Simon Winchester, whose biography of the Atlantic is now out in paperback, chats here about his mentor, Jan Morris. Morris famously broke the story of Edmund Hillary’s successful ascent of Everest. The news (in the form of the coded wire below) reached England on the eve of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation—exactly 60 years ago tomorrow. Paul Clemente at the Press Gazette writes amusingly about Morris’s role in the climb.
Also amusing is Winchester’s account of finally meeting Morris—whom he’d known as James—in person after carrying on a correspondence for many years: “When he opened the door, he had changed into a woman.”
And there’s lots more here too, on friendship and writing, and choosing a career. And if you weren’t already convinced, the story confirms that Jan Morris must surely be one of the kindest writers alive.
