Melvin Burgess

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Melvin Burgess (* 1954 in Sussex ) is a British writer for young people .

Melvin Burgess grew up in Sussex and Surrey , after graduating from school he moved to Bristol and later to London . He engaged in experimental writing for fifteen years, did odd jobs and trained as a journalist. In 1990 he published his first youth book The Cry of the Wolf and was immediately nominated for the Carnegie Medal (1991).

Melvin Burgess writes novels for young people in which he deals directly and humorously with sensitive topics. His works do not offer the reader easy answers, they are both entertainment and warning. With the »socially realistic« youth novel Junk (1996), he became known in 1999 as a Brit Pop author in Germany. The story of drug addicted and homeless youth in Bristol won the 1997 Guardian Children's Fiction Award and the Carnegie Medal . Burgess describes the attitude towards life of Gemma and Tar, who run away from home and become junkies .

His open portrayal of sexuality is often viewed with skepticism by critics. Burgess points out that there is not enough literature in which the vital questions of older youth are dealt with. In the youth novel Lady. My Life as a Bitch (2001) tells of the fantastic double identity of a seventeen-year-old who is turned into a dog and lives out the freedom she has gained, but also self-critically reflects on her life situation as a person. Burgess sees his novel as "a humorous parable about sexuality and life - and all the important and difficult aspects of life that many adults do not want to discuss with their growing children". In 2003, Burgess' youth novel Doing It was published about six young people and their different sexual experiences.

The Ghost behind the Wall (2000) and Billy Elliot (2001) are books for younger readers. The author lives in Manchester . His book Billy Elliot was filmed in 2000 by British director Stephen Daldry with Billy Elliot - I Will Dance .

Works

  • The Cry of the Wolf (1990), The last wolves , 1993
  • Burning Issy (1992)
  • An Angel for May (1992)
  • The Baby and Fly Pie (1993), damn close , 2001
  • The Earth Giant (1995)
  • Loving April (1995)
  • Junk (1996), German Junk , 1999
  • Tiger, Tiger (1996)
  • Kite (1997)
  • Bloodtide (1999), German battles , 2010
  • The Ghost behind the Wall (2000), German The Secret in the Shaft , 2003
  • The Birdman (2000)
  • Lady. My Life as a Bitch (2001), German dog woman , 2003
  • Billy Elliot (2001), German Billy Elliot. I will dance , 2001
  • Robbers on the Road (2002)
  • Doing it (2003), German Doing it , 2004
  • Bloodsong (2005)
  • Sarah's Face (2006), German "Sarah's Face"
  • Nicholas Dane (2009)
  • The Hit (2013), German Death , 2014
  • Kill All Enemies . (2011) Translator (same book title!) Heike Brandt. Carlsen, Hamburg 2015 ISBN 355158303X

Web links

notes

  1. ↑ offered by the translator as part of "Junge weltlesebühne", Berlin, for readings in schools and libraries, from class 9th 2019
personal data
SURNAME Burgess, Melvin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British author of young books
DATE OF BIRTH 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH London