Robin Lloyd-Jones (5 October 1934 – 5 September 2024) was a British writer of both fiction and non-fiction.

Life and career

Lloyd-Jones was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 5 October 1934. He grew up in India, before being educated at

Blundell's School Blundell's School is an Private schools in the United Kingdom, independent co-educational boarding school, boarding and Day school, day school in the English Public School (United Kingdom), public school tradition, located in Tiverton, Devon, T ...

in Devon and

Selwyn College, Cambridge Selwyn College, Cambridge is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Selwyn (bishop of Lichfield), Georg ...

, where he graduated with a pass degree in social anthropology in 1957. He then moved to Scotland to work as an Education Adviser for

Strathclyde Regional Council Strathclyde ( in Welsh; in Gaelic, meaning 'strath alleyof the River Clyde') was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Govern ...

. He soon became part of the vibrant Scottish writing scene, serving as President of the Scottish Association of Writers (1993–1996) and President of the Scottish Branch of

PEN International PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide professional association, association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association ...

(1997–2000), and chairing the Writers in Prison Committee which campaigns on behalf of persecuted writers. He was for several years a tutor in Creative Writing at the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

. Lloyd-Jones died on 5 September 2024, at the age of 89.

Publications

Books

* ''Autumn Voices: Scottish writers over 70 talk about creativity in later life'' (PlaySpace Publications, 2018) "An engaging book with an important message." (James Robertson); "This book is just amazing. A treasure trove." (John Killick). * ''The Sweet Especial Scene'' (Two Ravens Press, 2014) - a collection of wilderness writings spanning 40 years. * ''The Sunlit Summit'' (Sandstone Press, 2013) – a biography of the Scottish mountaineer, writer and conservationist, W.H. Murray. "A subtle and wonderful biography." (Robert Macfarlane); "Robin Lloyd-Jones treats the reader to a masterclass in the biographer's art." (Ken Lussey). Winner of the Saltire Society's Research Book of the Year Award 2013. * ''Argonauts of the Western Isles'' (updated version with new chapters, Whittles Publishing, 2008) - non-fiction account of sea kayaking on the west coast of Scotland. * ''Red Fox Running'' (Andersen Press, 2007) – a novel for teenagers, set in the Arctic, looking at environmental issues. Short-listed for Heart of Hawick Children's Book Award; long-list for Manchester Children's Book Award. * ''Fallen Pieces of the Moon'' (Whittles Publishing, 2006) – an account of a kayak trip in Greenland made by the author. * ''Fallen Angels'' (Canongate, 1992) – short stories about the lives of street children in South America. "Compassionate and deeply moving" (Contemporary Review); "His commitment and empathy show. This book hurts" (Books in Scotland). * ''Argonauts of the Western Isles'' (Diadem, 1989) – non-fiction account of sea kayaking on the west coast of Scotland. * ''The Dreamhouse'' (Hutchinson, 1985) – a novel. A surrealist satire set in a remote 19th century gold-rush town in Alaska. The arrival of a con-man turns the community upside down. A Booker Prize entry. "Fantastic, funny and inventive, a tonic to read" (The Guardian). * ''Lord of the Dance'' (Gollancz and Arena; in US: Little Brown; in Spain: Argos Vergara, all in 1983) – a novel. A 16th century English doctor on a quest to find a cure for leprosy in the India of Moghul Emperor, Akbar. Winner of BBC Bookshelf First Novel Award and a Booker Prize entry. "A significant literary discovery" (The Glasgow Herald); "Astonishing imaginative brilliance" (The Times).

Radio Drama

* ''Rainmaker'' (BBC radio drama, 1997) – two missionaries in 19th century Africa are caught up in a rainmaking ritual and sacrifice. * ''Ice in Wonderland'' (BBC radio drama, 1992 – an adaptation for radio of the author's novel, The Dreamhouse. Winner of BBC Best Radio Drama Script Award, 1994. "An original and remarkable script." (Radio Times).

Film Scripts

* ''Forest'' - a 20-minute DVD commissioned by Warwick University Engineering Department, 2012. * ''Wolf'' - a 20-minute film for Timespan Arts Centre, Helmsdale, about the last wolf in Sutherland, 2011. * ''River'' - a 10-minute DVD sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage, 2009.

Articles

Many articles for ''

Scots Magazine ''The Scots Magazine'' is a magazine containing articles on subjects of Scottish interest. It claims to be the oldest magazine in the world still in publication, although there have been several gaps in its publication history. It has reported on ...

'', the ''

Scotsman Scottish people or Scots (; ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Scotland. Historically, they emerged in the early Middle Ages from an amalgamation of two Celtic peoples, the Picts and Gaels, who founded the Kingdom of Scotland (o ...

'', the ''Glasgow Herald'', the ''Guardian'', the ''

Times Educational Supplement ''TES'', formerly known as the ''Times Educational Supplement'', is a British weekly trade magazine aimed at education professionals. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in ''The Times'' newspaper. Such was its popularity th ...

'' and other journals. Description of a moonlight climb anthologised in ''The Winding Trail'' (Diadem, 1981).

References

External links

Scottish Pen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lloyd-Jones, Robin 1934 births 2024 deaths People educated at Blundell's School Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge British male novelists Writers from London