Overview

When William Came (1913) is a novel by Saki. Considered a masterpiece of invasion literature, When William Came indulges in the paranoid atmosphere of the leadup to the Great War to weave a sinister tale of espionage, survival, and conspiracy. Keenly aware of the heightening tensions between Britain and Germany, Saki crafts an entertaining story with a political purpose: to call for national conscription in the event of war. Much has changed in London since Murrey Yeovil left for a hunting trip in Eastern Siberia. War came and went, London fell to German forces, and his wife Cicely found a younger lover. Disembarking from the train, he gets into a cab and gives his address, only to discover his driver speaks German. Slowly, he grows accustomed to the rhythms of life under an occupying force, but it is impossible to ignore how many people have been lost. Of those who survived the war, many fled for the countryside or to colonies and nations overseas. They are the lucky ones, who need not fear a trip to the store or a turn down the wrong street might lead to imprisonment-or worse. Soon, Murrey must decide where his true loyalties lie. This edition of Saki's When William Came is a classic of British invasion literature reimagined for modern readers. Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book. With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

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9781513135151

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Saki (1870-1916) was the pen name of British novelist and short story writer Hector Hugh Munro. Born in British Burma, Munro was the son of Inspector General Charles Augustus Munro of the Indian Imperial Police and his wife Mary Frances Mercer. Following his mother’s death from a tragic accident in 1872, Munro was sent to live in England with his paternal grandmother. In 1893, he returned to Burma to work for the Indian Imperial Police but was forced to resign in just over a year due to serious illness. He moved to London in 1896 to pursue a career as a writer. He found some success as a journalist and soon published The Rise of the Russian Empire (1900), a work of history. Emboldened, he began writing stories and novels, earning praise for Reginald (1904), a short story collection, and When William Came (1913), an invasion novel. Known for his keen wit and satirical outlook on Edwardian life, Munro was considered a master literary craftsman in his time. A gay man, he was forced to conceal his sexual identity in order to avoid criminal prosecution. At 43 years of age, he enlisted in the British cavalry and went to France to fight in the Great War. He was killed by a German sniper at the Battle of the Ancre.

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