12 Facts About David Daiches

David Daiches was a Scottish literary historian and literary critic, scholar and writer.

David Daiches wrote extensively on English literature, Scottish literature and Scottish culture.

David Daiches moved to Edinburgh while still a young child, about the end of the First World War, where his father, Rev Dr Salis Daiches was rabbi to Edinburgh's Jewish community, and founder of the city's branch of B'nai Brith.

David Daiches studied at George Watson's College and won a scholarship to the University of Edinburgh where he won the Elliot prize.

David Daiches went to Oxford where he became the Elton exhibitioner, and was elected Fellow of Balliol College in 1936.

David Daiches's brother was the prominent Edinburgh QC Lionel Henry Daiches.

David Daiches' first published work was The Place of Meaning in Poetry, published in 1935.

David Daiches was a prolific writer, producing works on English literature, Scottish literature, literary history and criticism as well as the broader role of literature in society and culture.

David Daiches wrote two autobiographical volumes, books on Scotch whisky, the King James Bible, and the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, a biography of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and a volume of poetry.

David Daiches taught or held visiting posts at Balliol College, the University of Chicago, Cornell University, Jesus College, Cambridge, Indiana University, the University of Minnesota, McMaster University in Canada, Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and the University of California; besides setting up the English Department at the newly founded University of Sussex.

David Daiches chaired the panel of judges for the Booker Prize in 1980 and was president of the Saltire Society from 1982 to 1986.

David Daiches was appointed CBE in the 1991 Birthday Honours.