<P> In March 1940 he joined the army, and in July was posted as captain in the 8th Battalion of the Buffs Regiment . He travelled widely during the war, while continuing to write . In October 1945, after preparing the official history of the Paiforce campaign, he was demobilised with the rank of Major . </P> <P> After the war he wrote many more successful novels, often recommended by book clubs . He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in June 1962 . </P> <P> He died before completing the last chapter of his novel, Rising (1975). It was published in September of the same year and short - listed for the Booker Prize in November . </P> <P> His published work comprises 17 novels and 28 short stories, as well as one play, Last Train South (1938). </P>

The pace for living by rc hutchinson summary