From Romeo and Juliet to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, many of the best, most enduring works of all time have come from British authors. They can make us laugh or bring us to tears, question society itself or just cheer along with our favourite characters, and feel every emotion in between. Here are just a few of the best British authors to listen to right now.
Jane Austen is not just one of the best British authors of all time, but one of the best authors worldwide. She is known for her humorous takes on the British upper classes, and on the place of women in genteel society during the Regency era.
Austen had four major novels published when she was alive; Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility and perhaps her most well-known work, Pride and Prejudice. Both Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously but rounded out the six titles that would make Austen a household name.
More than two hundred years after her passing, Austen’s legacy lives on. From television series and movies to plays and popular culture, her works have been adapted and reinvigorated on a regular basis. In 2017, Austen replaced Charles Darwin on the £10 note, marking her place as an iconic, unforgettable figure in British history.
George Orwell has had such an impact on not just the literary sphere, but the world at large—so much so that certain scenarios are sometimes deemed ‘Orwellian’. Despite only releasing two major works of fiction, 1984 and Animal Farm, as well as a handful of non-fiction titles, Orwell is easily one of the greatest classic British authors of our time.
In particular, 1984 has become part of modern culture in countless ways. We often use language and terms from the release, such as ‘doublethink’, ‘thought police’, and even ‘big brother’, and his prescient social commentary of the potential for totalitarian control is often referred to today.
Yet for most of his writing career, Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair) was most well known for his essays, columns and reviews, as well as his non-fiction pieces such as Down and Out in Paris and London. It wasn’t until his later years and after his death that Orwell became more known for his fiction releases, both of which went on to win the Prometheus Award for Libertarian Science Fiction.
For many children all over the world, C. S. Lewis is the writer who introduced them to fantastical worlds of talking fawns, magical lions and wardrobes that lead to bizarre and wonderful lands. Lewis is, of course, the writer behind the incredible Chronicles of Narnia series, and while this is his most popular work, he did also create a number of other fiction and non-fiction titles.
The British writer was inspired through his own life experiences. He was living in the English countryside in 1939 when several school-aged children were sent to live in his home, sparking the now-famous beginning of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
His works have sold millions of copies and inspired television shows, movies, theatre, radio, and even other works of written fiction. As one of the best British authors in recent history, C. S. Lewis will long be known for creating the wonder of Narnia for generations to come.
It’s hard to fully articulate just how influential William Shakespeare has been to literature, culture and language. This poet and playwright is widely accepted as the greatest English writer of all time, and despite living over 500 years ago, his works live on and are still extensively read—and adored—to this day.
Some of his most famous works include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night, but these are also joined by numerous other plays, sonnets, and poems that have made an impact of their own. Shakespeare could jump between tragedies and comedies, incorporating romance, magic and drama, all with his characteristic wit, wordplay, and imagination.
Today, Shakespeare’s works live on in countless forms, from the original plays performed in London’s Globe Theatre much like they were in his day, to film and television series, retellings, and more. He was the first to use many words we use often today, such as critic, lonely, and unreal, and no list of the best classic British authors would be complete without his name.
Charles Dickens is one of the most well-known and best-loved classic British authors and is considered to be the best writer from the Victorian era. During his lifetime, he was largely known as a writer of serial publications, creating novels told through short episodes and publishing them weekly, rather than in their ‘final’ finished form as we know them today.
Dickens originally became famous in his 20s thanks to his Pickwick Papers and the witty, charming character Sam Weller. From there, he went on to create titles such as A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, and more.
His satirical humour, inventive prose and cliff-hanger style instalments saw him rise to fame unlike any other writer at the time—even Queen Victoria herself was a fan! Today, there are regular adaptations of his work across multiple mediums, a museum in London, and multiple works based on his life.
In World War II, Ian Fleming worked for the British Naval Intelligence Unit, where he was inspired to write about the adventures and exploits of the fictional spy James Bond. What began with Casino Royale in 1952 soon became a worldwide phenomenon, as Fleming continued to create a full series of tales about the famous 007.
His work is known for being fun, adventurous, dangerous and sexy, with a protagonist who can outsmart any villain and outrun any criminal. His writing is on the lighter side, but no less enjoyable for its levity. While Fleming is most known for his Bond works, he also created two nonfiction titles, as well as the immensely popular children’s story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Fleming’s legacy is one that remains part of popular culture today. While his written works have long been celebrated amongst fans, the films they inspired continue to offer blockbuster success on the big screen. Additionally, other writers have continued to create new Bond stories, ensuring fresh adventures are available for fans who can’t get enough of the dashing spy.
Roald Dahl is not just one of the best British authors, but a bonafide national treasure. He is known for his vast and wonderful contributions to children’s literature and has won numerous awards for his work including the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the British Book Awards Children’s Author of the Year (1990).
From whacky humour to surprisingly dark twists and turns in charming tales of whimsy, Dahl’s stories are as unique as they are wonderful. His most notable works include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and The Witches.
Today, he is a beloved name for bedtime stories around the world. His works have been adapted for film and television, and there are countless memorials and plaques around the world marking his life and achievements.
Charlotte Brontë was the eldest of three surviving sisters in her family, all of which turned to writing using men’s names as pseudonyms, and all of which were successful as authors in their own right. However, Charlotte, with her publication of Jane Eyre, was arguably the most renowned of the three.
After her first release, The Professor was rejected by publishers, Brontë created Jane Eyre, and discovered almost instant success. While she had originally published under her pseudonym Currer Bell, Brontë and her sisters soon admitted to their use of pen names and were rightly celebrated for their works.
Jane Eyre was revolutionary in its day, with a strong heroine at its heart, a romantic narrative, and the use of first-person as Jane grows into adulthood in English society. Today, it has been adapted for television and film, and even ballet and opera, and remains an immensely popular work amongst listeners all over the world.
Virginia Woolf was a writer, poet and essayist, most notable for her releases Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, and To the Lighthouse. Her essay, A Room of One's Own, is also critically acclaimed.
Virginia was one of the fortunate ones of her time to receive her parent’s full support in attaining an education, despite schooling being highly segregated between boys and girls at the time. Her work often touched on this as a theme, as well as other feminist topics, which saw her become one of the icons of the feminist movements of the past 50 years.
Woolf is also considered one of the pioneers of the stream of consciousness styles of writing, which, alongside her commentary on the women’s rights movement throughout her work, makes her one of the best classic British authors of all time.
