Robin Linnet (ePub)

Edward Frederic Benson, known professionally as E. F. Benson, was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, archaeologist, and short story writer, born on July 24, 1867, in Wellington College, Berkshire. Benson was one of the six children of Edward White Benson, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and his wife Mary. E. F. Benson was educated at Marlborough and King's College, Cambridge. After graduating with a second-class degree in the Classical Tripos, he devoted his time to a prolific writing career, his work including the notable 'Mapp and Lucia' series, which lampooned the upper-middle-class life in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s. However, his bibliography extends beyond these well-loved comedies of manners, encompassing a wide array of novels, such as 'Robin Linnet' (1917). His writing style was versatile, ranging from light-hearted satire to supernatural themes and biographies. Benson was also noted for his scholarly works, such as 'The Life of Alcibiades' (1929), showcasing his deep understanding of historical figures and classical antiquity. During his career, he served as the Mayor of Rye, Sussex, and was a widely traveled individual, with his experiences often reflected and subtly infused in his literature. Benson passed away on February 29, 1940. He left behind an enduring literary legacy, celebrated for both its breadth and its nuanced examination of social mores, human nature, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships.