Kyril Bonfiglioli
Biography
Kyril Bonfiglioli (1928–1985) was a British novelist, art dealer, and editor, best known for creating the character of Charlie Mortdecai. Born in Eastbourne, England, and educated at Oxford University, Bonfiglioli served in the British Army before embarking on a diverse career that included working as an art critic and magazine illustrator. His own life, marked by a connoisseur's appreciation for fine art, food, and drink, deeply influenced his literary creations. His most famous works, the Mortdecai series (beginning with "Don't Point That Thing at Me"), feature an amoral, witty, and perpetually debauched art dealer involved in a series of comic capers and criminal entanglements. Bonfiglioli's distinctive writing style is characterized by sophisticated cynicism, dry wit, and a flair for elaborate, often hilarious, prose. He also penned a spy novel, "Don't Arch Your Back, Darling," and the historical adventure "All the Tea in China." Though his commercial success was modest during his lifetime, Bonfiglioli has garnered a significant cult following for his unique brand of black comedy and memorable, flawed protagonists.
Selected Thoughts
«I have always found that if you don't say anything, it is very difficult for people to contradict you.»
«What does one do if one finds a corpse in the lavatory? The first thing one does is say, 'Damn!'»
«One's aesthetic sense, if one has one, must be satisfied before one can hope to satisfy one's moral sense, if one has one.»
Writing Style
Witty, cynical, and sophisticated, Bonfiglioli's writing is characterized by dry humor, sardonic observations, and an elegant, often elaborate prose. He employed black comedy and a picaresque narrative structure, particularly in the Mortdecai series, delivered through a dandyish, self-aware first-person perspective.