Cronin's early education was at Dumbarton Academy where he excelled in writing and athletics. Thereafter, he went to St. Aloysius College in Glasgow. With the help of a Carnegie scholarship, he studied medicine at the University of Glasgow in 1914. His education was interrupted by the First World War and from 1916 to 1917 he saw naval service. In 1919, he graduated with highest honours. Then he trained at various hospitals. In 1924, he was appointed Medical Inspector of Mines for Great Britain. His medical experience and hazard research was used in subsequent novels. In 1930, he was diagnosed with a duodenal ulcer and was forced to take complete rest. He decided to write a novel and composed Hatter's Castle, which was an immediate success and led Cronin to write full-time. He never returned to medical practice. Many of his subsequent novels were best-sellers, especially so for The Citadel 1937). The book was highly controversial and was said to be influential in the creation of the British NHS. The book was also a success in America, winning the National Book Award. A number of his novels were made into films. He also produced many short stories and articles for periodicals. Cronin spent the last years of his life living in Europe. His works include Three Loves (1932), Kaleidoscope in "K" (1933), Grand Canary (1933), Country Doctor (1935), The Stars Look Down (1935), Child of Compassion (1940), The Green Years (1944), Shannon's Way (1948), Beyond This Place (1950), The Northern Light (1958), The Judas Tree (1961), Desmonde (1975) and Doctor Finlay of Tannochbrae (1978). |
