A man of eclectic tastes, Wolf Mankowitz came to prominence as an author in the 1950s but many felt he failed to fully capitalize on his potential. The second son of an immigrant Russian Jew, he was raised in London's East End and attended the University of Cambridge on scholarship. After graduating, Mankowitz became a lecturer, magazine editor and owner of an antiques shop. He later came to be recognized as an expert in Wedgwood and published several monographs and encyclopedia about pottery and porcelain. With the publication of his first novel "Make Me an Offer" in 1952, he drew on his