Lynn Barber began her lecture for Brighton New Writing South by explaining that she never attended lectures and rarely gave them.
But although she has become famous for the written word, not the spoken one, and indeed displayed a rather endearing discomfort standing up before a packed audience, she discussed her long career in the national press with straightforward charm.
As might be expected, she didn’t mince words and delighted us by being honest, often at her own expense.
Celebrity interviews sell newspapers. They are a game that both sides know how play although increasingly beset by modern trials with time pressure, publicists and litigation. Yet they provide an important focus on the individual in contrast to journalistic groupings - the ‘over 60’s’ came in for particular ire.
She quite enjoys the mild controversy of creating sympathy for certain public enemies, or the reverse, injecting humour where possible and always finding reality behind a mask.
To some extent, Barber's reputation has depended upon her moral courage as much as her writing skills – she asks questions that most wouldn’t dare, not from any wish to upset or shock but because she puts her readers first.
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