Peter Ackroyd CBE (born 5 October, 1949, East Acton, London) is an English novelist and biographer with a particular interest in the history and culture of London.
Ackroyd was educated at St. Benedict's, Ealing and at Clare College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a double first in English. In 1972, he was a Mellon Fellow at Yale University in the United States. The result of this fellowship was Ackroyd's Notes for a New Culture, written when he was only 22 and eventually published in 1976. The title, a playful echo of T. S. Eliot's Notes Towards the Definition of Culture (1948), was an early indication of Ackroyd's penchant for creatively exploring and reexamining the works of other London-based writers. 
Ackroyd's literary career began with poetry, including such works as London Lickpenny (1973) and The Diversions of Purley (1987). He later moved into fiction and has become an acclaimed author, winning the 1998 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for the biography Thomas More and being shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1987.
Ackroyd worked at The Spectator magazine between 1973 and 1977 and became joint managing editor in 1978. In 1982 he published The Great Fire of London, his first novel. This novel deals with one of Ackroyd's great heroes, Charles Dickens, and is a reworking of Little Dorrit. The novel set the stage for the long sequence of novels Ackroyd has produced since, all of which deal in some way with the complex interaction of time and space, and what Ackroyd calls "the spirit of place". It is also the first in a sequence of novels of London, through which he traces the changing, but curiously consistent nature of the city. Often this theme is explored through the city's artists, and especially its writers: Oscar Wilde in The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde (1983); Nicholas Hawksmoor, Sir Christopher Wren and Sir John Vanbrugh in Hawksmoor (1985); Chatterton and George Gissing in Chatterton (1987); John Dee in The House of Dr Dee (1993); Dan Leno, Karl Marx and Thomas de Quincey in Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem (1994); John Milton in Milton in America (1996); Charles Lamb in The Lambs of London.London
Ackroyd has always shown a great interest in the city of London, and one of his best known works, London: The Biography, is an extensive and thorough discussion of London through the ages. In 1994 he was interviewed about the London Psychogeographical Association in an article for The Observer where he remarked:
"I truly believe that there are certain people to whom or through whom the territory, the place, the past speaks . . . Just as it seems possible to me that a street or dwelling can materially affect the character and behaviour of the people who dwell in them, is it not also possible that within this city (London) and within its culture are patterns of sensibility or patterns of response which have persisted from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and perhaps even beyond?"
In the sequence London: The Biography (2000), Albion: The Origins of the English Imagination (2002), and Thames: Sacred River (2007), Ackroyd has produced works of what he considers historical sociology. These books trace themes in London and English culture from the ancient past to the present, drawing again on his favoured notion of almost spiritual lines of connection rooted in place and stretching across time.
His fascination with London literary and artistic figures is also displayed in the sequence of biographies he has produced of Ezra Pound (1980), T. S. Eliot (1984), Charles Dickens (1990), William Blake (1995), Thomas More (1998), Chaucer (2004), William Shakespeare (2005), and J. M. W. Turner. The city itself stands astride all these works, as it does in the fiction.English Music
Franklin Library Peter Ackroyd books
English Music - signed first edition - 1992
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Who is Peter Ackroyd?
Peter Ackroyd's mother worked in the personnel department of an engineering firm, his father having left the family home when Ackroyd was a baby. He was reading newspapers by the age of 5 and, at 9, wrote a play about Guy Fawkes. Reputedly, he first realised he was gay at the age of 7.Ackroyd was educated at St. Benedict's, Ealing and at Clare College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a double first in English. In 1972, he was a Mellon Fellow at Yale University in the United States. The result of this fellowship was Ackroyd's Notes for a New Culture, written when he was only 22 and eventually published in 1976. The title, a playful echo of T. S. Eliot's Notes Towards the Definition of Culture (1948), was an early indication of Ackroyd's penchant for creatively exploring and reexamining the works of other London-based writers.
Ackroyd's literary career began with poetry, including such works as London Lickpenny (1973) and The Diversions of Purley (1987). He later moved into fiction and has become an acclaimed author, winning the 1998 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for the biography Thomas More and being shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1987.
Ackroyd worked at The Spectator magazine between 1973 and 1977 and became joint managing editor in 1978. In 1982 he published The Great Fire of London, his first novel. This novel deals with one of Ackroyd's great heroes, Charles Dickens, and is a reworking of Little Dorrit. The novel set the stage for the long sequence of novels Ackroyd has produced since, all of which deal in some way with the complex interaction of time and space, and what Ackroyd calls "the spirit of place". It is also the first in a sequence of novels of London, through which he traces the changing, but curiously consistent nature of the city. Often this theme is explored through the city's artists, and especially its writers: Oscar Wilde in The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde (1983); Nicholas Hawksmoor, Sir Christopher Wren and Sir John Vanbrugh in Hawksmoor (1985); Chatterton and George Gissing in Chatterton (1987); John Dee in The House of Dr Dee (1993); Dan Leno, Karl Marx and Thomas de Quincey in Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem (1994); John Milton in Milton in America (1996); Charles Lamb in The Lambs of London.
