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Kingsley Amis (1922-1995) was the author of seventeen novels, three collections of
poetry, over twenty short stories, and ten books of social or literary criticism.
He was
born in London to William Robert and Rosa Annie Lucas Amis. He began school at Norbury
College, then attended the City of London School until 1941, when he received a
scholarship to St. John's College, Oxford. At St. John's Amis met Philip Larkin; both
men were studying English Literature and remained close friends throughout their
lives. |
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In 1942, Amis was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Signal Corps. He served
in the
British Army for three years in France, Belgium, and West Germany. He returned to
St.
John's in 1945 and received his degree in 1947. Despite the rejection of his research
degree thesis "English Non-Dramatic Poetry,
1850-1900 and the Victorian Reading Public," Amis was able to secure a post as
lecturer in English at University College at Swansea within a year. Amis remained
at
Swansea for 12 years, then became a fulltime writer. |
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From the beginning of his career in 1947, Amis wrote and publish poetry and essays.
His
best known work, however, is his prose fiction. In 1954, Amis published his first
novel,
Lucky Jim, to great popular and
critical acclaim. The novel earned him the Somerset Maugham award for fiction and
a
place in a group of young writers, which included Iris Murdoch and John Osborne, whom
the critics labeled "Angry Young Men."
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While Amis made his reputation with the satiric fiction of his early novels such as
Lucky Jim,
That Uncertain Feeling (1956), and
Take a Girl Like You (1960), in his
48 year career Amis wrote over 40 books in a wide range of genres including mysteries,
ghost stories, science fiction, social commentaries, literary studies, and memoirs. |
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Amis died in London on october 22, 1995. |
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