Atkins, John
Entry updated 12 September 2022. Tagged: Author.

(1916-2009) UK teacher and author, who also published under his full name, John Alfred Atkins; he worked for Mass Observation before World War Two. He was literary editor of Tribune before George Orwell, and from March 1944 to 1947 edited The New Saxon Pamphlets #1-#3 (the first containing his short "The Apopleptic Revolution", in which all who permit themselves intemperate fury, from radio announcers to prime ministers, die with a click and an unwinding noise) and The New Saxon Review #4 and #5. The Diary of William Carpenter (1943 chap) is a psychological fantasy inspired by Luigi Pirandello (whom see); Tomorrow Revealed (1955) is a Future History as reconstructed in 5000 CE from a library containing the works of such writers as H G Wells and C S Lewis. The material assembled, often taken from the works of Genre-SF writers as well, builds a picture of history directed towards a theological goal. Two later novels, A Land Fit for 'Eros (1957) with J B Pick and The Golden Imp: A Modern Allegory (1993), contain fantasy elements. [JC/BS]
John Alfred Atkins
born Carshalton, Surrey: 26 May 1916
died Colchester, Essex: 31 March 2009
works
- The Diary of William Carpenter (London: Favil Press, 1943) [chap: hb/]
- Tomorrow Revealed (London: Neville Spearman, 1955) [hb/]
- A Land Fit for 'Eros (London: Arcos, 1957) with J B Pick [hb/]
- The Golden Imp: A Modern Allegory (London: The Book Guild, 1993) [hb/]
nonfiction
- Walter de la Mare: An Exploration (London: C and J Temple, 1947) [nonfiction: chap: hb/]
- George Orwell: A Literary Study (London: John Calder, 1954) [nonfiction: George Orwell: hb/]
- Aldous Huxley: A Literary Study (London: John Calder, 1956) [nonfiction: Aldous Huxley: hb/]
- J B Priestley: The Last of the Sages (London: John Calder, 1981) [nonfiction: J B Priestley: hb/]
links
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