J.B. Priestley: Born in Bradford, he was educated there and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. His reputation as a dramatist was established by Dangerous Corner, Time and the Conways & other plays on space-time themes, as well as popular comedies such as Laburnum Grove & his psychological mystery, An Inspector Calls. Best known as a writer of novels, Priestley was also master of the essay form. He was an astute, original and controversial commentator on contemporary society.