Saki is the pen name of British writer and playwright Hector Hugh Munro (1870-1916). Munro was considered a master of the short story and was famous for his witty, sardonic stories that were strewn with black humor. He was born in British Burma to the Inspector General of the Indian Imperial Police and sent to England when he was only two years old after his mother tragically died in an accident. In his twenties, Saki began his career in journalism, writing for the Daily Express, the Morning Post, and other newspapers. His critical, satirical writing often ridiculed contemporary Edwardian society. In 1902, Munro served as the Morning Post’s correspondent in Russia, in the Balkans, and in Paris for a period of four years. That was when his first short story collections were published. At 44, although officially overage to enlist, Munro volunteered to serve in the 22nd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers during World War I. Only one month later, in November 1916, he was shot to death in France by a German sniper.