Scarlett Thomas
Encyclopedia
Scarlett Thomas, born 1972 in Hammersmith
, is an English author. She has written eight novels, including The End of Mr. Y
and PopCo
, and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent
.
from 1992-1995.
Her first three novels feature Lily Pascale, an English literature lecturer who solves murder mysteries. Each of the succeeding novels is independent of the others.
Her literary agent is Simon Trewin at United Agents
.
In 2008 she was a member of the Edinburgh International Film Festival jury, along with Director Iain Softley
and presided over by actor Danny Huston
She has taught Creative Writing at the University of Kent since 2004, and has previously taught at Dartmouth Community College, South East Essex College and the University of East London.
She reviews books for the Literary Review
, the Independent on Sunday, and Scotland on Sunday
.
Scarlett Thomas shares with Ariel, the protagonist in The End of Mr. Y, a wish to know everything:
Her new book, Our Tragic Universe, was published in May 2010 in the UK, and will be published in September 2010 in the USA. It was originally to be titled Death of the Author.
She is currently studying for an MSc in Ethnobotany, and working on her ninth novel, The Seed Collectors
as one of 20 Best Young Writers.
In 2002 she won Best New Writer in the Elle Style Awards
, and also featured as an author in New Puritans
, a project led by the novelists Matt Thorne
and Nicholas Blincoe
consisting of both a manifesto and an anthology of short stories.
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, is an English author. She has written eight novels, including The End of Mr. Y
The End of Mr. Y
The End of Mr. Y is a novel by British author Scarlett Thomas. The book tells the story of Ariel Manto, a PhD student who has been researching the 19th century writer Thomas Lumas. She finds an extremely rare copy of Lumas' novel The End of Mr. Y in a second-hand bookshop...
and PopCo
PopCo
PopCo is a novel by British author Scarlett Thomas. It tells a story of twenty-nine-year-old Alice Butler, a quirky, fiercely intelligent loner with an affinity for secret codes and mathematics. She works for the huge toy company named PopCo, where she creates snooping kids' kits - KidSpy, KidTec...
, and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Kent
University of Kent
The University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
.
Biography
She is the daughter of Francesca Ashurst, and attended a variety of schools, including a state junior school in Barking, and a boarding school for eighteen months. During her teenage years she was involved in demonstrations against the Poll Tax, nuclear weapons and the first Gulf War. She studied for her A levels at Chelmsford College and achieved a First in a degree in Cultural Studies at the University of East LondonUniversity of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
from 1992-1995.
Her first three novels feature Lily Pascale, an English literature lecturer who solves murder mysteries. Each of the succeeding novels is independent of the others.
Her literary agent is Simon Trewin at United Agents
United Agents
United Agents is a British talent and literary agency founded in 2007. It is situated on Lexington Street in London, UK and was set up by agents who had left Peters, Fraser & Dunlop . It is chaired by Lindy King and the managing director is St...
.
In 2008 she was a member of the Edinburgh International Film Festival jury, along with Director Iain Softley
Iain Softley
Iain Softley is an English film director. He was educated at St Benedict's School, Ealing, where he played the part of Thomas Becket in its 1975 production of T. S...
and presided over by actor Danny Huston
Danny Huston
-Early life:Huston was born in Rome, Italy. He hails from the illustrious Huston acting and filmmaking dynasty. He is the son of legendary director John Huston, half-brother of actress Anjelica Huston and screenwriter Tony Huston, uncle of actor Jack Huston, stepbrother of Allegra Huston, and...
She has taught Creative Writing at the University of Kent since 2004, and has previously taught at Dartmouth Community College, South East Essex College and the University of East London.
She reviews books for the Literary Review
Literary Review
Literary Review is a British literary magazine founded in 1979 by Anne Smith, then head of the Department of English at Edinburgh University. Its offices are currently on Lexington Street in Soho, London, and it has a circulation of 44,750. Britain's principal literary monthly, the magazine was...
