Paul Bowles
Paul Bowles
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Paul Frederic Bowles was born on December 30, 1910, in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. He is commonly known as Paul Bowles.
Birth and Death Dates
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December 30, 1910 – November 18, 1999
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Bowles held American nationality and was a composer, author, and translator. His work spanned multiple genres, including literature, music, and journalism.
Early Life and Background
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Bowles grew up in Jamaica, Queens, where he developed an interest in music and writing at an early age. He attended the Juilliard School in New York City to study composition and piano, but his time there was short-lived due to a family move. Bowles's father was a physician, and the family relocated to France when Paul was 17 years old.
Bowles spent several years studying music and literature in Paris, where he befriended many influential artists of the time, including Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. During this period, he became increasingly interested in jazz music and its potential for creative expression.
Major Accomplishments
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- Composition: Bowles composed numerous works, including the opera "The Flute of Shalmani" and the ballet "Love Song."
- Literary Contributions: He wrote several novels, short stories, and essays, with notable works being "The Sheltering Sky," "Let It Ride," and "Between Pit and Pedestal."
- Translation: Bowles translated many French literary works into English, including André Gide's "L'Immoraliste."
Notable Works or Actions
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Bowles is perhaps best known for his novel "The Sheltering Sky," which explores themes of existentialism, colonialism, and the human condition. The book has been praised for its lyrical prose and insightful portrayal of life in Morocco during the 1930s.
In addition to his literary work, Bowles was a prolific composer who drew inspiration from jazz, folk music, and avant-garde traditions. His compositions often incorporated elements of world music, reflecting his experiences living abroad and engaging with diverse cultures.
Bowles's personal life was marked by a series of unconventional relationships and an enduring fascination with the mystical and the unknown. He married Jane Greer in 1949 but continued to maintain a romantic relationship with Jean "Chick" Landesman, whom he met earlier.
Impact and Legacy
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Bowles's work continues to be celebrated for its innovative spirit and intellectual curiosity. His compositions and writings often blended genres and challenged traditional notions of art and culture.
As a composer, Bowles was one of the first American musicians to explore the potential of jazz in a classical context. He also drew upon his experiences living in Morocco, incorporating elements of Arabic music into his work.
Bowles's literary legacy is marked by his ability to craft stories that are both deeply personal and universally relatable. His exploration of themes such as alienation, identity, and the human condition continues to resonate with readers today.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Paul Bowles is widely remembered for his innovative contributions to music and literature. His work spans multiple genres and reflects a deep curiosity about the world and its cultures. As a composer, author, and translator, he left an indelible mark on the artistic landscape of the 20th century.
Bowles's legacy extends beyond his individual works, influencing generations of artists who have followed in his footsteps. His commitment to exploring new sounds and styles has inspired countless musicians and writers to push against traditional boundaries and conventions.
As a figure of great creative diversity, Bowles continues to fascinate readers and inspire new generations of artists.
Quotes by Paul Bowles
Polly belonged wholly to her time. Alert to its defects and dangers, she nevertheless had reached what she herself called an “adjustment,” and she was very firm in her belief that without the attainment of a state of conscious harmony with the society in which he functioned, no individual could hope to accomplish much of anything.
The odious little dogs that French people seemed to like so much rushed out at him as he rode by, barking furiously.
If Moroccans are dying in Indo-China, if it rains too much or not enough, if there is no work, if one’s wife is sick and penicillin is expensive, or if the French are still in Morocco, it is all the fault of America. She could change everything if she chose, but she does nothing because she does not love the Moslems.
Only then did he understand that he really wanted to know nothing about El Ga’a beyond the fact that it was isolated and unfrequented, that it was precisely those things he had been trying to ascertain about it.
And it occurred to him that a walk through the countryside was a sort of epitome of the passage through life itself. One never took the time to savor the details; one said: another day, but always with the hidden knowledge that each day was unique and final, that there never would be a return, another time.
Death is always on the way, but the fact that you don’t know when it will arrive seems to take away from the finiteness of life. It’s that terrible precision that we hate so much. But because we don’t know, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well.
Tunner’s presence created a situation, however slight, which kept him from entering into the reflective state he considered essential.
It seems to me that if one could accept existence as it is, partake of it fully, the world could be magical. The cricket on my balcony at the moment piercing the night repeatedly with its hurried needle of sound, would be welcome merely because it is there, rather than an annoyance because it distracts me from what I am trying to do.
Even the smallest measure of time is greater than the greatest measure of space. Or is that a lie? Does it only seem so to us, because we can never get it back?
Before her eyes was the violent blue sky – nothing else. For an endless moment she looked into it. Like a great overpowering sound it destroyed everything in her mind, paralyzed her. Someone once had said to her that the sky hides the night behind it, shelters the person beneath from the horror that lies above. Unblinking, she fixed the solid emptiness, and the anguish began to move in her. At any moment the rip can occur, the edges fly back, and the giant maw will be revealed.