In spite of these weaknesses--and in spite of his novels' dependence on coincidence and contrivance--Hailey has obviously provided the mass-market audience with what they sought for more than twenty years.
Born in Luton, England, of working-class parents, George and Elsie Wright Hailey, Hailey left school when he was fourteen. Although he had demonstrated a love of reading and an interest in writing that had been encouraged by one of his teachers, he was unable to pursue further studies because of financial need. During World War II Hailey served as an airman in the RAF. A tendency to airsickness hampered him, but he achieved the rank of sergeant-pilot and was commissioned shortly after being transferred to Canada in 1943. He received the RAF Air Efficiency Award and ended his military career as an Air Ministry Staff officer. In 1944 he married Joan Fishwick; they had three children before they were divorced in 1950. While Hailey was still flying for the air force, he sold his first story, a brief tale of an English pilot's self-sacrificing heroism; his continuing fascination with aviation is evident in his later writing.
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