Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch was born in 1863 in Cornwall. Knighted in 1910, the distinguished author whose pseudonym was "Q," was the King Edward Professor of English at Cambridge. Many of his novels featured Cornish themes, and were praised by critics and readers alike. Quiller-Couch was, for nearly forty years, the editor of The Oxford Book of English Verse. After a reversal of family fortunes, "Q" wrote and published more than 30 novels prior to 1900, many of which were well-plotted action and adventure tales in the spirit of Robert Louis Stevenson and H. Rider Haggard. The Westcotes, published in 1902, represents a departure for "Q," in the human interest and exploration of character to be found in its story of a middle-aged woman and her love for a young man. "Q" was one of the most respected and beloved figures in British literature; he died unexpectedly in an auto crash in 1944.

Author Biography

Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (1863 - 1944) was a Cornish writer who published using the pseudonym Q. Although a prolific novelist, he is remembered mainly for the monumental publication The Oxford Book Of English Verse 1250-1900 (later extended to 1918) and for his literary criticism. He influenced many who never met him, including American writer Helene Hanff, author of 84, Charing Cross Road and its sequel, Q's Legacy. His Oxford Book of English Verse was a favorite of John Mortimer's fictional character Horace Rumpole.