James Hanley (1901 - 1985) is one of the great neglected writers of the twentieth centuary. Irish by background, although brought up in Liverpool, he lived for many years in North Wales and came to consider himself Welsh.
He spent his early years as a boy seaman on a variety of merchant ships and then fought in the latter stages of the First World War, all experiences that were utilised in his fiction when he eventually became a writer in the early 1930's.
The author of some 50 or so books, mainly novels or short story collections which are now largely out of print, he received consistent critical acclaim during his lifetime, but for some reason never achieved a wide readership nor any significant academic interest.
The pages on this site are intended to stimulate interest in James Hanley, by providing basic information about his life and work, and the opportunity for more general discussion about his literary achievements.
This page was established in May 1998 by Chris Gostick, Buckinghamshire, UK and last updated in February 2003.
