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The Black Diamond
First published in 1921, this absorbing tale has all the ingredients of a 21st century best seller: infidelity, sex, drunkenness, violent death, football corruption, urban and rural poverty, explicit coverage of human frailties and desires. Abner Fellows, a miner and semi-professional footballer, is found a surface job to ensure that industrial injury does not impede his football. Abner's stepmother is only a little older than himself and when his hard-drinking miner father is hospitalised he becomes the breadwinner. Just as his father returns home Abner is sacked for refusing to 'throw' a cup match for his boss. Fellows senior unjustly accuses his son of impropriety with his stepmother, a fight ensues and Abner leaves home. He tramps west and after several skirmishes finds lodgings with a casual acquaintance. Again he finds himself the breadwinner of a small family. His landlady keeps him at arm's length but just before the release of her husband from gaol, succumbs. After another fight Abner leaves and in Shrewsbury while intoxicated accepts an offered panacea.
- GenresFiction
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1921
23 people want to read
About the author
Francis Brett Young
130 books21 followersFrancis Brett Young was born in 1884 at Hales Owen, Worcestershire, the eldest son of Dr Thomas Brett Young.
Educated at Iona Cottage High School, Sutton Coldfield and Epsom College, Francis read Medicine at Birmingham University before entering general practice at Brixham in 1907. The following year he married Jessie Hankinson whom he had met during his medical studies. She was a singer of some repute, having appeared as a soloist in Henry Wood's Promenade Concerts.
Francis based one of his earliest novels Deep Sea (1914) in Brixham but was soon to be caught up in the Great War. He served in the R.A.M.C. in East Africa, experiences recorded in Marching on Tanga.
After the war Francis and Jessie went to live in Capri where a number of novels with African as well as English backgrounds were produced. Popular success came in 1927 when Francis was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Portrait of Clare.
The Brett Youngs returned to England in 1929, staying for a while in the Lake District before settling at Craycombe House in Worcestershire in 1932. During this period Francis was at the height of his fame and his annually produced novels were eagerly awaited.
During the Second World War Francis laboured on his long poem covering the spread of English history from prehistoric times. Entitled The Island, it was published in 1944 and regarded by Francis as his greatest achievement.
Following a breakdown in his health Francis and Jessie moved to South Africa where he died in 1954. His ashes were brought back to this country and interred in Worcester Cathedral.
Educated at Iona Cottage High School, Sutton Coldfield and Epsom College, Francis read Medicine at Birmingham University before entering general practice at Brixham in 1907. The following year he married Jessie Hankinson whom he had met during his medical studies. She was a singer of some repute, having appeared as a soloist in Henry Wood's Promenade Concerts.
Francis based one of his earliest novels Deep Sea (1914) in Brixham but was soon to be caught up in the Great War. He served in the R.A.M.C. in East Africa, experiences recorded in Marching on Tanga.
After the war Francis and Jessie went to live in Capri where a number of novels with African as well as English backgrounds were produced. Popular success came in 1927 when Francis was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Portrait of Clare.
The Brett Youngs returned to England in 1929, staying for a while in the Lake District before settling at Craycombe House in Worcestershire in 1932. During this period Francis was at the height of his fame and his annually produced novels were eagerly awaited.
During the Second World War Francis laboured on his long poem covering the spread of English history from prehistoric times. Entitled The Island, it was published in 1944 and regarded by Francis as his greatest achievement.
Following a breakdown in his health Francis and Jessie moved to South Africa where he died in 1954. His ashes were brought back to this country and interred in Worcester Cathedral.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 9, 2017
Francis Brett Young was an enormously popular writer in his day, some of his books sold half a million copies. "The Black Diamond" was one of his successes, and like all best sellers, was very enjoyable to read, impossible to put down in fact. It concerns the life of Abner, a handsome, strong, athletic son of a miner in Birmingham and his adventures, mostly with a variety of women. It is vivid and striking in tone, although it rarely rises to the level of great literature, it is mostly plot-driven.
Abner is constantly impoverished, and does a variety of manual jobs to keep himself and whatever family he happens to be with alive. His fortunes wax and wane, but the plot consistently has him finding a woman and then losing her through one way or another. Life in the Midlands and Wales is difficult, it's a very hard life, and his luck changes for good or for bad.
With a plot-driven novel, it's difficult to write about without spoilers. There are some terrific and even beautiful descriptions of the countryside, and some of the episodes, most notably a walk back from a fair, that are quite poignant. There a lot of "classic" characters, from a drunk Irishman to the ill-tempered gameskeeper, that provide endless entertainment. The lot of a common laborer is difficult, even one with the charisma and strength of Abner.
