Editing Patrick White (section)

==Europe, America and war==
From 1932, White lived in England, studying French and German literature at [[King's College, Cambridge]]. There he began a love affair with a fellow student that lasted until White graduated. White wrote poems, some of which were published in the [[London Mercury|''London'' ''Mercury'']]. He spent his holidays in France and Germany to improve his languages and read Joyce, Lawrence, [[Marcel Proust|Proust]], [[Gustave Flaubert|Flaubert]], [[Stendhal]] and [[Thomas Mann]] with admiration. He made a pilgrimage to [[Zennor]] in Cornwall where Lawrence wrote ''[[Women in Love]]'' and the visit inspired further poems. A collection was published as ''The Ploughman and Other Poems'' in an edition of 300 in Sydney in 1935 but received little critical attention and was later suppressed by White. A play, ''Bread and Butter Women,'' was given an amateur production in Sydney the same year.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=115-33}}{{Sfnp|Webby|2012}}

On White's graduation in 1935, his mother wanted him to embark on a diplomatic career but he was determined to stay in England and become a writer. His mother relented and his father granted him an allowance of £400 a year. He moved to London's [[Pimlico]] district where, in 1936, he met the Australian painter [[Roy De Maistre|Roy de Maistre]]. De Maistre briefly became White's lover and remained a mentor and friend. White later said that de Maistre had encouraged him to break from naturalistic prose and write "from the inside out."{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=134-51}}{{Sfnp|Webby|2012}}

White began work on the novel ''Happy Valley,'' partly based on his experience working as a jackaroo. In 1937, his story "The Twitching Colonel" was published in the ''London Mercury''. His father died in December, leaving him a legacy of £10,000 that enabled him to write full-time in relative comfort. He started work on a play, ''Return to Abyssinia'', and wrote skits for revues which were produced with moderate success. He completed ''Happy Valley'' and the novel was accepted by the British publisher [[George G. Harrap and Co.|George G. Harrap and Company]] in 1938.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=150-177}}

''Happy Valley'' was published in early 1939 to generally favourable reviews which encouraged White to go to America to find a publisher there. White arrived in New York in April and travelled across the country. He visited [[Taos, New Mexico|Taos]], New Mexico, where he viewed Lawrence's ashes and met [[Frieda Lawrence]]. He then moved to [[Cape Cod]] where he worked on a novel, ''The Living and the Dead'', partly based on his life in London. When the Second World War broke out in September, White took the first available ship back to England where he continued to work on his new novel.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=180-95}}

In early 1940, White heard that Ben Huebsch, the head of the American publisher [[Viking Press|Viking]], had accepted ''Happy Valley''. Huebsch had published Lawrence and Joyce in America and White was delighted with the connection to these writers. Huebsch was to become one of White's main literary supporters. White decided to travel back to New York for the publication of ''Happy Valley'' and to complete the new novel. Happy Valley was published in June to favourable reviews. Huebsch also accepted the now completed novel ''The Living and the Dead'' for publication.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=197-201}}{{Sfnp|Webby|2012}}

White returned to London where, in November, he was called up to an intelligence unit of the Royal Air Force. He was stationed at [[RAF Bentley Priory|Bentley Priory]] during the [[The Blitz|Blitz]] before being transferred to North Africa in April 1941. He subsequently served in Egypt, Palestine and Greece. While stationed near Alexandria in July 1941 he met [[Manoly Lascaris]], who was waiting to be recruited to the [[Hellenic Army|Royal Greek Army]]. Lascaris was to become White's life partner.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=205-06, 210-32}}{{Sfnp|Webby|2012}}

Following the war, White was determined to leave England to avoid "the prospect of ceasing to be an artist and turning instead into that most sterile of beings, a London intellectual."{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|p=236}} White's preference was to live in Greece but Lascaris wanted to start a new life in Australia. White relented because, "It was his illusion. I suppose I sensed it was better than mine."{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|p=241}}

Before leaving for Australia, White began work on a novel ''[[The Aunt's Story]]'', inspired by a painting by Roy de Maistre. He sent the completed typescript to his American publisher in January 1947. In March, his play ''Return to Abyssinia'' opened in London to polite reviews. White missed its short season because he was in Australia making preparations for his permanent return. He returned to London and began a new play, ''[[The Ham Funeral]],'' inspired by the [[William Dobell]] painting "The Dead Landlord".{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=249-52}}

White sailed back to Australia in December 1947, and during his voyage ''The Aunt's Story'' was published in the United States to very favourable reviews and strong sales. Critic [[James Stern (writer)|James Stern]]'s review in the ''[[The New York Times Book Review|New York Times Book Review]]'' was enthusiastic and Stern would go on to be one of White's major champions in America.{{Sfnp|Marr|1991|pp=253-54}}