Sebastian Faulks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sebastian Faulks
CBE FRSL
|
|
|---|---|
Faulks in 2008
|
|
| Born | 20 April 1953 Donnington, Berkshire, England
|
| Alma mater | Emmanuel College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Known for | The French Trilogy |
| Spouse(s) |
Veronica Youlten
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Edward Faulks, Baron Faulks (brother) Sir Neville Faulks (uncle) |
Sebastian Charles Faulks is a famous British writer, journalist, and broadcaster. He was born on April 20, 1953. He is most known for his historical novels that are set in France. These include The Girl at the Lion d'Or, Birdsong, and Charlotte Gray.
Sebastian Faulks has also written books set in modern times, like A Week in December (published in 2009) and Paris Echo (published in 2018). He even wrote a James Bond adventure called Devil May Care in 2008. He also continued the popular P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves series with Jeeves and the Wedding Bells in 2013. You might have seen him as a team captain on the BBC Radio 4 literary quiz show The Write Stuff.
Contents
About Sebastian Faulks
His Early Life and Education
Sebastian Faulks was born in Donnington, Berkshire, England. His father, Peter Faulks, was a brave soldier and later became a judge. Sebastian has a brother, Edward Faulks, Baron Faulks, who is also a lawyer and has worked in the government. His uncle, Sir Neville Faulks, was also a High Court judge.
Sebastian went to Elstree School and then Wellington College, Berkshire. He studied English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He was made an honorary member of Emmanuel College in 2008.
His Career as a Writer
After finishing college, Sebastian Faulks first worked as a teacher. Then, he became a journalist for newspapers like the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. His first novel, A Trick of the Light, came out in 1984.
In 1986, he became the first literary editor for The Independent newspaper. He then became a deputy editor for the Independent on Sunday in 1989. That same year, he published The Girl at the Lion d'Or, which was the first of his historical novels set in France. He left The Independent in 1991 and worked as a freelance writer for many years.
After his book Birdsong became very popular in 1993, Sebastian Faulks decided to stop journalism and focus on writing books full-time. Since then, he has written many more novels, including Where My Heart Used to Beat (2015), Paris Echo (2018), and Snow Country (2021).
He was recognized for his contributions to literature. In 1993, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. In 2002, he was given the CBE award for his services to literature.
Sebastian Faulks often appears on British TV and radio. He was a regular team captain on the BBC Radio 4 quiz show The Write Stuff for many years. On this show, the teams would write short pieces of writing in the style of famous authors. Sebastian Faulks even published a collection of his own funny writings from the show in a book called Pistache (2006).
In 2011, he hosted a four-part TV series on BBC Two called Faulks on Fiction. This series explored British novels and their characters. He also wrote a book with the same name to go along with the show.
His Personal Life
Sebastian Faulks married Veronica Youlten in 1989. They have three children: two sons named William (born 1990) and Arthur (born 1996), and a daughter named Holly (born 1992).
He is a big fan of the West Ham United football club. He also enjoys playing tennis and drinking wine. Sebastian Faulks loves cricket and is a member of the Authors XI cricket team.
From 2013 to 2018, he was part of a government group that helped plan how to remember the First World War.
His Novels
Many people say that Sebastian Faulks has a special talent for writing books that are both popular and well-written. Some have called him "One of the most impressive novelists of his generation." His 2005 novel, Human Traces, was even called "A masterpiece."
Faulks is most famous for his three novels set in France during the early 1900s. The first one, The Girl at the Lion d'Or, was published in 1989. Then came Birdsong in 1993, and Charlotte Gray in 1998. Birdsong and Charlotte Gray were both best-sellers. In 2003, Birdsong was voted as one of Britain's most loved novels in the BBC's Big Read survey.
In 2007, Faulks released Engleby. This book is set in Cambridge in the 1970s and is told by a university student named Mike Engleby. It was a different kind of book for Faulks because it was set in more recent times and told from one character's point of view.
To celebrate 100 years since Ian Fleming (the creator of James Bond) was born, Sebastian Faulks was asked to write a new James Bond novel in 2006. The book, Devil May Care, became a best-seller very quickly in the UK. Many critics praised it as a great new James Bond story.
Faulks's 2009 novel, A Week in December, takes place in London during the week before Christmas in 2007. It follows the lives of different people living in the city. Faulks said the book was inspired by the banking crisis happening at that time.
His most recent novel, The Seventh Son, was published in September 2023. It's a story that explores interesting ideas about the future.
Books Made into Movies and Plays
Sebastian Faulks's novels have been adapted for the screen and stage.
- In 2001, Charlotte Gray was made into a film starring Cate Blanchett.
- In 2010, a stage version of Birdsong opened in London. It was later rewritten and toured successfully across the country.
- In 2012, Birdsong was made into a two-part BBC TV series, starring Eddie Redmayne.
Awards and Honors
Sebastian Faulks has received many awards for his writing:
- 1994: British Book Awards Author of the Year.
- 1994: Franco British Society Award for Birdsong.
- 2002: Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contributions to literature.
- 2009: British Book Awards Popular Fiction Award for Devil May Care.
- 2010: City of Zaragoza Award for Fiction for Birdsong.
See also
In Spanish: Sebastian Faulks para niños
