Uni mentors remained dear to his heart

Clive James always acknow­ledged the place of Honi Soit, the Sydney University student magazine, in his literary formation. And he recognised, too, the importance of two men — Philip Graham­ and John Cummings — who helped start his career on the paper in the 1950s.

He gave them pseudonyms in his first book: Cummings was Keith Cameron and Graham, who was known as Chester on campus, was Spencer.

Yesterday, Cummings, who transitioned in 1986 and is now Katherine Cummings, spoke from her home on the NSW central coast about the young man she first met in 1957.

“I was working in the univer­sity library and Chester came in and said there was a young freshman who had arrived who seemed to have ideas and might be able to write,” the 84-year-old said.

The subsequent meeting with James was...