Richard Pine facts for kids

Richard Leslie Beswetherick Pine, born on August 21, 1949, is a writer who has written many important books. He has written about famous Irish playwright Brian Friel and the British novelist Lawrence Durrell. He also writes about classical music in Ireland.

Before moving to Greece in 2001, Richard worked for the Irish national broadcaster, RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann). In Greece, he started a school called the Durrell School of Corfu. He led this school until 2010. Since 2009, he has written a regular column about Greece for The Irish Times newspaper. He also writes obituaries (articles about people who have died) for The Guardian.

In 2012, Richard helped publish a novel by Lawrence Durrell called Judith. This book had never been published before. He has also edited another of Durrell's novels, The Placebo. He put together a two-volume collection of Durrell's less common writings, including plays, short stories, and travel diaries. Lawrence Durrell himself once said that Richard Pine's work was "the best unpacking of my literary baggage I have heard."

Early Life and Education

Richard Pine was born in London, England. He was the only child of L. G. Pine and Grace Violet. He went to Westminster School from 1962 to 1966.

After school, he moved to Ireland for his university studies. He attended Trinity College Dublin (TCD), earning his first degree in 1971. He also earned a teaching diploma in 1972. While at university, he was the president and a gold medalist of the University Philosophical Society. He also won a special prize for English.

Career in Ireland

After finishing university, Richard stayed in Ireland. He joined RTÉ, the national broadcaster, as a Concerts Manager. In this role, he was in charge of groups like the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra.

In 1983, he became a senior editor in RTÉ's Public Affairs department. He worked there for 16 years. During this time, he edited a six-book series called "Broadcasting and Irish Society." He also wrote and presented many radio shows. One of his shows was a 15-part documentary about Irish music history.

From 1988 to 1990, Richard was the Secretary of the Irish Writers' Union. He also wrote music reviews for The Irish Times. From 1990 to 1994, he helped edit the Irish Literary Supplement, a magazine published in New York.

Between 1978 and 1988, Richard advised the Council of Europe on cultural programs. He wrote an important essay about cultural democracy, which was published in 1982.

Richard has given guest lectures at many universities around the world. These include the University of California, Berkeley, New York University, and the Ionian University in Greece. In 1989, he became a trustee for the Royal Irish Academy of Music. In 1998, they gave him a special award for his contributions.

Since 1978, Richard Pine has written many articles and books. He has focused on Irish theater and playwrights like Oscar Wilde and Brian Friel. About Richard's book The Diviner: The Art of Brian Friel, the famous poet Seamus Heaney said it was a strong book that would help people understand Friel's work better.

In 2018, Richard Pine was named "Critic of the Year" at the Newsbrands Ireland Journalism Awards. Judges praised his "great knowledge and good judgment" and his "elegant style." He was also nominated for "Foreign Correspondent" in 2017 and 2021 for his articles from Greece in The Irish Times.

Life in Greece

In 2001, Richard Pine moved to the Greek island of Corfu. He continued his writing career there. He founded the Durrell School of Corfu (DSC). For twelve years, this school held workshops on literature and protecting the environment. The school aimed to help people around the world understand the writings of Lawrence Durrell and his brother, Gerald Durrell. Gerald was a famous ecologist and zoologist.

The Durrell School closed in 2014. In 2016, it was replaced by the Durrell Library of Corfu. This is an online library and website that started holding international workshops again in 2017. In 2021, the Durrell Library began publishing a series of books called "Durrell Studies." These books are about the lives and work of Lawrence and Gerald Durrell. They also cover topics related to Greece and other nearby regions.

Richard often gives guest lectures at the Ionian University in Corfu. In 2019, he started an online journal called "C.20 – an international journal." He also continues to write notes for the concert programs of the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

Family Life

In 1972, Richard Pine married Melanie Craigen. They have two daughters. Their daughter, Emilie Pine (born 1977), is a writer and a professor of drama at University College Dublin. Their other daughter, Vanessa Pine (born 1981), is an artist and writes about cooking. Richard and Melanie separated in 1983. From 1994 to 2008, Richard's partner was Patricia Kavanagh, a concert artist and piano professor. In 2018, Emilie published a book called Notes to Self, which won "Book of the Year" at the Irish Book Awards.

Selected Book Reviews

Here are some things people have said about Richard Pine's books:

• Dublin Gate Theatre, 1928–1978
  • "scholarly, fascinating, indispensable" (Terence de Vere White, Times Literary Supplement)

• Oscar Wilde (1983)
  • "I have never been so impressed by the squalor of Wilde's downfall" (Thomas Kilroy, The Irish Times)

• Brian Friel and Ireland's Drama (1990)
  • "essential reading for anyone interested in our theatre" (Thomas Kilroy, Sunday Tribune)
  • "a profound engagement with Friel's writing and the matter of Ireland" (Anthony Roche, Irish Literary Supplement)

• The Diviner: The Art of Brian Friel (1999)
  • "Pine's empathic response to Friel... ensures that this is still the analysis to be reckoned with" (Shaun Richards, Irish University Review)

• Music and Broadcasting in Ireland (2005)
  • "A rich cultural history of music in Ireland" (Patricia Flynn, Irish Economic and Social History)

• Charles: The Life and World of Charles Acton (2010)
  • "a fine narrative, enlightened insights and meticulous research […] Pine superbly traces a cultural history of Ireland in the 20th century" (Ite O'Donovan, The Irish Times)

• The Disappointed Bridge: Ireland and the Post-Colonial World (2014)
  • "A beautifully written and carefully researched book that offers fascinating inter-cultural connections which are bound to stimulate further thought." (Tom Gallagher, Scottish Affairs)

• Minor Mythologies as Popular Literature (2018)
  • "clear, acute and surprisingly passionate […] lucid and determined, vivid and eloquent" (Jonathan Barnes, Times Literary Supplement)

• Lawrence Durrell's Endpapers and Inklings 1933–1988 (2019)
  • "The reader cannot help feeling thankful for such an easy access to precious archival material ... erudite, all-embracing, irreverent and non-canonical" (Isabelle Keller-Privat, Miranda online journal)

• The Eye of the Xenos (2021)
  • "For all his fierce critique... Pine's sensibility is intrinsically European" (Roy Foster, Irish Times)

• The Quality of Life: essays on cultural politics 1978-2018
  • "this stimulating, eloquently written work" (Brian Maye, Irish Times)