, the Independent on Sunday, and Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday
Scotland on Sunday is a Scottish Sunday newspaper, published in Edinburgh by The Scotsman Publications Ltd and consequently assuming the role of Sunday sister to its daily stablemate The Scotsman...
.
Scarlett Thomas shares with Ariel, the protagonist in The End of Mr. Y, a wish to know everything:
"I'm very much someone who wants to work out the answers. I want to know what's outside the universe, what's at the end of time, and is there a God? But I think fiction's great for that--it's very close to philosophy."
Her new book, Our Tragic Universe, was published in May 2010 in the UK, and will be published in September 2010 in the USA. It was originally to be titled Death of the Author.
She is currently studying for an MSc in Ethnobotany, and working on her ninth novel, The Seed Collectors
Recognition
In 2001 she was named by The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
as one of 20 Best Young Writers.
In 2002 she won Best New Writer in the Elle Style Awards
Elle style awards
-2011:*Best International Designer - Tom Ford*Breakthrough Talent - Noomi Rapace*Best British Designer - Christopher Kane*Best Model - Coco Rocha*Best Actor - Stephen Dorff*Best Actress - Natalie Portman*Best TV Star - Blake Lively...
, and also featured as an author in New Puritans
New Puritans
The New Puritans was a literary movement ascribed to the contributors to a 2000 anthology of short stories entitled All Hail the New Puritans, edited by Nicholas Blincoe and Matt Thorne. The project is said to have been inspired by the Dogme 95 manifesto for cinematic minimalism and authenticity...
, a project led by the novelists Matt Thorne
Matt Thorne
Matt Thorne is an English writer born in 1974 who has published seven novels. Thorne grew up in Bristol, England, and was educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University. Thorne's first book, Tourist, was published in 1998. The book is an attack on the negative effects of tourism on...
and Nicholas Blincoe
Nicholas Blincoe
Nicholas Blincoe is an English author, critic and screenwriter. He is the author of six novels, Acid Casuals , Jello Salad , Manchester Slingback , The Dope Priest , White Mice , Burning Paris...
consisting of both a manifesto and an anthology of short stories.
Novels
- Dead Clever (1998)
- In Your Face (1999)
- Seaside (1999)
- Bright Young Things (2001)
- Going Out (2002)
- PopCoPopCoPopCo is a novel by British author Scarlett Thomas. It tells a story of twenty-nine-year-old Alice Butler, a quirky, fiercely intelligent loner with an affinity for secret codes and mathematics. She works for the huge toy company named PopCo, where she creates snooping kids' kits - KidSpy, KidTec...
(2004) - The End of Mr. YThe End of Mr. YThe End of Mr. Y is a novel by British author Scarlett Thomas. The book tells the story of Ariel Manto, a PhD student who has been researching the 19th century writer Thomas Lumas. She finds an extremely rare copy of Lumas' novel The End of Mr. Y in a second-hand bookshop...
(2006) - Our Tragic Universe (2010)
Short stories
- Brother and Sister and Foot - Curly Tales series, on Radio 4, August 2005
- Interlude - Product Magazine, Winter 04-05
- The Whole Country - Zembla Magazine, Summer 2004
- Why My Grandmother Learned to Play the Flute - Curly Tales series, on Radio 4, November 2003
- The Old School Museum - Big Night Out, HarperCollins, 2002
- Debbie’s Dreams - The Stealth Corporation magazine, 2002
- Goldfish - Butterfly Magazine, Issue 5, 2000
- Mind Control - All Hail the New Puritans 4th Estate, 2000
- Five Easy Ways with Chilli - 2008
External links
- Official website scarletthomas.co.uk
- 2005 interview in 3am magazine
- Book Review of The End of Mr. Y in The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
- Book Review of The End of Mr. Y in the Dawn NewspaperDawn (newspaper)Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
- Book Reviews of PopCo
- The Author and The Text, a lecture given by Scarlett Thomas at the University of KentUniversity of KentThe University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
- 2007 Interview in Bookslut
- Review of Our Tragic Universe in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...