Will Self | |
|---|---|
 Self in 2013 | |
| Born | William Woodard Self 26 September 1961[1] London, England |
| Occupation | Novelist, journalist |
| Education | University College School, Hampstead Christ's College, Finchley |
| Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford (BA) |
| Period | 1991–present |
| Genre | Literature |
| Notable works | The Book of Dave Umbrella |
| Notable awards | Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize 1991 Aga Khan Prize for Fiction 1998 Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize 2008 |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | Sir Henry Self (grandfather) Peter Self (father) Jonathan Self (brother) |
| Website | |
| will-self | |
William Woodard Self (born 26 September 1961) is an English writer, journalist, political commentator and broadcaster.[3][4][5] He has written 11 novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and nine collections of non-fiction writing. Self is currently Professor of Modern Thought at Brunel University London, where he teaches psychogeography.[6]
His 2002 novel Dorian, an Imitation was longlisted for the Booker Prize, and his 2012 novel Umbrella was shortlisted.[7] His fiction is known for being satirical, grotesque and fantastical, and is predominantly set within his home city of London. His writing often explores mental illness, drug abuse and psychiatry.
Self is a regular contributor to publications including The Guardian, Harper's Magazine, The New York Times and the London Review of Books. He has been a columnist for the Observer, The Times, the New Statesman, the Evening Standard and The New European. His columns for Building Design on the built environment, and for the Independent Magazine on the psychology of place brought him to prominence as a thinker concerned with the politics of urbanism.
Self has also been a regular contributor to British television, initially as a guest on comic panel shows such as Have I Got News for You. In 2002, Self replaced Mark Lamarr on the BBC comedy panel show Shooting Stars[8][9] for two series, but was himself replaced by comedian Jack Dee when the programme returned in 2008.[9] He has since appeared on current affairs programmes such as Newsnight and Question Time. Self is a contributor to the BBC Radio 4 programme A Point of View,[10] to which he contributes radio essays delivered in his familiar "lugubrious tones".[11] In 2013, Self took part in discussions about becoming the inaugural BBC Radio 4 Writer-in-Residence,[11] but later withdrew.[12]
- ^ "Will Self, Esq Authorised Biography – Debrett's People of Today, Will Self, Esq Profile".
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Appleyard2017was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Thorne, Matt (11 August 2012). "Umbrella, By Will Self". The Independent. London.
- ^ Dowell, Ben (18 January 2013). "Will Self in talks to become Radio 4 writer-in-residence". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ Hamilton, Ben. "A Merry Dance: Will Self Takes on Modernism". Los Angeles Review of Books.
- ^ "Professor Will Self".
- ^ "Will Self".
- ^ Self, Will (2 January 2009). "Shooting Stars".
- ^ a b Dowell, Ben (3 April 2009). "Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer line up new series of Shooting Stars". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Self, Will (February 2017). "A Point of View". Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ a b Dowell, Ben. "Will Self in talks to become Radio 4 writer-in-residence". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Dowell, Ben. "Will Self backs out of talks to be Radio 4's writer-in-residence". Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.