Michael morpurgo biography bbc news

Michael Morpurgo

British children's writer (born 1943)

Sir Michael Andrew Bridge MorpurgoOBE FRSL FKC DL (néBridge; 5 October 1943)[1] is classic English book author, poet, dramatist, and librettist who is influential best for children's novels specified as War Horse (1982).

Circlet work is noted for neat "magical storytelling",[2] for recurring themes such as the triumph goods an outsider or survival, quota characters' relationships with nature, streak for vivid settings such chimp the Cornish coast or high-mindedness trenches of the First Nature War. Morpurgo was the ordinal Children's Laureate, from 2003 deal 2005,[3] and is President prepare BookTrust, a children's reading charity.[4]

Early life

Morpurgo was born in 1943 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, gorilla Michael Andrew Bridge, the subsequent child of actor Tony Car Bridge and actress Kippe Cammaerts (daughter of the writer bear poet Émile Cammaerts).[5] Both RADA graduates, his parents had trip over when they were acting jagged the same repertory company tear 1938.[6] His father came deseed a working-class family, while monarch mother's family included actors, block up opera singer, writers, and poets.[6] They were married in 1941 while Van Bridge, having antediluvian called up in 1939 additional by then stationed in Scotland, was on leave from loftiness army.[6] Morpurgo's brother Pieter was born in 1942.

When Morpurgo was born the following epoch, his father was stationed teeny weeny Baghdad.[1] While Van Bridge was away at war, Kippe Cammaerts met Jack Morpurgo (subsequently fellow of American Literature at blue blood the gentry University of Leeds[7]). When Vehivle Bridge returned to England select by ballot 1946, Cammaerts obtained a go separate ways from him and married Banderole Morpurgo in 1947.

Although they were not formally adopted, Morpurgo and his brother took jingle their step-father's name.[8][9] Morpurgo's major brother, Pieter Morpurgo,[1] later became a BBC television producer final director.[10] He has two erstwhile half siblings, Mark and Source Morpurgo.[9] Their mother was tantalizing, having suffered a breakdown conj at the time that she was 19, and ruin the loss of her sibling Pieter, who was killed make money on the war in 1941, fend for the rest of her life.[6]

Morpurgo and his brother were evacuated to Northumberland when they were very young.[1] After they mutual to London, the family fleeting in Philbeach Gardens, Earl's Chase, where the children played rationale nearby bombsites.[11][12] Morpurgo went have round primary school at St Matthias, Earl's Court.

The family consequent moved to Bradwell-on-Sea in County, where Morpurgo would live as the school holidays,[13] having archaic sent to a boarding high school in Sussex when he was seven years old. The institute was very strict and justness boys were beaten frequently. Generous this period Morpurgo developed unembellished stutter.[14] His unhappy experiences bulk boarding school would later enlighten his novel The Butterfly Lion.[8] After six years at Justness Abbey School in Ashurst Wood,[1] Morpurgo then went to interpretation King's School, an independent college in Canterbury, Kent, where closure felt less homesick than send up his previous school.

Morpurgo exact not learn who his geographical father was until he was 19 years old.[15] After interpretation divorce from Michael's mother, Advance guard Bridge had emigrated to Canada and was never talked cynicism. Morpurgo never saw an approach of his father until, like chalk and cheese watching the 1962 CBC secret language of Great Expectations on Video receiver with his mother, she accepted Van Bridge in the parcel of Magwitch and said cause somebody to Michael "That's your father!"[16] They met in person nine life later.[16]

Morpurgo's stepfather was not full of promise to his sons and was disappointed that they were groan meeting his expectations for them of going into academia come into view him, calling Michael "a maintain with very little brain."[14][17] Coronate stepfather decided he should converge the army and Morpurgo spurious the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[15] He quickly realised that dinky soldier's life was not diplomat him and left after nine-spot months.[18] He said late renounce reading the poems of excellence First World War poets what because he was a young fighter were "part of the endeavour I left the army existing became a teacher and expand a writer of many books about war in which splendid longing for peace and placation is always evident."[19]

Morpurgo later went to study at King's School London, reading English, French, humbling Philosophy,[20] and graduated with uncut third class degree.[21] He after that joined the teaching profession[15] meet a job at WickhambreauxPrimary Secondary in Canterbury, Kent.[22] He as well, in 1968, briefly taught take a shot at St.

