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The Life and Work of Harold Pinter
The Life and Work of Harold Pinter is the first and only authorized biographical study of the renowned English playwright. In this groundbreaking book Michael Billington examines Pinter's work, including the masterpieces The Caretaker and The Homecoming , in the context of his life. Through conversations with Pinter and interviews with his friends and colleagues, Billington creates a portrait of the man as well as the artist.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 29, 2025
The plays of Harold Pinter combine comedy, menace, poetry and mystery to mesmerising and disturbing effect. My first encounter with Pinter came via a television production of No Man’s Land in the 1970s. I was hooked from start to finish despite the fact that the meaning of the play eluded me entirely. I’ve loved Pinter’s work ever since and continue to be entranced by the multilayered power of his imagination.
Michael Billington’s book, first published in 1996 and written with Pinter’s cooperation, is not a full biography, but essentially a critical biography which examines the work in relation to the life. Pinter’s life and work, it transpires, were intimately related, with much of his inspiration arising directly from his experience. An encounter would leave a lasting image in his mind and the image would eventually turn itself into a play. The extraordinary thing is that Pinter was able to transform these fragmentary moments of remembered experience into plays of universal relevance and political resonance. His years as an actor in the 1950s, slogging around British repertory theatres performing in formulaic dramas, also left its imprint on his dramaturgy. Some of his early plays are like Agatha Christie thrillers rewritten by Samuel Beckett.
Received opinion insists that Pinter was an apolitical writer who suddenly acquired a political consciousness in the 1980s. Billington, with his combination of biographical detail and close textual analysis of the plays, is able to demonstrate that received opinion is talking through its collective arse. A man who declared himself a conscientious objector aged 18, to the consternation of his uncomprehending parents, was hardly without political concern. Pinter’s first full-length play, The Birthday Party, is about a nonconformist who is crushed by the forces of convention. The themes which run through all the plays - the battle for territory, dominance and control, the use of language as a weapon - are fundamentally political ones. Billington argues, convincingly in my view, that Pinter’s plays collapse the barriers traditionally erected between personal and political drama. He is concerned with power structures, whether between state and citizen or in a marriage. For Pinter the personal is political and was long before that became a popular slogan.
He started as a poet but his poetic ambition achieved its best realisation on the stage. Old Times and No Man’s Land, while not containing a single line of verse, are nonetheless among the most perfect examples of poetic drama ever written. These plays are three-dimensional poems in which words and images are combined to haunting effect. They possess a seamless fluidity of structure which Billington suggests came from Pinter’s experience of writing for film and television. They are capable of almost limitless interpretation while retaining an impenetrable mystery.
Although never indifferent to public affairs it was only in the 1980s that Pinter fully emerged as a political activist and implacable opponent of American foreign policy. He became that rarity in British cultural life, the politically committed writer. Predictably, he was met with hostility and abuse from most journalists. Billington observes how the British press, rather than engaging with Pinter’s arguments, chose instead to attempt to discredit him by creating a caricature of a pompous, bad-tempered, angry old man.
This is an insightful blend of critical analysis and biography. Biography of a writer is valuable only if it extends or deepens our understanding of his or her work. This book certainly does that, casting light on the autobiographical origins of the plays, while never making the mistake of reducing Pinter’s work to his biography.
Michael Billington’s book, first published in 1996 and written with Pinter’s cooperation, is not a full biography, but essentially a critical biography which examines the work in relation to the life. Pinter’s life and work, it transpires, were intimately related, with much of his inspiration arising directly from his experience. An encounter would leave a lasting image in his mind and the image would eventually turn itself into a play. The extraordinary thing is that Pinter was able to transform these fragmentary moments of remembered experience into plays of universal relevance and political resonance. His years as an actor in the 1950s, slogging around British repertory theatres performing in formulaic dramas, also left its imprint on his dramaturgy. Some of his early plays are like Agatha Christie thrillers rewritten by Samuel Beckett.
