Gabriel Fielding
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Fielding pen name of Alan Gabriel Barnsley, was a British novelist whose works include: In the Time of Greenbloom, The Birthday King, Through Streets Broad and Narrow and The Women of Guinea Lane.
. His pen name was derived from his illustrious ancestor.
He earned a B.A. from Trinity College
, Dublin in 1939, with prizes in anatomy and biology. He graduated M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. from St. George's Hospital, London in 1943. He was a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps
in World War II. His medical practice included general practice in Kent and part-time practice at Her Majesty's Prison, Maidstone, from 1952 to 1964. He once said, "Medicine, to me, was a sentence I had to fulfill in order to be free to write...."
His first book, The Frog Prince and Other Poems, was published in 1952 in England.
In 1966 he moved to the United States, where he was author-in-residence at Washington State University
in Pullman, Washington. He also became a full professor of English literature there, retiring in 1981 as professor emeritus. In 1964 he was awarded the W.H. Smith Award
for The Birthday King, and for "the most outstanding contribution to English Literature over a two-year period" (1962–1963). In 1964 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the St. Thomas More Association for The Birthday King. In 1967 the degree of Doctor of Literature was conferred on him by Gonzaga University
, Spokane
, Washington.
He published eight novels, three books of poetry, and numerous short stories. Three of the novels chronicle the unsuccessful love affairs of the same protagonist, John Blaydon (In the Time of Greenbloom, Through Streets Broad and Narrow and Brotherly Love), "in a series of brilliant word pictures, evocative, authentic, macabre or hilariously funny."
He was married to Edwina Eleanora Cook and had five children. Michael,Jonathan, Mario Simon, Felicity and Mary Gabriel He died in Washington State in 1986 of lung cancer.
Biography
Fielding's father, George, was an Anglican vicar at Hexham and his mother, Katherine Fielding Barnsley, was a descendant of the novelist Henry FieldingHenry Fielding
Henry Fielding was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the novel Tom Jones....
. His pen name was derived from his illustrious ancestor.
He earned a B.A. from Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, Dublin in 1939, with prizes in anatomy and biology. He graduated M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. from St. George's Hospital, London in 1943. He was a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
in World War II. His medical practice included general practice in Kent and part-time practice at Her Majesty's Prison, Maidstone, from 1952 to 1964. He once said, "Medicine, to me, was a sentence I had to fulfill in order to be free to write...."
His first book, The Frog Prince and Other Poems, was published in 1952 in England.
In 1966 he moved to the United States, where he was author-in-residence at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
in Pullman, Washington. He also became a full professor of English literature there, retiring in 1981 as professor emeritus. In 1964 he was awarded the W.H. Smith Award
WH Smith Literary Award
The WH Smith Literary Award was an award founded in 1959 by British high street retailer W H Smith. Its founding aim was stated to be to "encourage and bring international esteem to authors of the British Commonwealth"; originally open to all residents of the UK, the Commonwealth and the Republic...
for The Birthday King, and for "the most outstanding contribution to English Literature over a two-year period" (1962–1963). In 1964 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the St. Thomas More Association for The Birthday King. In 1967 the degree of Doctor of Literature was conferred on him by Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
, Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, Washington.
He published eight novels, three books of poetry, and numerous short stories. Three of the novels chronicle the unsuccessful love affairs of the same protagonist, John Blaydon (In the Time of Greenbloom, Through Streets Broad and Narrow and Brotherly Love), "in a series of brilliant word pictures, evocative, authentic, macabre or hilariously funny."
He was married to Edwina Eleanora Cook and had five children. Michael,Jonathan, Mario Simon, Felicity and Mary Gabriel He died in Washington State in 1986 of lung cancer.
Fiction
- Brotherly Love (1954) (ISBN 9997512162)
- In the Time of Greenbloom (1956) (ISBN 978-0226248455)
- Eight Days (1958)
- Through Streets Broad and Narrow (1960) (ISBN 0226248445)
- The Birthday King (1962) (ISBN 0451024400)
- Gentlemen in Their Season (1966)
- New Queens for Old – A Novella and Nine Stories (1972) (ISBN 0688000541)
- Pretty Doll Houses (1979) (ISBN 0091367107)
- The Women of Guinea Lane (1986) (ISBN 0091639808)
Quotes
- "It is a matter for grave doubt that Mr. Fielding could write anything from a postcard to a lexicon without perception and grace and brilliance." —Dorothy Parker