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{{Short description|English novelist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Stephen McKenna (novelist)
| name = Stephen McKenna (novelist)
| image =
| image = Stephen McKenna, 1928.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| caption =
| caption = McKenna in 1928
| birth_name = McKenna, Stephen
| birth_name = McKenna, Stephen
| birth_date = 27 February 1888
| birth_date = 27 February 1888
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'''Stephen McKenna''' (27 February 1888 – 26 September 1967) was an English novelist who wrote forty-seven novels, mostly focusing on English upper-class society, and six non-fiction titles. He published his first novel, ''The Reluctant Lover'', in 1912. His best-known novel, ''Sonia: Between Two Worlds'', was published in 1917. It was the [[Publishers Weekly list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1910s#1918|tenth best-selling novel for 1918]] in the United States, and also made into a British film [[Sonia (film)|of the same name]] in 1921.
'''Stephen McKenna''' (27 February 1888 – 26 September 1967) was an English novelist who wrote forty-seven novels, mostly focusing on English upper-class society, and six non-fiction titles. He published his first novel, ''The Reluctant Lover'', in 1912. His best-known novel, ''Sonia: Between Two Worlds'', was published in 1917. It was the [[Publishers Weekly list of bestselling novels in the United States in the 1910s#1918|tenth best-selling novel for 1918]] in the United States, and also made into a British film [[Sonia (film)|of the same name]] in 1921.


McKenna was the son of Leopold and Ellen McKenna. He was educated at [[Westminster School]] (Scholar), London, and at [[Christ Church, Oxford]] (Exhibitioner).<ref name=whoswho>{{cite book |title=Who's Who, 1935 |location=London |publisher=A. & C. Black |date=1935 |page=2120}}</ref> He gained a second-class honours degree in history at Oxford in 1909.<ref>{{cite book |title=Oxford University Calendar |location=Oxford, England |publisher=Clarendon Press |date=1916 |page=181}}</ref> After graduation, he taught briefly at Westminster School but found teaching uncongenial.<ref name=mckenna>{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=McKenna |title=While I Remember |newspaper=The Times |location=London, England |date=27 September 1967 |page=10}}</ref> Independent means allowed him to travel in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.<ref name=whoswho/><ref name=mckenna/> He was medically unfit for active service during the First World War but worked in the War Trade Intelligence Department, 1915–19, and served in A.J. (Lord) Balfour's Mission to the United States of America, 1917.<ref name=whoswho/>
McKenna was the son of Leopold and Ellen McKenna. He was educated at [[Westminster School]] (Scholar), London, and at [[Christ Church, Oxford]] (Exhibitioner).<ref name=whoswho>{{cite book |title=Who's Who, 1935 |location=London |publisher=A. & C. Black |date=1935 |page=2120}}</ref> He gained a second-class honours degree in history at Oxford in 1909.<ref>{{cite book |title=Oxford University Calendar |location=Oxford, England |publisher=Clarendon Press |date=1916 |page=181}}</ref> After graduation, he taught briefly at Westminster School but found teaching uncongenial.<ref name=mckenna>{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=McKenna |title=While I Remember |newspaper=The Times |location=London, England |date=27 September 1967 |page=10}}</ref> Independent means allowed him to travel in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.<ref name=whoswho/><ref name=mckenna/> He was medically unfit for active service during the First World War but worked in the War Trade Intelligence Department, 1915–19, and served in [[Arthur Balfour]]'s Mission to the United States of America, 1917.<ref name=whoswho/>


The partly autobiographical ''While I Remember'' (1921) conveys a flavour of McKenna's early years, including his time at Oxford.
The partly autobiographical ''While I Remember'' (1921) conveys a flavour of McKenna's early years, including his time at Oxford.


The satirical moral inversion in McKenna's ''Confessions of a Well-Meaning Woman'' was acknowledged by [[C.S. Lewis]] as an influence on the latter's [[Screwtape letters]]: "the blacks all white and the whites all black".<ref>Paul Simpson, "A brief guide to C. S. Lewis: from Mere Christianity to Narnia", London: Robinson, 2013, ch.7 (unpaginated)</ref>
⚫
McKenna's ''The Oldest God'' (1926) is a philosophical fantasy novel featuring the god [[Pan in popular culture|Pan]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Brian |last=Stableford |authorlink=Brian Stableford |title=The A to Z of Fantasy Literature |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Plymouth |date=2005 |isbn=0-8108-6829-6 |page=312}}</ref>

⚫
McKenna's ''The Oldest God'' (1926) is a philosophical fantasy novel featuring the god [[Pan in popular culture|Pan]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Brian |last=Stableford |author-link=Brian Stableford |title=The A to Z of Fantasy Literature |publisher=Scarecrow Press |location=Plymouth |date=2005 |isbn=0-8108-6829-6 |page=312}}</ref>


