Letter: Novel source
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jan Dalley reasonably concludes that the opening sentence of Jay McInerney's new novel, Last of the Savages - "The capacity for friendship is God's way of apologising for our families" - has Tolstoyan overtones ("Border with history", Review, 16 June). However, McInerney appears to have cribbed it from the Spanish proverb "Friends are God's apologies for relatives". Richard Ingrams made use of it for the title of God's Apologies, his story of the friendship between Malcolm Muggeridge, Hesketh Pearson and Hugh Kingsmill.
Terry Philpot
Oxted, Surrey
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments