A.J. Cronin(1896-1981)
- Writer
British novelist A.J. Cronin was born in Dumbartonshire, Scotland, in
1896. In 1914 he entered Glasgow University to study medicine, but his
studies were interrupted by World War I, in which he served in the
British Navy as a surgeon sublieutenant. He received his M.B. and Ch.B.
in 1919, and took a job as a ship's surgeon on a passenger liner. He
afterwards took positions at several hospitals, and in 1921 he married
and moved to south Wales to start a medical practice. He received his
MD degree in 1925 from the University of Glasgow, and he moved to
London to start a practice there.
In 1930 he began to have health problems, and while recuperating in the
Scottish Highlands he wrote a story called "Hatter's Castle", which was
published in 1931. It was a best-seller, was translated into five
languages and later became a film
(A.J. Cronin's Hatter's Castle (1942)). The
book's success convinced Cronin to pursue writing full-time. Probably
his most famous novel, "The Citadel", which was written in 1937, has
been made into several theatrical films and a few television series.
His other best-known work, "Keys of the Kingdom", was a story about a
priest helping Chinese villagers survive under the brutal Japanese
occupation of their country during World War II. It was also a
best-seller and was made into a successful film starring
Gregory Peck,
The Keys of the Kingdom (1944).
1896. In 1914 he entered Glasgow University to study medicine, but his
studies were interrupted by World War I, in which he served in the
British Navy as a surgeon sublieutenant. He received his M.B. and Ch.B.
in 1919, and took a job as a ship's surgeon on a passenger liner. He
afterwards took positions at several hospitals, and in 1921 he married
and moved to south Wales to start a medical practice. He received his
MD degree in 1925 from the University of Glasgow, and he moved to
London to start a practice there.
In 1930 he began to have health problems, and while recuperating in the
Scottish Highlands he wrote a story called "Hatter's Castle", which was
published in 1931. It was a best-seller, was translated into five
languages and later became a film
(A.J. Cronin's Hatter's Castle (1942)). The
book's success convinced Cronin to pursue writing full-time. Probably
his most famous novel, "The Citadel", which was written in 1937, has
been made into several theatrical films and a few television series.
His other best-known work, "Keys of the Kingdom", was a story about a
priest helping Chinese villagers survive under the brutal Japanese
occupation of their country during World War II. It was also a
best-seller and was made into a successful film starring
Gregory Peck,
The Keys of the Kingdom (1944).