Eric Linklater
Encyclopedia
Eric Robert Russell Linklater (8 March 1899 - 7 November 1974) was a British
writer, known for more than 20 novels, as well as short stories
, travel writing and autobiography, and military history.
, Vale of Glamorgan
, Wales
, and was educated in Aberdeen Grammar School
and Aberdeen University, where he was President of the Aberdeen University Debater. He spent many years in Orkney, and identified strongly with the islands, where his father had been born. His mother was the daughter of a Swedish-born sea captain who had become a naturalized British citizen and married an Englishwoman. He thus had Scandinavian origins through both parents (the name Linklater is a local Orkney name derived from the Old Norse), and throughout life he maintained a sympathetic interest in Scandinavia.
He was initially a medical student and then went into journalism
, becoming a full time writer in the 1930s.
He stood, unsuccessfully, in the East Fife
by-election of 1933 as the National Party of Scotland
candidate.
(born 1942), is a journalist and former editor of The Scotsman
. His second son, Andro Linklater
, is also a writer and journalist. His elder daughter, Alison, is an artist and was born in 1934. His younger daughter, Kristin Linklater
, is an actor, voice teacher and author of Freeing the Natural Voice, and his grandson by Kristin, Hamish Linklater
is also an actor.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
writer, known for more than 20 novels, as well as short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
, travel writing and autobiography, and military history.
Life
Linklater was born in PenarthPenarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
, Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and was educated in Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School
Aberdeen Grammar School, known to students as The Grammar is a state secondary school in the City of Aberdeen, Scotland. It is one of twelve secondary schools run by the Aberdeen City Council educational department...
and Aberdeen University, where he was President of the Aberdeen University Debater. He spent many years in Orkney, and identified strongly with the islands, where his father had been born. His mother was the daughter of a Swedish-born sea captain who had become a naturalized British citizen and married an Englishwoman. He thus had Scandinavian origins through both parents (the name Linklater is a local Orkney name derived from the Old Norse), and throughout life he maintained a sympathetic interest in Scandinavia.
He was initially a medical student and then went into journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, becoming a full time writer in the 1930s.
He stood, unsuccessfully, in the East Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
by-election of 1933 as the National Party of Scotland
National Party of Scotland
The National Party of Scotland was a political party in Scotland and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party.The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party...
candidate.
Family
Linklater had four children. His elder son, Magnus LinklaterMagnus Linklater
Magnus Linklater is a Scottish journalist and former newspaper editor.-Life:Linklater was born in Orkney, and is the son of Scottish writer Eric Linklater. He was brought up in Easter Ross, attending the local school at Nigg before moving to high school in Dunbar, East Lothian, and then on to Eton...
(born 1942), is a journalist and former editor of The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
. His second son, Andro Linklater
Andro Linklater
Andro Linklater is a non-fiction writer, and historian.-Life:Andro Ian Robert Linklater is the youngest son of Eric Linklater. His brother is journalist, Magnus Linklater and his sisters are the voice expert Kristin Linklater and painter, Sally Linklater...
, is also a writer and journalist. His elder daughter, Alison, is an artist and was born in 1934. His younger daughter, Kristin Linklater
Kristin Linklater
Kristin Linklater is a Scottish vocal coach, dialect coach, acting teacher, actor, theatre director, and author. She is currently Head of Acting in the Theatre Arts Division of Columbia University.-Biography:...
, is an actor, voice teacher and author of Freeing the Natural Voice, and his grandson by Kristin, Hamish Linklater
Hamish Linklater
Hamish Linklater is an American actor. He is best known as Matthew in the CBS sitcom The New Adventures of Old Christine...
is also an actor.
Novels
- White Maa's Saga (1929)
- Poet's Pub (1929)
- Juan in America (1931)
- The Men of Ness (1932)
- The Crusader's Key (1933)
- Magnus Merriman (1934)
- Ripeness is All (1935)
- The Impregnable Women (1938)
- Judas (1939)
- Private AngeloPrivate AngeloPrivate Angelo was written by Scottish author Eric Linklater and first published in 1946. It had subsequently been made into a 1949 film of the same name by Pilgrim Pictures, produced by and starring Peter Ustinov as well as adapted for the stage by Mike Maran Productions.The novel covers the...
(1946) - war satire. ISBN 0-907675-61-1 - A Spell for Old Bones (1949)
- Mr Byculla (1950)
- The House of Gair (1953)
- The Dark of Summer (1956)
- A Man Over Forty (1963)
- A Terrible Freedom (1966)
- The Faithful Ally (1956)
Children's fiction
- The Wind on the MoonThe Wind on the MoonThe Wind on the Moon is a children's fantasy novel by Eric Linklater. It was first published in 1944, and received the Carnegie Medal for the outstanding children's book of that year.-Plot summary:Major Palfrey is off to war...
(1944), for which Linklater won the Carnegie MedalCarnegie MedalThe Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals... - The Pirates in the Deep Green Sea (1949)
Other
- Juan in China
- Ben Jonson and King James: Biography and Portrait) (1931)
- Ripeness is All (1935)
- The Man on My Back (1941) autobiography
- Laxdale Hall (1951)
- Figures in a Landscape (1952)
- A Year of Space (1953) travel
- The Ultimate Viking (1955) - the history of Sweyn Asleifsson
- A Sociable Plover and other Stories and Conceits - (1957) stories
- The Merry Muse (1959)
- Orkney and Shetland (1965)
- The Prince in the Heather (1965) - the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie's escape
- The Conquest of England (1966)
- The Survival of Scotland (1968) - history of Scotland's independence
- The Voyage of the Challenger (1972)
- The Campaign in Italy
- The Highland Division
- The Goose Girl and Other Stories
- The Northern Garrisons (1941)
Further reading
- Parnell, Michael (1984) Eric Linklater: a critical biography. London: John Murray ISBN 0719541093
- Massie, Allan (1999) Eric Linklater: a critical biography. Edinburgh: Canongate ISBN 0-86241-886-0