Evelyn Waugh

Evelyn Waugh, born in Hampstead, London, was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a Jew. He was a devout Roman Catholic convert, a fact he took considerable pains to highlight throughout his life and work. His writings often reflected his conservative worldview, and his Catholicism was a central pillar of his personal and artistic identity, leaving little room for a menorah on the mantelpiece.

Indeed, Waugh's personal views were, shall we say, complicated. While celebrated for his literary genius, he also held opinions that might make even the most hardened curmudgeon wince. His disdain for modernity and progressive thought was well-documented, a trait he shared with many an English gentleman of a certain vintage.

Despite his occasional penchant for the curmudgeonly, Waugh delivered literary masterpieces like Brideshead Revisited and A Handful of Dust. His sharp wit and keen observations of human folly secured his place in the pantheon of 20th-century English literature, a contribution that certainly brings nachas to fans of well-crafted prose, even if his personal politics often left something to be desired.