Nicholas Andrew Selwyn LezardThe Cambridge University List of Members up to 31 December 1991, Cambridge University Press, p. 814 is an English journalist, author and

literary critic Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. Th ...

Background and education

The Lezard family went from London to Kimberley, Northern Cape, South Africa, in the 1800s. Nicholas Lezard's great-grandfather, Louis Flavien Lezard (1877–1960), of

Hallam Street Hallam Street is a road situated in the Parish of St Marylebone and London's West End. In administrative terms it lies within the City of Westminster's Marylebone High Street Ward as well as the Harley Street Conservation Area. Formerly name ...

in central London, became a noted solicitor (senior partner, Lezard, Robins and Edmeades) and local figure in the country, serving as chairman and president of several Kimberley institutions. Louis's eldest son, Julien (1902–1958) – the third son, Squadron Leader Selwyn Edward Lezard (1908–1974), R.A.F.V.R., being Nicholas Lezard's grandfather – was a Cambridge-educated barrister and noted society figure and gambler, who served in the

Special Operations Executive The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a secret British World War II organisation. It was officially formed on 22 July 1940 under Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton, from the amalgamation of three existing secret organisations. Its p ...

alongside

Xan Fielding Alexander Wallace Fielding (26 November 1918 – 19 August 1991) was a British author, translator, journalist and traveller, who served as a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent in Crete, France and the East Asia during World War II. The pu ...

. Julien Lezard married Hilda, daughter of Sir Daniel Cooper, 2nd Baronet; she was the widow of Thomas Uchter Caulfield Knox, Viscount Northland, son of

Uchter Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly Uchter John Mark Knox, 5th Earl of Ranfurly (14 August 1856 – 1 October 1933), was a British politician and colonial governor. He was Governor of New Zealand from 1897 to 1904. Early life Lord Ranfurly was born into an Ulster-Scots aristocrat ...

, and of Geoffrey Edward Mills, son of

Charles Mills, 1st Baron Hillingdon Charles Henry Mills, 1st Baron Hillingdon (26 April 1830 – 3 April 1898), known from 1872 to 1886 as Sir Charles Mills, 2nd Baronet, was a British banker and Conservative politician. Hillingdon was the only son of Sir Charles Mills, 1st Barone ...

. He was educated at The Hall School, Hampstead, Westminster School, and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

(BA 1984, MA 1990).

Career

He has a weekly column, 'Nicholas Lezard's choice', reviewing paperback books for '' The Guardian''. He also writes for '' The Independent'', and contributes the 'Down and Out' column for the '' New Statesman''. His book ''The Nolympics: One Man's Struggle Against Sporting Hysteria'' was published in 2012 by Penguin Books. Lezard's memoir, ''Bitter Experience Has Taught Me'', about his life after a marriage ended, was published in 2013.

References

External links

*
Nicholas Lezard
at

journalisted The Media Standards Trust is a British media think tank formed in 2006. It carries out research on issues in the media sector. It also advocates for press freedom as well as industry quality, transparency and accountability. It is a registered char ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lezard, Nicholas Year of birth missing (living people) Living people English male journalists English literary critics The Guardian journalists The Independent people New Statesman people People educated at The Hall School, Hampstead People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge