Patrick Gale

Last updated

Patrick Evelyn Hugh Sadler Gale (born 31 January 1962) is a British novelist.

Contents

Early life and education

Gale was born in 1962 on the Isle of Wight, the youngest of four children. [1] [2] [3] His father was the prison governor of HM Prison Camp Hill on the Isle of Wight, and he was brought up in and around prisons. In 1969 the family moved to Winchester, Hampshire and his father became Under-Secretary of State for Prisons. [4] In his 2000 novel Rough Music, the lead character is the son of a prison governor.

In Winchester he was invited to join the Quiristers in the Winchester College Chapel Choir. [4] Before he turned ten, one of his siblings suffered a nervous breakdown and his mother almost died in a car accident that left her brain-damaged. [4] He was then educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford. [5]

Career

His first two novels, The Aerodynamics of Pork and Ease, were published on the same day in 1985. [6] [4] In 2017 he made his screenwriting debut with Man in an Orange Shirt , a two part original drama which formed part of the BBC's Gay Britannia season. [7] The show won the 2018 International Emmy for Best Miniseries. [8]

His 2000 novel Rough Music is the most widely held of his books in libraries: in 2018 it was owned by 673 libraries, according to WorldCat. [9]

Describing himself as the "last novelist in England", he has lived in Cornwall since 1988, a county described repeatedly in his novels. [10] He is artistic director of the North Cornwall Book Festival, which he helped found. [11] He is a patron of the Charles Causley Trust, [12] the Penzance LitFest, [13] and Literature Works. [14]

Personal life

Gale lives on a farm near Land's End, with his husband, the sculptor-farmer Aidan Hicks. There they raise beef cattle and grow barley. [15] He is a keen gardener and in April 2024 his garden at Land's End was featured on BBC's Gardeners' World . [16]

Novels and short stories

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacques Futrelle</span> American mystery writer (1875–1912)

Jacques Heath Futrelle was an American journalist and mystery writer. He is best known for writing short detective stories featuring Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, also known as "The Thinking Machine" for his use of logic. He died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry McMurtry</span> American novelist (1936–2021)

Larry Jeff McMurtry was an American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas. His novels included Horseman, Pass By (1962), The Last Picture Show (1966), and Terms of Endearment (1975), which were adapted into films. Films adapted from McMurtry's works earned 34 Oscar nominations. He was also a prominent book collector and bookseller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Titchmarsh</span> British gardener, broadcaster, and writer (born 1949)

Alan Fred Titchmarsh HonFSE is an English gardener and broadcaster. After working as a professional gardener and a gardening journalist, he became a writer, and a radio and television presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Causley</span> English poet and educator (1917–2003)

Charles Stanley Causley CBE FRSL was a Cornish poet, school teacher and writer. His work is often noted for its simplicity and directness as well as its associations with folklore, legends and magic, especially when linked to his native Cornwall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Tilly</span> American-Canadian actress, writer (born 1960)

Meg Tilly is a Canadian-American actress and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chatto & Windus</span> British book publisher

Chatto & Windus is an imprint of Penguin Random House that was formerly an independent book publishing company founded in London in 1855 by John Camden Hotten. Following Hotten's death, the firm would reorganize under the names of his business partner Andrew Chatto and poet William Edward Windus. The company was purchased by Random House in 1987 and is now a sub-imprint of Vintage Books within the Penguin UK division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Cape</span> English publishing firm (founded 1921)

Jonathan Cape is a London publishing firm founded in 1921 by Herbert Jonathan Cape (1879–1960), who was head of the firm until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andre Dubus III</span> American novelist (born 1959)

Andre Dubus III is an American novelist and short story writer. He is a member of the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zennor</span> Human settlement in England

Zennor is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The parish includes the villages of Zennor, Boswednack and Porthmeor and the hamlet of Treen. Zennor lies on the north coast, about 6 miles (10 km) north of Penzance, along the B3306 road which connects St Ives to the A30 road. Alphabetically, the parish is the last in Britain. Its name comes from the Cornish name for the local saint, Saint Senara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the counties of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in South East England.

This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HM Prison Winchester</span>

HM Prison Winchester is a Category B men's prison, located in Winchester, Hampshire, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Rutt</span> Anglican bishop (1925–2011)

Cecil Richard Rutt CBE was an English Roman Catholic priest and a former Anglican bishop.

Joseph Jefferson Farjeon was an English crime and mystery novelist, playwright and screenwriter. His father, brother and sister also developed successful careers in the literary world. His "Ben" novels were reissued in 2015 and 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte Mary Matheson</span> English novelist

Charlotte Mary Matheson was a Cornish novelist. She wrote The Generation Between (1915), Children of the Desolate (1916), Morwenna of the Green Gown (1923), Nut in the Husk (1926), and The Feather (1927).

<i>Man in an Orange Shirt</i> British television movie

Man in an Orange Shirt is a two-part British television movie from the BBC. It was produced by Kudos Film and Television and premiered on 31 July 2017 at BBC One. The film drama tells three love stories from two generations of a family, in the 1940s and in 2017.

Lajo Jose is an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. He is known for his crime thriller and mystery novels which include Coffee House, Hydrangea, Ruthinte Lokam, Rest in Peace and Kanya Maria. His latest work is Orange Thottathile Athidhi, published by Mathrubhumi Books in 2023.

Geoffrey O'Neill Cochrane was a New Zealand poet, novelist and short story writer. He published 19 collections of poetry, a novel and a collection of short fiction. Many of his works were set in or around his hometown of Wellington, and his personal battles with alcoholism were a frequent source of inspiration.

Patrick Ottaway,, is an English archaeologist and author.

References

  1. "About Patrick" . Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  2. Reunited, Genes. "Patrick Gale - England & Wales Births 1837-2006 [1] - Genes Reunited". genesreunited.co.uk. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  3. Chris Beck, "Work in Progress", Weekend Australian, 11–12 November 2000, Review, p. 8
  4. 1 2 3 4 Paul Veitch, Peter Karp, "Exploring love and marriage", Sunday Canberra Times, 6 September 1998, p. 18
  5. Gale, Patrick (16 April 2012). "Patrick Gale: a life more orderly". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  6. "Gale, Patrick 1962- [WorldCat.org]". worldcat.org. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  7. Nicholson, Rebecca (1 August 2017). "Man in an Orange Shirt review – a heartbreaking tale of happiness denied". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  8. Man in an Orange Shirt (TV Mini Series 2017) - Awards - IMDb , retrieved 16 February 2024
  9. "Results for 'Patrick Gale' > 'Patrick Gale' [WorldCat.org]". worldcat.org. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  10. "Cornwall novelist Patrick Gale - ABC (none) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  11. Gale, Patrick (20 October 2016). "Patrick Gale: why I started a new literature festival for shy writers". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  12. "The Launch of Mother's Boy: the new novel by Sunday Times bestselling novelist and Charles Causley Patron, Patrick Gale". The Charles Causley Trust. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  13. "Our patron – Patrick Gale". www.pzlitfest.co.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  14. "Gale". Literature Works. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  15. https://galewarning.org/about-patrick
  16. "Gardeners' World - 2024: Episode 5" via www.bbc.co.uk.