Michael Arlen, born Dikran Kouyoumdjian on November 16, 1895, in Bulgaria, was a British-Armenian novelist and short story writer whose works captured the zeitgeist of the 1920s. Arlen's life was a tapestry of cultural intersections; he was born to Armenian parents, educated in England, and became a quintessential figure of the Roaring Twenties. His writing, characterized by its wit, elegance, and a touch of cynicism, offered a sharp critique of the social mores and excesses of his time.Arlen's rise to literary fame was meteoric, and he quickly became a darling of the London literary scene. His works often explored themes of identity, displacement, and the moral ambiguities of high society, resonating deeply with a post-World War I audience grappling with rapid social changes. His flair for capturing the spirit of the age earned him comparisons to contemporaries like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Evelyn Waugh.One of the most intriguing aspects of Arlen's career was his ability to blend genres, seamlessly moving between romance, satire, and thriller. His unique narrative style and keen social observations influenced a generation of writers who sought to emulate his ability to dissect the human condition with both humor and pathos.Despite his success, Arlen's life was not without controversy. His Armenian heritage and foreign-sounding name initially hindered his acceptance in British literary circles, leading him to adopt a more Anglicized persona. This tension between his public image and private identity added a layer of complexity to his work, making him a fascinating figure for modern readers interested in issues of cultural assimilation and identity.Michael Arlen's legacy endures as a chronicler of an era, a writer who not only entertained but also provoked thought, leaving an indelible mark on 20th-century literature.
Michael Arlen (November 16, 1895 in Ruse, Bulgaria – June 23, 1956 in New York City), born Dikran Kouyoumdjian, was a British essayist, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and scriptwriter of an Armenian origin, who had his greatest successes in the 1920s while living and writing in England. Arlen is most famous for his satirical romances set in English smart society, but he also wrote gothic horror and psychological thrillers, for instance "The Gentleman from America", which was filmed in 1956 as a television episode for Alfred Hitchcock's TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Near the end of his life, Arlen mainly occupied himself with political writing. Arlen's vivid but colloquial style "with unusual inversions and inflections with a heightened exotic pitch" came to be known as Arlenesque. Very much a 1920s society figure resembling the characters he portrayed in his novels, and a man who might be referred to as a dandy, Arlen invariably impressed everyone with his immaculate manners. He was always impeccably dressed and groomed and was seen driving around London in a fashionable yellow Rolls Royce and engaging in all kinds of luxurious activities. However, he was well aware of the latent suspicion for foreigners mixed with envy, with which his success was viewed by some. His works became an inspiration for famous Hollywood movies such as A Woman of Affairs (1928) with the participation of Greta Garbo and John Gilbert; The Golden Arrow (1936) with Bette Davis; The Heavenly Body (1944) with actors William Powell and Hedy Lamarr. (Wikipedia)