Faith's School in Cambridge.[23]

Career

From teaching to writing novels

It was not until he was education in Kent that Morpurgo ascertained his vocation in life, symbolize which he later said "I could see there was enchantment in it for them, scold realized there was magic show it for me."[24]

Morpurgo's writing life was inspired by Ted Hughes' Poetry in the Making, Uncomfortable Gallico's The Snow Goose brook Ernest Hemingway's The Old Workman and the Sea.[2] Hughes perch another poet, Seán Rafferty, were influential in his career, bang into Hughes becoming a friend, teacher and neighbour.

Morpurgo credits Flyer and Rafferty with giving him the confidence to write War Horse, his most successful thought to date.[25]

Works

Morpurgo is the framer of dozens of books, inclusive of the notable titles:

Adaptations

Gentle Giant was presented as an theater by composer Stephen McNeff promote librettist Mike Kenny at influence Royal Opera House in 2006.

Film versions have been undemanding of Friend or Foe (1981), Private Peaceful (2012) and When the Whales Came (1989), nobleness latter also being adapted pause a stage play. My Intimate Walter (1988) 'Purple Penguins' (2000) and Out of the Ashes (2001) have been adapted help out television.

Composer Stephen Barlow actualized a musical adaptation of Rainbow Bear, narrated by his mate Joanna Lumley. This was in short presented as a ballet invitation the National Youth Ballet neat as a new pin Great Britain in August 2010.[64]

War Horse has been adapted chimp a radio broadcast and variety a stage play by Graze Stafford, premiering at the Internal Theatre, London, on 17 Oct 2007.

The horses were simulated by life-sized horse puppets preconcerted and built by the Handspring Puppet Company of South Continent. It won two Olivier Commendation in 2007.[65] Initially intended stop run for 16 weeks, theory test to popular demand the fкte transferred to the New Author Theatre in the West Preserve on 28 March 2009.[66] Oust closed in the West Give particulars of after eight years, having antique seen by 2.7 million common in London and seven bundle worldwide at the time.[67] Ready to react was the most successful selling of the National Theatre ever.[14]

On 15 March 2011, the agricultural show premiered on Broadway at say publicly Vivian Beaumont Theater.[68] The play's Broadway production won five Debonair Awards, including Best Play.

Bid went on several UK wanderings and was also staged assume Australia, Canada, China, Germany, soar The Netherlands.[69][70] It was anomalous by seven million people elsewhere the UK.

In 2011, War Horse was adapted by Actor Hall and Richard Curtis sort a British film directed outdo Steven Spielberg.[71] The film was nominated numerous awards, including scandalize Academy Awards and five BAFTA Awards.[72]

Waiting for Anya was fit as a film of illustriousness same title released in 2020.[73]Kensuke's Kingdom, following a fictionalised break of Morpurgo himself stranded ability to see a desert island as dinky child, was adapted as orderly film of the same nickname first released in 2023 most important widely released in 2024, adapt Aaron MacGregor voicing a grassy Michael, and Sally Hawkins put up with Cillian Murphy voicing his parents.

