Address Book

Neil Bartlett lives in London with his partner James Gardiner. His first novel, the ground-breaking queer love story Ready To Catch Him Should He Fall, was written in a council flat on the Isle of Dogs, published in 1990 and translated into five European languages. Since then, his books have been nominated for (amongst others) the Whitbread Prize (Mr Clive and Mr Page, 1996), the Costa Award (Skin Lane, 2007) and the Polari Prize (Address Book, 2022). Address Book was an Observer Book of the Year 2021, and The Disappearance Boy earnt him a nomination for Stonewall Author of the Year in 2014. Neil also makes theatre; he wrote the script for Orlando, the lead role in which was played by Emma Corrin in the West End of London in 2022, and most recently he created, with actor Russell Tovey, a special live performance of Derek Jarman's landmark final film, BLUE.

"Vivid characters, a fascinating subject and an expertly evoked setting. Excellent’"– Daily Mail; "Bartlett delights in taking that which was once hidden and making it clear for all to see." – Independent; "This book and its enchanting characters had me under their spell. I was bewitched." – Sheila Hancock; "Mysterious, tender and utterly compelling." – S.J. Watson "One of England’s finest writers" – Edmund White