London
Ackroyd has always shown a great interest in the city of London, and one of his best known works, London: The Biography, is an extensive and thorough discussion of London through the ages. In 1994 he was interviewed about the London Psychogeographical Association in an article for The Observer where he remarked:"I truly believe that there are certain people to whom or through whom the territory, the place, the past speaks . . . Just as it seems possible to me that a street or dwelling can materially affect the character and behaviour of the people who dwell in them, is it not also possible that within this city (London) and within its culture are patterns of sensibility or patterns of response which have persisted from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries and perhaps even beyond?"
In the sequence London: The Biography (2000), Albion: The Origins of the English Imagination (2002), and Thames: Sacred River (2007), Ackroyd has produced works of what he considers historical sociology. These books trace themes in London and English culture from the ancient past to the present, drawing again on his favoured notion of almost spiritual lines of connection rooted in place and stretching across time.
His fascination with London literary and artistic figures is also displayed in the sequence of biographies he has produced of Ezra Pound (1980), T. S. Eliot (1984), Charles Dickens (1990), William Blake (1995), Thomas More (1998), Chaucer (2004), William Shakespeare (2005), and J. M. W. Turner. The city itself stands astride all these works, as it does in the fiction.
English Music
English Music is a literary composition that orchestrates the intricate symphony of England's cultural, historical, and social tapestry through the ages. Ackroyd, known for his masterful storytelling and profound insights into British history and culture, conducts a compelling narrative that resonates with the rhythms of the English soul. With English Music, Ackroyd embarks on a journey through time, tracing the evolution of English society from its ancient roots to its modern manifestations. The narrative of English Music unfolds like a melodic progression, starting with the primal beats of prehistoric Britain. Ackroyd delves into the mystical landscapes of ancient rituals, exploring the myths and legends that have shaped the English psyche. From the mystical realms of Celtic folklore to the Roman conquest and the spread of Christianity, Ackroyd paints a vivid picture of England's formative years.
As the narrative advances, Ackroyd guides the reader through the medieval chants of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and the haunting ballads of Shakespearean England. With meticulous attention to historical detail, he illuminates the social dynamics, political intrigues, and artistic innovations that defined each era. English Music reaches its crescendo in the tumultuous strains of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era. Ackroyd captures the cacophony of progress and upheaval as England grapples with rapid industrialization, urbanization, and social change. Through the lives of poets, novelists, scientists, and social reformers, he explores the tensions between tradition and modernity, nature and progress, faith and reason. Yet, amidst the discordant notes of change, Ackroyd discerns a timeless melody—the enduring spirit of the English people. He celebrates the resilience, creativity, and eccentricity that characterize the English identity, weaving together a tapestry of voices and experiences that resonate across centuries.
In the final movements of English Music, Ackroyd brings the narrative into the 20th and 21st centuries, exploring the echoes of the past in contemporary England. From the swinging '60s to the digital age, he reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing a nation in flux. Through English Music, Peter Ackroyd invites readers to immerse themselves in the symphonic sweep of English history. With lyrical prose and profound insight, he conducts an unforgettable exploration of the melodies and harmonies that compose the soul of England.
As the narrative advances, Ackroyd guides the reader through the medieval chants of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and the haunting ballads of Shakespearean England. With meticulous attention to historical detail, he illuminates the social dynamics, political intrigues, and artistic innovations that defined each era. English Music reaches its crescendo in the tumultuous strains of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era. Ackroyd captures the cacophony of progress and upheaval as England grapples with rapid industrialization, urbanization, and social change. Through the lives of poets, novelists, scientists, and social reformers, he explores the tensions between tradition and modernity, nature and progress, faith and reason. Yet, amidst the discordant notes of change, Ackroyd discerns a timeless melody—the enduring spirit of the English people. He celebrates the resilience, creativity, and eccentricity that characterize the English identity, weaving together a tapestry of voices and experiences that resonate across centuries.
In the final movements of English Music, Ackroyd brings the narrative into the 20th and 21st centuries, exploring the echoes of the past in contemporary England. From the swinging '60s to the digital age, he reflects on the challenges and opportunities facing a nation in flux. Through English Music, Peter Ackroyd invites readers to immerse themselves in the symphonic sweep of English history. With lyrical prose and profound insight, he conducts an unforgettable exploration of the melodies and harmonies that compose the soul of England.
Peter Ackroyd books
The Great Fire of London – 1982
The Last Testament of Oscar Wilde – 1983
Hawksmoor - 1985
Chatterton – 1987
Milton in America - 1986
First Light - 1989
English Music – 1992
The House of Doctor Dee – 1993
Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem – 1994
Milton in America – 1996
Plato Papers, the - 1999
Clerkenwell Tales, the - 2003
Lambs of London, the - 2004
Fall of Troy, the - 2006
Source and additional information: Peter Ackroyd