Anyone who knows The Chelsea Arts Club will know that it's a magnet for celebs from the art and acting worlds. The place is always awash with famous names and faces.
I was recently reminded about the last time I was there. I'd been invited by my chum, the artist Graham Dean (Living abroad, I've never bothered to become a member myself). We'd been happily chatting away, when Lucy Irvine asked if she could join us. She was waiting for someone, and sat with us for about an hour or so.
This was back in the early 80's, when Lucy had recently become a big noise after the publication of her book 'Castaway'.
If real-life adventure interests you, and you haven't read it, I recommend 'Castaway' as a very good read. Lucy answers an ad' for 'wife wanted for a year on desert island', and the book describes what followed. Not always easy reading, but filled with guts and bravado in the face of constant difficulty.
Even in the short time we spent together, I found Ms Irvine a very interesting woman; the type who would take no bullshit. I may even try to find the book again myself; I lost my copy years ago.
I have read the book and felt the same. Another good read is Ffyona Campbell's Walk through Africa, similar gutsy girl. We went to the Chelsea Arts Club at the invitation of our course leader on the night our course finished. A gem of a Club and an oasis of a garden I remember. It was a summer evening.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a great club. I've been many times, and it was always interesting.
DeleteI used to have that book, a fascinating story. If I remember correctly it all went a bit wrong for them on their original island.
ReplyDeleteThey ended up with horrible diseases, illnesses, and skin problems. Luckily it all ended well, but not their relationship.
DeleteRead it, and keep it in our library. It's an good honest account of her time on the island. Lucky you to have met her Cro.
ReplyDeleteIt was just a chance meeting, but timely. She had become the No 1 Chat Show guest; and one could easily see why.
DeleteI loved this book and read it more than once. There was also a follow up book which I read.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that I found the book quite disturbing; it seemed that whatever could have gone wrong, did! I really must read it again.
DeleteWould it be suitable reading for my Book Club?
ReplyDeleteThere are quite a lot of medical references in it..... ex-nurses may enjoy it; otherwise it's an interesting study about relationships.
DeleteI read it and have kept it. I also read his book which came out much later. I forget his name now. It started out as his project but Lucy took to it much better despite going through really tough times. It was an amazing story.Interesting to have met her.
ReplyDeleteYes, it was just a matter of luck that she chose to sit with us. She was big news at the time.
DeleteDid she have any clothes on when you met her?
ReplyDeleteYes, and we didn't mention her book. We probably thought she'd had enough of it.
DeleteNah. No author ever tires of talking about their book. Get real.
DeleteThanks for the recommendation Cro. I've gone back to being a book "glutton" now I'm retired and (thankfully) so I've just downloaded it onto my kindle. I prefer books usually but it just doesn't make sense to keep paying the postage (and I probably have at least 100 paperbacks just looking at me waiting to be read)!
ReplyDeleteI think this book was something of a 'milestone'. These days there are 'celeb' TV progs about castaways etc; Lucy irvine paved the way.
DeleteThe theme of the book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe story takes place on a tiny island somewhere off Oz. It's a good read.
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