Ronald George Blythe was a British writer, essayist and editor, best known for his 1969 book Akenfield, a portrait of a rural life rapidly disappearing from view, which was immediately acclaimed as a classic upon its publishing. His book never out of print and read and studied around the world. Blythe was born in Acton, Suffolk to a family of of farm laborers, he attended school there but dropped out at 14. He was an avid reader who befriended the poet James Turner. He briefly served during the ... moreRonald George Blythe was a British writer, essayist and editor, best known for his 1969 book Akenfield, a portrait of a rural life rapidly disappearing from view, which was immediately acclaimed as a classic upon its publishing. His book never out of print and read and studied around the world. Blythe was born in Acton, Suffolk to a family of of farm laborers, he attended school there but dropped out at 14. He was an avid reader who befriended the poet James Turner. He briefly served during the Second World War and when he returned he worked as a librarian in Colchester for 10 years. It is there that he met Christine Nash who encouraged him to be a writer. His first book, A Treasonable Growth was published in 1960 which led to his being asked to edit a series of classics for the Penguin English Library, beginning with Jane Austen's Emma. In 1969 he published Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village. He has spent time listening to 3 generations of farmers and craftsman in the Suffolk villages of Charsfield and Debach, recording their views on different topics. The book was an instant success and was made into a film in 1974. Blythe was awarded a Benson Medal for lifelong achievement by the Royal Society of Literature in 2006.
