Edmund Clerihew Bentley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edmund Clerihew Bentley
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Bentley in 1913
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| Born | 10 July 1875 London, England |
| Died | 30 March 1956 (aged 80) London, England |
| Occupation | Novelist, humorist, poet |
| Education | Merton College, Oxford |
| Genre | Biography, science fiction, poetry |
| Notable works | Trent's Last Case |
| Children | Nicolas Bentley |
| Relatives | John Edmund Bentley (father) |
Edmund Clerihew Bentley (born July 10, 1875 – died March 30, 1956) was an English writer. He often published his books and poems using the name E. C. Bentley. He was famous for his detective novels and for inventing a special kind of funny poem called the clerihew.
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About E. C. Bentley
Edmund Clerihew Bentley was born in London, England. He went to school at St Paul's School and later studied at Merton College, Oxford University. His father, John Edmund Bentley, was a civil servant who also played rugby for England!
E. C. Bentley worked as a journalist for different newspapers, like The Daily Telegraph. He loved writing, and his first book of poems, Biography for Beginners, came out in 1905. This book made the "clerihew" famous.
What is a Clerihew?
A clerihew is a short, funny poem with four lines. The first two lines rhyme with each other, and the last two lines also rhyme. They are usually about a person and are often quite silly. Bentley wrote two more collections of these poems: More Biography (1929) and Baseless Biography (1939).
His Famous Detective Novels
Bentley also wrote popular detective stories. His most famous novel is Trent's Last Case, published in 1913. Many people, including other famous mystery writers like Dorothy L. Sayers, loved this book. It was seen as one of the first truly modern mystery novels because of its clever and tricky plot.
Trent's Last Case was so popular that it was made into a movie three times: in 1920, 1929, and 1952. Because of its success, Bentley wrote a sequel called Trent's Own Case in 1936, many years later. He also wrote a book of short stories about the detective, Philip Trent, called Trent Intervenes (1938).
Other Works and Connections
From 1936 to 1949, Bentley was the president of the Detection Club. This was a group of famous British detective writers. He also wrote some science fiction, including a short story called "Flying Visit" in 1953.
E. C. Bentley was good friends with another famous writer, G. K. Chesterton. Chesterton even dedicated his well-known detective novel, The Man Who Was Thursday, to Bentley.
Bentley passed away in London in 1956 when he was 80 years old. His son, Nicolas Bentley, also became a well-known illustrator.
Images for kids
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Edmund Clerihew Bentley in 1913
