THE remarkable life of the Yorkshire-born author of Lassie Come Home will be the subject of a presentation next month.

Malton-born Greg Christie will speak about the life of Eric Knight, now known only for being the author of the original Lassie Come Home novel – but the rest of his extraordinary life and works have been forgotten.

He was born into relative affluence but descended into poverty after being abandoned as a child. As an adult, he emigrated to America to become a successful writer of mainly Yorkshire-themed works. Among his many literary achievements was his early contribution of Yorkshire hero Sam Small to the superhero genre, long before Batman and Superman.

After finding fame in America, when war broke out he returned to the UK attached to the US Office of Strategic Services. Widely believed to be operating as a spy, he died in a mysterious plane crash in 1943.

Mr Christie has written Knight: Yorkshireman, Storyteller, Spy, an entertaining account of the many-faceted Eric Knight and the twists and turns of his life. After unexpectedly losing his sight, Greg studied writing in York and won a Churchill Fellowship to the US where he lectured on Knight.

Copies of Knight: Yorkshireman, Storyteller, Spy and Lassie Come Home are available to borrow at Filey library. Those interested in the life of Eric Knight can find out more online using their library card to access the Dictionary of National Biography free on the North Yorkshire Libraries website, https://capitadiscovery.co.uk/northyorkshire/.

Knight: Yorkshireman, Storyteller, Spy is at 6pm on September 27 at Filey library. Tickets cost £2. To book, contact Filey library on 01609-536608 or at filey.library@northyorks.gov.uk.