Eric Linklater (Eric Robert Russell Linklater) Biography

Scottish writer, born in Wales and brought up in the Orkney Islands, educated at Aberdeen University. Many of his novels were set in Scotland, including White Maa's Saga (1929), Poet's Pub (1929), The Men of Ness (1932), Magnus Merriman (1934), Laxdale Hall (1951), and The Dark of Summer (1956). Juan in America (1930) and Juan in China (1937) are picaresque novels recounting the adventures of an English Don Juan. Private Angelo (1946) humorously describes its protagonist's attempts to escape from his military commitments during the campaign in Italy. A versatile writer, noted for the elegance of his prose, Linklater's works reflect his interest in Scottish history, Norse saga, and the British army. He has also published dramatic works, poetry, essays, children's stories, and official histories. The Man on My Back (1941) and A Year of Space (1953) were autobiographies.