C S Forester

Cecil Scott Forester was born Cecil Lewis Troughton Smith in Cairo. Egypt, on August 27, 1899, the son of George Smith, a British official in the Egyptian Ministry of Education. When still a child he was sent to England to be educated at Alleyn's School and Dulwich College, at neither of which, he says, did he make any particular impression, except as an extremely naughty boy. On leaving Dulwich College he went to Guy's Hospital as a medical student, but soon discovered that his interest in medicine was less than an interest in literature.

At twenty he was writing for periodicals, and he soon abandoned medicine altogether. His first novel, Payment Deferred, was written at the age of twenty-four and later dramatized and filmed with Charles Loughton in the leading role.

In 1932 Forester was offered a Hollywood contract and from then until 1939 he spent thirteen weeks of every year in America, where he worked on films such as Born for Glory (1935) and Eagle Squadron (1942).

Many of his most successful novels were sea stories, such as the famous 'Hornblower' series. In Hornblower, Forest created the most renowned sailor in contemporary fiction. The first three volumes (The Happy Return, A Ship of the Line, Flying Colours) were written as a trilogy, the middle volume of which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. The next two novels in the series (The Commodore, Lord Hornblower) were little more than thinly disguised propaganda, published at the end of the war and using Napoleon as a surrogate Hitler. Hornblower

In all Forester wrote eleven Hornblower novels and a fragment of a twelfth which was published after his death. The published order does not follow Hornblower's career chronologically, and the correct reading order should be: Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, Hornblower and the Hotspur, Hornblower and the Crisis (the unfinished fragment), Hornblower and the Atropos, The Happy Return (US as Beat to Quarters), A Ship of the Line, Flying Colours, The Commodore, Lord Hornblower, Hornblower in the West Indies and 'The Last Encounter', a short story included in Hornblower and the Crisis. Captain Hornblower, R.N. was filmed in 1951.

On the outbreak of war Forester entered the Ministry of Information and later sailed with the Royal Navy's H.M.S. Penelope to collect material for The Ship, to whose officers and ship's company the book was dedicated. He then made a voyage to the Bering Sea to gather material for a similar book on the United States Navy. It was during this trip that he was stricken with arteriosclerosis, a disease which left him crippled. Forester subsequently moved to California with his family and made only occasional visits to England.

Among his many other successful novels may be mentioned The Gun, set during the Peninsular War, The General, set during the Great War, The Earthly Paradise, The Captain from Connecticut, about an American privateer, and The Sky and the Forest.

Forester was married twice: to Kathleen Belcher in 1926 (divorced 1944), with whom he had two sons; and to Dorothy Ellen Foster in 1947. He died on April 2, 1966.

PUBLICATIONS

Novels
A Pawn Among Kings. London, Methuen & Co., 1924.
(no paperback edition)

Payment Deferred. London, John Lane, 1926; Boston, Little Brown, 1942.
Guild Books 421, 1950, 160pp, 
Penguin 1111, 1955, 159pp. Cover: design
Pan Books, G628, 1963, 156pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1964
---- [3rd imp.] 1968
---- [0330-10740-2] [4th imp.] 1974, 156pp, 30p. Cover: photo
Mayflower 0583-12819-X, 1978, 157pp.
Penguin 0141-19810-9, 2011, 184pp. Cover by Nick Morley

Love Lies Dreaming. London, John Lane, and Indianapolis, Bobbs Merrill, 1927.
(no paperback edition)

The Wonderful Week. London, John Lane, 1927; as One Wonderful Week, Indianapolis, Bobbs Merrill, 1927.
(no paperback edition)

The Shadow of the Hawk. London, John Lane, 1928; as The Daughter of the Hawk, Indianapolis, Bobbs Merrill, 1928.
(no paperback edition)

Brown on Resolution. London, John Lane, 1929; as Single-Handed, New York, Putnam, 1929.
British Publishers Guild S50, 1943, 142pp. Cover: design
Guild Books 449, (Jul) 1952, 160pp, 2/-. Cover by unknown
Penguin 1118, 1956, 150pp, 2/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
Pan Books G629, 1963, 154pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1964
---- [3rd imp.] 1968
---- [4th imp.] 1970
---- [5th imp.] 1971, 154pp, 20p. Cover by unknown
Mayflower Books 0583-12818-1, 1977, 155pp.

