Edmund Clerihew Bentley (10 July 1875 – 30 March 1956), who generally published under the names E. C. Bentley or E. Clerihew Bentley, was an English novelist and humorist, and inventor of the clerihew, an irregular form of humorous verse on biographical topics.
Bentley was born in London and educated at St Paul's School and Merton College, Oxford.[1] His father, John Edmund Bentley, was professionally a civil servant but was also a rugby union international having played in the first-ever international match for England against Scotland in 1871. Bentley worked as a journalist on several newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph.[citation needed] He also worked for the weekly The Outlook during the editorship of James Louis Garvin.[2] His first published collection of poetry, titled Biography for Beginners (1905),[3] popularized the clerihew form; it was followed by two other collections, More Biography (1929) and Baseless Biography (1939).[1]
His detective novel Trent's Last Case (1913)[4] was much praised, numbering Dorothy L. Sayers among its admirers, and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery. It was adapted as a film in 1920, 1929, and 1952. The success of the work inspired him, after 23 years, to write a sequel, Trent's Own Case (1936). There was also a book of Trent short stories, Trent Intervenes (1938).
From 1936 until 1949 Bentley was president of the Detection Club. He contributed to two crime stories for the club's radio serials broadcast in 1930 and 1931,[5] which were published in 1983 as The Scoop and Behind The Screen. In 1950 he contributed the introduction to a Constable & Co omnibus edition of Damon Runyon's "Stories of the bandits of Broadway", which was republished by Penguin Books in 1990 as On Broadway.
Although he is best known for his crime fiction and clerihews, Bentley also wrote at least one science fiction short story. This is the recently re-discovered "Flying Visit", published in the Evening Standard on 31 March 1953.[citation needed]
Short prose worksedit
Fictionedit
"The Inoffensive Captain". The Strand Magazine, March 1914. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"The Clever Cockatoo". The Strand Magazine, July 1914. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"The Ordinary Hair-Pins". The Strand Magazine, October 1916. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"The Sweet Shot". The Strand Magazine, March 1937. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"The Old-Fashioned Apache". The Strand Magazine, May 1937. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"Trent and the Vanishing Lawyer". The Strand Magazine, August 1937. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938) as "The Vanishing Lawyer".
"Trent and the Bad Dog". The Strand Magazine, September 1937. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"Trent and the Genuine Tabard". The Strand Magazine, January 1938. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938) as "The Genuine Tabard".
"Trent and the Unknown Peer". The Strand Magazine, February 1938. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938) as "The Unknown Peer".
"Trent and the Ministering Angel". The Strand Magazine, November 1938. Collected in Trent Intervenes (HarperCollins Detective Story Club edition, 2017) as "The Ministering Angel".
"The Public Benefactor". Magazine publication unknown. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"The Little Mystery". Magazine publication unknown. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938).
"The Fool-Proof Lift". Magazine publication unknown. Collected in Trent Intervenes (1938) as "Trent and the Fool-Proof Lift".
"Two Machines and a Party". Daily News (London), 7 November 1905.
"Hearst for Governor". Daily News (London), 21 October 1906.
"Naas". Daily News (London), 6 November 1906.
Peace Year in the City, 1918–1919: An Account of the Outstanding Events in the City of London During Peace Year, in the Mayoralty of the Rt. Hon. Sir Horace Brooks Marshall, K.C.V.O., LL.D., Following the Great War of 1914–1918. London, 1920.
"Hitler Again Demonstrates His Pet Brand of Treachery". Ballymena Weekly Telegraph, 20 April 1940.
"These Things Are Kept from the German Public". The Daily Telegraph, date unknown. Reprinted: Belfast Telegraph, 4 June 1940.
"Next US President". The Daily Telegraph, date unknown. Reprinted: Belfast Telegraph, 27 June 1940.
"The Lie as a Wartime Weapon". The Daily Telegraph, date unknown. Reprinted: Belfast Telegraph, 31 July 1940.
