A. J. Cronin (1896 to 1981) was a prolific mid-century author who wrote more than 20 novels, many which were made into movies or television shows.
Cronin was born and raised in Scotland, with a Protestant mother and a Catholic father. Many of his characters came from similar backgrounds. Cronin was a medical doctor before he became an author and many of his books, especially his most famous, The Citadel, concern medical school and doctors.
I have had a copy of The Green Years on my TBR shelf for decades. But I only got around to reading his books after I found a nifty matching set of six of his most popular books at a library book sale. I started with Three Loves, his second published novel and the earliest in my set. I was swept away in the story, which is sometimes all I want out of a book.
I may never get around to reading all of Cronin's fiction and non-fiction -- most of his books are out of print -- but I would like to try. I only included novels and his autobiography on my list, I have not included "serial novellas" (unless they have been published in a book), short stories, or a play.
Those I have read are in red; those on my TBR shelf are in blue.
Hatter's Castle (1931)
Three Loves (1932) (reviewed here)
Grand Canary (1933)
The Stars Look Down (1935)
The Citadel (1937)
Vigil in the Night (1939)
The Valorous Years (1940)
The Keys of the Kingdom (1941)
Adventures of a Black Bag (1943) (out of print and hard to find)
The Green Years (1944)
Shannon's Way (1948)
The Spanish Gardener (1950)
Adventures in Two Worlds (autobiography, 1952)
Beyond This Place (1953)
A Thing of Beauty (also published as Crusader's Tomb) (1956)
The Northern Light (1958)
The Native Doctor (also published as An Apple in Eden) (1959) (out of print and very hard to find)
The Judas Tree (1961)
A Song of Sixpence (1964)
Further Adventures of a Black Bag (1966) (out of print and hard to find)
A Pocketful of Rye (1969)
Desmonde (also published as The Minstrel Boy) (1975)
Lady with Carnations (1976)
Gracie Lindsay (1978)
Doctor Finlay of Tannochbrae (1978)
That may be my favorite author photo -- it so perfectly captures the era.
ReplyDeleteI heart that photo!
ReplyDeleteCronin was a doctor in the town that I grew up in (Dumbarton) - before my time of course. I haven't read all of his books, my favourite was Hatter's Castle and the film of The Spanish Gardener with Dirk Bogarde is worth watching. I'm so impressed that you have found him.
ReplyDeleteKatrina -- I am so pleased to find another Cronin fan. Sound like you are well ahead of me. I don't know if I will even be able to find a copy of Hatter's Castle, but I'll keep looking. And thanks for the tip on the movie -- I'll see if I can get it on Netflix.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! So happy to see another Cronin fan... I think I have almost ten books from your above list.I had to raid a lot of second hand book shops to make that collection :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth -- You are well on your way to having the whole collection. I need to keep a better eye out at the used book stores/sales.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!