English Journey

John Boynton Priestley (1894-1984) was one of the great literary figures of the twentieth century. Pre-eminently a dramatist, novelist and social commentator many of his works have become literary classics, among them The Good Companions, Angel Pavement, An Inspector Calls and Time and the Conways. His plays have been translated and performed all over the world and many have been filmed. During the Second World War his regular Sunday night Postscript radio talks attracted audiences of up to 15 million listeners. It was said that he was as popular and as important as Churchill in shoring up the nation's morale and in offering a vision of a better world to come. He was also a founder member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, a champion of public lending rights and represented the UK at two UNESCO conferences. In literary, social and political terms he was very much the last great man of English letters.

'A vastly talented and exceptionally versatile and wise writer.' Iris Murdoch'Priestley was volcanic, fertile … and never dull.' Anthony Burgess‘Priestley never wrote better than in these pages. They remain required reading for all of us.’ Dame Margaret Drabble‘A marvellous writer.’ David Hockney‘English Journey is one of the great travelogues of English literature. A work of bracing televisual intensity.’ Graham Robb, author of The Debatable Land‘We all know his plays, now is the time to be re-introduced to his novels.’ Timothy West‘He belongs in a great English realist tradition that includes Bennett and Galsworthy.’ Michael Billington‘An important book that has a literary importance and social value that far exceeds the time it was written.’ Dame Beryl Bainbridge‘Written in the elegant, simple language which was an essential part of Priestley’s brilliance. It is, in consequence, a masterpiece.’ Roy Hattersley