I read this as one of JC Powys' selection of "modern books" that he had for a book tour in the United States in 1922, which consisted mostly of books that were popular at the time. There's a couple of mentions of a "Powys estate" in Wales, but it seems doubtful that the reference was to Powys. Some of the nature scenes are rather Powys-like, but he's clearly an inferior writer, although it's clear his popularity would have been evident.
I suppose I could recommend for someone interested in England at that particular time and place, but generally, if you were looking for a breather kind of book to thoroughly entertain you between more difficult fare, this would be a good place to go. There are fascinating descriptions of English football, fairs, mining, eating, drinking (lots of drinking), and culturally-interesting descriptions of farming, poaching, laying pipes, it's full of interest and detail. Books with strong protagonists are never dull, and Abner, a continually misunderstood Don Juan with a good heart, is wonderful to follow in his various adventures.
Abner is constantly impoverished, and does a variety of manual jobs to keep himself and whatever family he happens to be with alive. His fortunes wax and wane, but the plot consistently has him finding a woman and then losing her through one way or another. Life in the Midlands and Wales is difficult, it's a very hard life, and his luck changes for good or for bad.
With a plot-driven novel, it's difficult to write about without spoilers. There are some terrific and even beautiful descriptions of the countryside, and some of the episodes, most notably a walk back from a fair, that are quite poignant. There a lot of "classic" characters, from a drunk Irishman to the ill-tempered gameskeeper, that provide endless entertainment. The lot of a common laborer is difficult, even one with the charisma and strength of Abner.
I read this as one of JC Powys' selection of "modern books" that he had for a book tour in the United States in 1922, which consisted mostly of books that were popular at the time. There's a couple of mentions of a "Powys estate" in Wales, but it seems doubtful that the reference was to Powys. Some of the nature scenes are rather Powys-like, but he's clearly an inferior writer, although it's clear his popularity would have been evident.
I suppose I could recommend for someone interested in England at that particular time and place, but generally, if you were looking for a breather kind of book to thoroughly entertain you between more difficult fare, this would be a good place to go. There are fascinating descriptions of English football, fairs, mining, eating, drinking (lots of drinking), and culturally-interesting descriptions of farming, poaching, laying pipes, it's full of interest and detail. Books with strong protagonists are never dull, and Abner, a continually misunderstood Don Juan with a good heart, is wonderful to follow in his various adventures.
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April 6, 2021
Writing style*****
Readability *****
Plot ***
Satisfaction ***
Abner's mother dies at his birth so he grows up as the only child of his rough, drinking, coal mining father. When his father remarries, Abner's step mother is little older than himself.
One day there is a mining accident and Abner's father is removed to a hospital for six months. It falls to Abner to provide for the household.
On his father's return, assumptions and accusations are made with regard to Abner and his step mother and Abner leaves with the clothes on his back .
While Abner is never improper with his stepmother, it isnt due to any strong moral fiber on his part, and over the course of the next few years he makes one impulsive choice after another, putting his own reputation and that of others at risk. The reader sees it coming and isn't too surprised.
Over the course of time he's a miner, a footballer, a pipe layer, a poacher, a dairy farmer, he even clears farmland of stones when no other work is to be had. And like most men around him, he drinks too much.
After one disastrous evening at the local pub Abner is once again left breadwinner to another man's family with far reaching consequences.
The ending left me wanting closure.
Readability *****
Plot ***
Satisfaction ***
Abner's mother dies at his birth so he grows up as the only child of his rough, drinking, coal mining father. When his father remarries, Abner's step mother is little older than himself.
One day there is a mining accident and Abner's father is removed to a hospital for six months. It falls to Abner to provide for the household.
On his father's return, assumptions and accusations are made with regard to Abner and his step mother and Abner leaves with the clothes on his back .
While Abner is never improper with his stepmother, it isnt due to any strong moral fiber on his part, and over the course of the next few years he makes one impulsive choice after another, putting his own reputation and that of others at risk. The reader sees it coming and isn't too surprised.
Over the course of time he's a miner, a footballer, a pipe layer, a poacher, a dairy farmer, he even clears farmland of stones when no other work is to be had. And like most men around him, he drinks too much.
After one disastrous evening at the local pub Abner is once again left breadwinner to another man's family with far reaching consequences.
The ending left me wanting closure.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews