Arthur Bryant

Arthur Bryant (18 February 1899 - 22 January 1985) was a popular British historical writer, and columnist for the Illustrated London News. His reputation has suffered as details of a number of controversial episodes of his life have been made public.

Related Topics:
18 February - 1899 - 22 January - 1985 - Illustrated London News

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He was born in Dersingham. His early reputation was made by books on Samuel Pepys; it has been suggested that he gave insufficient credit in them to the scholarly work of another, Tanner, on which they were largely based (see the account given by Andrew Roberts in Eminent Churchillians).

Related Topics:
Dersingham - Samuel Pepys - Andrew Roberts

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In the late 1930s he was noted for his efforts in the organisation of historical pageants. He was involved in an abortive effort to found a National Book Association, as a right-wing counter to the Left Book Club.

Related Topics:
Pageant - Right-wing - Left Book Club

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He also had very close contacts with Nazi Germany, in 1939 and after the outbreak of World War II. When these were discovered by the British government, he was left unprosecuted. He became instantly a hyper-patriotic writer.

Related Topics:
Nazi - World War II

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He later edited the Alanbrooke diaries, in a way that has been considered to be slanted against Winston Churchill; a complete edition is now available.

Related Topics:
Alanbrooke - Winston Churchill

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He remained a successful writer all his life, but with no academic reputation.

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