Blake Morrison is a British poet and author who has made a significant impact in various genres of fiction and non-fiction. His memoir, "And When Did You Last See Your Father?", has been his most successful work to date. In addition to his memoir, Morrison has also written a study of the James Bulger murder, titled "As If". Since 2003, he has held the position of Professor of Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Morrison was born in Skipton, North Yorkshire, to an English father and an Irish mother, both of whom were physicians. His mother's maiden name was Agnes O'Shea, but her husband persuaded her to change it to "Kim". Morrison's parents' experiences during World War II and his mother's life in Ireland, which he had previously been unaware of, served as the basis for his autobiographical novel, "Things My Mother Never Told Me".
Morrison studied English Literature at the University of Nottingham and UCL before working for several publications, including the Times Literary Supplement, The Observer, and the Independent on Sunday. He has also contributed articles to various publications, including The New Yorker, the London Review of Books, the New Statesman, the New York Times, and Poetry Review.
Morrison's first book was "The Movement: English Poetry and Fiction of the 1950s", published in 1980. He has since published several other books, including a critical guide to Seamus Heaney's poetry, "The Penguin Book of Contemporary British Poetry", and his first book of poetry, "Dark Glasses". His other published works include "Ballad of the Yorkshire Ripper", written in Yorkshire dialect, and "Pendle Witches", illustrated with etchings by Paula Rego.
Morrison has also written novels, including "The Justification of Johann Gutenberg" and "South of the River", which was published in 2007. He has also written for the theatre, film, and television. Morrison is married with three children and lives in Blackheath, London.
Throughout his career, Morrison has received several awards, including the Eric Gregory Award, the Dylan Thomas Award, the Somerset Maugham Award, the E.M. Forster Award, the Esquire/Volvo/Waterstone's Non-Fiction Book Award, and the J.R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography.
