Eric Malpass facts for kids

Eric Lawson Malpass (born November 14, 1910 – died October 16, 1996) was an English writer. He was known for his funny stories about country family life. His most famous characters were the large Pentecost family.

Eric Malpass also wrote historical fiction. These stories were set in different times, from the late Middle Ages to the Edwardian era in England. Many people in Europe, especially in Germany, loved his books. Most of his books were translated into German.

Life of a Writer

Eric Malpass was born in Derby, England. He went to school at King Henry VIII School, Coventry. For many years, he worked at Barclays Bank in Long Eaton. But his real passion was writing.

He would come home from work and spend his evenings writing stories. He often wrote for `Argosy`, a magazine that published short stories. It took him a long time to get his first story published. But he kept trying! In 1955, he won a short story competition held by `The Observer` newspaper.

His first book, Beefy Jones, came out soon after. Then came Morning's at Seven. This book got good reviews from critics. However, it did not sell well in the UK. But in Germany, it was a huge hit! It became the number one bestseller in `Der Spiegel` magazine. It stayed there for three years! After this, a rule was made that no book could stay on the list for so long again.

Because of his success, especially with Morning's at Seven, he decided to become a full-time writer. At first, the bank did not want him to leave. They even said he would lose his pension. But after many talks, they finally agreed.

Eric Malpass was married and had one son. He also had two granddaughters and five great-grandchildren. He lived in Long Eaton for most of his life. Five years before he passed away, he moved to Bishop's Waltham in Hampshire.

His Novels

Eric Malpass wrote many different kinds of novels. Here are some of his most popular works:

Tales from the Pentecost Family

These books are about the funny adventures of the large Pentecost family.

• Morning's at Seven (1965)
• At the Height of the Moon (1967)
• Fortinbras Has Escaped (1970)
• The Long Long Dances (1978)
• Summer Awakening (1978)
• Evensong (1982)
• Pig-in-the-Middle (1989)

Other Humorous Novels

These are other funny stories he wrote.

• Beefy Jones (1957)
• Oh My Darling Daughter (1970)
• Familie Limmerick (1971)

The Shakespeare Trilogy

This is a series of three books about the famous writer William Shakespeare.

• Part I: Sweet Will (1973)
• Part II: The Cleopatra Boy (1974)
• Part III: A House of Women (1975)

Other Historical Novels

These novels are set in different times in history.

• The Wind Brings Up the Rain (1978)
• The Raising of Lazarus Pike (1980)
• The Lamplight and the Stars (1985)
• Of Human Frailty (1986) – This book tells the story of Thomas Cranmer.

All of his novels were re-released in 2001 by a company called House of Stratus.

Short Stories

Eric Malpass also wrote short stories.

• "The Return of the Moon Man"

Books on Screen

Eric Malpass's books were never made into movies in England. But his success continued on the big screen in Germany.

• Morgens um sieben ist die Welt noch in Ordnung (In the Morning at Seven the World Is Still in Order) (West Germany, 1968) — This movie was directed by Kurt Hoffmann. It starred Archibald Eser as young Gaylord Pentecost.
• Wenn süß das Mondlicht auf den Hügeln schläft [de] (When Sweet Moonlight Is Sleeping in the Hills) (West Germany, 1969) — This was a follow-up movie to the 1968 film. It was directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner.
• Als Mutter streikte (When Mother Went on Strike) (West Germany, 1974) — This film was directed by Eberhard Schröder. It was based on his book Oh My Darling Daughter.
• Mon ami Gaylord (France, 1979) — This was a six-part TV show. It was also based on Morning's at Seven.