Stanley J. Weyman

Stanley J. Weyman
Born (1855-08-07)7 August 1855
Ludlow, Shropshire
Died 10 April 1928(1928-04-10) (aged 72)
Occupation Novelist
Nationality English
Education Christ Church, Oxford
Signature

Stanley John Weyman (7 August 1855 – 10 April 1928) was an English novelist[1] sometimes referred to as the "Prince of Romance". He travelled widely with another bestselling novelist, Henry Seton Merriman.

Biography

Weyman (pronounced "why-man") was born at Ludlow, Shropshire. The second son of a solicitor, he was educated at Shrewsbury School, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He took his degree in modern history in 1877, and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1881, joining the Oxford circuit.

He practised as a barrister for eight years until, in 1889, he wrote his first novel entitled The House of the Wolf. This was followed over the following two decades by the novels which were to make his reputation, among them historical romances set amidst the turmoil of 16th and 17th century France. (His entire output is discussed in the annotated bibliography included in the external links below.) He became a great traveller, sometimes in company with his fellow bestselling novelist Henry Seton Merriman.

While for years his historical romances enchanted thousands of readers – Robert Louis Stevenson and Oscar Wilde were among the enthusiasts – but today his books are largely neglected.

Graham Greene was a great admirer of Weyman, whom he mentions several times in his Collected Essays.[2] In a BBC interview in 1970, Greene said, "I made a collection once of what I called the key books in my life, which included Anthony Hope, Rider Haggard, Captain Gilson,... and I do occasionally re-read them. Stanley Weyman in particular."[3]

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ "Weyman, Stanley John". The International Who's Who in the World. 1912. pp. 1085–1086.
  2. ↑ Graham Greene, Collected Essays, London, Vintage, 1999, pp. 13, 14, 157, 161 and 163.
  3. ↑ Graham Greene in Ronald Bryden, "Graham Greene Discusses Collected Edition of His Novels", The Listener, 23 April 1970; reprinted in Henry J. Donaghy, Conversations with Graham Greene, University Press of Mississippi, 1992, p. 85.
  4. ↑ "Telegraphic reviews: Starvecrow Farm". The Cumulative Book Review Digest. 1. 1905. p. 378.
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