AustLit

'A senior academic at The Australian National University described Pierre Ryckmans, as soon as he learned that I was writing this book review, as quiet, but having the look of a person with a strong sense of character and determination. This was the impression that Ryckmans gave to a person who had seen him on campus but not spoken to him. Nonetheless, it was an accurate portrayal of Ryckmans, and fits in nicely with the Ryckmans (also popularly known as Simon Leys, his pen-name) that Philippe Paquet captures in Simon Leys: Navigator between Worlds, an impressive biography that is both scholarly and well written. This biography is a translation by Julie Rose from the original French version, which was published in 2016.'