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Birth
Born in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. He was raised in a 14th-century house next door to a graveyard. His mother, Mildred, was an active suffragette who fought for women’s right to vote. His father, Alex, worked as a schoolmaster. -
Learn from your first failure.
When William was just 12 years old, he attempted, unsuccessfully, to write a novel. I am not sure of the exact day or month, but I do know the year was 1923 since he was 12 years old. -
First poetry success.
Before graduating, William published his first work, a book of poetry aptly entitled Poems. The collection was largely overlooked by critics. (Again, I do not recall the exact month and day.) -
One step at a time... There's no need to rush.
Golding took a position teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. Golding’s experience teaching unruly young boys would later serve as inspiration for his novel Lord of the Flies. -
Make sacrifices!
Golding truly admired his teaching career, but he temporarily abandoned the profession to join the Royal Navy and fight in World War II. -
Back off to teaching!
After the WW2, he had continued his teaching and writing career. He is now doing what he adores again... -
Keep trying, you'll get better.
He'd been through 21 rejections, but finally Golding published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies. -
Retirement
He retired from teaching! -
Lights, camera, action!
After Golding retired from teaching, Peter Brook made a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel: Lord of the Flies. -
Most successful novels.
Among the most successful novels of Golding’s writing career were Rites of Passage (winner of the Booker McConnell Prize), Pincher Martin, Free Fall and The Pyramid. -
Nobel Prize Winner!
Two decades later, at the age of 73, Golding was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature. -
Royalty is Everything.
Golding was knighted by England’s Queen Elizabeth II. -
New and improved!
A new film version of the Lord of the Flies was released, bringing the book to the attention of a new generation of readers. -
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The end of the road...
Golding spent the last few years of his life quietly living with his wife, Ann Brookfield, at their house near Falmouth, Cornwall, where he continued to toil at his writing. On June 19, 1993, Golding died of a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. He was survived by his wife and their two children, David and Judith. After Golding passed away, his completed manuscript for The Double Tongue was published posthumously.