Plain Murder. London, John Lane, 1930; New York, Dell, 1954.
Penguin 842, 1951, 187pp. Cover: design
Pan Books 0330-02577-5, 1970, 155pp. Cover: photo
Mayflower 0583-12821-1, 1978, 155pp. Cover: photo
Penguin 0141-19813-3, 2011, 197pp. Cover by Nick Morley

Death to the French. London, John Lane, 1932; as Rifleman Dodd [with The Gun], Boston, Little Brown, 1943.
Guild Books 439, (May) 1952, 1/6. Cover by James E. McConnell
Penguin 1119, 1956, 159pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1956, 159pp, 2/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
Pan Books, 1963, 154pp.
Mayflower, c.1978.
Cassell 0304-35883-5, 2002, 155pp.

The Gun. London, John Lane, and Boston, Little Brown, 1933.
Penguin 229, 1939, 245pp.
---- [xth imp.] 1956, 158pp.
Pan Books G703, 1965, 185pp. Cover by Tayler
---- [2nd imp.] 1966; [3rd imp.] 1967; [4th imp.] 1969; [5th imp.] 1969; [6th imp.] 1970
---- [0330-10715-1] [7th imp.] 1971.
---- [8th imp.] 1973, 185pp, 30p.
Mayflower 0583-12922-6, 1979, 186pp.
Cassell 0304-35695-6, 2000, 185pp.
Phoenix 0753-82914-2, 2011, 185pp.

The Peacemaker. London, Heinemann, and Boston, Little Brown, 1934.
New English Library 0450-00220-9, 1969, 158pp.
Sphere 0733-10463-4, 1979, 185pp.

The African Queen. London, Heinemann, and Boston, Little Brown, 1935.
Penguin 1112, 1956, 189pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1956; [3rd imp.] 1962
---- [4th imp.] 1964, 189pp, 3/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [0140-01112-9] 1980, 190pp.
Phoenix 0753-82079-X, 2006, 189pp.

The General. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1936.
Penguin 1117, 1956, 233pp. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [2nd imp.] 1962
---- [3rd imp.] 1965
---- [4th imp.] 1968
---- [0140-01117-X] [5th imp.] 1972, 233pp, 30p. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [xth imp.] 1979, 234pp.

 

The Happy Return (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, 1937; as Beat to Quarters, Boston, Little Brown, 1937.
Penguin 835, 1951, 250pp, 2/-. Cover: design
---- [2nd imp.] 1954
---- [3rd imp.] 1959
---- [4th imp.] 1965, 250pp, 4/-. Cover by Denis Dighton ('The Death of Nelson')
---- [0140-00835-7] [5th imp.] 1969
---- [6th imp.] 1971, 236pp, 30p. Cover by Gekrge Arnald ('Destruction of the Orient')
---- 1980, 237pp.

Flying Colours (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, 1938; Boston, Little Brown, 1939.
Penguin 1113, 1956, 190pp, 2/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [0140-01113-7] 1980, 190pp.
Penguin 0241-95549-1, 2011, vii+256pp.

A Ship of the Line (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, 1938; as Ship of the Line, Boston, Little Brown, 1938.
Penguin 1114, 1956, 233pp, 2/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [4th imp.] 4/-.
---- [0140-01114-5] 1980, 233pp.
Penguin 0141-02704-5, 2006, vii+316pp.

The Captain from Connecticut. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1941.
Four Square 27, (Apr) 1958, 255pp, 2/6.
Four Square 927 [2nd imp.] 1963
---- [3rd imp.] Aug 1965, 256pp, 3/6.
Four Square 1988 [?4th imp.] Sep 1968, 5/-.
New English Library, 1970, 256pp.
Sphere 0722-10462-6, 1979, 249pp.

