Michael Cox (novelist)
Encyclopedia
Michael Andrew Cox was an English biographer, novelist and musician
.
, England, where his two novels are largely set. He was the only child of a machinery manufacturer. Cox graduated from St. Catharine's College, Cambridge
in 1971. He studied English and had intended to be an academic, but he instead signed a contract with the record-publishing group EMI
and made two albums and several singles under the pseudonym
Matthew Ellis. He also recorded an album for DJM
as Obie Clayton.
In 1973, Cox married Dizzy Crockett to whom he dedicated both of his novels. They later had a daughter.
In 1977, he got a job with Thorsons Publishing Group (later part of Harper Collins), and 12 years later he started work at the Oxford University Press
. In 1983, Cox published his first book, a biography of M. R. James
, a Victorian ghost story
writer. Between 1983 and 1997 he compiled and edited several anthologies of Victorian short stories for Oxford University Press. The first two were co-edited by R. A. Gilbert. He also did encyclopaedic work: compiling A Dictionary of Writers and their Works (1991) and The Oxford Chronology of English Literature (2002).
His first novel, The Meaning of Night
, was published in 2006. Inspired by authors such as Charles Dickens
(a childhood favorite), Wilkie Collins
, and Elizabeth Braddon, this thiller novel is set both in a dirty, corrupting 1850's London, and Evenwood, an idyllic country estate - both equally full of mysteries. It was followed by a sequel, The Glass of Time set twenty years later.
, haemangiopericytoma. In preparation for surgery he was prescribed the steroidal drug, dexamethasone
, one of the effects of which was to initiate a temporary burst of mental and physical energy. This, combined with the stark realization that his blindness might return if the treatment wasn't successful, spurred Michael finally to begin writing in earnest the novel that he had been contemplating for over thirty years, and which up to then had only existed as a random collection of notes, drafts, and discarded first chapters. Following surgery, work continued on what is now The Meaning of Night
, and in January 2005, after a hotly contested UK auction
, it was sold to John Murray
(a subdivision of Hodder Headline
). Michael Cox died of cancer on 31 March 2009.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Biography
Michael Cox was born on 30 August 1948 in NorthamptonshireNorthamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England, where his two novels are largely set. He was the only child of a machinery manufacturer. Cox graduated from St. Catharine's College, Cambridge
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
in 1971. He studied English and had intended to be an academic, but he instead signed a contract with the record-publishing group EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and made two albums and several singles under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Matthew Ellis. He also recorded an album for DJM
DJM
DJM is a range of DJ mixers made by Pioneer Electronics.Mixers in the DJM series include the DJM-300,DJM-400, DJM-500, DJM-600, DJM-700, DJM-707, DJM-800, DJM-900 nexus, DJM-909, DJM-1000 and the DJM-2000...
as Obie Clayton.
In 1973, Cox married Dizzy Crockett to whom he dedicated both of his novels. They later had a daughter.
In 1977, he got a job with Thorsons Publishing Group (later part of Harper Collins), and 12 years later he started work at the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
. In 1983, Cox published his first book, a biography of M. R. James
M. R. James
Montague Rhodes James, OM, MA, , who used the publication name M. R. James, was an English mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge and of Eton College . He is best remembered for his ghost stories, which are regarded as among the best in the genre...
, a Victorian ghost story
Ghost story
A ghost story may be any piece of fiction, or drama, or an account of an experience, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them. Colloquially, the term can refer to any kind of scary story. In a narrower sense, the ghost story has...
writer. Between 1983 and 1997 he compiled and edited several anthologies of Victorian short stories for Oxford University Press. The first two were co-edited by R. A. Gilbert. He also did encyclopaedic work: compiling A Dictionary of Writers and their Works (1991) and The Oxford Chronology of English Literature (2002).
His first novel, The Meaning of Night
The Meaning of Night
The Meaning of Night is the debut novel by author Michael Cox. Cox's book is a 600-page crime thriller novel set in Victorian England. It was one of four books picked for the shortlist for the Costa Book Awards prize for the debut novel of 2006, losing out to Stef Penney's The Tenderness of...
, was published in 2006. Inspired by authors such as Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
(a childhood favorite), Wilkie Collins
Wilkie Collins
William Wilkie Collins was an English novelist, playwright, and author of short stories. He was very popular during the Victorian era and wrote 30 novels, more than 60 short stories, 14 plays, and over 100 non-fiction pieces...
, and Elizabeth Braddon, this thiller novel is set both in a dirty, corrupting 1850's London, and Evenwood, an idyllic country estate - both equally full of mysteries. It was followed by a sequel, The Glass of Time set twenty years later.
Medical Issues
In April 2004, he began to lose his sight as a result of a rare vascular cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, haemangiopericytoma. In preparation for surgery he was prescribed the steroidal drug, dexamethasone
Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone is a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of steroid drugs. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant...
, one of the effects of which was to initiate a temporary burst of mental and physical energy. This, combined with the stark realization that his blindness might return if the treatment wasn't successful, spurred Michael finally to begin writing in earnest the novel that he had been contemplating for over thirty years, and which up to then had only existed as a random collection of notes, drafts, and discarded first chapters. Following surgery, work continued on what is now The Meaning of Night
The Meaning of Night
The Meaning of Night is the debut novel by author Michael Cox. Cox's book is a 600-page crime thriller novel set in Victorian England. It was one of four books picked for the shortlist for the Costa Book Awards prize for the debut novel of 2006, losing out to Stef Penney's The Tenderness of...
, and in January 2005, after a hotly contested UK auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
, it was sold to John Murray
John Murray (publisher)
John Murray is an English publisher, renowned for the authors it has published in its history, including Jane Austen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord Byron, Charles Lyell, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Herman Melville, and Charles Darwin...
(a subdivision of Hodder Headline
Hodder Headline
Headline Publishing Group is a British publishing company. It was founded in 1986 by Tim Hely Hutchinson, and acquired Hodder & Stoughton in 1992 to form Hodder Headline. It was acquired by Hachette Livre, from the WHSmith Group PLC, in 2005....
). Michael Cox died of cancer on 31 March 2009.
External links
- The Meaning of Night: A Novel
- The Glass of Time: A Novel
- The Meaning of Night Reviews at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
- Interview With Michael Cox
- Obituary in The Daily Telegraph