Ken Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. Barred from watching films and television by his parents, he developed an early interest in reading thanks to a local library. After studying philosophy at University College London, he became involved in centre-left politics, entering journalism soon after. His first thriller, the wartime spy drama Eye of the Needle, became an international bestseller and has sold more than 10 million copies. He then astonished everyone with his first historical novel, The Pillars of the Earth, the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, which went on to become one of the most beloved books of the twentieth century. One of the most popular authors in the world, his many books, including the Kingsbridge series and the Century trilogy – a body of work that together chronicles over a thousand years of history – have sold more than 188 million copies. A father and husband, Ken lives with his wife in England and enjoys travelling the world when he can.

His fresh concept is carried off with the kind of effortless skill that was the distinguishing feature of Follett’s best books, and his protagonist, Flick, is a distinctive, unusual creation

Ken Follett was born in Cardiff, Wales. Barred from watching films and television by his parents, he developed an early interest in reading thanks to a local library. After studying philosophy at University College London, he became involved in centre-left politics, entering journalism soon after. His first thriller, the wartime spy drama Eye of the Needle, became an international bestseller and has sold more than 10 million copies. He then astonished everyone with his first historical novel, The Pillars of the Earth, the story of the building of a medieval cathedral, which went on to become one of the most beloved books of the twentieth century. One of the most popular authors in the world, his many books, including the Kingsbridge series and the Century trilogy – a body of work that together chronicles over a thousand years of history – have sold more than 188 million copies. A father and husband, Ken lives with his wife in England and enjoys travelling the world when he can.

His fresh concept is carried off with the kind of effortless skill that was the distinguishing feature of Follett’s best books, and his protagonist, Flick, is a distinctive, unusual creation