Afterburn
poetry · First published 2026
Author guide
Blake Morrison Books in Order
Blake Morrison is an English writer born in Skipton, Yorkshire. He has written poetry, literary criticism, journalism, fiction, memoir, plays, and libretti. His best-known books include And When Did You Last See Your Father?, Things My Mother Never Told Me, The Justification of Johann Gutenberg, and The Executor. He has also edited literary anthologies and taught creative and life writing at Goldsmiths, University of London.
poetryfictionnovelsmemoirnonfictionliterary criticismjournalismplayslibrettipicture books
Catalog record updated .
Blake Morrison's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
And When Did You Last See Your Father?
His best-known and most widely acclaimed memoir.
The Justification of Johann Gutenberg
A strong entry point to his fiction.
Dark Glasses
His first full-length poetry collection.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (6)
- As If
nonfiction · 1997
- The Justification of Johann Gutenberg
novel · 2000
- South of the River
novel · 2007
- The Last Weekend
novel · 2010
Set over a long weekend in East Anglia, this is the chilling story of a rivalrous friendship. The scene is set for sunlit relaxation between old university friends. Two couples Ian and his wife Em and the golden couple, Ollie and Daisy…
- The Executor
novel · 2018
- On Memoir: An A-Z of Life Writing
nonfiction · 2026
Nonfiction (5)
- The Movement: English Poetry and Fiction of the 1950s
literary-criticism · 1980
- Seamus Heaney
literary-criticism · 1982
- And When Did You Last See Your Father?
memoir · 1993
Morrisons memoir of the life and death of his father was one of the best-reviewed books of 1995, and promises to be an enduring classic of family literature--a work that explores the deepest emotions of being a father and a son.
- Things My Mother Never Told Me
memoir · 2002
- Two Sisters
memoir · 2023
Essays and speeches (4)
- Too True
essay-collection · 1998
- This Poem...
poetry-pamphlet · 2014
- Never the Right Time
poetry-pamphlet · 2023
- Skin and Blister
poetry-pamphlet · 2023
Children's books (1)
- The Yellow House
picture-book · 1987
A little girl's fascination with the yellow house she passes each day leads her into its garden which is full of fantastic surprises.
Poetry (7)
- Dark Glasses
poetry · 1984
- The Ballad of the Yorkshire Ripper and Other Poems
poetry · 1987
- Pendle Witches
poetry · 1996
- Selected Poems
poetry · 1999
- A Discoverie of Witches
poetry · 2012
- Shingle Street
poetry · 2015
- Afterburn
poetry · 2026
Plays (11)
- The Cracked Pot
play · 1996
- Oedipus
play · 2001
- The First Book of Madrigals
libretto · 2000
- G: Being the Confession and Last Testament of Johannes Gutenberg
libretto · 2002
- Antigone
play · 2003
- Dr Ox's Experiment
libretto · 1998
- Kindertotenlieder
music-theatre · 1998
- The Man with Two Gaffers
play · 2006
- Lisa's Sex Strike
play · 2007
- Elephant and Castle
libretto · 2007
- We Are Three Sisters
play · 2011
Edited works (4)
- The Penguin Book of Contemporary British Poetry
edited-anthology · 1982
- Penguin Modern Poets 1
poetry-anthology · 1995
- Mind Readings: Writers' Journeys Through Mental States
edited-anthology · 1996
- New Writing 12
edited-anthology · 2003
Frequently asked questions about Blake Morrison
Who is Blake Morrison, and what is he known for?
Blake Morrison is an English poet, novelist, memoirist, critic, journalist, playwright, and librettist. He is especially known for autobiographical writing that Goldsmiths says helped redefine the memoir form.
Sources: blakemorrison.net (opens in a new tab)gold.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
Where was Blake Morrison born and educated?
He was born in Skipton, Yorkshire. He studied at the University of Nottingham, McMaster University, and University College London.
What did Blake Morrison do before becoming a full-time writer?
Morrison worked for the Times Literary Supplement and later served as literary editor of The Observer and the Independent on Sunday. He became a full-time writer in 1995 and has been a professor at Goldsmiths since 2003.
Which writers influenced Blake Morrison?
Morrison has identified Wilfred Owen as the poet who helped inspire him to begin writing, and he has described Philip Larkin as the most important poet to him. He has also praised Seamus Heaney’s engagement with politics, history, and childhood.
What major awards has Blake Morrison won?
His poetry collection Dark Glasses won the Dylan Thomas and Somerset Maugham prizes. His memoir And When Did You Last See Your Father? won the PEN/Ackerley Prize for Autobiography.
Sources: poetrysociety.org.uk (opens in a new tab)englishpen.org (opens in a new tab)