Arnold Bennett

Arnold Bennett was an English novelist, playwright and journalist, born in the Potteries of Staffordshire, the industrial towns he later made famous in novels such as The Old Wives’ Tale and Clayhanger. He worked as a solicitor’s clerk and a magazine editor before writing full time, and spent years in Paris.

Beside the novels he wrote a series of short, practical books on how to live well: on time, attention, habits and temper. Written for busy people in plain, good-humoured prose, they were bestsellers in their day and read like they were written this morning.