.35
* ‘Pirate Peake’ … p.41
Issue 17, autumn 1983
Editorial … p.2
The Book Illustrations of Mervyn Peake
by Frances Sarzano … p.4
Maeve Peake: a portrait
by Diana Gardner … p.9
Last Words
by Eric Drake … p.12
Peake in Print: a bibliographical checklist. Part E
by Dee Berkeley and G. Peter Winnington … p.14
A World Away, by Maeve Gilmore,
reviewed by Hugh Brogan … p.29
In Viriconium, by M. John Harrison,
reviewed by Colin Greenland … p.31
Recent and forthcoming publications … p.36
Work in progress … p.39
Notes on contributors … p.40
Illustrations
* Jenifer Pink … p.3
Insect Play leaflet … p.21
Drawing for Man and Superman … p.25
N. Asherson bookplate … p.27
* Painting of child … p.35
Issue 18, spring 1984
Editorial … p.2
The Glass Blowers
by Mervyn Peake … p.3
The Gutters of Gormenghast
by Hugh Brogan … p.8
Peake in Print: a bibliographical checklist. Part F
by Dee Berkeley and G. Peter Winnington … p.18
Peake’s Parents’ Years in China
by G. Peter Winnington … p.21
Gordon Smith, Mervyn Peake: a memoir
reviewed by Eric Drake … p.31
Mervyn Peake’s Sketches for Bleak House
reviewed by Gerard Neill … p.36
Peppin & Micklethwait’s Dictionary of British Book Illustrators reviewed by Gerard Neill … p.39
Schlobin (ed.), The Aesthetics of Fantasy Literature and Art reviewed by Colin Greenland … p.43
Recent Publications … p.46
Work in Progress … p.47
Notes on Contributors … p.48
Illustrations
From Treasure Island … p.14
* From the MS of Gormenghast … p.19
Half way up to Kuling (photograph) … p.25
The river at Hengchow (photograph) … p.26
The dispensary of Tientsin Hospital (photograph) … p.29
* ‘Square-jawed Susie’ … p.32
* ‘Furrie’ … p.37
* ‘Boy with bird’ … p.42
* The asterisk signals previously unpublished artwork by Peake.
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