Paul Lynch is a well-known Irish author, receiving prestigious awards such as the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award in 2018 and the Booker Prize in 2023. |
Lynch moved to Donegal as a child, growing up in Malin Head, where he learned to read with his mother's flashcards at the age of four. |
At eight, Lynch developed his reading habit with a shortened version of Sir H. Rider Haggard's novel, King Solomon’s Mines. |
At 11, he worked at the town's bookshop to quench his love for reading. |
During his twenties, Lynch played in rock bands across Dublin before eventually moving there with his family. |
Initially hesitant to write due to a fear of failure, Lynch changed his mind at 30 after an inspiring moment in Sicily. |
Starting as a journalist, Lynch later became a film critic and then a full-time novelist. |
His debut book, Red Sky in Morning, garnered critical acclaim upon its release in 2013. |
The Black Snow, Lynch’s second novel, was published in the UK and Ireland in 2014 and in the US in 2015. |
Lynch's third book, Grace, focused on a young girl's survival during the Irish Famine and was published in 2017. |
In 2019, Lynch released his fourth novel, Beyond the Sea. |
His fifth book, Prophet Song, won the Booker Prize in 2023, gaining international recognition. |
The idea for Prophet Song came from Lynch's reflection on the Syrian refugee crisis. |
Lynch dedicated four years to writing Prophet Song. |
His works delve into Irish history and portray characters facing adversity. |
Apart from writing, Lynch enjoys jazz music and plays the electric guitar. |
At 45, Lynch underwent surgery for a kidney tumor in 2023. |