Talk:James Clavell

"British"?
Just as a user below was confused as to Clavell being called "Australian" simply because of his birthplace, I'm confused as to why he is being called "British" when he became a citizen of the US (thus becoming an American) and I'd assume regarding usual practice of United States naturalization, his British citizenship would have been renounced. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.215.131.126 (talk) 16:53, 31 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Because:


 * A - he was born in Australia at a time when all Australian-born people were British Subjects and automatically assumed British nationality.
 * ... and
 * B - he was British when he wrote the majority of his most famous books. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.4.57.101 (talk) 16:16, 28 January 2012 (UTC)


 * He was also British because he was born to a British naval officer who happened to be stationed in Australia. I think the current "Australian-born British (later naturalized American)" is fine.--Nyctc7 (talk) 00:58, 10 September 2015 (UTC)


 * He was unquestionably British and it makes Wiki look silly to say otherwise. He had British parents, he fought for the British Army in WW2 and spent 4 years as a POW.  Same goes for PG Wodehouse who also naturalised as an American Citizen, but is correctly described as an English author in Wiki.   Unlike PG Wodehouse, Clavell actually returned to England.Tjamesjones (talk) 14:48, 15 March 2022 (UTC)

Clavell's father
The claim that Clavell's father "... was stationed in Australia to help establish the Royal Australian Navy" is overstated. Five pages of digitised records on the National Archives of Australia database (look up http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/ResearcherScreen.asp, then type in Richard Clavell) show an officer named Richard Clavell as having been loaned to the RAN in 1919 - 11 years after its formation. Richard's Australian appointment was terminated with his "reversion to the Royal Navy" on February 23, 1922. Yes, he served with the RAN, possibly with distinction, but it's a bit rich to say he had a hand in establishing it. Sounds to me like a beat-up by publicists based on a son's fond family stories. Alidocious 14:57, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

The Commodore of the Royal Australian Navy during Lieutenant Clavell's service was John Saumarez Dumaresq, the first Australian to hold the post. It is likely that his son was named, in part, after his commanding officer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.132.203.145 (talk) 09:12, 21 January 2014 (UTC)


 * Dumaresq was a British subject as he died twenty years before Australia had separate citizenship. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 95.150.100.238 (talk) 16:10, 22 March 2017 (UTC)

Asian Saga Book Order
I know that the originator of this section put the books in the chronological order of the events in the books. It is far more common in wiki to put books in the order of their release (although top-to-bottom, earliest-to-latest does seem to vary). Thus, my change. I am not married to this should anyone want to change it back, but it should be noted (as I added to the text) the connection between the novels did not start until the publication of 'Noble House'. MarnetteD | Talk 01:55, 27 Apr 2005 (UTC)

"Australian"?
I was surprised to see Clavell in some "Australian" categories. Surely "British" would be more accurate? His only link to Australia seems to be that he was born in Sydney. He went to England as an infant. Grant65 (Talk) 05:57, 5 November 2005 (UTC)

Age at time of death
If Clavell was born in 1924 and died in 1994 wouldn't he have died shortly before his 70th, rather than 80th, birthday?

GAI-JIN

Can anyone help with the explanation as to why James wears his trouser belt buckle to his left in the publicity photograph on the inside cover of GAI-JIN?

I am terribly curious about the belt buckle too. I think it actually looks sharp and have tried to wear it that way myself. I'll bet it's some fancy belt. Any ideas?? Avermillion 00:37, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Documentation?
Zilch in the way of sources is provided for the article's assertions. For an article that's over five years old. Bacrito 05:21, 4 August 2007 (UTC) I believe the belt buckle on the hip, as opposed to above the zipper, was a habit formed from Clavell's years in Changi wearing a sarong, where the "knot" is on the hip... much like bunching/knotting a towel around one's waist. Scourge to dogma 17:00, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Month of birth
The introduction says September, the infobox says October. This needs to be clarified, corrected, and, if possible, referenced. Waggers 13:37, 13 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Are we allowed to reference Encyclopedia Britannica? It confirms 10th Oct for birth... it also gives 6th Sep instead of 7th Sep for death. --duncan 19:46, 4 September 2007 (UTC)

Year of birth?
Never mind the month of birth, what about the year? Some sources I've seen say Clavell was born in 1922, and that seems a lot more plausible to me than 1924. It means he would have gone to war in 1940 at the age of 18 rather than 16 (the latter age would have been illegal, surely?). He probably attempted to shave a couple of years off his age somewhere along the line -- no doubt when working in Hollywood! So I'd say he was born in 1922 and was 72 when he died. Davidpringle 23:08, 4 September 2007 (UTC)


