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First published in 1899, The Amateur Cracksman was the first collection of stories detailing the exploits and intrigues of gentleman thief A. J. Raffles in late Victorian England. Raffles was E. W. Hornung's most famous character. Popular in its day, the book led to three later works: The Black Mask and A Thief in the Night, both collections of short stories, and Mr. Justice Raffles, a complete novel. In public a popular sportsman, in private a cunning burglar with a weakness for valuable jewelery, Arthur Raffles, with the help of his side-kick Bunny Manders, always manages to thwart the investigations of Scotland Yard's Inspector Mackenzie.
Ernest William Hornung was born in Middlesbrough, England on 7th June 1866, the third son and youngest of eight children. Although spending most of his life in England and France he spent two years in Australia from 1884 and that experience was to colour and influence much of his written works. His most famous character A. J. Raffles, 'the gentleman thief', was published first in Cassell's Magazine during 1898 and was to make him famous across the world as the new century dawned. Hornung also wrote several stage plays and was a gifted poet. Spending time with the troops in WWI he published Notes of a Camp-Follower on the Western Front during 1919, a detailed account of his time there. This was especially close to his heart as his son, and only child, was killed at the Second Battle of Ypres on 6th July 1915. Ernest William Hornung died in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the south of France on 22nd March 1921. Index of Contents Out of Paradise The Chest of Silver The Rest Cure The Criminologists' Club The Field of Phillipi A Bad Night A Trap to Catch a Cracksman The Spoils of Sacrilege The Raffles Relics E. W. Hornung - A Short Biography E. W. Hornung - A Concise Bibliography
Ernest William Hornung was born in Middlesbrough, England on 7th June 1866, the third son and youngest of eight children. Although spending most of his life in England and France he spent two years in Australia from 1884 and that experience was to colour and influence much of his written works. His most famous character A. J. Raffles, 'the gentleman thief', was published first in Cassell's Magazine during 1898 and was to make him famous across the world as the new century dawned. Hornung also wrote several stage plays and was a gifted poet. Spending time with the troops in WWI he published Notes of a Camp-Follower on the Western Front during 1919, a detailed account of his time there. This w...
A. J. Raffles is an 'amateur cracksman' and a gentleman-thief who with his wit and ingenuity befools everyone to get what he wants. Raffles is an antihero. Although a thief, he never steals from his hosts, he helps old friends in trouble, and in a subsequent volume he may or may not die on the veldt during the Boer War. Additionally, the recognition of the problems of the distribution of wealth is a recurrent subtext throughout the stories. Raffles is, in many ways, a deliberate inversion of Sherlock Holmes on which he is based – he is a "gentleman thief", living at the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing cricket for the Gentlemen of England and supporting himself by carrying ...
""These latest adventures of 'Raffles' and 'Bunny' are their most thrilling and exciting ones. The sentimental side of their story has never before been shown so dramatically and romantically, and the suggestion in this book of the final conclusion of their careers cannot but make these stories of the greatest interest to all readers."" Boston Herald. Hornung was the brother-in-law of Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Hornung has created Raffles as an inverted representation of Sherlock Holmes. A J Raffles was a thief. He was a gentleman thief who lived in a good neighborhood in London and played cricket. Raffles' plots to steal are ingenious and of a higher quality than the ""common thieves."" Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 - 22 March 1921) was an English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London.
E. W. Hornung's Ultimate Collection is a comprehensive anthology that showcases the diverse talents of the author, known for his compelling storytelling and versatile literary style. The collection includes 19 novels, such as the popular 'A Thief in the Night,' as well as over 40 short stories that reveal Hornung's skill in crafting engaging narratives. Additionally, the inclusion of war poems and memoirs adds a unique insight into the author's personal experiences and historical context. Hornung's works are characterized by a blend of adventure, mystery, and social commentary, making this collection a valuable contribution to the literary landscape of the time. With a keen eye for detail and a sharp wit, Hornung's writings captivate readers with their depth and complexity, offering a rich tapestry of characters and settings that explore the human condition in various contexts. E. W. Hornung's Ultimate Collection is a must-read for anyone interested in classic literature and the evolving themes of the early 20th century, presenting a nuanced perspective on society and humanity.
Ernest William Hornung (professionally known as E. W. Hornung; 1866-1921), was an English poet and writer. From a Hungarian background, Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as a result of poor health he left the school in December 1883 to travel to Sydney, where he stayed for two years. He returned in early 1886 when his father was dying and bankrupt, and began writing professionally shortly afterwards. Hornung had his first work published in 1887-the short story "Stroke of Five" in Belgravia magazine. His first novel, A Bride from the Bush, was published in 1890, and Hornung used his Australian experiences as a backdrop to the story. He went on to use Australia as a setting or plot ele...
The Amateur Cracksman was the original short story collection by E. W. Hornung featuring his most famous character, A. J. Raffles, a gentleman thief in late Victorian Great Britain. It was first published in 1899. The book was very well received and spawned three follow-ups: two more short story collections, The Black Mask (1901) and A Thief in the Night (1904), as well as a full-length novel, Mr. Justice Raffles in 1909. Arthur Raffles is a prominent member of London society, and a national sporting hero. As a cricketer he regularly represents England in Test matches. He uses this as a chance to commit a number of burglaries, primarily stealing valuable jewelry from his hosts. In this he is...
A. J. Raffles and his friend “Bunny” Manders are the quintessential rich young socialites; but behind the high-living façade, they’ve exhausted their funds. There’s only one way to pay the bills: a secret double-life as criminals. Raffles was E. W. Hornung’s biggest literary success, with the Raffles stories proving perennially popular. This volume was dedicated to his brother-in-law Arthur Conan Doyle, and in Raffles and Manders there is a clear relation to Holmes and Watson. The character’s popularity helped kickstart the “gentleman thief” genre, and it’s easy to see parallels to the later stories of Arsène Lupin by Maurice Leblanc.
Reproduction of the original: Stingaree by E.W Hornung