Best Selling Books by J. B. Priestley

‘The finest book ever written about England and the English’ Stuart Maconie ‘J. B. Priestley is one of our literary icons of the 20th Century and it is time that we all became re-acquainted with his genius.’ Dame Judi Dench

In this classic novel of psychological terror, an unrelenting storm forces three travelers to take shelter in a sinister mansion. A powerful storm rages through the Welsh mountains, driving three travelers off the road. Philip Waverton, his wife, Margaret, and their friend Roger Penderel are desperate to get out of the torrential downpour. Their only option is a mysterious old mansion, home to the bizarre Femm family and their brutish butler, Morgan. Although the Femms have plenty rooms in their home, they are hesitant to allow guests to stay in them. Instead, Penderel and the Wavertons must settle in for the night by the ground-floor fireplace and hope the storm will pass by morning. But as the hours go by, their situation only gets worse. The storm intensifies, and the dark house begins revealing its secrets—like what lies behind the two locked doors on the top floor. Now the travelers can only pray they survive until morning . . . Published in 1927, Benighted served as the basis for the 1932 James Whale film The Old Dark House, starring Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, and Gloria Stuart. It was J. B. Priestly’s second novel. “Priestley’s book is a beautifully written affair, oftentimes thrilling and touching, that this reader found perfect company during a few recent stormy days in late October. . . . The novel will surely manage to chill the modern-day reader.” —Fantasy Literature

Stella Kirby spent nine years running away; leaving home to find her freedom as an actress. Now she has decided that the only role left to play is the prodigal daughter returned, hoping to rediscover herself amongst the familiar surroundings of her childhood home, Eden End. Priestley has a special tenderness for Eden End and for it he created some of his most fragile, gentle characters. The stoical Dr Kirby, his younger son Wilfred, desperate to prove himself a man of the world, and Lilian, the daughter who stayed at home, are a sharply observed and instantly recognisable family, with all its dreams and disappointments.

Includes the plays They Came to a City, Summer Day''s Dream and The Glass Cage With an introduction by Tom Priestley. All three dramas in this second volume of J B Priestley''s plays investigate the question of an individual''s responsibility towards his or her family and community. In They Came to a City, written at the height of the Second World War, a mixed bag of Britons mysteriously find themselves outside a strange city. What kind of ''New Jerusalem'' is this, and will it suit everybody? Summer Day''s Dream, first performed in 1949, is set in the future - 1975. In a Britain bombed back into pre-industrial past, three representatives of the new world order disturb the tranquil lives of three generations of an English family. The themes of hypocrisy and redemption are brought to the fore in The Glass Cage, when three black sheep of a respectable Toronto clan are grudgingly welcomed back into the family home.

"I spent more than half my life, when I ought to have been enjoying myself, arguing and planning and running around like a maniac, all to sell a lot of things to people I didn''t know, so that I could buy a lot of things that I didn''t have time to use. Sheer lunacy. And it took nothing less than an atom bomb to blow me out of it.” Following a devastating nuclear war which has seen Britain bombed back into the pre-industrial past, Stephen Dawlish and his family live a quiet rural life. Until their quiet, agrarian existence is disrupted by the appearance of three representatives of the New World Order – an American, a Russian and an Indian – who have devastating plans that will end their new peaceful way of life forever...

In "Papers from Lilliput," J. B. Priestley presents a collection of essays that deftly encapsulate the social and political climate of the 20th century, particularly reflecting the tumultuous years following World War II. Blending his signature wit with profound insight, Priestley employs a conversational yet eloquent literary style that invites readers to engage critically with contemporary issues. The essays, ranging from personal reflections to broader societal critiques, showcase Priestley''s ability to weave the mundane into the fantastical, drawing parallels between the everyday lives of ordinary citizens and the extraordinary challenges of their times. J. B. Priestley, a prominent English novelist and playwright, possessed a unique perspective shaped by his experiences in both World Wars, as well as his deep interest in the interplay between social reform and art. His belief in the power of the written word to inspire change was a driving force behind "Papers from Lilliput," as he sought to illuminate the complexities of human nature and foster a sense of hope amid despair. Priestley''s rich biographical background in literature and theater further enhances the depth of his arguments in this collection. This book is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the nuances of modern society through the lens of thoughtful discourse. With its timely reflections and Priestley''s trademark blend of humor and gravitas, "Papers from Lilliput" continues to resonate with readers today, encouraging them to contemplate their role within the socio-political landscape.

