Eric Linklater
Eric Linklater was a Welsh-born Scottish author, born in 1899 in Penarth, Wales, and raised in Orkney, Scotland, which he considered his spiritual home. Initially pursuing medical studies at the University of Aberdeen, his education was interrupted by World War I, during which he served as a sniper and was wounded. After the war, Linklater shifted his focus to English literature, earning a master's degree and eventually working as an assistant editor for *The Times of India* in Bombay.
His literary career began with poetry but expanded to include novels, children’s literature, and nonfiction, with over twenty novels to his name. Notable works include *Juan in America*, a satire of the United States during Prohibition, and *The Wind on the Moon*, which won the Carnegie Medal. Linklater's writing often drew from his personal experiences and travels, exploring themes related to Scotland and broader social issues. He was active during World War II, commanding Fortress Orkney and chronicling military campaigns. Linklater passed away in 1974 and is remembered for his versatile contributions to literature across various genres.
Eric Linklater
British novelist, short fiction writer, poet, and historical nonfiction writer.
- Born: March 8, 1899
- Birthplace: Penarth, Wales
- Died: November 7, 1974
- Place of death: Aberdeen, Scotland
Biography
Eric Robert Russell Linklater was born in Penarth, Wales, in 1899, but grew up mostly in Orkney, Scotland, and considered that to be his spiritual home. His father was a master mariner and moved the family to his own native Orkney when Linklater was young. His early education was at Intermediate School for Boys Aberdeen Grammar School. He began medical studies at the University of Aberdeen in 1916, but these were halted by World War I. Linklater served for a few weeks as a sniper with the Black Watch in that conflict, which he later described as the most intense experience of his life. He was wounded and hospitalized for several months.
Following his military service, he renewed his medical studies, but switched to English literature instead. He earned his master’s degree from King’s College in 1925. From 1925 through 1927, he was an assistant editor of The Times of India in Bombay. He began working as an assistant at the University of Aberdeen in 1928, then spent two years in the United States and China as a Commonwealth Fellow. He spent time at Berkeley and the University of Cornell, but not attending lectures. Instead, he worked on his novel, which was published as Juan in America (1931), a satire of the United States during Prohibition. It was a success and was designated a Book of the Month by the Book Society. A sequel, Juan in China (1937), proved a satire on Chinese leadership.
Linklater married Marjorie MacIntyre in 1933 and that same year became a parliamentary candidate for the Scottish Nationalist Party. He did not win the election, but, a year later, he published a book based largely on this experience, Magnus Merriman. In fact, many of his books were based on his own travels and experiences. He also published The Lion and the Unicorn (1935), which provided a view of the historical relationship between Scotland and England. In World War II, again Linklater was caught up in a military conflict, commanding Fortress Orkney as a Royal Engineers major, and then working for the War Office chronicling the Italian campaign. He also wrote children's novels, beginning with The Wind on the Moon (1944), which won the Carnegie Medal.
Linklater eventually published more than twenty novels, including a Viking saga, The Men of Ness (1932); a gentle antiwar comedy about an Italian peasant, Private Angelo (1946); a Cold War fable, A Spell for Old Bones (1949); and even retellings of biblical stories. He actually began his writing career with poetry, and wrote some thirty short stories (many collected in 1968 as The Stories of Eric Linklater), radio plays, and some minor scripts for the stage. His variety included nonfiction books on history, criminology, travel, children’s fiction, biography and autobiography. His three autobiographical books were The Man on My Back (1941), A Year of Space (1953), and Fanfare for a Tin Hat (1970). He continued adding to his writing range during the 1950s and 1960s. Some critics have hailed him as the most versatile novelist of the mid-twentieth century.
Linklater died in Aberdeen on November 7, 1974. He is buried in Orkney.