Received opinion insists that Pinter was an apolitical writer who suddenly acquired a political consciousness in the 1980s. Billington, with his combination of biographical detail and close textual analysis of the plays, is able to demonstrate that received opinion is talking through its collective arse. A man who declared himself a conscientious objector aged 18, to the consternation of his uncomprehending parents, was hardly without political concern. Pinter’s first full-length play, The Birthday Party, is about a nonconformist who is crushed by the forces of convention. The themes which run through all the plays - the battle for territory, dominance and control, the use of language as a weapon - are fundamentally political ones. Billington argues, convincingly in my view, that Pinter’s plays collapse the barriers traditionally erected between personal and political drama. He is concerned with power structures, whether between state and citizen or in a marriage. For Pinter the personal is political and was long before that became a popular slogan.
He started as a poet but his poetic ambition achieved its best realisation on the stage. Old Times and No Man’s Land, while not containing a single line of verse, are nonetheless among the most perfect examples of poetic drama ever written. These plays are three-dimensional poems in which words and images are combined to haunting effect. They possess a seamless fluidity of structure which Billington suggests came from Pinter’s experience of writing for film and television. They are capable of almost limitless interpretation while retaining an impenetrable mystery.
Although never indifferent to public affairs it was only in the 1980s that Pinter fully emerged as a political activist and implacable opponent of American foreign policy. He became that rarity in British cultural life, the politically committed writer. Predictably, he was met with hostility and abuse from most journalists. Billington observes how the British press, rather than engaging with Pinter’s arguments, chose instead to attempt to discredit him by creating a caricature of a pompous, bad-tempered, angry old man.
This is an insightful blend of critical analysis and biography. Biography of a writer is valuable only if it extends or deepens our understanding of his or her work. This book certainly does that, casting light on the autobiographical origins of the plays, while never making the mistake of reducing Pinter’s work to his biography.
February 8, 2012
If - like me - you can find yourself reluctant to read biographies as they may destroy your impression of an admired celebrity, do not allow that fear to prevent you from reading this book. I first wanted to read this revised edition from 2007 after catching Harold Pinter’s Nobel Lecture on television - Art, Truth & Politics is reproduced in the appendix - and suddenly realised that even though I am not a regular theatre goer, Pinter was such a hero of mine. This is a truly remarkable book that gives an insight into one of the greatest literary minds that the world has ever seen. Every aspect of Pinter’s life is covered in this, the only authorised biography of the great playwright, poet, actor, political activist, screenwriter and cricketer. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; put down that copy of Lord of the Rings - you are wasting your time - read this excellent biography that any follower of the arts, politics or cricket will just love.
February 19, 2022
A detailed and insightful review of Pinter’s life and work - more about the work actually. Written by a theatre critic who has a lifetimes experience of the business and a deep, not always uncritical, appreciation of the writer.
October 30, 2016
possibly the most ingenious assault on a stage artisan ever crafted. at best a crude promotion of masculine idiocy through graceless mingling of feeble stereotypes with lazy praise, at worst a work positively thanatical to the whole enterprise of interpersonal verstehen as such. managed to suffer a 85-page golgata before the sheer pain of the effort made me proffer my willing wrists to the sun above in search for secular release, only to see the trial prolonged by the end-, tact- and witless hobby profiling made high art by the author. all hope for a genuine humanism must founder on a thing as blatant in its disregard for judicious discourse as this ashy heap of moral spoilage. sound only in its sudden and fortuitous philosophizing by which, through rigorous and self-consuming deduction, the existence of plural worlds is demonstrated in an oxy/moronic juxtaposition: a text this ludicrously prolix cannot possibly have actuality in the same reality as the spartan artistry it assaults, and so by necessity cosmos must be multiple. it successfully plots and realizes a gourmand vampirism that leaves its victim reduced, exhausted, pale, sucked dry, and pulped into vulgar inexistence. a monster performance deliciously poised between the desperate jumping around of a court jester awaiting his act’s end and the cuddly fawning of a whiny dog prancing about its master’s boots not sensing their restless intent. an absolute embarrassment to the genre and a horror to its object who, reduced to a cardboard placard smeared with senile resumés, dies a second death through contact with this infectious corpse of a book. an idolatrous disaster. a dishonor to the pinter legacy. my condolences to all parties involved. commit it to the flames
June 3, 2019
A thorough and comprehensive overview of Britain's best modern playwright by the most respected theatre critic of modern times.
