Saki (September 1871 – 13 November 1916), born Hector Hugh Munro, was an English author of short stories and plays. He is widely considered to be among the masters of the form due to his great wit, satire, and skill for the craft of writing. Saki was born in Akyab, Burma, to Charles Augustus Munro, an Inspector General in the police force in British-administered Burma, and Mary Frances Munro. He was educated at Pencarreg, Wales and Cheltenham College in Gloucestershire, and served briefly in the British Army in South Africa during the Second Boer War. He began his writing career as a journalist, writing for papers such as the Westminster Gazette, the St. James's Gazette, and the Morning Post. His writing style was highly acclaimed and his satire insightful; his stories featured unreliable narrators looking to cause turmoil and mischief. He was widely known for his much-acclaimed work such as “The Open Window” and “The Toys of Peace”. His other works include the novels The Unbearable Bassington (1912), and When William Came (1913). On 13 November 1916, at the age of 45, Saki passed away from a gunshot wound sustained while serving in the British Army during the First World War. He died in Fricourt, Somme, France. Saki's influence on literature is still felt to this day. He will be remembered for his sharp humor and acerbic wit, and for his skill as a wordsmith.