He wrote ''Tex. A chapter in the life of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos'', a biography about [[Alexander Teixeira de Mattos]], the Dutch journalist who translated books from many languages into English, a.o. [[Louis Couperus]], whom McKenna befriended in 1921.
He wrote ''Tex. A chapter in the life of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos'', a biography about [[Alexander Teixeira de Mattos]], the Dutch journalist who translated books from many languages into English, a.o. [[Louis Couperus]], whom McKenna befriended in 1921.
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* ''Midas And Son'', (1919)
* ''Midas And Son'', (1919)
* ''Sonia Married'', (1919)
* ''Sonia Married'', (1919)
* ''Lady Lilith'', (1920)
* ''Lady Lilith'', The Sensationalists part 1, (1920)
* ''While I Remember'', (1921)
* ''While I Remember'', (1921)
* ''The Education Of Eric Lane'', (1921)
* ''The Education Of Eric Lane'', The Sensationalists part 2, (1921)
* ''The Secret Victory'', (1921)
* ''The Secret Victory'', The Sensationalists part 3, (1921)
* ''Tex: A Chapter In The Life Of Alexander Teixeira De Mattos'', (1922)
* ''Tex: A Chapter In The Life Of Alexander Teixeira De Mattos'', (1922)
* ''The Confessions Of A Well-Meaning Woman'', (1922)
* ''The Confessions Of A Well-Meaning Woman'', (1922)
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* ''That Dumb Loving'', (1957)
* ''That Dumb Loving'', (1957)
* ''A Place In The Sun'', (1962)
* ''A Place In The Sun'', (1962)
* ''The Sensationalists'', (?)
{{col-end}}
{{col-end}}
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==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/findaids/html/mss0625.html Stephen McKenna Papers], University of Delaware
* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/findaids/html/mss0625.html Stephen McKenna Papers], University of Delaware
* {{Gutenberg author |id=McKenna,+Stephen | name=Stephen McKenna}}
* {{Gutenberg author |id=33654}}
* {{FadedPage|id=McKenna, Stephen|name=Stephen McKenna|author=yes}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Stephen McKenna |birth=1888 |death=1967}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Stephen McKenna |birth=1888 |death=1967}}
* {{iMDb name|1520910}}
* {{iMDb name|1520910}}
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[[Category:1888 births]]
[[Category:1888 births]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
[[Category:1967 deaths]]
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[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
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[[Category:20th-century English short story writers]]
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[[Category:20th-century English novelists]]
[[Category:English fantasy writers]]
[[Category:English fantasy writers]]
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[[Category:English male novelists]]
[[Category:English male short story writers]]
[[Category:English male short story writers]]
[[Category:English short story writers]]
[[Category:English short story writers]]
⚫
[[Category:English male novelists]]
⚫
[[Category:20th-century English novelists]]
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[[Category:20th-century British short story writers]]
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[[Category:20th-century British male writers]]

Latest revision as of 19:48, 6 October 2024

Stephen McKenna (novelist)
McKenna in 1928
Born
McKenna, Stephen

27 February 1888
England
Died26 September 1967(1967-09-26) (aged 79)
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Novelist, British writer

Stephen McKenna (27 February 1888 – 26 September 1967) was an English novelist who wrote forty-seven novels, mostly focusing on English upper-class society, and six non-fiction titles. He published his first novel, The Reluctant Lover, in 1912. His best-known novel, Sonia: Between Two Worlds, was published in 1917. It was the tenth best-selling novel for 1918 in the United States, and also made into a British film of the same name in 1921.

McKenna was the son of Leopold and Ellen McKenna. He was educated at Westminster School (Scholar), London, and at Christ Church, Oxford (Exhibitioner).[1] He gained a second-class honours degree in history at Oxford in 1909.[2] After graduation, he taught briefly at Westminster School but found teaching uncongenial.[3] Independent means allowed him to travel in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.[1][3] He was medically unfit for active service during the First World War but worked in the War Trade Intelligence Department, 1915–19, and served in Arthur Balfour's Mission to the United States of America, 1917.[1]

The partly autobiographical While I Remember (1921) conveys a flavour of McKenna's early years, including his time at Oxford.

The satirical moral inversion in McKenna's Confessions of a Well-Meaning Woman was acknowledged by C.S. Lewis as an influence on the latter's Screwtape letters: "the blacks all white and the whites all black".[4]

McKenna's The Oldest God (1926) is a philosophical fantasy novel featuring the god Pan.[5]

He wrote Tex. A chapter in the life of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, a biography about Alexander Teixeira de Mattos, the Dutch journalist who translated books from many languages into English, a.o. Louis Couperus, whom McKenna befriended in 1921.

His uncle was Reginald McKenna, Chancellor of the Exchequer under H. H. Asquith, of whom he published a biography in 1948, Reginald McKenna, 1863-1943: A Memoir.

His clubs were the Reform and the Garrick. For a considerable portion of his adult life he lived at 11 Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn, London.[1]

Works

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Source:[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Who's Who, 1935. London: A. & C. Black. 1935. p. 2120.
  2. ^ Oxford University Calendar. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. 1916. p. 181.
  3. ^ a b McKenna, Stephen (27 September 1967). "While I Remember". The Times. London, England. p. 10.
  4. ^ Paul Simpson, "A brief guide to C. S. Lewis: from Mere Christianity to Narnia", London: Robinson, 2013, ch.7 (unpaginated)
  5. ^ Stableford, Brian (2005). The A to Z of Fantasy Literature. Plymouth: Scarecrow Press. p. 312. ISBN 0-8108-6829-6.
  6. ^ "Author - Stephen McKENNA". Author and Book Info.
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