Aldous Huxley’s died on the same day as C.S. Lewis, which is unfortunate timing, to say the least. But in an almost unbelievable twist of fate, both of these famous writers had their passing overshadowed by the assassination of President John F Kennedy, which occurred the very same day.
Aldous Huxley now lies in an unassuming grave in a small cemetery in Compton, Surrey. It’s a place probably more widely visited by people wanting to see the Watt’s Cemetery Chapel and so Huxley is still, sadly overlooked.
His best known work was the futuristic dystopia “Brave New World”. It’s often mentioned alongside George Orwell’s “1984”, but whilst Orwell’s work has despots holding power through fear, Huxley imagines a world of control through consumerism, drugs, and subtle indoctrination. It wasn’t his only work though. He wrote nearly fifty books and for a while made a very good living as a Hollywood screenwriter. He also experimented with drugs and recorded his experiences in his book “The Doors of Perception”.
His grave, which he shares with a number of family members, is a little worse for wear. It could do with a bit of a clean and some of the letters on the names have come off. It also perches right next to a walkway, which looks like it’s liable to wear away completely.
It’s not the grandest grave I’ve seen, but the setting is lovely, and perhaps in time, it will get the restoration it deserves.
What do you think? Have you read any of Aldous Huxley’s work? Let me know in the comments.
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