“Geoffrey Household,”writes Orville Prescott in the New York TIMES, “is an Englishman who has lived almost as adventurous a life as his imaginary heroes. No wonder his tales are colorful. What is more, they are immensely readable .”Mr. Household is the author of ROGGE MALE and WATCHER IN THE SHADOWS,and his latest novel, OLURA,has been gaining new readers here and abroad.
Novelist and short story writer, who made his first appearance in the ATLANTIC and all of whose books hare appearec under the Atlantic-Little, Brown imprint, (IEOFFREY HOUSEHOLD is a graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford, am served with distinction in Greece and the Levant during the Second Warid War. Among his books are ROOI E VIALIC a collection of short stories, THE SALVATION OF PJSCO GABAH; and WATCHERS IN TIIK SHADOW.
English novelist GEOFFREY HOUSEHOLD came to the ATLANTIC with his first story, “The Salvation of Pisco Gabar.” A born linguist who graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford, he worked as a bank clerk in Rumania, sold bananas in France and in Spain, was a British security officer in the Middle East during World War II, and finally settled down to write. All this is told with humor in his autobiography, AGAINST THE WIND,which was published by Atlantic-Little. Brown early this year.
English novelist GEOFFREY HOUSEHOLD came to the ATLANTIC with his first story. “The Salvation of Pisco Gabar. A born linguist who graduated from Magdalen College. Oxford, he worked as a bank clerk in Rumania. sold bananas in France and in Spain, was a British security officer in the Middle East during World War II. and finally settled down to write. All this is told with humor in his revealing book, AGAINST THE WIND, recently published by Atlantic-Little, Brown.
English novelist and short-story writer, GEOFFREY HOUSEHOLD came to the Atlantic with his first and often reprinted story, ”The Salvation of Pisco Gabar,”and on the strength of it the Atlantic bought every new story he wrote in the next twelve months. A born linguist who graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford, he sold toys in Rumania, was a bank clerk in Spain, and finally built up enough savings in American radio to become a free lance. Atlantic readers will remember his well-liked novels, Rogue Male, Arabesque, and Fellow Passenger.
In the autumn of 1935 the Editor of the Atlantic dropped in at a literary agent’s office on his way to the Grand Central. “I want something to read on the train to Boston,” he said. “What have YOU got?" “Here is a short story from London.”said the agent, “by a new writer with a most improbable name, but they say he is good.”The story was “The Salvation of Pisco Gabor byGEOFFREY HOUSEHOLD,one of the best he ever wrote, and on the strength of it the Atlantic bought every new story that came from him in the next twelve months. They still come and they still are good. A novelist who served in Intelligence in the Middle East, Mr. Household is the author of The Third Hour, Hogue Male, Arabesque, and A Time to Kill.
Storyteller and linguist, eager to observe the world. GEOFFREY HOUSEHOLD after graduation from Oxford worked in Rumania and Spain, then in New York City where for a year he wrote radio programs. He returned to a business life in Europe and Latin America, and in 1935 sent us some stories founded on his own experience. We encouraged him to give full time to writing, and as a result came his two striking novels, The Third Hour and Rogue Male, and recently, after five years of service in the Army of the Middle East, his new book, Arabesque.
In 1941 Armande Hemet the attractive wife of a British petty officer in the Atlantic service, finds herself the object of considerable suspicion in Syria. Her British passport is only a partial defense against the mistrust of British Field Security, represented here by the persistent Sergeant Prayle.
Wishing to identify herself with the war, Armande accepts a commission from David Nachmias of the Jewish Agency, who wants her to persuade Sheikh Wadiah to sell to the British the machine guns which he has been deviously collecting. Armande visits the Sheikh’s mountain village in the Lebanon, where she charms the chieftain out of his arsenal.
Armande does not realize that her coup comes as a complete surprise to both Captain Fairfather of British Field Security and Major Montagne of the Free French, who captured the receipt for the guns but not the weapons. Sergeant Armande. He discovers her working as a secretary in the British headquarters in Jerusalem. He believes in her innocence, but Armande knows that the higher-ups are suspicious of her.
Armande’s colonel sacks her without explanation, ana when she protests indignantly to headquarters, Captain Fairfather tells her that she has been black-listed because the machine guns for which she negotiated were actually delivered to the Jewish National Home. He says that her only chance for security — and a new job lies in Cairo.
Armande is desperate enough to try anything. She teams up with a Rumanian cabaret girl, Floarea Pitescu, in a somewhat undressed dance act at the Casino. When Sergeant Prayle surprises her in her routine, she discovers that she is very glad to see him. He tells her that the British will want to enlist, her for espionage if Rommel breaks through. Late in the evening they drive out to the Nile, and his passionate need of her sweeps away her resistance.
In 1941 Armande Herne, the attractive wife of a British petty officer in the Atlantic service, finds herself the object of considerable suspicion in Syria. Half French and bilingual, she had come to Beirut as the secretary to an aircraft manufacturer. But when his mission collapsed and the British and Free French took over, she was without visible means of support. Her British passport was only a partial defense against the suspicion of British Field Security, represented here by the persistent Sergeant Prayle.
In 1941 Armande Herne, the attractive wife of a British petty officer in the Atlantic service, finds herself the object of considerable suspicion in Syria. Half French and bilingual, she had come to Beirut as the secretary to an aircraft manufacturer. But when his mission collapsed mid the British and Free French took over, she was without visible means of support. Her British passport was only a partial defense against the suspicion of British Field Security, represented here by the persistent Sergeant Prayle.