Maggie O'Farrell

Maggie O'Farrell, born in 1972, is a distinguished Irish-British novelist known for her compelling storytelling and rich character development. Her literary journey began with her acclaimed debut novel, After You'd Gone, which earned her the prestigious Betty Trask Award, setting the stage for a remarkable career.

O'Farrell's subsequent works have garnered significant recognition, including The Hand That First Held Mine, which won the Costa Novel Award in 2010. She has been shortlisted for this award on two additional occasions for her novels Instructions for a Heatwave in 2014 and This Must Be The Place in 2017, showcasing her consistent excellence in fiction.

In addition to her fiction, O'Farrell's memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death, captivated readers and reached the pinnacle of the Sunday Times bestseller list. Her novel Hamnet, a poignant exploration of grief and loss, won the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2020 and also received the fiction prize at the National Book Critics Circle Awards that same year.

In a remarkable expansion of her creative talents, O'Farrell co-adapted Hamnet for the screen alongside acclaimed director Chloé Zhao in 2025. Her work on the film earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, further solidifying her status as a versatile and accomplished writer.