British literature since 1950

George Orwell dies

Jan 21, 1950

An English novelist and journalist. His work is marked by keen intelligence and wit, a profound awareness of social injustice, an intense, revolutionary opposition to totalitarianism, a passion for clarity in language and a belief in democratic socialism.

Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings

Mar 10, 1954

Three volumes published (1954–1955)

"The Less Deceived" Philip Larkin

Mar 2, 1955

(9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985) Philip Larkin.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest English poets of the latter half of the twentieth century, made famous by the publication of his second collection of poems in 1955 "The Less Deceived".
Also the TIME magazine "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945 to 2008."

Anthony Burgess "A Clockwork Orange"

Mar 2, 1962

Prometheus Award (Hall of Fame Award),
chosen by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.

Roald Dahl "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

Mar 2, 1963

He rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's bestselling authors. His short stories are known for their unexpected endings, and his children's books for their unsentimental, often very dark humour.

Penelope Fitzgerald - Offshore. Wins the Booker prize

Oct 5, 1979

One of the most distinctive and elegant voices in contemporary British fiction. Her novels, spare, immaculate masterpieces (few of them exceed 200 pages), divide into two sections; an earlier group loosely based on her own experiences, and a later group, in which she moves to other countries and periods.

Terry Pratchett "The Colour of Magic"

Mar 2, 1983

Terry Pratchett was UK bestselling author of the 90's, currently the second most-read writer in the UK.
First novel of the Discworld novel in 1983.

William Golding wins the Nobel Prize for Literature for "Lord of the Flies"

Mar 2, 1983

19 September 1911 – 19 June 1993
Golding won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1979
the Booker Prize in 1980
and in 1983 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for "Lord of the Flies".

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Mar 2, 1997

Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The central story arc concerns Harry's struggle against the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry's parents in his quest to conquer the wizarding world and subjugate non-magical people.

Ian McEwan won the Booker Prize for the novel "Amsterdam"

Mar 2, 1998

In 2008, The Times named McEwan among their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

Nigella Lawson named The Author of the Year

Mar 2, 2001

"How To Be a Domestic Goddess ..." won the title of Author of the Year at the British Book Awards.

Alice Oswald wins the T. S. Eliot Prize for "Dart"

Mar 2, 2002

1966 - ... Alice Oswald - In 2002 won the T. S. Eliot Prize for her collection of poems called "Dart". Shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize in 1997 and 2005.

The Times magazine chanfes format in order to appeal to younger readers

Mar 2, 2004

The Times is a daily national newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785, when it was known as The Daily Universal Register.
The newspaper was printed in broadsheet format for 219 years, but switched to compact size in 2004 partly in an attempt to appeal to younger readers and partly to appeal to commuters using public transport.

David Beckham publishes "My Side"

Mar 2, 2004

The Fastest Selling Biography of All Time - "My Side" David Beckham.

Sharon Osbourne's autobiography wins Biography of the year

Mar 2, 2006

Sharon Osbourne's autobiography won Biography of the year at the British Book Awards.

J K Rowling receives The Lifetime Achievement Award

Mar 2, 2008

J K Rowling receives The Lifetime Achievement Award for Potters

"Wolf Hall" Hilary Mantel

Mar 2, 2009

The most popular Man Booker winner since records began by Hilary Mantel.

The Great Book of British Useless Information: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Britain

Oct 5, 2009

Which king ordered everyone to bed at 8pm? - How many Pot Noddles are sold every second in Great Britain? - How much does the hammer of Big Ben's bell weigh? Answers to these and a lot more.