David Rees (author)
Encyclopedia
David Bartlett Rees was a British
author, lecturer and reviewer. Much of his work was written for children and young adults. His books included The Exeter Blitz
, which won the Carnegie Medal
for 1978.
in 1936. He attended King's College School
, Wimbledon, and Queens' College, Cambridge
, where he attained a BA in 1958 and an MA in 1961. He worked as a school teacher before becoming a lecturer at St. Luke's College, Exeter, in 1968. Ten years later he became lecturer in education when the college became a part of the University of Exeter
. He remained at the University until 1984, when he began to write full-time. In 1986 he founded the publishing company Third House with fellow writer Peter Robins. His autobiography, Not For Your Hands, was published in 1992.
Much of his work can be classed as young adult fiction. Some of his fiction was contemporary, some historical, with settings including Devon
and Ireland
. His books Quintin's Man and In the Tent were the first teen books in the UK to have gay central characters. The Milkman's on His Way was cited in the British Parliament by a proponent of Section 28
, as promoting homosexuality.
He published two collections of essays on contemporary writers of fiction for children and young adults, The Marble in the Water and Painted Desert, Green Shade.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author, lecturer and reviewer. Much of his work was written for children and young adults. His books included The Exeter Blitz
The Exeter Blitz
The Exeter Blitz is a children's historical novel by David Rees, first published in 1978. It won the Carnegie Medal for that year. The novel is about the heavy air raid on the city of Exeter in Devon in May 1942, and its effect on the life of one family, the Lockwoods.-Plot summary:The novel opens...
, which won the Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
for 1978.
Biography
David Rees was born in SurbitonSurbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
in 1936. He attended King's College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
, Wimbledon, and Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, where he attained a BA in 1958 and an MA in 1961. He worked as a school teacher before becoming a lecturer at St. Luke's College, Exeter, in 1968. Ten years later he became lecturer in education when the college became a part of the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
. He remained at the University until 1984, when he began to write full-time. In 1986 he founded the publishing company Third House with fellow writer Peter Robins. His autobiography, Not For Your Hands, was published in 1992.
Much of his work can be classed as young adult fiction. Some of his fiction was contemporary, some historical, with settings including Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. His books Quintin's Man and In the Tent were the first teen books in the UK to have gay central characters. The Milkman's on His Way was cited in the British Parliament by a proponent of Section 28
Section 28
Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 caused the controversial addition of Section 2A to the Local Government Act 1986 , enacted on 24 May 1988 and repealed on 21 June 2000 in Scotland, and on 18 November 2003 in the rest of Great Britain by section 122 of the Local Government Act 2003...
, as promoting homosexuality.
He published two collections of essays on contemporary writers of fiction for children and young adults, The Marble in the Water and Painted Desert, Green Shade.
Selected bibliography
- Storm Surge (1975)
- Quintin's Man (1976)
- The Ferryman (1977)
- The House that Moved (1978)
- The Exeter Blitz (1978)
- The Green Bough of Liberty (1979)
- In the Tent (1979)
- Silence (1979)
- The Marble in the Water (1980)
- The Milkman's on His Way (1982)
- The Estuary (1983)
- Painted Desert, Green Shade (1984)
- Islands (1984)
- A Better Class of Blond; A California Diary (1985)
- The Hunger (1986)
- Twos and Threes (1987)
- The Flying Island (1988)
- The Colour of His Hair (1989)
- Letters to Dorothy (1991)
- Flux (1991)
- Not For Your Hands (1992)