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Hugh Hector Munro (Saki)
(December 18, 1970 - November 14, 1916) Burma - U.K.

Saki

Writer

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Born in Akyab, Burma, Saki is his pen name. His father was Inspector General of Police in Burma. His mother died shortly after his birth and he was sent to England to be brought up by two aunts.

His early education took place at private school ine Exeter. At the age of fifteen he went to Bedford Grammar School. Between the ages of 17 and 23 he travelled with his retired father to France, Switzerland, and Germany.

In 1893 he took up a post in the police force in Burma, but had to return to England after fifteen months because of illness. After recuperating in Devon he moved to London and took up writing. His first story was not successful.

He was more successful as a political satirist for the Westminster Gazette from 1900 to 1902. He was foreign correspondent for the Morning Post from 1902 to 1908 and worked in the Balkans, Warsaw, St Petersburg, and Paris. On his return to London he concentrated on writing stories.

Munro was homosexual, but in Britain at that time sexual activity between men was a crime. The Cleveland Street scandal (1889), followed by the downfall of Oscar Wilde (1895), meant "that side of [Munro's] life had to be secret".

When World War I broke out he refused a commission and enlisted in the 22nd. Royal Fusiliers. He went to the Front in France towards the end of 1915 and was promoted to lance-sergeant. He took part in the attack on Beaumont Hamel in November 1916, where he was shot dead.

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Source: The Knitting Circle, U.K. - http://www.sbu.ac.uk/stafflag/people.html

Work:

  • The Rise of the Russian Empire (1900)
  • The Westminster Alice (1902)
  • Reginald (1904)
  • Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches (1910)
  • The Chronicles of Clovis (1911)
  • The Unbearable Bassington (1912)
  • When William Came: a Story of London under the Hohenzollerns (1913)
  • Beasts and Superbeasts (1914)
  • The Toys of Peace, and Other Stories (1919)
  • The Square Egg, and Other Sketches (1924)
  • The Best of Saki (1976, selected and introduced by Tom Sharpe)
Website for "The Complete Clovis" - http://www.fluxus.freeserve.co.uk/Clovis/
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