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Writers Directory

This unique, searchable database contains profiles of some of the UK and Commonwealth's most important living writers, as well as writers from these regions with whom we have worked. Included in the profiles are biographies, bibliographies, critical reviews and information about awards.

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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

International Literature Showcase: emerging UK writers

Good writing knows no borders. Poet, writer, and academic Kei Miller will introduce his selection of ten unmissable emerging writers based in the UK on 19 June.

British Council at the Online Book Fair 2021

Join us for three free literature events live on 30 June

What We're Reading Welsh Literature Edition

By Rochelle Saunders

Inspired by our recent British Council Literature Seminar on Welsh writing, this month's What We're Reading is dedicated to Welsh Literature. We asked Elena Schmitz (Head of Programmes, Literature Wales, and member of the British Council’s Arts and Creative Economy Advisory Group) to join us.

Hay Festival Digital 2021

The British Council is delighted to support a specially selected programme of events at the 2021 Hay Festival.

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