John Gloag

John Gloag (10 August 1896 - 17 July 1981) was an English writer in the fields of furniture design and architecture. Gloag also wrote science fiction novels. Gloag served with the Welsh Guards during the First World War, and was invalided home after suffering gas poisoning.

Artifex, or the Future of Craftsmanship (1926), part of the To-day and To-morrow series, was a pamphlet by Gloag that discussed the relationship between artistic craftmanship and mass production.

Gloag's A Short Dictionary of Furniture (1969) was a reference book covering the history and types of furniture from the tenth century to the 1960s.

Gloag's first science fiction novel, Tomorrow's Yesterday, (1932) was inspired by the work of H.G. Wells and Gloag's friend Olaf Stapledon.Tomorrow's Yesterday is a satire that depicts a race of cat people from the distant future observing human society.In The New Pleasure (1933) a powder that greatly increases the sense of smell causes a social upheaval. Winter's Youth (1934) revolves around a longevity technology, which falls into the hands of a corrupt politician, with disastrous social consequences. In Manna (1940) a journalist discovers a plan to develop a fungus that could end world hunger. 99% (1944) is about an experiment to give humans access to their race memory.

Later in his career Gloag wrote historical fantasy novels; Caesar of the Narrow Seas (1969), The Eagles Depart (1973) and Artorius Rex (1977).Artorius Rex

focuses on King Arthur and Sir Kay.

Novels

• Tomorrow's Yesterday (1932)
• The New Pleasure (1933)
• Winter's Youth (1934)
• Sweet Racket (1936)
• Ripe for Development (1936)
• Sacred Edifice (1937, revised 1954)
• Documents Marked Secret (1938)
• Unwilling Adventurer (1940)
• Manna (1940)
• I Want An Audience (1941)
• Mr. Buckby is Not at Home (1942)
• 99% (1944)
• In Camera (1945)
• Kind Uncle Buckby (1946)
• All England At Home (1949)
• Not in the Newspapers (1953)
• Slow (1954)
• Unlawful Justice (1962)
• Rising Suns (1964)
• Caesar of the Narrow Seas (1969)
• The Eagles Depart (1973)
• Artorius Rex (1977)

Short Stories

• It Makes a Nice Change (1938)
• First One and Twenty (1946)
• Take One a Week: An Omnibus of Volume of 52 Short Stories (1950)

• Artifex, or the Future of Craftsmanship. 1926.
• A Short Dictionary of Furniture. 1969.
• Guide to Furniture Styles English and French 1450 to 1850. London: A & C Black. ISBN 0713612673