"I Am Glad I Was Born When I Was". The Listener, 29 August 1940.
"Nazi Propaganda in Last War". The Daily Telegraph, date unknown. Reprinted: Belfast Telegraph, 7 September 1940.
"Boys and Girls of Yesterday and Today". The Listener, 12 December 1940.
"The Interesting Age". The Listener, 16 December 1943.
Book reviewsedit
"Arabi's Side". Daily News (London), 10 June 1907.
"The King's Serjeants". Daily News (London), 21 June 1911.
Referencesedit
^ abCohen, Nancy. "Bentley, Edmund Clerihew (E. C.)". In Gale, Steven H., ed. (1996). Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese, pp. 138–42. Taylor & Francis.
^"Fleet Street Stir". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. British Newspaper Archive. 28 February 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 6 August 2014. (subscription required)
^Bentley, E. Clerihew (1905). Biography for Beginners. Read Books. ISBN978-1-4437-5315-9.
Works by Edmund Clerihew Bentley at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Illustrated Bibliography of 1st Editions
, with some clerihews and some biographical information on Bentley himself
December 02, 2023
edmund, clerihew, bentley, july, 1875, march, 1956, generally, published, under, names, bentley, clerihew, bentley, english, novelist, humorist, inventor, clerihew, irregular, form, humorous, verse, biographical, topics, bentley, 1913born, 1875, july, 1875lond. Edmund Clerihew Bentley 10 July 1875 30 March 1956 who generally published under the names E C Bentley or E Clerihew Bentley was an English novelist and humorist and inventor of the clerihew an irregular form of humorous verse on biographical topics Edmund Clerihew BentleyBentley in 1913Born 1875 07 10 10 July 1875London EnglandDied30 March 1956 1956 03 30 aged 80 London EnglandOccupationNovelist humorist poetEducationMerton College OxfordGenreBiography science fiction poetryNotable worksTrent s Last CaseChildrenNicolas BentleyRelativesJohn Edmund Bentley father Contents 1 Biography 2 Short prose works 2 1 Fiction 2 2 Non fiction 2 3 Book reviews 3 References 4 Sources 5 External linksBiography editBentley was born in London and educated at St Paul s School and Merton College Oxford 1 His father John Edmund Bentley was professionally a civil servant but was also a rugby union international having played in the first ever international match for England against Scotland in 1871 Bentley worked as a journalist on several newspapers including The Daily Telegraph citation needed He also worked for the weekly The Outlook during the editorship of James Louis Garvin 2 His first published collection of poetry titled Biography for Beginners 1905 3 popularized the clerihew form it was followed by two other collections More Biography 1929 and Baseless Biography 1939 1 His detective novel Trent s Last Case 1913 4 was much praised numbering Dorothy L Sayers among its admirers and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery It was adapted as a film in 1920 1929 and 1952 The success of the work inspired him after 23 years to write a sequel Trent s Own Case 1936 There was also a book of Trent short stories Trent Intervenes 1938 From 1936 until 1949 Bentley was president of the Detection Club He contributed to two crime stories for the club s radio serials broadcast in 1930 and 1931 5 which were published in 1983 as The Scoop and Behind The Screen In 1950 he contributed the introduction to a Constable amp Co omnibus edition of Damon Runyon s Stories of the bandits of Broadway which was republished by Penguin Books in 1990 as On Broadway He died in 1956 in London at the age of 80 citation needed His son Nicolas Bentley was an illustrator Phonographic recordings of his work Recordings for the Blind are heard in the film Places in the Heart by the character Mr Will G K Chesterton dedicated his popular detective novel The Man Who Was Thursday to Bentley who was a school friend 6 Although he is best known for his crime fiction and clerihews Bentley also wrote at least one science fiction short story This is the recently re discovered Flying Visit published in the Evening Standard on 31 March 1953 citation needed Short prose works editFiction edit The Inoffensive Captain The Strand Magazine March 1914 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 