Explore the lives, careers, books, achievements and personal stories of notable writers, authors, poets and literary figures.
George Orwell was an English novelist, essayist, journalist and political writer whose work became central to modern discussions of power, propaganda, poverty and political freedom. Born Eric Arthur Blair in British India in 1903, he spent much of his life examining the gap between political ideals and lived reality. His experiences in Burma, among Britain’s … Read more
R. K. Narayan was an Indian novelist, short-story writer and essayist who became one of the leading voices of Indian literature in English. His fiction brought ordinary Indian life to international readers through humour, irony and close observation. Much of his work centred on Malgudi, his fictional South Indian town and one of the most … Read more
Cyprian Ekwensi was a Nigerian novelist, short-story writer, pharmacist and broadcaster who helped bring Nigerian fiction to a wider international readership. Born in Minna in 1921, he grew up across different parts of colonial Nigeria and drew from those experiences throughout his literary career. Ekwensi became known for writing about ordinary people living through social … Read more
Charles Dickens was an English novelist, journalist and social critic whose books became some of the most influential works of nineteenth-century literature. Born in Portsmouth in 1812, he rose from a difficult childhood to become one of the most famous writers of the Victorian age. Dickens created memorable characters such as Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, … Read more
