J.B.Priestley

BriefIntroduction11E2金翠110108100208Priestley'soutputwasvastandvaried-hepublishedover120books(usuallylightandoptimisticintheirtone),about50playsandessays.JohnBoyntonPriestley(13September1894–14August1984),knownasJ.B.Priestley,wasanEnglishnovelist,playwright，essayist,broadcasterandalsoasocialist.Novels:TheGoodCompanionsAngelPavement(1930),BrightDay(1946)TheImageMen(1969).Worksofhistory:TheEdwardians(1970)Victoria'sHeyday(1972).Mysterystories,socialcriticism:•EnglishJourney(1934),•RainuponGadshill(1939),•ThoughtsintheWilderness•TheHappyDream(1976).Plays:•TimeandtheConways(1937)•DangerousCorner(1932).•AnInspectorCalls(1945),•TheGlassCage(1957)From1919Priestleystudiedliterature,historyandpoliticalscienceatBradfordandatCambridge,receivinghisB.A.in1921.From1922heworkedasajournalistinLondon,startinghiscareerasanessayistandcriticatvariousnewspapersandperiodicals,includingtheNewStatesman.AftertheoutbreakofWorldWarIIPriestleygainedfameas'thevoiceofthecommonpeople'.Hewasapatrioticradiobroadcaster,secondonlytoChurchill.aco-founderofthesocialistCommonWealthPartyin1942aUnitedKingdomdelegatetoUNESCOconferencesin1946and1947.chairmanoftheaterconferencesinParisin1947andinPraguethefollowingyear.presidentoftheInternationalTheatreInstitutein1949.Amanofversatility.Hewasapatriot,cosmopolitanYorkshireman,professionalamateur,culturedPhilistine,reactionaryradical,andacommon-sensespokesmanfortheordinaryman-in-the-street.Priestleyrefusedbothknighthoodandpeerage,butacceptedin1977theprestigiousOrderofMerit.---moresuccessfullythananyothernovelistinthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury---thoughtsandfeelingsoftheordinaryEnglishman---abeingwhosecharacterheoutlineswithvigorandgoodhumor