J. P. W. Mallalieu (1908–1980)
Author of Very Ordinary Seaman
About the Author
Works by J. P. W. Mallalieu
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Mallalieu, Joseph Percival William
- Birthdate
- 1908-06-18
- Date of death
- 1980-03-13
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Places of residence
- UK
- Education
- Dragon School, Oxford
Cheltenham College
University of Oxford (Trinity College)
University of Chicago
Members
Reviews
Very Ordinary Seaman by J P W Mallalieu
An excellent tale of the sea, based on the author's own experiences as a junior rating on the lower deck of one of HM Destroyers in the Second World War. A journalist, J P W Mallalieu captures the essence f the lower deck in wartime - it was a rough life, the men deserving of their daily tot of rum (if age 20+) and of the additional small daily payment of Hard Lying Money. He was later commissioned and left the Royal Navy, in 1945, as a Lieutenant. Elected to Parliament in 1945 as Labour MP for Huddersfield, he was Navy Minister in Harold Wilson's government 1964-67. Born 1908, Sir William Mallalieu died in 1980.… (more)
This is a novel of such realism that I was under the impression for several decades that it was a memoir, and not a piece of fiction. While the prose was not vivid, the total effect is striking. I understand that the author, a some-time British Labour MP, did rely on his own memories quite heavily. The book is a gripping read, and should be better known.
Statistics
- Works
- 6
- Members
- 38
- Popularity
- #383,442
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 2
- ISBNs
- 5