Nicholas Monsarrat
Nicholas Monsarrat was a British novelist born in Liverpool in 1910, known for his contributions to literature and his exploration of military life. He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1931 with a degree in law but transitioned to writing in 1934 after working briefly in a law office. Monsarrat served in the Royal Navy during World War II, participating in Atlantic convoys and achieving the rank of lieutenant commander. Following the war, he held various roles in information services in South Africa and Canada and was active in local governance and cultural institutions.
His most notable work, *The Cruel Sea*, published in 1951, gained critical acclaim and was later adapted into a film, solidifying his reputation as a skilled storyteller. While his earlier novel, *Leave Cancelled*, faced criticism, Monsarrat's later writing, including his two-volume autobiography, *Life Is a Four-Letter Word*, sparked mixed reviews, revealing both personal struggles and candid reflections. Despite some controversy surrounding his personal views, he was awarded the Heinemann Foundation Prize for Literature in 1951. Monsarrat passed away in London in 1979, leaving behind a legacy as a significant voice in British literature.
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Nicholas Monsarrat
Author
- Born: March 22, 1910
- Birthplace: Liverpool, England
- Died: August 8, 1979
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
British novelist Nicholas Monsarrat was born in Liverpool, England, in 1910, the son of Marguerite Turney Monsarrat and surgeon Keith Waldegrave Monsarrat. He graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge, with a B.A. in law in 1931. He worked for two years in a lawyer’s office in Nottingham, England, before abandoning law for writing in 1934, at which time he moved to London. Monsarrat served in the Royal Navy, working on Atlantic convoys from 1940 until 1946, achieving the rank of lieutenant commander. After 1946, he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
Monsarrat worked with the chief of British information services in South Africa from 1946 through 1952, and he was information chief in Canada from 1953 through1956. He served as a borough councilor for Kensington in 1946, and he was the chairman of the National War Memorial Health Foundation in South Africa from 1951 until 1953. In Canada, he served on the board of governors of the Stratford Festival Theatre from 1956 until 1960 and on the board of governors of the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra in 1956. He died in London in 1979.
Monsarrat’s novel, Leave Cancelled, provided insight into military life but was met with criticism from reviewers. However, The Cruel Sea, published in 1951, received critical acclaim and became an instant best-seller. It was adapted for a film released in 1953. Monsarrat’s two- volume autobiography, Life Is a FourLetter Word, received mixed reviews, with some critics expressing disgust over his confessions of cowardliness, poor treatment of women, espousal of a pagan philosophy, and failure to improve his life. Some critics, however, expressed more sympathy for Monsarrat life and praised the frankness of his memoirs.
Numbered among Monsarrat’s awards was the 1951 Heinemann Foundation Prize for Literature for The Cruel Sea. The author is remembered as a talented storyteller and for his swift- moving text. “Writing is my life,” he once said.