Autobiographical sketches 57 - Parents rowing at night

Christopher Isherwood and the unreliable memory

I've just been listening to CI talking on the BBC about how his memory would make things up. He'd argue with Auden over quotes - asserting that certain quotes existed - but then never could find them in any reference books. It drove poor Wystan quite mad. Apparently.

My dad used to accuse my mum of having a creative memory. It drove her quite mad. I think that was just horrid old-fashioned sexism. Poor mum.