Norman Douglas

George Norman Douglas (December 8 1868 - February 7 1952) was a British writer, now best known for his 1917 novel South Wind. He was born in Thüringen in Austria into a Scottish family (his mother was half-German). His father was manager of a cotton mill there, but died when Douglas was young. He was brought up mainly at Tilquhillie, Deeside, his paternal home. He was educated at Uppingham School England, and then at the Gymnasium school in Karlsruhe.

Related Topics:
December 8 - 1868 - February 7 - 1952 - Novel - Thüringen - Austria - Tilquhillie - Deeside - Uppingham School - Karlsruhe

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He started in the diplomatic service in 1894 but was put on leave after a potential (possibly bisexual) scandal arose. In 1897 he bought a villa in Naples. The next year he married Elizabeth FitzGibbon, a cousin; they had two children, but divorced in 1903 on grounds of her infidelity. The pseudonym Normyx, used for Unprofessional Tales (1901) may refer to work that was jointly his and Elizabeth's.

Related Topics:
Naples - Pseudonym

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He moved to Capri, spending time there and in London, and became a more committed writer. Nepenthe, the fictional island setting of South Wind, is Capri in light disguise. In 1912-1914 he worked for The English Review. He met D. H. Lawrence though this connection. This led to a feud, after Lawrence in 1922 in Aaron's Rod based a character on Douglas. In late 1916 he jumped bail in London on a charge of sexual assault on a boy, and effectively then lived in exile. He travelled, and also lived in Florence.

Related Topics:
Capri - D. H. Lawrence - Florence

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