Description

Enoch Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) was a prolific English writer, best known as a novelist. He grew up in the Potteries district of Staffordshire and on completing his education was employed by his father. At the age of 21 he moved to London to take a position as a solicitor's clerk. In 1889 Bennett won a literary competition in Tit-Bits magazine and was encouraged to take up journalism full-time. When he became assistant editor of Woman in 1894 he noticed that some of the material offered to the magazine by a syndicate was of poor quality so he wrote a serial story himself which he sold to the syndicate. Four years later his first novel, A Man from the North, was published to critical acclaim and he became editor of the magazine. From 1900 Bennett devoted himself full-time to writing, giving up the editorship, although despite the success of his career as a novelist he continued to write journalism. Bennett's best work draws on his experience of life in the Potteries, the 'Five Towns' of his novels, including Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives' Tale (1908) and his Clayhanger series (1910-18). Lilian (1922), set in London, tells the story of a pretty young typist who yearns for adventure. She unwisely gives way to her odious employer's flattery and promise of a luxurious life together, but is soon to realise the mistake she has made and must attempt to extract herself from his control and return to the life she once disdained.