 * Can we find some official documents? Birth certificate, baptismal record, hospital record, census data?? WikiDon 17:47, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

I've been doing some genealogical research on the Clavell family and come to the same conclusions. A correspondent in Australia has tracked down a birth announcement from the Sydney Morning Herald of 11th October 1921: "CLAVELL - October 10, at Matron Hennessey's private hospital, Alfred-street, North Sydney, to Lieutenant Clavell, Royal Navy, and Mrs. Clavell - a son". Also the passenger list for the Ormonde, arriving in London in December 1922 shows the Clavell family returning to Britain. Charles Clavell is shown as being one year old. So date of birth = 10th October 1921.

In addition, the date of his marriage to April Stride is usually given as 20th February 1951, but a simple check of the marriage registrations index shows it to have been in the first quarter of 1949. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 109.157.57.139 (talk) 15:49, 5 September 2011 (UTC)

I've made a couple of tentative changes to his dates of birth and marriage based on this evidence so that the issue is at least flagged up in the main article. 31.52.40.84 (talk) 15:43, 17 October 2011 (UTC)


 * IT's a bit close to OR, as ALL the newspaper sources say he died at 69, but I found the Sydney newspaper birth announcement mentioned above and have added to the article as a reference. Coretheapple (talk) 22:00, 26 January 2020 (UTC)

WHAT.
"As of 2007, Whirlwind and Gai-Jin remain the only Clavell novels yet to be adapted as films or miniseries; although at various times media have reported that such productions are planned, to date nothing has emerged. Shogun was adapted into a computer Interactive Fiction game." Shōgun (TV miniseries)!!! MAJOR INACURACY FIX PLX KTHXBAI. --124.40.47.100 00:17, 7 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Whatever you're complaing about (unclear), you can fix yourself. Chris 00:21, 7 October 2007 (UTC)

Hero?
What distinguishes Clavell as a "hero" as opposed to being simply a veteran? If he was commended or awarded for particular feats, then this should be stated explicitly! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.70.123.185 (talk • contribs)

Biography
Is there a published biography of the man? Chris (クリス) (talk) 16:34, 6 January 2008 (UTC)

Early life and World War II
The statements about Changi prison are directly contradicted by the information provided in the Wikipedia article on "King Rat", which are supported by citation from the "Journal of the Australian War Memorial".

Contrary to the statements that "over 90% of the prisoners who entered Changi never walked out" which is attributed to the introduction to King Rat, written by Clavell's daughter Michaela, the Wikipedia article on "King Rat" states that "Despite its fearsome reputation, Changi was historically among the better-run Japanese camps, with only 850 deaths among the 87,000 prisoners who passed through", which is supported by reference to the atricle by Kevin Blackburn (2000). "Commemorating and commodifying the prisoner of war experience in south-east Asia: The creation of Changi Prison Museum". Journal of the Australian War Memorial (33). Retrieved on 2007-01-26.

Lionel De Rosario, a Eurasian POW who was imprisoned at Changi and worked on the Burma-Thailand Railway, concluded: "when compared with the life and working conditions on the Siam-Burma railway work camps and other camps in the East Indies, Changi Camp was more like a low budget holiday camp". Writing fifty years after the POWs were freed, De Rosario looked at the reputation that Changi had gained in the public imagination and assessed it in light of his own experience as a POW: Changi became known as the most notorious camp in Asia, and in the minds of many people in England, Australia, and America, the Changi prisoner-of-war camp would invoke visions of atrocities, starvation, bad living conditions and emaciated men. It was the place where prisoners-of-war were reduced to a physical state more looking like living skeletons. As a prisoner-of-war, not only in the Changi Camp but in various camps in Singapore and Siam [Thailand], I cannot understand how Changi had earned such a reputation. My memories of Changi have never been unpleasant. Prisoners-of-war in Changi did suffer deprivation and loss of self-esteem, but conditions were not appalling. Although food was rationed, it was provided every day. The camp was also provided with amenities, such as electric lights and piped water, which contributed to our cleanliness and good healthy conditions. "Nippon Slaves", London, Janus, 1995, p. 45. James Clavell may very well have "suffered greatly at the hands of his Japanese captors"; however, Changi was anything but "notorious for its poor living conditions". Instead, based the reports of other POWs under the Japanese, the living conditions in Changi were severe but not appalling, and imprisonment in Changi was to be preferred over other POW camps in Asia. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hglong (talk • contribs) 18:28, 24 February 2008 (UTC)

