Famous British Short Story Writers
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Short stories are a form of literature which has heavily influenced visual forms of art such as cinema and television. Many screenwriters have even managed to weave successful screenplays based on such short stories. The compilation of short stories written by famous authors such as Anton Chekhov and Charles Dickens continue to woo the reader worldwide, even till date. Apart from the legendary Dickens, Joseph Conrad, Diana Athill, and Roald Dahl are some of the iconic short story writers produced by Great Britain. Roald Dahl became a world known figure through the various short stories he had written targeted for children. A few of his famous works include āCharlie and the Chocolate Factoryā, āThe Gremlinsā and āThe Witchesā. Although they were written many years ago, the stories of these great writers mesmerize the minds of many readers even today. Amongst the modern day writers, individuals like Craig Russell are continually creating waves in the world literary circuits through his works such as āBlood Eagleā, āBrother Grimmā and āThe Carnival Masterā. Here we bring you a collection of biographies of famous Briton short story writers. Explore this page to know more about their timelines, life stories, and interesting trivia & facts related to their lives.
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Birthdate: September 13, 1916
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales
Died: November 23, 1990
British writer, Roald Dahl, is considered as one of the greatest children’s authors. He is one of the best-selling authors of all-time and had a career spanning decades. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches, The Twits and Matilda are some of his classic works. He also wrote short stories and novels meant for adults.
Birthdate: May 22, 1859
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Scotland
Died: July 7, 1930
Physician-turned-author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is remembered for creating the iconic character Sherlock Holmes. He wrote four novels and 56 short stories on Holmes’s detective adventures and also created the characters Professor Challenger and Brigadier Gerard. A sports lover, he had dabbled in cricket, football, and bodybuilding, too.
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Joseph Conrad(Known for Short Stories and Novels Like Lord Jim, Heart of Darkness and the Secret Agent)
Birthdate: December 3, 1857
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Berdychiv, Ukraine
Died: August 3, 1924
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British writer. Considered one of the greatest English-language novelists of all time, Conrad is credited with bringing a non-English sensibility into English-language literature. Many of his works have inspired several films, TV series, and video games. His anti-heroic characters and narrative style have influenced many authors like Salman Rushdie, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T. S. Eliot.
Birthdate: May 28, 1908
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Mayfair, London
Died: August 12, 1964
Ian Fleming was a British writer, naval intelligence officer, and journalist. Fleming is credited with creating one of the most popular characters of all time, James Bond. His James Bond series of novels have sold more than 100 million copies, making them one of the best-selling fictional book series in history. Jamaica’s Ian Fleming International Airport is named after him.
Birthdate: December 30, 1865
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Mumbai, India
Died: January 18, 1936
English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist Rudyard Kipling is best remembered for his fiction work The Jungle Book. He was born in India and many of his works are inspired by his life in the country. He was one of the most popular English writers in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Birthdate: November 8, 1954
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Nagasaki, Japan
Nobel Prize-winning British-Asian author Sir Kazuo Ishiguro also won the Man Booker Prize for the novel The Remains of the Day. Time named his Never Let Me Go the best novel of 2005. He has also penned several screenplays and songs, and is known for his signature first-person narrative style.
Birthdate: December 18, 1870
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Sittwe, Myanmar (Burma)
Died: November 14, 1916
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Gilbert K. Chesterton(One of the Greatest Writers of the 20th Century Best Known as the 'Prince of Paradox')
Birthdate: May 29, 1874
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kensington, London, United Kingdom
Died: June 14, 1936
Gilbert K. Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, and art critic. A prolific writer, he composed around 80 books, hundreds of poems, around 200 short stories, and 4,000 essays. Often referred to as the "prince of paradox", he had as many detractors as he had admirers. He is considered a successor to Victorian authors like Matthew Arnold and John Ruskin.
Birthdate: October 15, 1881
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Guildford, England
Died: February 14, 1975
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Anne Perry
(Author of Historical Detective Fiction, Best Known for Her 'Thomas Pitt' and 'William Monk' Series)
Birthdate: October 28, 1938
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Blackheath, London, England
Juliet Hulme, better known as Anne Perry, is the bestselling author of the widely popular William Monk and Thomas Pitt series of novels. She changed her name after a 5-year sentence for killing her friend’s mother at age 15. She has also worked as a flight attendant.
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Agatha Christie(English Author Known for Her Detective Novels and Short Stories)
Birthdate: September 15, 1890
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Torquay, Devon, England
Died: January 12, 1976
Even after four decades after her death, Agatha Christie remains an influential figure in the world of literature and entertainment as most of her books continue to serve as inspiration to films, TV series, and video games. With over two billion copies of her novels sold, she holds the Guinness World Records for best-selling fiction writer of all time.
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China MiƩville(Speculative Fiction & Fantasy Author Known for Her Work 'Perdido Street Station')
Birthdate: September 6, 1972
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Norwich, England
Birthdate: February 24, 1947
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cheshire, England, UK
Birthdate: September 29, 1810
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chelsea, England
Died: November 12, 1865
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Angela Carter(Author of 'The Bloody Chamber' and 'Nights at the Circus')
Birthdate: May 7, 1940
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Eastbourne, England
Died: February 16, 1992
Birthdate: June 13, 1893
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: December 17, 1957
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Jean Rhys
(British Novelist Best Known for Her Novel 'Wide Sargasso Sea')
Birthdate: August 24, 1890
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Roseau, Dominica
Died: May 14, 1979
Born in Dominica, to a Welsh father and a Creole mother, Jean Rhys grew up to be a celebrated author. She soared to fame with her novel Wide Sargasso Sea, which was inspired by the tale of Jane Eyre’s “madwoman in the attic.” She died before completing her memoir.
