Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Anthony Burgess

Role / Field:

Versatile English writer, composer, and satirist, best known for A Clockwork Orange.

Born:

1917-02-25

Died:

1993-11-22

Century / Era:

1917s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

John Anthony Burgess Wilson (; 25 February 1917 – 22 November 1993), commonly known as Anthony Burgess, was an English writer, screenwriter, and composer. Although Burgess was primarily a comic writer, his dystopian satire A Clockwork Orange remains his best-known novel. Burgess produced a number of other novels, including the Enderby quartet, and Earthly Powers. He wrote librettos and screenplays, including the 1977 television mini-series Jesus of Nazareth.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He worked as a literary critic for several publications, including The Observer and The Guardian, and wrote studies of classic writers, notably James Joyce. A versatile linguist, Burgess lectured in phonetics, and translated Cyrano de Bergerac, Oedipus Rex, and the opera Carmen, among others. He was nominated and shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1973. Burgess also composed over 250 musical works; he considered himself as much a composer as an author, although he achieved considerably more success in writing. Burgess was born on 25 February 1917 at 91 Carisbrook Street in Harpurhey, a suburb of Manchester, England, to Irish Catholic parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Wilson.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

He described...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolf von Baeyer — Contemporary (Died in 1917) (1917): Pioneering German chemist known for indigo synthesis and IUPAC nomenclature.
• Andrew Huxley — Contemporary (Born in 1917) (1917): Pioneering physiologist known for the action potential and sliding filament theory.
• Andrew Wyeth — Contemporary (Born in 1917) (1917): Master American Realist Painter known for regional scenes of Pennsylvania and Maine.
• Adam Ondra — Contemporary (Born in 1993) (1993): Czech professional rock climber, specializing in lead, bouldering, and competition.
• Agnes de Mille — Contemporary (Died in 1993) (1993): Pioneering American choreographer known for blending ballet with modern dance.
• Ajahn Buddhadasa — Contemporary (Died in 1993) (1993): Pioneering Thai Buddhist monk known for reinterpreting doctrine and fostering religious reformation.
• Albrecht von Wallenstein — Shared historical date (02-25 · Died) (1634): Bohemian military leader and statesman, key figure in the Thirty Years' War.
• Alexander Archipenko — Shared historical date (02-25 · Died) (1964): Ukrainian-American avant-garde sculptor, pioneer of Cubist human figures.
• Abigail Adams — Shared historical date (11-22 · Born) (1744): Influential advisor, first Second Lady, and key figure in US founding.
• Aldous Huxley — Shared historical date (11-22 · Died) (1963): English writer and philosopher known for social satire and mystical explorations.
• 1917 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1917
• February 25 (02-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 25
• 1993 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1993
• November 22 (11-22) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 22

Frequently Asked Questions about Anthony Burgess