The Ship. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1943.
Penguin 698, 1949, 201pp.
---- [xth imp.] 1956, 187pp.
---- [xth imp.] 1961
---- [xth imp.] 1980, 188pp.
---- [0141-02503-4] 2006, 249pp.
---- [978-0241-95548-2] 2011, 256pp

The Commodore (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, 1945; as Commodore Hornblower, Boston, Little Brown, 1945.
Penguin 1116, 1956, 271pp, 2/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [2nd imp.] 1962
---- [3rd imp.] 1965
---- [4th imp.] 1967
---- [5th imp.] 1971
---- [6th imp.] 1972, 271pp, 35p. Cover by Nicholas Pocock ('Ships of the East India Company')
---- [xth imp.] 1980, 272pp.
Penguin 0241-95557-2, 2011, vii+364pp.

Lord Hornblower (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1946.
Penguin 1536, 1964, 236pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1967
---- [3rd imp.] 1969
---- [4th imp.] 1971
---- [5th imp.] 1971, 236pp, 30p. Cover by H C Vroom ('The Battle of Gibraltar')
---- [0140-01536-1] 1980, 237pp.
Penguin 0241-95559-9, 2011, vii+306pp.

The Sky and the Forest. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1948.
Four Square 35, (May) 1958, 2/6. Cover by Mortelmans
Four Square 913, 1963, 223pp.
Sphere 0722-10459-6, 1978, 207pp.

Mr Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower). London,Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1950.
Penguin 1115, 1956, 252pp, 2/6. Cover by Robin Jacques
---- [2nd imp.] 1958
---- [3rd imp.] 1959
---- [4th imp.] 1965
---- [5th imp.] 1967
---- [6th imp.] 1969
---- [7th imp.] 1970
---- [8th imp.] 1971, 252pp, 30p. Cover by Richard Westall ('Nelson's Encounter with the Spanish Launch')
---- [9th imp.] 1972
---- [10th imp.] 1973
---- ]11th imp.] 1975
---- [12th imp.] 1977, 252pp, 75p. Cover: ditto above
---- [0140-01115-3] 1980, 253pp.
Penguin 0241-95550-5, 2011, x+298pp.

Randall and the River of Time. Boston, Little Brown, 1950; London, Michael Joseph, 1951.
New English Library 2149 [0450-00028-1], 1968, 317pp.

Lieutenant Hornblower (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1952.
Pan Books 0330-10256-7, 1957, 253pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1959
---- [3rd imp.] 1963
---- [4th imp.] 1964
---- [5th imp.] 1966
---- [6th imp.] 1968
---- [7th imp.] 1970, 252pp, 25p. Cover by unknown
Sphere 0722-10505-3. 1980, 253pp.
Penguin 0140-11941-8, 1989, 304pp.
Penguin 0140-29465-1, 2001, 304pp.
Penguin 0241-95551-3, 2011, ix+334pp.

Hornblower and the 'Atropos' (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1953.
Pan Books 0330-02325-X, 1969, 284pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1971, 283pp, 30p. Cover by unknown
Sphere 0722-10509-6, 1980, 284pp.
Penguin 0140-11942-6, 1990, 302pp.
Penguin 0241-95552-1, 2011.

The Good Shepherd. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1955.
Four Square 1350, Oct 1965, 188pp, 3/6.
NEL/Four Square 1350 [2nd imp.] Jun 1967, 188pp, 3/6.
NEL/Four Square 2262, (Mar 1968), 5/-.
New English Library [4th imp.] Mar 1970, 188pp.
New English Library 0450-01332-4 [5th imp.] Sep 1972, 188pp, 35p. Cover by Paul Wright?
Sphere 0722-10461-8, 1979, 188pp.

Hornblower in the West Indies (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, 1958; as Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies, Boston, Little Brown, 1958.
Pan Books G382, 1960, 254pp. Cover by Taylor
---- [2nd imp.] 1962; [3rd imp.] 1963.
Pan Books X142, [4th imp.] 1964, 254pp, 3/6. 
---- [0330-10142-0] 255pp
Sphere 0722-10508-8, 1980, 254pp.
Penguin 0140-11943-4, 1990, 283pp.
Penguin 0241-95556-4, 2011, x+364pp.

Hunting the Bismarck. London, Michael Joseph, 1959; as The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck, Boston, Little Brown, 1959; as Sink the Bismarck!, New York, Bantam, 1959.
Mayflower Books 3936, 1966, 118pp.
Mayflower 0583-10388-X [2nd imp.] 1970; 3rd imp. [1970]; [4th imp.] 1971
---- [5th imp.] 1972, 117pp, 25p.
Granada 0583-10388-X, 1980, 118pp.