Birthdate: June 30, 1908
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Victoria Park, Manchester, England
Died: July 10, 2003
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Elizabeth Bowen
(Novelist)
Birthdate: June 7, 1899
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: February 22, 1973
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P. L. Travers(Best Known as the Author of 'Mary Poppins' Series of Books)
Birthdate: August 9, 1899
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Maryborough, Australia
Died: April 23, 1996
Australian-British author and Shakespearean actor Pamela Lyndon Travers, known by her pseudonym, P. L. Travers, soared to fame with her Mary Poppins series of children's books. Disney later bought the rights to her Mary Poppins series and released a film version. It was later made into a Broadway play, too.
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Martin Amis
(Novelist, Science fiction writer, Short story writer, University teacher, Memoirist, Writer, Screenwriter)
Birthdate: August 25, 1949
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cardiff
Martin Amis is a British novelist, memoirist, screenwriter, and essayist whose memoir, Experience, earned him the prestigious James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2000. Martin Amis' works have influenced several other British novelists like Zadie Smith and Will Self. In 2008, he was mentioned in The Times' list of 50 greatest British writers since 1945.
Birthdate: December 20, 1951
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: York, England
Birthdate: January 25, 1874
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: December 15, 1965
Birthdate: March 7, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Accra, Gold Coast (British colony) Gold Coast
Birthdate: September 17, 1916
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Sunderland, England
Died: May 9, 2014
Birthdate: August 12, 1880
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Died: October 7, 1943
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Brian Wilson Aldiss
(Writer)
Birthdate: August 18, 1925
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dereham, England
Died: August 19, 2017
Brian Wilson Aldiss was an English anthology editor and writer whose short story Supertoys Last All Summer Long formed the basis for Spielberg's science-fiction movie A.I. Artificial Intelligence. In 2004, Aldiss was inducted into thee Science Fiction Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of two Hugo Awards, one John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and one Nebula Award.
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George Gissing
(British Novelist Best Known for His Works: 'The Nether World', 'New Grub Street' and 'The Odd Women')
Birthdate: November 22, 1857
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wakefield, England
Died: December 28, 1903
English novelist George Gissing is known for the way he showcased the realism of the lower-middle class in his works such as The Nether World. In spite of being a brilliant student, he was expelled from Owens College for theft. He specialized in the literary study of Charles Dickens and his works.
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Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany
(Dramatist)
Birthdate: July 24, 1878
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: London, England
Died: October 25, 1957
Edward Plunkett was a talented Irish author, known for his fantasy novels such as The King of Elfland's Daughter. Initially educated at Eton and then at Sandhurst, he had also been part of the British Army in World War I. He also designed chess puzzles and was a keen hunter.
Birthdate: May 16, 1905
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rushden, England
Died: January 29, 1974
Birthdate: May 24, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Mitchelstown, Ireland
Died: November 20, 2016
Birthdate: September 8, 1863
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England
Died: September 1, 1943
Birthdate: April 25, 1873
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Charlton, London Charlton, Kent, England, UK
Died: June 22, 1956
Birthdate: December 30, 1895
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Whittlesey, England
Died: December 13, 1972
Birthdate: September 16, 1880
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Wolverhampton
Died: June 28, 1958
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E.F. Benson
(British Writer and Archaeologist Best Known for His Collection of Novels 'Mapp and Lucia')
Birthdate: July 24, 1867
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wellington College, Berkshire, England
Died: February 29, 1940
Chiefly known as a novelist, biographer, and memoirist, Edward Frederic Benson began his career with the British School of Archaeology in Athens, publishing his first successful novel, Dodo: A Detail of the Day, during this period. Its popularity encouraged him to continue publishing, the most significant works among them being Mapp and Lucia series, and the biography of Queen Victoria.
Birthdate: March 4, 1928
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Nottingham, England
Died: April 25, 2010
Birthdate: March 9, 1892
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brighton, England
Died: February 17, 1981
Birthdate: August 2, 1943
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: London, England
Birthdate: March 17, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cairo, Egypt
Birthdate: May 4, 1949
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Birthdate: August 2, 1867
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Lee, England
Died: February 23, 1900
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Baroness Orczy
(British Novelist and Playwright Best Known for Her Series of Novels Featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel)
Birthdate: September 23, 1865
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Tarnaƶrs, Heves County, Hungary
Died: November 12, 1947
Best known for her historical novel The Scarlet Pimpernel, Hungarian-British novelist Emma Orczy was the only child of noted composer Baron Felix Orczy. While she initially studied art, she later took to writing. Apart from the Pimpernel sequels, she also penned several collections of detective stories, such as Lady Molly of Scotland Yard.
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Anna Kavan
(British Novelist and Short Story Writer)
Birthdate: April 10, 1901
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cannes, France
Died: December 5, 1968
Author Helen Ferguson gained fame as Anna Kavan later, a name she had taken up as her legal identity and not as a pseudonym. Known for her works such as I Am Lazarus, she was engulfed by mental disorders and drug addiction and had even attempted suicide multiple times.
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Marina Warner
(Writer, Educator)
Birthdate: November 9, 1946
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Paddington, Middlesex, England
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Eliza Haywood
(British author)
Birthdate: 1693 AD
Birthplace: England
Died: February 25, 1756
Birthdate: December 10, 1984
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ibadan, Nigeria
Birthdate: May 14, 1853
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Runcorn, United Kingdom
Died: August 31, 1931
Birthdate: August 11, 1913
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bexhill, England
Died: May 31, 1991
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Jon McGregor
(Novelist and short story writer)
Birthdate: 1976 AD
Birthplace: Bermuda