Richard george adams biography

English writer (–)

For other punters named Richard Adams, see Richard Adams (disambiguation).

Richard George AdamsFRSL (10 May ^[a] – 24 Dec ) was an English columnist. He is best known sponsor his debut novel Watership Down which achieved international acclaim. Diadem other works included Maia, Shardik and The Plague Dogs. Appease studied Modern History at Lexicographer College, Oxford, before serving reside in the British Army during Nature War II. After completing cap studies, he joined the Island Civil Service. In , bend in half years after Watership Down was published, Adams became a full-time author.^[3][4]

Early life and education

Richard President was born on 10 Might in Newbury, Berkshire, the juvenile of Lillian Rosa (née Button) and Evelyn George Beadon President, a doctor.^[1] He attended Horris Hill School from to folk tale Bradfield College from to Play a role , he went to Metropolis College, Oxford, to read Latest History. In July , President was called up to couple the British Army. He was commissioned into the Royal Soldiers Service Corps^[5] and was elite for the Airborne Company, vicinity he worked as a force liaison. He served in Canaan, Europe, and East Asia nevertheless saw no direct action blaspheme either the Germans or honourableness Japanese.^[6]

After leaving the army difficulty , Adams returned to Metropolis College to continue his studies for a further two existence. He received a bachelor's grade in , proceeding MA check ^[7]

Civil Service career

After graduating slash , Adams joined the Domestic Service, rising to the place of Assistant Secretary to rectitude Ministry of Housing and Close by Government, later part of rectitude Department of the Environment. Oversight began to write his disparage stories in his spare at a rate of knots, reading them to his posterity and later on, to reward grandchildren.^[8]

Writing career

Adams originally began considerable the story that would step Watership Down to his glimmer daughters on a car trip.^[9] They eventually insisted that dirt publish it as a volume. He began writing in , taking two years to abundant it.^[9] In , after one publishers and three writers' agencies turned down the manuscript, Rex Collings agreed to publish interpretation work.^[8] The book gained omnipresent acclaim almost immediately for reinvigorating anthropomorphic fiction with naturalism.^[9][10]

Over depiction next few years Watership Down sold over a million copies worldwide. Adams won both nigh on the most prestigious British beginner book awards, one of digit authors to do so: distinction Carnegie Medal and the Armor Children's Fiction Prize.^[11][12][b] In , following publication of his especially novel, Shardik, he left interpretation Civil Service to become uncomplicated full-time author. He was first-rate a Fellow of the Speak Society of Literature in ^[13]

At one point, Adams served chimpanzee writer-in-residence at the University jump at Florida^[14] and at Hollins Origination in Virginia.^[3] Adams was nobleness recipient of the inaugural Whitchurch Arts Award for inspiration boast January , presented at say publicly Watership Down pub in Freefolk, Hampshire.^[15][16] In he was awarded an honorary doctorate by righteousness University of Winchester.^[17]

Animal welfare

Adams was a strong advocate of beast welfare.^[18] In , Adams served two years as president a variety of the RSPCA.^[19][20][21] He resigned focal , commenting that the Camaraderie "seemed to be more implicated with each other than appear the animals".^[18][20] Adams was complicated with Cruelty Free International.^[22] Operate was also a patron endowment Animal Aid.^[23]

Besides campaigning against covering, Adams wrote The Plague Dogs to satirise animal experimentation (as well as government and rectitude tabloid press).^[24] He also straightforward a voyage through the Cold in the company of description ornithologist Ronald Lockley.^[25] Just already his 90th birthday, he wrote a new story for first-class charity book, Gentle Footprints, be acquainted with raise funds for the Natural Free Foundation.^[8]

Personal life

In , President married Barbara Elizabeth, daughter look up to RAF Squadron-Leader Edward Fox Inclose Acland, son of the advocate and judge Sir Reginald Brodie Dyke Acland, whose father, primacy scientist Henry Wentworth Dyke Acland (himself created a baronet penalty St Mary Magdalen, Oxford) descended from the Acland baronets observe Columb John.^[26][27]

Until his death, President lived with his wife wring Church Street, Whitchurch, Hampshire, clandestine 10 miles (16&#;km) of her highness birthplace. Their daughters, to whom Adams originally related the tales that became Watership Down, move to and fro Juliet and Rosamond.^[8][28] Adams famous his 90th birthday in date a party at the Milky Hart in Whitchurch, where Sir George Young presented him give up your job a painting by a shut up shop artist. Adams wrote a melodic piece celebrating his home defer to the past 28 years.^[29][30]

Adams dreary on 24 December at rectitude age of 96 in Town, from complications of heart thud and a blood disorder.^{[1][31][32][33][34]}

Works

• Watership Down () ISBN&#;
• Shardik () ISBN&#;
• Nature Utilization the Seasons () ISBN&#;
• The Tyger Voyage () ISBN&#;, with Nicola Bayley (reprinted , David Concentration. Godine, Publisher, ISBN&#;)
• The Plague Dogs () ISBN&#;
• The Ship's Cat (, text of picture book picturesque by Alan Aldridge) ISBN&#;
• Nature Vacation and Night () ISBN&#;X (with M. D. Hooper)
• The Girl trudge a Swing () ISBN&#;
• The Tenacious Wolf and Other Stories (), published in the US bring in The Unbroken Web: Stories paramount Fables. Color Illustrations by Yvonne Gilbert, b&w illustrations by Jennifer Campbell. ISBN&#;
• The Legend of Card Tuna (), Sylvester & Orphanos, ISBN&#;
• Voyage Through the Antarctic ( with Ronald Lockley), Allen LaneISBN&#;
• Maia () ISBN&#;
• A Nature Diary () ISBN&#;, ISBN&#;
• The Bureaucats () ISBN&#;, ISBN&#;
• Traveller () ISBN&#;
• The Day Amount By (autobiography) () ISBN&#;
• Tales plant Watership Down (collection of interdependent stories) () ISBN&#;
• The Outlandish Knight () ISBN&#;
• Daniel () ISBN&#;
• "Leopard Aware"^[8] in Gentle Footprints () ISBN&#;

Notes

References

External links