Hornblower and the Hotspur (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1962.
Penguin 2901, 1968, 302pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1969
---- [3rd imp.] 1970
---- [4th imp.] 1971, 301pp, 35p. Cover by P. J. de Loutherbourg ('The Glorious First of June, 1794')
Penguin 0140-02901-X, 1980, 302pp.
Penguin 0241-95555-6, 2011, vii+416pp.

Hornblower and the Crisis: An Unfinished Novel (includes story `The Last Encounter') (Hornblower). London, Michael Joseph, 1967.
Pan Books 0330-02517-1, 1970, 158pp.
Sphere 0722-10506-1, 1980, 158pp, 95p. Cover by Chris Mayger
Penguin 978-0141-02505-6, 2006, 176pp.

The Pursued. London, Penguin, 2011.
Penguin 978-0141-19808-8, 2012, 192pp.

SHORT STORIES

The Paid Piper. London, Methuen, 1924.
(no paperback edition)

Two-and-Twenty. London, John Lane, and New York, Appleton, 1931.
(no paperback edition)

The Nightmare. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1954.
Pan Books G258, 1959, 190pp, 2/6. Cover by P. Green
Panther Books 1866, 1965, 254pp.
New English Library 0450-00450-3, 1970, 126pp.

The Man in the Yellow Raft. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1969.
Pan Books 0330-02742-5, 1971, 189pp.
---- [2nd imp.] 1972
---- [3rd imp.] 1973, 189pp, 30p. Cover by Paul Wright
---- [xth imp.] 1977, 189pp.

Gold from Crete. Boston, Little Brown, 1970; London, Michael Joseph, 1971.
Pan Books 0330-23662-8, 1973, 191pp.
Sphere 0722-10458-8, 1978, 206pp.

PLAYS
U 97. London, Lane, 1931.
Nurse Cavell, with C.E. Bechhofer Roberts (produced London, 1934). London, Lane, 1933.

SCREENPLAYS
Forever and a Day, with others, 1944
Captain Horatio Hornblower, with others, 1951.

OTHERS
Napoleon and His Court. London, Methuen, and New York, Dodd Mead, 1924.
(no paperback edition)

Josephine, Napoleon's Empress. London, Methuen, and New York, Dodd Mead, 1925.
(no paperback edition)

Victor Emmanuel II and the Union of Italy. London, Methuen, and New York, Dodd Mead, 1927.
(no paperback edition)

Louis XIV, King of France and Navarre. London, Methuen, and New York, Dodd Mead, 1928.
(no paperback edition)

Nelson. London, John Lane, 1929; as Lord Nelson, Indianapolis, Bobbs Merrill, 1929.
(no paperback edition)

The Voyage of the Annie Marble. London, John Lane, 1929.
(no paperback edition)

The Annie Marble in Germany. London, John Lane, 1930.
(no paperback edition)

Marionettes at Home. London, Michael Joseph, 1936.
(no paperback edition)

The Earthly Paradise. London, Michael Joseph, 1940; as To the Indies, Boston, Little Brown, 1940.
Penguin 1816, 1962, 239pp.
Penguin 0140-01816-6, 1981, 239pp.

Poo-Poo and the Dragons (for children). London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1942.
(no paperback edition)

The Barbary Pirates (for children). New York, Random House, 1953; London, Macdonald, 1956.
New English Library 0450-00213-6, 1968, 124pp.

The Age of Fighting Sail: The Story of the Naval War of 1812. New York, Doubleday, 1956; as The Naval War of 1812, London, Michael Joseph, 1957.
Four Square 72, (Oct) 1958, 2/6.
Four Square 2216, Aug 1968, 223+8pp, 5/-. Cover by unknown
New English Library 0450-00119-9, (1968?), 221pp.

The Hornblower Companion. London, Michael Joseph, and Boston, Little Brown, 1964.
Chatham 1861-76098-1, 1998, 140pp.

Long Before Forty (autobiography). London, Michael Joseph, 1967; Boston, Little Brown, 1968.
(no paperback edition)

Others (Editor)
The Adventures of John Wetherell. New York, Doubleday, 1953; London, Michael Joseph, 1954.
(no paperback edition)