The moors and valleys of Miss Bentley's Native Yorkshire and the mill town of Hudley, just a few miles away from the Ire Valley of her novel Inheritance, form the scene of this new book. A Modern Tragedy is the dramatic story of Walter Haigh, who makes his entrance as an enthusiastic, ambitious, rather innocent young fellow, starting in the textile business with his father's old employers, the Lumbs, at Valley Mill. Early in the story, Walter leaves Valley Mill and takes a position with the wily Leonard Tasker, of Victory Mills. He becomes apparently prosperous, makes his way into the more aristocratic society of the town, and falls in love with beautiful Elaine Crosland. Until the depression pulls down Tasker's business, and everything changes...
Author Biography
Phyllis Bentley (1894-1977) was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, where she was educated until she attended Cheltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire. In 1932 her best-known work, Inheritance, was published to widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. This was in contrast to her previous efforts, a collection of short stories entitled The World's Bane, and several poor-selling novels. The success of Inheritance made her the most successful English regional novelist since Thomas Hardy, and she produced two more novels to create a trilogy; The Rise of Henry Morcar and A Man Of His Time. This success made her a much demanded speaker and she became an expert on the Bronte family. Over her career she garnered many awards; an honorary DLitt from Leeds University (1949); a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (1958); awarded an OBE (1970).
