Ken Follett

Ken Follett (Kenneth Martin Follett) is a British author of thrillers and historical novels. According to the official web, over 181 million copies of the 36 books he has written have been sold in over 80 countries and in 40 languages. The Eye of the Needle (1978) has won an Edgar Award and remains his most famous book.

Ken Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. When he was ten years old, his family moved to London, and he began to study diligently at Harrow Weald Grammar School and Poole Technical College. Follett graduated from University College with an Honours degree in Philosophy — later to be made a Fellow of the College in 1995.

He began his career as a reporter, first for his hometown newspaper, the South Wales Echo, then for the London Evening News. He later worked for Everest Books, a small London publisher. Finally, Follett became deputy managing director.

He began writing fiction during evenings and weekends as a hobby. Ken’s first major success came with the publication of the original thriller Eye of the Needle in 1978. A World War II thriller set in England, this book earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. It's still one of Ken’s most popular books.

Ken's epic novel about the construction of a medieval cathedral, The Pillars of the Earth, was published in 1989. It topped bestseller lists in the New York Times for eighteen weeks. It also reached the No. 1 position on lists in Canada, Great Britain, and Italy, and was on the German bestseller list for six years. The book turned into a major television series directed by Ridley Scott that aired in 2010.

A World Without End, the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, proved just as popular when it was published in 2007.

Ken has been active in numerous literacy charities and was president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He was chair of the National Year of Reading, a joint initiative between the government and businesses. He is also active in many local charities and Patron of Home Start Hertfordshire.

Ken Follett lives in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, the former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. They have five children, six grandchildren, and two dogs.

Photo credit: Barbara Follett