‘An exquisitely-written, generous, funny, thoughtful book about the everyday joys of being alive. I love it.’ Dolly Alderton ‘J. B. Priestley is one of our literary icons of the 20th Century and it is time that we all became re-acquainted with his genius.’ Dame Judi Dench

Includes the plays Laburnum Grove, When We Are Married and Mr Kettle and Mrs Moon With an introduction by Tom Priestley and a foreword by Roy Hattersley. These three domestic comedies display J B Priestley''s talent for the ordinary situation turned sharply on its head. In Laburnum Grove George Radfern''s friends and relations want a share of his wealth - until they find out where it''s come from. When We Are Married features three high-minded couples who gather to celebrate their silver wedding anniversaries, only to discover they were never properly married at all. And in Mr Kettle and Mrs Moon an unassuming bank manager turns rebel when a voice tells him to pack in his position and stay at home.In these mischievous depictions of respectability gone awry, the proud and the prejudiced battle against emerging truths and potential scandal. J B Priestley proves himself a skilled craftsman and presents his characters with rich humour, warmth and humanity.

In ''Brief Diversions: Being Tales, Travesties and Epigrams'' by J. B. Priestley, readers are treated to a collection of witty and thought-provoking short stories, satirical pieces, and clever epigrams. Priestley showcases his exceptional literary talent by blending humor with social commentary in each piece, making readers both laugh and reflect on the human condition. The book''s engaging narrative style and clever wordplay are reminiscent of the early 20th-century literary scene, where authors were using their craft to challenge societal norms and beliefs. ''Brief Diversions'' is a delightful compilation that offers entertainment and intellectual stimulation in equal measure. Readers will find themselves engrossed in Priestley''s world of whimsical tales and sharp wit, unable to put the book down. J. B. Priestley''s keen observations and sharp wit in ''Brief Diversions'' make this collection a must-read for fans of satire, humor, and incisive social commentary.

Two little known Priestley plays, which, while they are quite different, have important features in common. The 31st of June is a comedy set partly in an advertising agency and partly in a medieval castle; Jenny Villiers is a serious play set backstage in an old provincial theatre. But both exploit elements of Time. In the 31st of June scenes switch between modern times and the middle ages, while characters move between both. There are kings, company bosses, princesses, fashion models, dwarves and two rival magicians. causing confusion and romance. Jenny Villiers examines life in the Theatre. The doubts of the present are confronted by players from the past, and a jaded playwright recovers his faith in the Theatre. Both plays were performed on the stage, but later rewritten and published as novels.

The Regency Period is perhaps the most romantic of British history. It was an age which swung between extremes of elegance and refinement, and depths of sodden brutality. The central figure is the Prince Regent, Prinny, and though he sometimes appears as a gigantic spoilt child, he was famously good company and a notable patron of the arts. The author portrays the personalities of the giants of the romantic age - Byron, Shelley, Sheridan, Wordsworth, Jane Austen and Sir Walter Scott; Davy Faraday and Macadam; Turner, Constable and Cotman - to name a few. It was an age of extravagance; an age marked by great eccentricities and prodigous jokes; the luddite riots; the Battles of Waterloo and Peterloo; the first waltzes and the first locomotives.

At their stylish country retreat, Freda and Robert Caplan host a dinner party for their colleagues and friends. Young, beautiful and successful, they have the world at their feet. Then a cigarette box and an ill-considered remark spark off a relentless series of revelations and other more dangerous secrets are painfully exposed.

Music at Night centres on a group of people attending a musical evening to hear a new work. Each act follows a movement in the music, which inspires the listeners to react each in their own way, looking inside themselves for their true feelings and sometimes remembering significant moments from their past. As often in Priestley’s work, the relations between the sexes play an important part, a theme which recurs in the other two plays. The Long Mirror recounts the meeting between a composer and a young woman who seems to have been telepathically connected to him for some time, and has experienced much of his life before actually meeting him. Her knowledge of his past can help his future as an artist and a husband. It was based on a true incident. Ever Since Paradise he described as ‘A Discursive Entertainment, chiefly referring to Love and Marriage in Three Acts’. Three couples are made up of The Musicians, the Commentators and The Example, and together they illustrate various aspects of relationships, accompanied by appropriate music on two pianos.

JB Priestley described Johnson Over Jordan as an adventure in theatre. Robert Johnson, a timid, meek man lived the most ordinary of lives - until he dies. Suddenly he is capitulated into the strangeness of his afterlife and begins a frightening, lurid and emotional journey. Past memories, secret desires and present regrets and longings mingle with the real, surreal and sublime, threatening to overwhelm him. Johnson Over Jordan is an ambitious, dreamlike piece of theatre and ultimately, a deeply moving account of a very ordinary man''s life.

Ferndale, Laburnum Grove. A quiet, residential address in one of the newer north London suburbs. George Radfern, decent, respectable citizen and householder spends his Sunday evenings in his greenhouse, listening to Handel on the wireless. But when his grasping in-laws and daughter''s obnoxious beau try to coax more money from him, George makes an unlikely confession. An exploration of greed and dishonesty in suburban England, Priestley observes the facade of middle class respectability, and its crooked undercurrent with verve and humanity in this immorally comic story of money, family, and criminality.

