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Early Life
Golding was born in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. He attempted to write a novel at the age 12, however, unsuccessfully. He attended Brasenose College at Oxford University. -
First Work Published
Golding published his first book of poetry entitled "Poems". The collection was largely overlooked by critics. -
Teaching
After college, Golding worked in settlement houses and the theater for a while. Golding took a position teaching English and Philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth's school in Salisbury. Golding's experience was an inspiration for Lord of the Flies. -
Royal Navy
Golding joined the Royal Navy to fight in WW2. he spent 6 years on a boat. He also developed a lifelong romance with sailing and the sea. During WW2, he fought battleships and fended off submarines and planes. -
Lord of the Flies
After 21 rejections, Golding published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies. It was a story of a group of boys stranded on a deserted island after a plane wreck. This novel explored the savage side of human nature. The book was made into a film and Golding was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature. -
Death and Legacy
Golding spent the last few years of his life quietly living with his wife, Ann Brookfield. Golding died of a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. After he passed away, his completed manuscript for "The Double Tongue was published posthumously.
