Independent spirit – An Irishwoman’s Diary on publisher and author John Calder

There is a modest Turkish restaurant called The Gramophone on a leafy residential street in the Parisian suburb of Montreuil, with a large photo of its most famous customer on the wall. It is a portrait of the Scottish publisher John Calder, in his trademark pin-striped suit, with that familiar gruff, slightly truculent look on his face, by John Minihan. Minihan gave the portrait to the restaurant staff, who are proud of their distinguished customer, and his association with so many famous writers, including Nobel prize-winners Samuel Beckett, Heinrich Böll and Claude Simon. He has published over 1,500 books in a career spanning 70 years. We…