''The Fatal Englishman: Three Short Lives'' is a 1996 biography by British writer

Sebastian Faulks Sebastian Charles Faulks (born 20 April 1953) is a British novelist, journalist and broadcaster. He is best known for his historical novels set in France – '' The Girl at the Lion d'Or'', ''Birdsong'' and '' Charlotte Gray''. He has also pu ...

, first published by Hutchinson. It is a multiple biography of the lives of the artist Christopher Wood, airman

Richard Hillary Flight Lieutenant Richard Hope Hillary (20 April 1919 – 8 January 1943) was an Anglo-Australian Royal Air Force fighter pilot during the Second World War. He wrote the book '' The Last Enemy'' about his experiences during the Battle of Bri ...

and spy

Jeremy Wolfenden Jeremy John Le Mesurier Wolfenden (26 June 1934, England – 28 December 1965) was a foreign correspondent and British spy at the height of the Cold War. Biography The son of John Wolfenden, headmaster of Uppingham School, and, later, chairman ...

. Reviewing the book for the ''

London Review of Books The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published bimonthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews. History The ''London Review of Book ...

'',

Philip French Philip Neville French (28 August 1933 – 27 October 2015) was an English film critic and radio producer. French began his career in journalism in the late 1950s, before eventually becoming a BBC Radio producer, and later a film critic. H ...

explained that it was a "perceptive study of three men who died young" and quoted Faulks's own observation that "short lives are more sensitive indicators of the pressure of public attitudes than lives lived long and crowned with honours". Writing in the

Spectator ''Spectator'' or ''The Spectator'' may refer to: *Spectator sport, a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches *Audience Publications Canada * '' The Hamilton Spectator'', a Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, ...

, David Hare argued that "The book is on a great theme; how the failures of Britain in the 20th century have seeped into the soul of its countrymen".

References

1996 non-fiction books Biographical books Hutchinson (publisher) books {{bio-book-stub