"So all the time, while you were pretending to work, you''ve been having the most astonishing adventures in that corner?" A forgotten masterpiece from one of Britain’s greatest dramatists, J.B. Priestley. As bankruptcy looms, the ever optimistic Jim Cornelius, partner at import firm Briggs and Murrison, is fighting to keep his creditors happy and his spirits up. Tensions rise with the arrival of Judy, the beautiful, young typist who shows Cornelius the life he could have led... Written for Ralph Richardson in 1935, Priestley observes the politics and tensions of daily office life with searing wit and humanity in this hilarious and heart-breaking story of friendship, unrequited love and business.

The Kettlewells are a dysfunctional family. Richard is a charming old Etonian whose business ventures are failing. Over a crowded weekend, his daughter Pamela, whom he hardly knows, returns from Russia, a passionate communist; his ex-wife and mistress both unexpectedly arrive; and his butler has a big win at the races. The Roundabout is a funny, touching, highly perceptive look at an England in the 1930s, when it seemed, just possibly, as if the social order might be changing.

"Beautifully composed and splendidly written, it has great power and real point ... the command of the contemporary scene is masterly.... One of the best characters that have appeared in fiction for a very long time." - Walter Allen, "New Statesman" "[T]he story is novel in its incidents and he exploits skilfully the dramatic possibilities of extending human vision into normally hidden dimensions." - " The Guardian" "Mr. Priestley has always been a man of vision ... "The Magicians" has a theme of the first importance." - "Spectator" Sir Charles Ravenstreet, in his mid-fifties, is unmarried and childless and lives only for his work in the fast-paced world of business. When he is forced out of his job to make room for someone younger, Sir Charles finds himself at a loose end and facing the dismal prospect of an empty future. Believing he can make use of Sir Charles, the sinister Lord Mervil seeks to enlist his aid in a scheme to earn a fortune by manufacturing a new drug that relieves its users of all anxiety and will reduce the masses to a state of docility and mindless euphoria. But a plane crash and an encounter with three strange old men determined to thwart Lord Mervil''s plans will lead Sir Charles to the exciting discovery that when he suspected his life might be over, it had really only just begun. One of the most enjoyable novels by the prolific J.B. Priestley (1894-1984), "The Magicians" (1954) is both a whimsical story of the strange and fantastic and a sharply satirical fable of modern life. This 60th anniversary edition features a new introduction by Lee Hanson and the original jacket art by Val Biro.

Three men, each on a separate mission, converge in the California desert. The discover their situations are intertwined and join forces to unravel their mysteries. The trail of clues leads to an explosive conclusion!

"These stories say something meaningful, as well as relate an anecdote. They are not only examples of narrative skill, but exhibitions of social truth." - " Saturday Review" "Priestley is one of the finest and most popular storytellers of the last hundred years. We are now aware many of his stories have a prophetic quality." - Dame Margaret Drabble "[H]ighly readable and provocative." - "Sunday Herald (Sydney)" J. B. Priestley (1894-1984) was a versatile and prolific novelist and playwright, but in "The Other Place" (1953), he shows an unexpected talent, proving himself a master of the weird tale. In "The Grey Ones," Mr. Patson visits a psychiatrist after he becomes convinced that a race of demons masquerading as men are plotting the overthrow of the human race . . . but what if he''s not insane? In "Guest of Honour," a banquet speech becomes a horrifying affair when the keynote speaker realizes his audience is made up of monstrous and menacing creatures. "The Leadington Incident" recounts the disturbing experience of a Cabinet minister who suddenly perceives that though the people around him move and talk as though alive, they are all actually just animated corpses or sleepwalking zombies. The nine tales in this collection are strange, fantastic, and often unsettling, and they represent Priestley at his best. This 60th anniversary edition, the first reprinting of "The Other Place" in more than forty years, includes a new introduction by Priestley scholar John Baxendale. Priestley''s classic novel of psychological terror, "Benighted" (1927), is also available from Valancourt Books.

In these passionate and witty essays on the theatre, J B Priestley distils his experience as a playwright, producer, director and - just once - actor. Relishing the past, analysing the present, and predicting the future, he tells his own ''story of the theatre''. Published as a companion to Oberon''s two volumes of Priestley''s best plays, this new collection is part defence of theatre, part incisive criticism, and, in the renowned Old Vic lecture The Art of the Dramatist, part instructive guide for would-be playwrights.

In this 1960 study, J. B. Priestley examines the life and career of William Hazlitt, a writer who markedly influences Priestley''s own work.

Maggie Culworth and Dr. Salt, searching for Maggie''s missing father and missing patient Moreen Wilks, join forces on a trail leading to Hemtonshire''s wealthiest, most powerful man

Bonded Leather binding

Bonded Leather binding