Alexander Masters

Biography

Alexander Masters is an English author, biographer, and screenwriter known for his unique approach to literary nonfiction and his work with homeless communities. Born in New York in 1965 to a family of writers, he pursued a distinguished academic path in the sciences, studying physics and mathematics at King's College London and St Edmund's College, Cambridge.

Career and Literary Breakthrough

Master's writing career is deeply intertwined with his work as an assistant at a hostel for the homeless in Cambridge. This experience led directly to his breakthrough work:

Stuart: A Life Backwards (2005): This book is his most famous work, chronicling the life of his friend, Stuart Shorter, a homeless, alcoholic, and often violent street figure. As the title suggests, the biography is told in reverse chronological order, starting with Stuart's troubled adulthood and moving backward to reveal the root causes of his life in a traumatic childhood.

The book was a critical success, winning the Guardian First Book Award and the Whitbread Book of the Year (Biography category) in 2005. Masters later adapted the book for a BBC/HBO film, where he was portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Genius in My Basement (2011): This biography shifts focus to Masters' former landlord, the brilliant but reclusive mathematician Simon P. Norton, offering an intimate portrait of an everyday genius.

A Life Discarded: 148 Diaries Found in a Skip (2016): Continuing his fascination with uncovering the stories of overlooked lives, this book is a biographical mystery. It details Master's meticulous investigation to identify and piece together the life of an unknown person from 148 discarded personal diaries found in a skip (dumpster).

Beyond his celebrated books, Masters has also been active in journalism and campaigning, particularly around the ethical treatment and funding for scientific research, for which he has also received awards. He is also a gifted illustrator, often featuring his drawings in his books.