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Writers Directory

This database was created to provide a snapshot of contemporary British Literature, offering unique critical perspectives of the work of some of the writers living and working in the UK today. Our website is currently under review and as a result we are not updating the database or adding new entries at this time.  Please check our blog pages for updates on our current Literature programmes. 

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Writers directory

Leila Aboulela
Leila Aboulela

Leila Aboulela was born in 1964 in Cairo and grew up in Khartoum.She studied for a degree in Economi...

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Ackroyd Peter new photo c Charles Hopkinson
Peter Ackroyd

Novelist, biographer and poet Peter Ackroyd was born in London on 5 October 1949.He graduated from C...

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Adcock Caroline Forbes
Fleur Adcock

Poet Fleur Adcock was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 10 February 1934, but spent much of her chil...

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JohnAgard
John Agard

Playwright, poet, short story and children's writer John Agard was born on 21 June 1949 in British G...

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Patience Agbabi c Lyndon Douglas
Patience Agbabi

Patience Agbabi is a poet, performer and workshop facilitator.She was born in London in 1965 to Nige...

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Iqbal Ahmed

Iqbal Ahmed was born in Kashmir in 1968 and has lived in London since 1994. His  books have been cho...

Naomi Alderman credit Justine Stoddard web
Naomi Alderman

Naomi Alderman was born in London in 1974 and grew up in an Orthodox Jewish community.  After attain...

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Ali Tariq credit Nina Subin high res
Tariq Ali

Writer, journalist and film-maker Tariq Ali was born in Lahore in 1943. He was educated at Oxford Un...

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Monica ali
Monica Ali

Monica Ali is the daughter of English and Bangladeshi parents. She came to England aged three, her f...

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Allnutt Sarah Banks
Gillian Allnutt

Gillian Allnutt was born on 15 January 1949 in London, but spent much of her childhood in Newcastle ...

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David Almond
David Almond

David Almond was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1951 and grew up in the small mining town of Felling...

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20999 bgr moniza creidt 220x500
Moniza Alvi

Moniza Alvi was born in Lahore, Pakistan, and came to England when she was a few months old. She gre...

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Amis Martin Credit Tom Craig at Bill Charles agency
Martin Amis

Martin Amis was born in Oxford in 1949, the son of the writer Kingsley Amis.He was educated at schoo...

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tahmima anam web
Tahmima Anam

Tahmima Anam is the author of the Bengal Trilogy, which chronicles three generations of the Haque fa...

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Anita Anand cSuki Dhanda web
Anita Anand

Broadcaster, journalist and biographer Anita Anand was born in 1972 and educated at King’s College, ...

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Rachel Anderson selfie
Rachel Anderson

Rachel Anderson was born in 1943 and worked for 20 years for BBC Radio, newspapers and magazines as ...

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raymondantrobus creditcalebfemi preferred
Raymond Antrobus

Raymond Antrobus is a British-Jamaican poet, editor and educator. He was born in Hackney, London, to...

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PhilipArdagh c Dominic Turner
Philip Ardagh

Philip Ardagh is a prolific writer of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction. He was born in 1...

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Simon Armitage credit Paul Wolfgang Webster website
Simon Armitage

Poet and novelist Simon Armitage was born in 1963 in Huddersfield, England.After studying Geography ...

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Jake Arnott c Cristian Barnett
Jake Arnott

Jake Arnott was born in Buckinghamshire, England in 1961.His novel, The Long Firm, the story of the ...

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From Our Blog

Hay Festival 2023

Hay Festival is back, and from 25 May to 4 June, we’ll be there supporting a selected programme of events on the topic of equity and featuring up-and-coming writers from the UK and around the world.

Sub-Saharan Africa Literature and Publishing Sector Report

The British Council has commissioned a scoping report into the trade publishing and literature sectors in nine countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in which it operates.

British Council Literature Seminar

Bernardine Evaristo chairs the 38th British Council Literature Seminar in Berlin from 16-18 March.

Announcing The Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award shortlist

The British Council is partnering with the Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award for the sixth year.

View all blog posts

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