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British Literature from 1660 to Present: Notable Novelists of the 20th Century

British Literature

Timeline

Timeline of 20th century British novelists

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Major Novelists

  • Sir Kingsley Amis (1922 - 1995) - One of the premier British novelists of his generation. From the publication of his debut work, Lucky Jim, in 1954, Amis enjoyed a literary career marked by more than 20 novels, several books of prose, scores of journalistic pieces, some prestigious awards, and British knighthood in 1990. 
  • Anthony Burgess (1917 - 1993) - Regularly lauded by critics and peers for his imagination, his humor, his varied knowledge, and his sheer productivity. He was most often known as the author of A Clockwork Orange
  • Angela Carter (1940 - 1992) - Angela Carter's prolific but relatively short career spanned less than three decades but covered many genres, including novels, short stories, screenplays, and nonfiction. Her writing is noted for its vivid prose, Gothic settings, eroticism, violence, use of fantasy and fairy tales, and surrealism.
  • Ford Madox Ford (1873 - 1939) - The English author is best known for his novels The Good Soldier and Parade's End. 
  • E. M. Forster (1879 - 1970) - The English novelist and essayist was concerned with the conflict between the freedom of the spirit and the conventions of society. Travel in Europe stimulated Forster's imagination and led to the extraordinary burst of creative activity that produced a volume of short stories, The Celestial Omnibus and Other Stories (1911), and four novels in quick succession: Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905), The Longest Journey (1907), A Room with a View (1908), and Howard's End (1910).
  • John Galsworthy (1867 - 1933) - English novelist and playwright, notable for his work which explored the social class system and is remembered for his portrayal of the upper-middle class family in The Forsyte Saga. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1932.
  • Sir William Golding (1911 - 1993) - The winner of the 1983 Nobel Prize in literature, Golding is among the most popular and influential British authors to have emerged after World War II. His reputation rests primarily upon his acclaimed first novel Lord of the Flies (1954). His works are often principally concerned with the fundamental corruption and evil inherent in human nature.
  • Graham Greene (1904-1991) - The works of the English novelist and dramatist explore different permutations of morality and amorality in modern society, and often feature exotic settings in different parts of the world. 
  • Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) - The novels, short stories, and essays of the English author explore crucial questions of science, religion, and philosophy. His best-known work, Brave New World (1932), paints a grim picture of a scientifically organized utopia.
  • D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) - British writer whose fiction concerns the struggle for human fulfillment within a dehumanizing industrialized society. His novels include Sons and Lovers (1913), Women in Love (1920), and Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928). He also wrote literary criticism and psychoanalytical works.
  • Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965) - British novelist, one of the most popular writers in English in the twentieth century, was noted for his clarity of style and skill in storytelling. The titles of some of Maugham's early novels were familiar to a whole generation of readers: Of Human Bondage (1915), The Moon and Sixpence (1919), Ashenden: or, The British Agent (1938), and Cakes and Ale: or, The Skeleton in the Cupboard (1930).
  • George Orwell (1903 - 1950) - English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic, renowned for his novels 1984 and Animal Farm, which critique totalitarianism and authoritarianism. His work remains influential for its lucid prose, awareness of social injustice, opposition to totalitarianism, and commitment to democratic socialism.
  • Anthony Powell (1905 - 2000) - British novelist best known for his twelve-volume series A Dance to the Music of Time which explores the lives of a wide array of characters in 20th-century England. His works are celebrated for their wit, detailed character studies, and intricate portrayal of social and political changes over several decades.
  • Terry Pratchett (1948- ): Topic Page - Combining satire, fantasy, humor, and science fiction in his work, Pratchett was Britain’s best-selling author of the 1990s. He rose to fame on the strength of his Discworld series, which included 41 books published between 1983 and 2015.
  • J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973) - British writer, philologist, and academic, best known for his high-fantasy works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. His richly imagined Middle-earth universe has had a profound influence on modern fantasy literature, establishing many of the genre's conventions and archetypes.
  • Evelyn Waugh (1903 - 1966) - English author who ranked as one of the outstanding satiric novelists of the twentieth century. Hilariously savage wit and complete command of the English language were hallmarks of his style. His early novels include Decline and Fall (1928), Vile Bodies (1930), A Handful of Dust (1934), and Scoop (1938).
  • Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941) - British writer and a central figure in the modernist literary movement, known for her pioneering narrative techniques and exploration of consciousness in novels like Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. Her work profoundly influenced 20th-century literature, particularly in its innovative use of stream of consciousness and its exploration of gender, identity, and the inner lives of characters.
  • H. G. Wells (1866 - 1946) - British writer and futurist, widely regarded as a pioneer of science fiction with classics such as The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and The Invisible Man. His imaginative and prescient works often explored themes of science, technology, and social progress, leaving a lasting impact on literature and popular culture.