Tom Rob Smith
Encyclopedia
Tom Rob Smith is an English
writer. The son of a Swedish mother and an English father, Smith was born and raised in London
.
Smith studied at St. John's College
, Cambridge
, following his graduation in 2001 he received the Harper Wood Studentship for English Poetry and Literature and continued his Creative Writing studies for a year at Parvin University in Italy. After completing his studies, Smith worked as a writer and a script editor, including a stint story-lining Cambodia's first soap opera in Phnom Penh with the BBC.
His first novel, Child 44
, published in early 2008 was inspired by the true-life case of Andrei Chikatilo
, who committed a series of child murders in Stalinist
Russia
. That same year it was awarded the 2008 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of the year by the Crime Writers' Association
, named on the long list for the 2008 Man Booker Prize
, nominated for the 2008 Costa First Novel Award
(former Whitbread). In July, 2009, he won the Waverton Good Read Award
for first novels and the Galaxy Book Award for Best Newcomer with Child 44
. It has been translated in 36 languages and in January, 2011, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan listed it in their Book Club 100 Books of the decade.. The film rights for Child 44 have been optioned by Ridley Scott.
Smith's follow-up to Child 44, The Secret Speech
, was published in April, 2009, and the next novel in the series, Agent 6, is due to be published in July 2011
Tom lives in Central London
with partner Ben Stephenson
, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
writer. The son of a Swedish mother and an English father, Smith was born and raised in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Smith studied at St. John's College
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, following his graduation in 2001 he received the Harper Wood Studentship for English Poetry and Literature and continued his Creative Writing studies for a year at Parvin University in Italy. After completing his studies, Smith worked as a writer and a script editor, including a stint story-lining Cambodia's first soap opera in Phnom Penh with the BBC.
His first novel, Child 44
Child 44
Child 44 is a thriller novel by British writer Tom Rob Smith, and features disgraced MGB Agent Leo Demidov, who investigates a series of gruesome child murders in Stalin's Soviet Union....
, published in early 2008 was inspired by the true-life case of Andrei Chikatilo
Andrei Chikatilo
Andrei Romanovich Chikatilo was a Ukrainian-born Soviet serial killer, nicknamed the Butcher of Rostov, The Red Ripper or The Rostov Ripper who murdered a minimum of 52 women and children between 1978 and 1990...
, who committed a series of child murders in Stalinist
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. That same year it was awarded the 2008 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller of the year by the Crime Writers' Association
Crime Writers' Association
The Crime Writers Association is a writers' association in the United Kingdom. Founded by John Creasey in 1953, it is currently chaired by Peter James and claims 450+ members....
, named on the long list for the 2008 Man Booker Prize
Man Booker Prize
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
, nominated for the 2008 Costa First Novel Award
2008 Costa Book Awards
The shortlists were announced on 18 November 2008. The winners in each category were announced on 5 January 2009, and the overall winner for Book of the Year was announced on 27 January 2009.-First Novel:Winner:*Sadie Jones, The OutcastShortlist:...
(former Whitbread). In July, 2009, he won the Waverton Good Read Award
Waverton Good Read Award
The Waverton Good Read Award was founded in 2003 by villagers in Waverton, Cheshire, England, and is based on Le Prix de la Cadière d'Azur, a literary prize awarded by a Provençal village. Adult debut novels written by UK residents and published in the previous twelve months are eligible for...
for first novels and the Galaxy Book Award for Best Newcomer with Child 44
Child 44
Child 44 is a thriller novel by British writer Tom Rob Smith, and features disgraced MGB Agent Leo Demidov, who investigates a series of gruesome child murders in Stalin's Soviet Union....
. It has been translated in 36 languages and in January, 2011, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan listed it in their Book Club 100 Books of the decade.. The film rights for Child 44 have been optioned by Ridley Scott.
Smith's follow-up to Child 44, The Secret Speech
The Secret Speech (book)
The Secret Speech is the second novel by British author Tom Rob Smith. The book features a repeat appearance of Leo Stepanovich Demidov, the protagonist of Smith's first book, Child 44. The book is a further exploration of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin created.The title refers to Soviet leader...
, was published in April, 2009, and the next novel in the series, Agent 6, is due to be published in July 2011
Tom lives in Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
with partner Ben Stephenson
Ben Stephenson
Ben Stephenson is an English television executive, who has been controller of drama commissioning at the BBC since September 2008.-Early life:Stephenson attended The Hewett School in Norwich before studying at Manchester University.-Television:...
, Controller, BBC Drama Commissioning.
Novels
- Child 44Child 44Child 44 is a thriller novel by British writer Tom Rob Smith, and features disgraced MGB Agent Leo Demidov, who investigates a series of gruesome child murders in Stalin's Soviet Union....
(2008) - The Secret SpeechThe Secret Speech (book)The Secret Speech is the second novel by British author Tom Rob Smith. The book features a repeat appearance of Leo Stepanovich Demidov, the protagonist of Smith's first book, Child 44. The book is a further exploration of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin created.The title refers to Soviet leader...
(2009) - "Agent 6" (2011)
External Links
- Official website of Tom Rob Smith
- "Review: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith", The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 12 April 2008. - "The Sunday Times crime fiction selections", The Sunday Times, 25 May 2008.
- "Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith", The Independent.
- "When a Hunter Gets Captured by the Game", NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, 2 May 2008. - From soaps to Soviet murder mystery, PinkNews.co.uk, 25 March 2008.