Arthur Quiller-Couch

Biography

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch (1863–1944), known as “Q,” was an English writer, literary critic, and scholar who served as King Edward VII Professor of English Literature at Cambridge from 1912 until his death. Born in Bodmin, Cornwall, he was educated at Oxford and became one of the most influential literary educators of the early twentieth century. His Cambridge lectures On the Art of Writing and On the Art of Reading shaped generations of English students. He edited the landmark Oxford Book of English Verse and wrote novels, short stories, and criticism. His advocacy for clear, vigorous prose and close engagement with great literature made him a foundational figure in English literary pedagogy.