Francis King

Francis King (1923-2011) was a British author recognized for his novels and short stories. His career spanned over six decades, during which he also worked for the British Council for 15 years, holding positions in Europe and Japan. For a significant period, King served as the chief book reviewer for the Sunday Telegraph and also contributed as its theatre critic. He was a recipient of the Somerset Maugham Award and the Golden PEN Award for his contributions to literature. King's personal life included coming out as homosexual in the 1970s and writing about his relationship with his partner who died of AIDS. He held leadership roles in PEN International and was recognized with OBE and CBE honors.

Born in Switzerland in 1923, Francis King's early life was shaped by his father's service in the Indian Civil Service, leading to his upbringing in British India. Following his father's death, King returned to England and was raised by relatives. He received his education at Shrewsbury School and Balliol College, Oxford. During World War II, he registered as a conscientious objector and left Oxford to work in agriculture. After completing his university studies in 1949, King joined the British Council. His assignments with the organization took him to various international locations, including Italy and Greece, where he met writer Anne Cumming. He eventually resigned from the British Council in 1964 to dedicate himself fully to writing, having already published numerous novels, poetry, and a memoir.

King's literary career was marked by significant accolades. He received the Somerset Maugham Award for his 1951 novel, 'The Dividing Stream.' In 2000, English PEN honored him with the Golden PEN Award for his lifetime of service to literature. King also published under the pseudonym Frank Cauldwell, notably for his 1956 memoir, 'The Firewalkers.' His 1969 novel, 'A Domestic Animal,' which explored gay themes, was longlisted for the Lost Man Booker Prize in 2010 and generated a libel threat. King was President of PEN International from 1986 to 1989 and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was appointed an OBE in 1979 and a CBE in 1985. Another of his novels, 'The Nick of Time,' was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2003.

Francis King publicly identified as homosexual in the 1970s. He chronicled his relationship with his long-term partner, who died from AIDS in 1988, in his 1993 autobiography, 'Yesterday Came Suddenly.' In 2005, King experienced a stroke. He passed away on July 3, 2011, at the age of 88. His extensive body of work includes numerous novels, short story collections, poetry, memoirs, travel writings, and critical studies. His writings often explored themes of relationships, identity, and the complexities of human experience, reflecting his own life and observations.