Benjamin Myers

Benjamin Myers, born in January 1976, is an English writer and journalist who grew up in County Durham. His early life involved skateboarding and forming a punk rock band, Sour Face, which became involved in the local hardcore punk scene. Myers began his writing career as a teenager, contributing to Melody Maker and later becoming a staff writer. He pursued higher education at the University of Bedfordshire after facing initial academic rejections.

Myers' journalistic work has appeared in numerous publications covering literature, music, and the arts. His literary output spans various genres, including literary fiction, nature writing, crime, historical fiction, and poetry. Several of his books have been translated into multiple languages, and he is a co-founder of the literary collective The Brutalists. His novels have garnered significant attention, with adaptations and awards recognizing their merit. Myers currently resides in the Calder Valley with his wife, author Adelle Stripe.

Benjamin Myers' literary output is characterized by its broad scope, encompassing fiction, nature writing, crime, historical narratives, and poetry. His novels have explored diverse settings and subjects, from the traveller communities of Northeast England in 'Pig Iron' to the historical Cragg Vale Coiners in 'The Gallows Pole.' The latter, a historical fiction, received critical acclaim and awards, including the Walter Scott Prize, and was adapted for television. Myers' work often delves into regional narratives and historical events, demonstrating a keen interest in the landscape and people of Britain. His novel 'The Offing' was a commercial and critical success, chosen as a book of the year by The Times and adapted for stage and film. 'Cuddy,' his eighth novel, intricately weaves poetry, prose, and historical accounts related to St. Cuthbert and Durham Cathedral, earning him the prestigious Goldsmiths Prize for its "remarkable range, virtuosity and creative daring."

Myers' career in journalism began at a young age, contributing to the weekly music publication Melody Maker while still a teenager. He later became a staff writer for the magazine. His journalistic endeavors have seen him write for a wide array of publications, including The Guardian, New Statesman, Mojo, and New Scientist, covering topics from literature and music to broader arts and culture. This background in journalism appears to inform his approach to research and storytelling in his fiction. His early immersion in the punk rock scene and its associated subcultures, as evidenced by his band Sour Face and early writing for music magazines, likely influenced his stylistic choices and thematic interests in his later literary works.

Throughout his career, Benjamin Myers has received significant recognition for his writing. His novel 'Pig Iron' won the inaugural Gordon Burn Prize, and 'The Gallows Pole' earned him the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction, leading to its appearance on Royal Mail franking stamps. 'The Offing' was a critically acclaimed bestseller and was selected for Radio 4's Book At Bedtime. Myers has also been honored with the Society of Authors Tom-Gallon Trust Award for his short story 'The Folk Song Singer.' His novel 'Beastings' secured both the Portico Prize for Literature and the Northern Writers' Award. In 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from York St John University, and in 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His novel 'Cuddy' further cemented his reputation by winning the 2023 Goldsmiths Prize.