While he’s dropped out of sight a bit recently, martin amis helped put his generation of british writers on the map with brilliant novels like “the rachel papers” and “money.” his memoir, “experience,” with much about his father kingsley amis, is something close to a masterpiece, and i’m a longtime fan of his essays and criticism, especially those collected in “visiting mrs. nabokov.”
i’ve spoken to amis several times, a wittier man you will never meet. today the onetime enfant terrible, now grandfather, turns 60. he now teaches in one of my favorite english cities, manchester.
Here is my piece on amis from a few years, when he was laughing off the savaging he’d gotten in the british press over “yellow dog.” he was getting ready for an event at UCLA’s royce hall, with christopher hitchens. after amis went back to his hotel, hitch invited me for a drink — i had iced tea, he a double of johnny walker. it was noon.
Either way, Happy birthday.