Malcolm Lowry was a highly regarded British literature and fiction writer and poet, best known for his groundbreaking novel "Under the Volcano." Born in 1909 near Liverpool, England, Lowry came from a prominent and affluent family, which had high expectations for him. He attended the Leys school and St. Catherine's College before working as a deckhand and trimmer for six months.
Lowry's upbringing and experiences significantly influenced his writing, which often revolved around themes of exile, despair, and wanderlust. His own tumultuous lifestyle and struggles with addiction made him a revered figure among later generations of writers. In 1955, Lowry returned to England, living in a rented cottage in Ripe, Sussex, with his wife, Margerie. His death on June 27, 1957, was officially ruled as misadventure, with causes including inhalation of stomach contents, barbiturate poisoning, and excessive alcohol consumption. However, there have been speculations that his death could have been a suicide or even a murder due to inconsistencies in Margerie's accounts of that night. Lowry was buried in the churchyard of St John the Baptist in Ripe, but his self-penned epitaph, "Here lies Malcolm Lowry, late of the Bowery, whose prose was flowery, and often glowery. He lived nightly, and drank daily, and died playing the ukulele," is not inscribed on his gravestone.
In summary, Malcolm Lowry was a British novelist and poet who is widely remembered for his influential novel "Under the Volcano." Born in a prominent family, Lowry's writings reflected his experiences and struggles with addiction, exile, and despair. His life ended in a mysterious and controversial manner, with debates about the true cause of his death. Despite his untimely demise, Lowry's work continues to inspire and influence writers to this day.