The Clever Cockatoo The Strand Magazine July 1914 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 The Ordinary Hair Pins The Strand Magazine October 1916 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 The Sweet Shot The Strand Magazine March 1937 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 The Old Fashioned Apache The Strand Magazine May 1937 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 Trent and the Vanishing Lawyer The Strand Magazine August 1937 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 as The Vanishing Lawyer Trent and the Bad Dog The Strand Magazine September 1937 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 Trent and the Genuine Tabard The Strand Magazine January 1938 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 as The Genuine Tabard Trent and the Unknown Peer The Strand Magazine February 1938 Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 as The Unknown Peer Trent and the Ministering Angel The Strand Magazine November 1938 Collected in Trent Intervenes HarperCollins Detective Story Club edition 2017 as The Ministering Angel The Public Benefactor Magazine publication unknown Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 The Little Mystery Magazine publication unknown Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 The Fool Proof Lift Magazine publication unknown Collected in Trent Intervenes 1938 as Trent and the Fool Proof Lift Flying Visit Evening Standard London 31 March 1953 Non fiction edit Two Machines and a Party Daily News London 7 November 1905 Hearst for Governor Daily News London 21 October 1906 Naas Daily News London 6 November 1906 Peace Year in the City 1918 1919 An Account of the Outstanding Events in the City of London During Peace Year in the Mayoralty of the Rt Hon Sir Horace Brooks Marshall K C V O LL D Following the Great War of 1914 1918 London 1920 G K The Listener 17 June 1936 Hitler Again Demonstrates His Pet Brand of Treachery Ballymena Weekly Telegraph 20 April 1940 These Things Are Kept from the German Public The Daily Telegraph date unknown Reprinted Belfast Telegraph 4 June 1940 Next US President The Daily Telegraph date unknown Reprinted Belfast Telegraph 27 June 1940 The Lie as a Wartime Weapon The Daily Telegraph date unknown Reprinted Belfast Telegraph 31 July 1940 I Am Glad I Was Born When I Was The Listener 29 August 1940 Nazi Propaganda in Last War The Daily Telegraph date unknown Reprinted Belfast Telegraph 7 September 1940 Boys and Girls of Yesterday and Today The Listener 12 December 1940 The Interesting Age The Listener 16 December 1943 Book reviews edit Arabi s Side Daily News London 10 June 1907 The King s Serjeants Daily News London 21 June 1911 References edit a b Cohen Nancy Bentley Edmund Clerihew E C In Gale Steven H ed 1996 Encyclopedia of British Humorists Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese pp 138 42 Taylor amp Francis Fleet Street Stir Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer British Newspaper Archive 28 February 1942 p 4 Retrieved 6 August 2014 subscription required Bentley E Clerihew 1905 Biography for Beginners Read Books ISBN 978 1 4437 5315 9 Trent s Last Case ISBN 978 0 7551 0327 0 Shaw Bruce 2014 Jolly Good Detecting Humor in English Crime Fiction of the Golden Age p 75 McFarland amp Company Inc Stapleton Julia 2009 Christianity Patriotism and Nationhood The England of G K Chesterton p 15 Lexington Books Sources editBinyon T J Murder Will Out The Detective in Fiction Oxford 1989 pp 57 58 ISBN 0 19 219223 XExternal links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Edmund Clerihew Bentley nbsp Wikisource has original works by or about Edmund Clerihew Bentley Works by Edmund Clerihew Bentley in eBook form at Standard Ebooks Works by Edmund Clerihew Bentley at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Edmund Clerihew Bentley at Internet Archive Works by Edmund Clerihew Bentley at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Illustrated Bibliography of 1st Editions A web page about Bentley with some clerihews and some biographical information on Bentley himself Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Edmund Clerihew Bentley amp oldid 1187526279, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
