Robert Harris English writer, screenwriter and journalist Date of Birth: 07.03.1957 Country: Great Britain

1. Robert Harris: Master of Historical Fiction
2. Early Career and Nonfiction (1982-1990)
3. Literary Breakthrough: "Fatherland" (1992)
4. Wartime Intrigue: "Enigma" (1995) and "Archangel" (1998)
5. Ancient Rome and Fascism: "Pompeii" (2003) and "Imperium" (2006)
6. Political Critique: "The Ghost" (2007)
7. Cicero Trilogy Completion: "Lustrum" (2009) and "Dictator" (2015)
8. Vatican Thriller: "Conclave" (2016)
9. Journalism and Personal Life
10. Political Affiliations

Robert Harris: Master of Historical Fiction

Robert Harris is a renowned English writer, screenwriter, and journalist whose fame stems primarily from his gripping historical fiction works.

Early Career and Nonfiction (1982-1990)

Harris's early career focused on journalism and non-fiction. His debut book, "The Higher Form of Killing" (1982), co-written with BBC colleague Jeremy Paxman, explored biological and chemical warfare. This was followed by "Gotcha! The Government, the Media, and the Falklands Crisis" (1983), analyzing the Falklands War; "The Making of Neil Kinnock" (1984); "Selling Hitler" (1986), an investigation into the "Hitler Diaries" scandal; and "Good and Faithful Servant" (1990), a study of Margaret Thatcher's press secretary, Bernard Ingham.

Literary Breakthrough: "Fatherland" (1992)

Harris's first bestseller, "Fatherland," is an alternate history thriller set in a world where Nazi Germany won World War II. Its publication catapulted Harris to the forefront of international literature. It was adapted as an HBO television film in 1994, allowing Harris to purchase a home in the countryside where he resides to this day.

Wartime Intrigue: "Enigma" (1995) and "Archangel" (1998)

Harris's second novel, "Enigma," depicts the British decryption of Germany's Enigma cipher during World War II at Cambridge University and Bletchley Park. It was adapted into a major film in 2001, written by Tom Stoppard and starring Dougray Scott and Kate Winslet. "Archangel," another international bestseller, follows a British historian in contemporary Russia seeking a secret notebook rumored to be Stalin's diary. It was adapted as a BBC television film starring Daniel Craig in 2005.

Ancient Rome and Fascism: "Pompeii" (2003) and "Imperium" (2006)

In 2003, Harris turned his attention to ancient Rome with "Pompeii." The novel narrates the peril faced by a Roman aqueduct engineer working near the city shortly before the infamous Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. In 2006, Harris continued the Roman theme with "Imperium," the first novel in a trilogy chronicling the life of the great Roman orator and lawyer, Marcus Tullius Cicero.

Political Critique: "The Ghost" (2007)

Harris was an early and ardent supporter of Tony Blair (a personal acquaintance) and a financial backer of New Labour. However, the Iraq War dampened his enthusiasm. After Blair's resignation, Harris penned "The Ghost," published in 2007. The title refers both to the novel's professional ghostwriter and to Blair himself, whose autobiography formed the basis of the narrative. Harris suggested a third allusion in the title's ambiguity, linking Blair to President Bush's "ghostwriting" of his case for the invasion of Iraq.

Cicero Trilogy Completion: "Lustrum" (2009) and "Dictator" (2015)

"Lustrum," the second novel in the Cicero trilogy, was published in 2009. The concluding chapter, "Dictator," arrived in 2015.

Modern and Historical Mystery: "The Index of Fear" (2011) and "The Officer and the Spy" (2013)

Harris ventured into contemporary finance with "The Index of Fear" (2011), exploring the 2010 market crash. "The Officer and the Spy" (2013), inspired by his friend Roman Polanski, is a historical mystery that uncovers a miscarriage of justice during the Dreyfus Affair in late 19th-century France.

Vatican Thriller: "Conclave" (2016)

"Conclave" (2016) depicts the secretive election of a new Pope within the Vatican, over the course of 72 hours.

Munich Agreement and Alternate History: "Munich" (2017) and "Second Sleep" (2019)

In "Munich" (2017), Harris reimagined the 1938 Munich Agreement that allowed Hitler to annex the Sudetenland. "Second Sleep" (2019) transports readers to a medieval English village in 1468, raising questions about time, reality, and the mysteries of the past.

World War II and the Holocaust: "V2" (2020) and "Act of Oblivion" (2022)

"V2" (2020) tells parallel stories of a German scientist developing V2 rockets and a British WAAF radio operator during World War II. "Act of Oblivion" (2022) is a historical thriller set in 1660, centered around a man tasked with hunting down regicides during the aftermath of the English Civil War.

Journalism and Personal Life

Harris served as a columnist for The Sunday Times until 1997. He returned to journalism in 2001, writing for The Daily Telegraph, and was named "Columnist of the Year" at the 2003 British Press Awards. Harris lives in Berkshire with his wife, Jill Hornby, a writer and sister of popular novelist Nick Hornby. They have four children. Harris contributed a short story to Hornby's 2000 anthology, "Speaking with the Angel."

Political Affiliations

A former Labour Party supporter, Harris withdrew his backing after Jeremy Corbyn's appointment of Guardian journalist Seumas Milne as director of communications. He now supports the Liberal Democrats.