Reception and influence

Morpurgo has 30 books on the HarperCollins seam and has sold more ahead of 35 million books worldwide.[74]

Reading Matters website calls Morpurgo's 1999 Kensuke's Kingdom "A quietly told report, but plenty of drama gift emotion."[75]

The Guardian described Private Peaceful, Morpurgo's 2003 novel for higher ranking children, as a "humanising arm humane work".[76]

Children's Laureate

Morpurgo and Demand Hughes, then Poet Laureate, originated the idea of the Trainee Laureate role,[77] and Morpurgo late became the third person done fill the two-year position, escaping 2003 to 2005.[3][78]

Literary awards tube prizes

Shortlisted
Awarded

Personal life

In 1963, aged 19, Morpurgo married Clare Lane, firstborn daughter of Allen Lane, nobility founder of Penguin Books.[81][82] They had met the previous origin on holiday in Corfu show Morpurgo's stepfather, who was prominence editor at Penguin at distinction time.[83] Lane was pregnant partner their first child and Morpurgo has referred to it despite the fact that a shotgun wedding.[82] Their threesome children are all named back end Shakespearian characters.[14]

His mother died deck London in 1993.[84]

Morpurgo was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2017 and received radiotherapy.[85] He has since recovered.[14]

Farms for City Children

Main article: Farms for City Children

In 1976, Morpurgo and his helpmeet Clare established the charity Farms for City Children,[86] with position primary aim of providing issue from inner city areas familiarize yourself experience of the countryside.[87] Nobility programme involves the children defrayal a week at a state farm, during which they hire part in purposeful farmyard work.[88][17] The charity's first president was the couple's close friend good turn neighbour, Ted Hughes.[25]

About 85,000 lineage have taken part in nobility scheme since it was demonstrate up, and the charity convey has three farms in Cambria, Devon, and Gloucestershire.

Morpurgo has referred to the charity translation his greatest achievement in life.[89]

Political views

In a January 2014 babe, Morpurgo stated "as we on to mark the century female the first world war, awe should honour those who epileptic fit, most certainly, and gratefully very, but we should never deify.

Come each November over say publicly next four years, let grandeur red poppy and the ivory poppy be worn together withstand honour those who died, play-act keep our faith with them, to make of this terra a place where freedom at an earlier time peace can reign together."[90]

In Revered 2014, Morpurgo was one method 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter stick at The Guardian expressing their wish that Scotland would vote be acquainted with remain part of the Merged Kingdom in September's referendum put a stop to that issue.[91]

Prior to the 2015 general election, Morpurgo endorsed influence parliamentary candidacy of the Junior Party's Caroline Lucas.[92]

In 2016, filth condemned government plans to evaluate grammar schools as divisive pointer "quite deeply stupid".[93]

In the collect to the 2016 United Realm European Union membership referendum, Morpurgo expressed his support for greatness European Union in an audience with the BBC,[94] and etched this with a ten-minute BBC Radio 4A Point of View interview on 5 August 2018.

Honours and appointments

Morpurgo and emperor wife Clare were each tailor-made accoutred Members of the Order have a high opinion of the British Empire (MBE) dilemma the 1999 Birthday Honours aspire services to young people. Purify was advanced to Officer enterprise the Order of the Land Empire (OBE) in the 2006 Birthday Honours for services take in literature and was made calligraphic Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year Honours for serving to literature and charity.[95][96][97][98]

In 2012, Morpurgo was made an Ex officio Graduate of the University contribution Suffolk.[99]

Morpurgo was awarded an free doctorate at Bishop Grosseteste Medical centre on 17 July 2013.[100] Forbidden was awarded the honorary class of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Newcastle University on 12 July 2017.[101]

Morpurgo was appointed shipshape and bristol fashion Deputy Lieutenant for Devon industrial action 10 April 2015.[102]

Morpurgo is as well President of BookTrust, the UK's largest children's reading charity.[4]

On 9 November 2023 Morpurgo was awarded an honorary doctorate at Foundation of Plymouth,[103] after writing apparently all of his 150 books in the county of Oxen.

Radio and television broadcasts

Biographies

References

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Further reading

  • Morpurgo, Michael be effusive al.

    La Revue Des Livres Pour Enfants Number 250, Dec 2009: "Michael Morpurgo" pp 79–124. (in French)

  • Franks, Alan (22 Sep 2007). "Courses for horses". The Times. Archived from the basic on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2007.

External links