Donald Windham

Donald Windham born 2 July 1920 (d. 2010)

Donald Windham was an American novelist and memoirist. He was perhaps best known for his close friendships with Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Windham moved with his partner Fred Melton, an artist, to New York City in 1939. He collaborated with Williams on a play, You Touched Me!, based on a D H Lawrence story, in 1942.

In 1943, after Melton had married, Windham met Sandy Montgomery Campbell [pictured left with Windham], who became his lifelong partner. An actor and publisher of high quality limited editions, Campbell published many of the first editions of Windham's works, until his death in 1988.

Windham became estranged from Williams in the seventies after Williams published his inaccurate Memoirs (1975). Windham later published a volume of their correspondence, which Williams incorrectly claimed was done without his permission. Windham remained a friend of Capote until Capote's death. Windham also met and befriended such diverse figures as Lincoln Kirstein, Pavel Tchelitchew and Paul Cadmus. Windham's diaries and memoirs have made as much of a contribution - certainly to gay studies - as his published fiction.

Windham's novels include The Dog Star (1950), praised by André Gide and Thomas Mann, The Hero Continues (1960), which was likely based on Williams, and Tanaquil (1972), based on the life of George Platt Lynes. Lost Friendships, a memoir of his friendships with Capote and Williams and others, was published in 1987. It has been regarded by some as his best book.

Windham died at his home in Manhattan on 31 May 2010.

Obituary - New York Times

[Pictured left: Windham with E M Forster]

 Donald Windham, second from left, in 1949 at Cafe Nicholson in Manhattan with, from left, the ballerina Tanaquil Le Clercq, the artist Buffie Johnson, Tennessee Williams and Gore Vidal