Author Works
Drama:
The Devil's in the News, 1929
Breakspear in Gascony: A Play in Three Acts, pb. 1958
Edited text(s):
The Thistle and the Pen: An Anthology of Modern Scottish Writers, 1950
Long Fiction:
Rosemount Nights, 1923
The Prince Appears, 1924
Poobie, 1925
The Devil's in the News, 1929
Poet's Pub, 1929
White Maa's Saga, 1929
Juan in America, 1931
The Men of Ness: The Saga of Thorlief Coalbiter's Sons, 1932
The Crusader's Key, 1933
The Revolution, 1934
Magnus Merriman, 1934
Sailor's Holiday, 1937
Juan in China, 1937
The Impregnable Women, 1938
Judas, 1939
The Wind on the Moon, 1944
Private Angelo, 1946
The Pirates in the Deep Green Sea, 1949
A Spell for Old Bones, 1949
Mr. Byculla, 1950
Love in Albania: A Coom, 1950
Laxdale Hall, 1951
The Mortimer Touch, 1952
The House of Gair, 1953
The Faithful Ally, 1954
The Dark of Summer, 1956
Position at Noon, 1958
Karina with Love, 1958
Merry Muse, 1959
Ripeness Is All, 1962
Husband of Delilah, 1962
A Man Over Forty, 1963
A Terrible Freedom, 1966
The Music of the North, 1970
John Moore's England, 1970
Royal House of Scotland, 1970
Gather No Moss, 1970
Corpse on Clapham Common: A Tale of Sixty Years Ago, 1971
Nonfiction:
Ben Jonson and King James: Biography and Portrait, 1931
Mary, Queen of Scots, 1934
Robert the Bruce, 1934
The Lion and the Unicorn, 1935
The Man on My Back, 1941
The Northern Garrisons, 1941
The Defense of Calais, 1941
The Cornerstones, 1941
The Raft and Socrates Asks Why, 1942
Crisis in Heaven, 1944
The Great Ship, 1944
The Art of Adventure, 1946
Our Men in Korea, 1952
Figures in a Landscape, 1952
A Year of Space, 1953
The Ultimate Viking, 1955
The Campaign in Italy, 1959
Edinburgh, 1960
Gullers Sweden, 1964
Orkney And Shetland: An Historical, Geographical, Social, and Scenic Survey, 1965
The Prince in the Heather, 1965
The Conquest of England, 1966
The Survival of Scotland, 1968
The Secret Larder, 1969
The Music of the North, 1970
Fanfare for a Tin Hat: A Third Essay in Autobiography, 1970
The Voyage of the Challenger, 1972
Black Watch: History of the Royal Highland Regiment, 1977
World War, Second, 1939–45: A Short Military History--Campaign in Italy, 1977
Poetry:
A Dragon Laughed, and Other Poems, 1930
Short Fiction:
God Likes Them Plain, 1935
The Dancers, 1935
The Abominable Imprecation, 1935
The Redundant Miracle, 1935
Kind Kitty, 1935
The Goose Girl, 1947
Sealskin Trousers, and Other Stories, 1947
Two Comedies: Love in Albania and To Meet the MacGregors, 1950
A Sociable Plover, and Other Stories and Conceits, 1957
The Stories of Eric Linklater, 1968
The Goose Girl, and Other Stories, 1991
Bibliography
Brown, Ian. The Edinburgh Companion to Twentieth-Century Scottish Literature. Edinburgh UP, 2011. This reference text includes information on Linklater as a major twentieth-century Scottish author.
Linklater, Eric. Fanfare for a Tin Hat: A Third Essay in Autobiography. Macmillan, 1970. Linklater's third volume of autobiography provides insight into his life and works.
Linklater, Magnus. "How the Nazis Were Fooled by a Cracking Read." The Times, 9 Jan. 2016, www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-the-nazis-were-fooled-by-a-cracking-read-vs2lf3qc9r8. Accessed 22 June 2017. The author's son describes how British intelligence used his father's novel Poet's Pub to transmit messages to agents abroad during World War II.
Liukkonen, Petri. "Eric Linklater." FirstWorldWar.com, Michael Duffy, 22 Aug. 2009, www.firstworldwar.com/poetsandprose/linklater.htm. Accessed 22 June 2017. Provides a biographical overview of Linklater and information on his major works.
Parnell, Michael. Eric Linklater: A Critical Biography. Murray, 1984. Presents details of Linklater's life and career with critical analysis of his works.