Philip Malcolm Waller Thody (21 March 1928 – 15 June 1999) was an English scholar of French literature who was Professor of French Literature at the University of Leeds from 1965 until 1993.[1]

Early life and education

Thody was born in Lincoln in 1928 and educated locally. After national service in the RAF, he read French at King's College London and subsequently lived in Paris for three years, writing a thesis on 'The Vogue of the American Novel in France since 1944', including a year as a lecteur at the Sorbonne.[2]

Academic career

In 1956 Thody was appointed Assistant Lecturer, later Lecturer, at Queen's University Belfast. In 1965 he was appointed Professor of French Literature at the University of Leeds where he remained until his retirement in 1993. He translated and edited work by Albert Camus and Lucien Goldmann, and wrote book-length studies of writers including Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Genet, Marcel Proust, Aldous Huxley and Roland Barthes.

Thody launched a "total immersion language course" in French for the Civil Service College in 1972. In 25 years, 700 senior civil servants attended it. Thody was also a member of the civil service final selection panel.

In 1982, he wrote the Thody Report, on improving Diplomatic Service language training.

Personal life

In 1954 he married Joy Woodin. They had two sons and two daughters.

Death

Thody died in Leeds on 15 June 1999, aged 71. He was survived by his wife and children.[1]

Selected publications

References

  1. ^ a b Howard Evans (21 June 1999). "Obituary: Professor Philip Thody". The Independent.
  2. ^ The Guardian, obituary by David Coward, published 22 June 1999
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