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William Golding's Birth/Childhood
William Golding was born on September 19, 1911, in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. He was raised in a 14th-century house next door to a graveyard. -
William's Early Works
William's father hoped he would become a scientist, but he later opted to study English literature instead. In 1934, a year before he graduated, William published his first work, a book of poetry aptly entitled Poems. -
William's Family
William got married to his wife, Ann Brookfield. The couple had married in 1939 and had two children, David (b. 1940) and Judith (b. 1945). -
William In WWII
In 1940 Golding temporarily abandoned the profession to join the Royal Navy and fight in World War II. After this experience, he claimed that he learned, "man produces evil as a bee produces honey." -
Publishing 'Lord of the Flies'
After 21 failed attempts, William finally managed to publish his first novel, titled 'Lord of the Flies.' Golding combined that perception of humanity with his years of experience with schoolboys while writing this novel. Eventually in 1983 this book even won him the Nobel Prize for literature -
William's Death
On June 19, 1993, Golding died of a heart attack. His death was in Perranarworthal, Cornwall.