Auberon Waugh
Auberon Waugh was an English writer and journalist, born in 1939 into a literary family, the son of the renowned novelist Evelyn Waugh. He was educated privately and served in the military before pursuing a career in journalism, beginning in 1960 with the right-wing Daily Telegraph. Waugh published his first novel, *The Foxglove Saga*, in the same year, which showcased his satirical style reminiscent of his father's work. Throughout his career, he produced several novels and essays, often targeting left-wing politics, the British establishment, and religious institutions through sharp satire.
His journalistic contributions spanned various publications, including the *Sunday Telegraph*, *New Statesman*, and *The Spectator*, and he later served as editor of the *Literary Review*. Waugh was recognized for his work with several awards, including the 1978 Columnist of the Year. In addition to his literary pursuits, he authored books on topical issues and produced satirical diaries that drew comparisons to Jonathan Swift. His autobiography, *Will This Do?*, revealed a more introspective side of his personality. Waugh's legacy is marked by his unique voice and perspective, contributing to discussions on politics and society until his death in 2001.
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Subject Terms
Auberon Waugh
Writer
- Born: November 11, 1939
- Birthplace: Dulverton, Somerset, England
- Died: January 16, 2001
- Place of death: Pixton Park, Dulverton, Somerset, England
Biography
Auberon Waugh was born in 1939 at Pixton Park, Dulverton, Somerset in the west country of England, into a literary family. His father was the well-known novelist Evelyn Waugh. His uncle Alec Waugh was also a writer. Auberon’s sister, Harriet, followed in the family profession. The family were Catholics and their politics were conservative. Evelyn Waugh’s preferred style was satire, which Auberon imitated.
After private schooling, Waugh performed his military service in the Royal Horse Guards. While in Cyprus, an accident left him without a spleen and with only one lung. Discharged in 1959, he spent a short time at Christ Church College, Oxford University, before entering journalism in 1960 with the right-wing Daily Telegraph. The same year Waugh had his first novel, The Foxglove Saga, published, based on his experiences of school and military service. Critics felt its satire was too like his father’s, but otherwise it was a successful venture and encouraged him to write four further novels.
In 1961, he married Teresa Onslow, another writer, with whom he had four children. In 1963 Path of Dalliance followed, based on his Oxford University experiences. The novel is full of the most eccentric and bizarre characters. Two years later came Who Are the Violets Now?, in which Waugh satirizes the many left-wing movements then fashionable among the young. The left wing was the constant butt of much of his satire, though he also satirized the British establishment, the Catholic church, the Church of England, and the welfare state. For instance, Consider the Lilies deals with the hypocrisies of an Anglican vicar who is engaged in an affair and who considers murdering his wife.
This satiric direction was becoming evident in the journalistic pieces Waugh was writing, as well as in his fiction. Besides writing for the Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph, he wrote for the New Statesman, The Spectator, and Private Eye, then at the height of its influence. He also wrote for the American and international press, for example Le Monde, Time, Esquire, and The New York Times.
From 1973 to 1980, Waugh wrote regularly for the Daily Mail, a more populist right-wing national newspaper; and then from 1986, for the newly founded Independent. In that year, he took on the editorship of the Literary Review, becoming its editor in chief in 2000. As a result of these efforts, he received the 1978 Columnist of the Year award from the Independent Television network, and several awards as the British Press Critic of the Year.
Some of Waugh’s journalistic pieces were reprinted in collections of essays, for example Country Topics and In the Lion’s Den: Fifty Essays. He also wrote books on topical issues: Biafra, Britain’s Shame (with Suzanne Cronje); and The Last Word: An Eyewitness Account of the Trial of Jeremy Thorpe, Thorpe being the leader of the Liberal party, put on trial for conspiracy to murder. He also produced “supposed” diaries at various intervals, full of trenchant satire, often likened to that of Jonathan Swift. On the other hand, his autobiography, Will This Do? The First Fifty Years of Auberon Waugh: An Autobiography, shows a much gentler and deeply spiritual man. He was also something of a bon vivant and wrote Waugh on Wine in 1986 to show it. He died in 2001.