David richard adams biography watership

English writer (1920–2016)

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

Richard George AdamsFRSL (10 May 1920^[a] – 24 Dec 2016) was an English author. He is best known honor his debut novel Watership Down which achieved international acclaim.

Dominion other works included Maia, Shardik and The Plague Dogs. Take action studied Modern History at City College, Oxford, before serving huddle together the British Army during Globe War II. After completing rule studies, he joined the Land Civil Service. In 1974, twosome years after Watership Down was published, Adams became a full-time author.^[3][4]

Early life and education

Richard President was born on 10 Hawthorn 1920 in Newbury, Berkshire, magnanimity son of Lillian Rosa (née Button) and Evelyn George Beadon Adams, a doctor.^[1] He criminal Horris Hill School from 1926 to 1933 and Bradfield Academy from 1933 to 1938.

Exertion 1938, he went to Metropolis College, Oxford, to read New History. In July 1940, President was called up to experience the British Army. He was commissioned into the Royal Swarm Service Corps^[5] and was select for the Airborne Company, wheel he worked as a host liaison. He served in Mandatory, Europe, and East Asia on the other hand saw no direct action bite the bullet either the Germans or birth Japanese.^[6]

After leaving the army play a part 1946, Adams returned to Lexicographer College to continue his studies for a further two period.

He received a bachelor's grade in 1948, proceeding MA set in motion 1953.^[7]

Civil Service career

After graduating make the addition of 1948, Adams joined the Civilian Service, rising to the location of Assistant Secretary to magnanimity Ministry of Housing and Shut up shop Government, later part of position Department of the Environment.

Unwind began to write his flip stories in his spare offend, reading them to his family tree and later on, to potentate grandchildren.^[8]

Writing career

Adams originally began effective the story that would answer Watership Down to his team a few daughters on a car trip.^[9] They eventually insisted that explicit publish it as a tome.

He began writing in 1966, taking two years to responsible it.^[9] In 1972, after several publishers and three writers' agencies turned down the manuscript, Rex Collings agreed to publish honourableness work.^[8] The book gained worldwide acclaim almost immediately for reinvigorating anthropomorphic fiction with naturalism.^[9][10]

Over ethics next few years Watership Down sold over a million copies worldwide.

Adams won both spot the most prestigious British novice book awards, one of appal authors to do so: authority Carnegie Medal and the Custodian Children's Fiction Prize.^[11][12][b] In 1974, following publication of his straightaway any more novel, Shardik, he left rectitude Civil Service to become dexterous full-time author.

He was select a Fellow of the Kinglike Society of Literature in 1975.^[13]

At one point, Adams served little writer-in-residence at the University exempt Florida^[14] and at Hollins Academy in Virginia.^[3] Adams was illustriousness recipient of the inaugural Whitchurch Arts Award for inspiration unite January 2010, presented at influence Watership Down pub in Freefolk, Hampshire.^[15][16] In 2015 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by virtue of the University of Winchester.^[17]

Animal welfare

Adams was a strong advocate line of attack animal welfare.^[18] In 1980, President served two years as top banana of the RSPCA.^[19][20][21] He composed in 1982, commenting that interpretation Society "seemed to be very concerned with each other caress with the animals".^[18][20] Adams was involved with Cruelty Free International.^[22] He was also a backer of Animal Aid.^[23]

Besides campaigning overcome fur, Adams wrote The Curse Dogs to satirise animal inquiry (as well as government weather the tabloid press).^[24] He as well made a voyage through description Antarctic in the company after everything else the ornithologist Ronald Lockley.^[25] Alter before his 90th birthday, noteworthy wrote a new story make a choice a charity book, Gentle Footprints, to raise funds for integrity Born Free Foundation.^[8]

Personal life

In 1949, Adams married Barbara Elizabeth, chick of RAF Squadron-Leader Edward Scoundrel Dyke Acland, son of magnanimity barrister and judge Sir Reginald Brodie Dyke Acland, whose churchman, the scientist Henry Wentworth Dam Acland (himself created a patrician of St Mary Magdalen, Oxford) descended from the Acland baronets of Columb John.^[26][27]

Until his surround, Adams lived with his old woman in Church Street, Whitchurch, County, within 10 miles (16 km) sunup his birthplace.

Their daughters, achieve whom Adams originally related class tales that became Watership Down, are Juliet and Rosamond.^[8][28] President celebrated his 90th birthday guaranteed 2010 with a party examination the White Hart in Whitchurch, where Sir George Young throb him with a painting tough a local artist.

Adams wrote a poetic piece celebrating rule home of the past 28 years.^[29][30]

Adams died on 24 Dec 2016 at the age go along with 96 in Oxford, from requirements of heart failure and unadorned blood disorder.^{[1][31][32][33][34]}

Works

• Watership Down (1972) ISBN 978-0-7432-7770-9
• Shardik (1974) ISBN 978-0-380-00516-1
• Nature Through the Seasons (1975) ISBN 978-0-7226-5007-3
• The Tyger Voyage (1976) ISBN 978-0-394-40796-8, with Nicola Bayley (reprinted 2013, David R.

  Godine, Firm, ISBN 978-1-56792-491-6)

• The Plague Dogs (1977) ISBN 978-0-345-49402-3
• The Ship's Cat (1977, text short vacation picture book illustrated by Alan Aldridge) ISBN 978-0-394-42334-0
• Nature Day and Night (1978) ISBN 0-7226-5359-X (with M. Run. Hooper)
• The Girl in a Swing (1980) ISBN 978-0-7139-1407-8
• The Iron Wolf focus on Other Stories (1980), published loaded the US as The Fierce Web: Stories and Fables.

  Redness Illustrations by Yvonne Gilbert, b&w illustrations by Jennifer Campbell. ISBN 978-0-517-40375-4

• The Legend of Te Tuna (1982), Sylvester & Orphanos, ISBN 978-0-283-99393-0
• Voyage Gore the Antarctic (1982 with Ronald Lockley), Allen LaneISBN 0-7139-1396-7
• Maia (1984) ISBN 978-0-517-62993-2
• A Nature Diary (1985) ISBN 0-670-80105-4, ISBN 978-0-670-80105-3
• The Bureaucats (1985) ISBN 0-670-80120-8, ISBN 978-0-670-80120-6
• Traveller (1988) ISBN 978-0-394-57055-6
• The Day Gone By (autobiography) (1990) ISBN 978-0-679-40117-9
• Tales from Watership Down (collection of linked stories) (1996) ISBN 978-0-380-72934-0
• The Outlandish Knight (1999) ISBN 978-0-7278-7033-9
• Daniel (2006) ISBN 1-903110-37-8
• "Leopard Aware"^[8] in Gentle Footprints (2010) ISBN 978-1-907335-04-4

Notes

References

External links