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One of the world's most reclusive authors has leapt to the defence of a British writer accused of plagiarising the memoirs of a World War II nurse, The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Wednesday.
Thomas Pynchon is a cult figure surrounded by secrecy: he shuns public appearances, the only photos of him are about 50 years old and when he appeared on television cartoon The Simpsons, his likeness had a paper bag over its head.
But breaking his customary silence as his new doorstep-sized novel, "Against The Day", is published, he has sent a typed letter to his British agent in support of Ian McEwan, the paper said.
Internationally-acclaimed writer McEwan has been accused of plagiarising material for his novel "Atonement" from the memoirs of London nurse Lucilla Andrews by her agent Vanessa Holt.
The work is currently being turned into a movie starring Keira Knightley.
Andrews, who is now dead, wrote about her time as a nurse at St Thomas's Hospital in London helping those evacuated from Dunkirk.
McEwan says he acknowledges the book in his sources and repeatedly paid tribute to Andrews in public, the Telegraph reported.
Pynchon, whose new book also has a historic backdrop, wrote that the row "really is about who owns the right to describe using gentian violet for ringworm, for heaven's sake".
"Memoirs of the Blitz have borne indispensable witness, and helped later generations know something of the tragedy and heroism of those days.
"For Mr McEwan to have put details from one of them to further creative use, acknowledging this openly and often, and then explaining it clearly and honorably, surely merits not our scolding, but our gratitude," the paper quoted him as saying.
Others authors backing McEwan include John Updike, Martin Amis and Margaret Atwood.
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AFPEntertainment-Britain-books-McEwan
AFP 061223 GMT 12 06
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