Anna Burns

Anna Burns is an accomplished Irish author, born in Belfast in 1962. She is renowned for her distinctive writing style, which often incorporates the colloquial language of her native city. After moving to London in 1987, Burns began her literary career, drawing from her experiences growing up in Belfast during a time of political turmoil.

Burns made her debut with the novel "No Bones" in 2001. The book is a profound exploration of a girl's life amidst the Troubles in Belfast. "No Bones" is particularly notable for its realistic depiction of the vernacular of Belfast, which has led to comparisons with James Joyce's "Dubliners". The novel's significance was recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize and the Orange Prize in 2002.

Burns's second novel, "Little Constructions", was published after her successful debut. However, it was her third novel, "Milkman", that garnered her the most international acclaim. "Milkman", published in 2018, is set in an unnamed city that strongly resembles Belfast during the Troubles. The book explores themes of gender, power, and social pressure. It won the prestigious Man Booker Prize in 2018, further solidifying Burns's reputation as a leading voice in contemporary Irish literature. In 2020, "Milkman" was awarded the International Dublin Literary Award. The novel was also nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2019. Despite her success, Burns maintains a private life and currently resides in East Sussex, England.