Billington knew Pinter well and we get real insight into who he was as a person and some of the key drivers in his life that led him to create his body of work. Pinter also wrote about 30 adapted screenplays and this biography gives an in-depth account of his whole career including his work as an actor and stage director.
Then there is also the politics. Pinter, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 2005, was an outspoken critic of the American policy of international intervention and in his later years was more caustic in his condemnation. None more so than in his Nobel prize main address given when he was by this time quite ill.
Pinter had a fascinating life and this book not only provides insight into the origins of the works he created but also thought-provoking analysis and discussion into their meaning.
Billington knew Pinter well and we get real insight into who he was as a person and some of the key drivers in his life that led him to create his body of work. Pinter also wrote about 30 adapted screenplays and this biography gives an in-depth account of his whole career including his work as an actor and stage director.
Then there is also the politics. Pinter, who won the Nobel prize for literature in 2005, was an outspoken critic of the American policy of international intervention and in his later years was more caustic in his condemnation. None more so than in his Nobel prize main address given when he was by this time quite ill.
Pinter had a fascinating life and this book not only provides insight into the origins of the works he created but also thought-provoking analysis and discussion into their meaning.
October 20, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book, which did an excellent job of contextualising Pinter as a writer. Billington also talks in-depth about Pinter's work, even a single poem like the utterly awful 'American Football' gets its fair share of analysis.
It might be argued that Billington's biography is very much that written by a friend about a friend. Pinter is praised for much. I'd be interested to hear more about Pinter's first marriage from people that aren't Pinter's friends, especially as Billington seems to elide over Pinter's adultery - including a seven-year affair with Dame Joan Bakewell that went on to form the seed of Pinter's play 'Betrayal - as if it was all quite civilised.
However, even allowing for that this is worth reading if you're interested in Harold Pinter's life and work.
It might be argued that Billington's biography is very much that written by a friend about a friend. Pinter is praised for much. I'd be interested to hear more about Pinter's first marriage from people that aren't Pinter's friends, especially as Billington seems to elide over Pinter's adultery - including a seven-year affair with Dame Joan Bakewell that went on to form the seed of Pinter's play 'Betrayal - as if it was all quite civilised.
However, even allowing for that this is worth reading if you're interested in Harold Pinter's life and work.
August 8, 2011
Even though this biography is a bit flawed at times (Billington is quite biased in Pinter's favour and at times one cannot help but wish for just a bit more biographical elements instead of the - very interesting and illuminating - interpretations of Pinter's work), it was an absolute joy to read and Pinter is an extremely thoughtprovoking man and writer. I recommend watching his Nobel Prize lecture here. Form your own opinion.
May 30, 2012
All those cliches and received ideas about Pinter as the writer who loved pauses and silences and filled the stage with menace and nihilistic messages all fall away as Billington brings his mind, experience and artistic genius into focus. This book instantly changed my view of Pinter and I can now read him with relish: a classic playwright. His screenplays are also in a class of their own. This book is a revelation.
August 25, 2013
Utterly engrossing and endlessly fascinating biography of, arguably, Britain's greatest and most politically significant writer of prose, poetry and plays. Harold Pinter is a man of infinite complexity and boundless talent. Billington sets a perfect balance of anecdotes and analyses that give us a deeper insight to Pinter's private life. As a seldom reader of biographies, I can honestly say that this is the most enormously incisive and greatly profound biography I've had the pleasure to read.
April 8, 2013
An indispensable reference into the life and work of playwright Harold Pinter. Before reading this, it's best to watch or read some of his plays, as this book adds great depth to your insights and/or assumptions. Good starting points are the plays, The Homecoming, The Caretaker, The Birthday Party, Waterloo Station and the revue sketch Last To Go.
July 30, 2012
A massive hit of revelation. Every page was a lesson of knowing how very little of Pinter I actually knew.
February 7, 2014
Read this on the roof of my apartment in Venice. Enjoyed it. Pinter's a weirdo and his plays are tense.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews