Alice Albinia Biography, Education and Famous Book Empires of Indus

 

Alice Albinia is the award-winning author of twinned works of fiction and non-fiction. Her first two books explore overlapping cultural and geographical territory in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Tibet. Empires of the Indus: The Story of a River, published in 2008, won six prizes in Britain, Pakistan, France and Italy. Leela's Book, published in 2011, was long-listed for the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature and shortlisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award.

Her two new books are about Britain and its islands. The Britannias, a portrait of Britain which knocks the centre out, is forthcoming from Allen Lane/WW Norton in 2023. Her new novel, Cwen, set on an archipelago off the east coast of Britain which comes under female rule, is out now with Serpent's Tail.

Alice graduated with a first in English Literature from Cambridge University, and a Distinction in South Asian history from SOAS. In between, she lived for two years in Delhi, working as an editor and journalist with the Centre for Science and Environment, Biblio: A Review of Books, and Outlook Traveller. This was when she had the idea to write her first two books. Since then, she has written for publications all over the world, including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and National Geographic. She has taught writing in Orkney for the Islands' Council, in London with First Story, and as a Royal Literary Fund fellow at King's College London and the University of Kent.

She has spent the past seven years travelling around the edges of Britain, piecing together ancient, medieval and modern myths of islands ruled by women.

Her two new books are about Britain and its islands. The Britannias, a portrait of Britain which knocks the centre out, is forthcoming from Allen Lane/WW Norton in 2023. Her new novel, Cwen, set on an archipelago off the east coast of Britain which comes under female rule, is out now with Serpent's Tail.

Alice Albinia was born in London and read English Literature at Cambridge University and South Asian History at SOAS. In between, Albinia worked for two years in Delhi as a journalist and editor. While in Delhi, she worked for the Centre for Science and Environment, the literary journal Biblio, and Outlook Traveller. Since 2012, she has taught writing at secondary schools with the support of the nonprofit First Story.

She was one of the three judges for the 2008 Jerwood Awards.[2] Her debut novel, Leela's Book, is a modern story inspired by the Mahabharata.[3]

. Since then, she has written for publications all over the world, including Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and National Geographic. She has taught writing in Orkney for the Islands' Council, in London with First Story, and as a Royal Literary Fund fellow at King's College London and the University of Kent.

She has spent the past seven years travelling around the edges of Britain, piecing together ancient, medieval and modern myths of islands ruled by women.