Hanif Kureishi

Hanif Kureishi was born and brought up in Kent. He read philosophy at King's College, London. In 1981 he won the George Devine Award for his plays Outskirts and Borderline, and in 1982 he was appointed Writer-in-Residence at the Royal Court Theatre. In 1984 he wrote My Beautiful Laundrette, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay. His second screenplay Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987) was followed by London Kills Me (1991) which he also directed. The Buddha of Suburbia won the Whitbread Prize for Best First Novel in 1990 and was made into a four-part drama series by the BBC in 1993. His version of Brecht's Mother Courage has been produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. His second novel, The Black Album, was published in 1995. With Jon Savage he edited The Faber Book of Pop (1995). His first collection of short stories, Love in a Blue Time, was published in 1997. His story My Son the Fanatic, from that collection, was adapted for film and released in 1998. Intimacy, his third novel, was published in 1998, and a film of the same title, based on the novel and other stories by the author, was released in 2001 and won the Golden Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival. His play Sleep With Me premiered at the Royal National Theatre in 1999. His second collection of stories, Midnight All Day, was published in 2000.

Gabriel's Gift, his fourth novel, was published in 2001. The Body and Seven Stories and Dreaming and Scheming, a collection of essays, were published in 2002. His screenplay The Mother was directed by Roger Michell and released in 2003. In 2004 he published his play When The Night Begins and a memoir, My Ear At His Heart. A second collection of essays, The Word and the Bomb, followed in 2005. His screenplay Venus was directed by Roger Michell in 2006. His novel Something to Tell You was published in 2008. In July 2009 his adaptation of his novel, The Black Album, opened at the National Theatre, prior to a nation-wide tour. In 2010 his Collected Stories were published. He has been awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

What types of writing does Hanif Kureishi produce?

He writes novels, short stories, plays and screenplays, and has published essays and a memoir.

Which book is a good place to start with his work?

The Buddha of Suburbia is a widely recommended entry point as his award-winning first novel. For short fiction try his Collected Stories, and to sample his screen work read or watch My Beautiful Laundrette.

Have any of his works been adapted for film, television or stage?

Yes. My Beautiful Laundrette was a screenplay that received an Oscar nomination. The Buddha of Suburbia was adapted as a BBC drama. My Son the Fanatic and Intimacy were made into films, the film Intimacy won the Golden Bear, and The Black Album was adapted for the stage.

Is there a suggested reading order for his novels and collections?

There is no strict order, but reading chronologically shows his development. Key novels in publication sequence include The Buddha of Suburbia, The Black Album, Intimacy, Gabriel's Gift and Something to Tell You. His story collections include Love in a Blue Time, Midnight All Day and the Collected Stories 1997–2010.

What major awards and honors has he received?

He won the George Devine Award for his early plays, received an Oscar nomination for My Beautiful Laundrette, won the Whitbread Prize for Best First Novel for The Buddha of Suburbia, saw the film Intimacy win the Golden Bear, and has been made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.