Patrick Skene Catling
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Patrick Skene Catling | |
|---|---|
 Catling in 2014 | |
| Born | 14 February 1925 London, England |
| Died | 9 January 2026 (aged 100) Bantry, County Cork, Ireland |
| Occupation | Writer, journalist, book reviewer |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Oberlin College |
| Spouse | Susan Barnes Watson (1949–1960) Diane Wheeler Nicholson (1964–1984) |
| Children | Charlotte Skene-Catling and 3 others |
Patrick Skene Catling (14 February 1925 – 9 January 2026) was a British journalist, author and book reviewer, best known for writing The Chocolate Touch in 1952.[1] He wrote 12 novels, three works of non-fiction and nine books for children.
Catling was born in London, England on 14 February 1925.[2] He was schooled there, before attending Oberlin College in the United States. Catling served in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a navigator and as a journalist at The Baltimore Sun[3] and The Manchester Guardian.
He travelled extensively. Catling continued writing books in his later years, and provided reviews for The Spectator, The Telegraph, and other publications.[4][5] He later lived in Reenacoppul in the Republic of Ireland.[1] Catling died in Bantry, County Cork, Ireland on 9 January 2026, at the age of 100.[6]
Career
His first publication of The Chocolate Touch in 1952 received enthusiastic responses from several reviewers. Catling has since written dozens of books, and has developed the popular The Chocolate Touch character John Midas into the children's book series: John Midas in the Dreamtime (1986), John Midas and the Vampires (1994), John Midas and the Radio Touch (1994), and John Midas and the Rock Star (1995). Of John Midas in the Dreamtime, School Library Journal wrote, "...children who have been dragged around tourist sights will relate to John's boredom".[7]