Reading this section and the reference linked to, the Journal of the Australian War Memorial article, which states "Ex-POWs' descriptions of their time in Changi as relatively pleasant are so numerous that the conception of Changi as a "horror camp" seems untenable. Even ex-POWs with an abiding hatred of the Japanese have recalled that their time at Changi was pleasant," has lead me to delete the clause about Changi's 'notorious living conditions.' —Preceding unsigned comment added by 125.237.206.244 (talk) 04:37, 8 May 2011 (UTC)

Ayn Rand Quote
I found a citation for the Ayn Rand inscription. It's not a really strongly authoritative/conclusive source, in my opinion. Here are the paragraphs relating to the claim:

"Then one day I came across an online auction of books from Rand’s personal library. Inside a copy of his newly published novel Noble House, according to the auction description page, James Clavell had written this inscription to the author of Atlas Shrugged:"

"“This is for Ayn Rand/ --one of the real, true talents on this earth for which many, many thanks/ James C/ New York / 2 Sept 81.”"

"Further on the auction page, I found that Clavell’s editor had sent Rand a copy of The Children’s Story, also printed in 1981, with a note on the letterhead of Delacorte Press asking her to read the book and share her response."

"So much made sense now!"

I don't mean to imply that I'm questioning the article author's honesty, but "once upon a time I saw on the internet..." is a little thin, as a source. Some jerk on the Internet (talk) 15:10, 25 March 2009 (UTC)

Peter Marlowe
I assume the point of this paragraph is to tell that Marlowe is alter ego of Clavell, but then it should be said somehow! Now it just tells about this character, but not why it is relevant to the James Clavell article. It's just an introduction of one character in his novels. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.93.7.214 (talk) 14:27, 29 December 2009 (UTC)

His research for his Asian novels
I am deeply impressed with the flavor of the historical periods and locations he writes about. It would be a useful addition to his bio to discuss how he researched his novels.183.97.59.112 (talk) 10:01, 21 February 2015 (UTC)

Pronunciation?
Is his surname stressed on the first syllable? Thanks. 66.97.20.206 (talk) 20:22, 9 March 2019 (UTC)

Australian - or British ?
The person removing my corrections is under the misguided impression that Clavell was British born. The fact that he was born in Australia and therefore was registered as an Australian national with the the Australian Commonwealth Dept of Births, Deaths & Marriages seems to mean nothing to him. All Australians were entitled to a British passport up until l980 -- but that does not make them British born. The editor is misrepresenting the facts concerning this authors' national identity. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 155.143.162.166 (talk) 11:49, 1 June 2019 (UTC)

It is not his place of birth that is indicated here, it is his citizenship. Which sources indicate that Australia granted him citizenship? Dimadick (talk) 18:41, 1 June 2019 (UTC)

His nationality - was Australian at the time of his birth.

At the time of his birth in Australia, he was automatically registered as an 'Australian National' as well as a being listed as a British 'subject'.

This arrangement came into legal force via the commonwealth government of Australia's 'Nationality Act' -- 1920

The status of 'citizen' did not come into effect in Australia until 1948 - 1949.

The Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 created the concept of Australian citizenship, and came into force on 26 January 1949. Australian citizens continued to also be British subjects

This act effected the status of all living persons born in Australia as well as those seeking to become Australian citizens after 1949.


 * Its important to note that ALL the peoples of the British Commonwealth - were classified as British >>> SUBJECTS <<< as distinct from British Citizens.

But this did not mean they were British Citizens.

The difference between 'subject' & 'citizen' within the Commonwealth framework - is a very important.

"Michaela Clavell" listed at Redirects for discussion
The redirect [//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michaela_Clavell&redirect=no Michaela Clavell] has been listed at redirects for discussion to determine whether its use and function meets the redirect guidelines. Readers of this page are welcome to comment on this redirect at  until a consensus is reached. –LaundryPizza03 ( d c̄ ) 07:35, 23 July 2023 (UTC)

WWII to Imprisonment is glossed over
Picked up by a Dutch ship to "shot in the face" and captured is quite a segue. It seems to leave out a couple of interesting intermediate steps that would be worthy of inclusion. MyIP19216811 (talk) 12:52, 14 March 2024 (UTC)