Plan: General Background. " The Angry Young Man"

James Aid ridge (born in 1918)
James Aldridge was born in Australia in 1918. He got his University education in Australia and in 1938 came to England to continue his career as a journalist. He worked for various London papers and became an editor of the "Daily Sketch"'. During the years of World War II Aldridge visited many countries as a correspondent, among them Norway, Greece, Egypt, Libya, Iran and the former Soviet Union. His war experience was helpful in writing his first novels. "Signed with Their Honour" (1942), "The Sea Eagle" (1944), and a book of sketches "Of Many Men" (1946).
"Signed with Their Honour" can be characterized as a mili­tary, social and psychological novel. In the novel the author de­scribes the invasion and occupation of Greece by the German and Italian fascist armies. These events took place from October, 1940 to April, 1941. The main character is an English pilot named Quayle, who witnesses the heroic struggle of the Greek people against the invaders, and the treacherous policy of Greek gov­ernment circles. All the events in the novel are shown through Quayle's eyes, except the last air battle, in which he loses his life.
The personal history of John Quayle becomes closely linked with the Greek people as he falls in love with a Greek girl Helen Stangou. Quayle's contacts with her family and his personal ac­quaintance with Greek patriots change his views of life. Quayle meets true heroes among the English airmen. They are ready to give their lives in the battle with fascism, and among the Greek soldiers he finds those who do not follow the treacherous policy of their commanders. Aldridge's characters greatly differ from "the lost generation" described in some works of American and English authors, written about World War I. His characters clearly see why they are fighting. The struggle of the Greek people against fascism is the main factor of the novel.
Aldridge's anti-colonial point of view is seen in the novel 'The Diplomat" (1949). His later novels are devoted entirely to prob­lems of the Arab people in their struggle for liberation. Among them are "Heroes of the Empty View" (1954), "I Wish He Would Not Die", "The Last Exile", "Mockery in Arms" (1974). James Aldridge is also the author of a large number of short stories, of which "The Last Inch" is especially popular with the readers. His play "49* State" is a satirical sketch on the world political situa­tion at the end of the forties. Aldridge's articles in press on the problems of literature are also well-known. Aldridge always stands for peace and friendship among nations and he deserves the respect of the people of different nationalities.