![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsibarber.ddns.net%2Farchive%2Ftags%2Ffellow%2Fcontent%2Fsi-barber-moral-rights-asserted-230%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2Fsibarber.ddns.net%2Farchive%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F001%2F954%2Fbarber-blake-morrison03%2Flarge.1758089267.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fsibarber.ddns.net%2Farchive%2Ftags%2Ffellow%2Fcontent%2Fsi-barber-moral-rights-asserted-230%2F" title="©Si Barber. Moral rights asserted."%3E©Si Barber. Moral rights asserted.%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBlake+Morrison+%28b.+1950%2C+Skipton%2C+Yorkshire%29+is+a+prolific+English+poet%2C+author%2C+and+critic%2C+blending+memoir%2C+fiction%2C+and+verse+with+emotional+depth.+Educated+at+Nottingham%2C+McMaster%2C+and+UCL%2C+he+edited+for+The+Observer+and+Independent+on+Sunday+before+full-time+writing+in+1995.+His+debut+poetry%2C+Dark+Glasses+%281984%29%2C+won+Somerset+Maugham+and+Dylan+Thomas+prizes%3B+later+collections+include+Pendle+Witches+%281996%2C+illus.+Paula+Rego%29+and+Shingle+Street+%282018%29.+Memoirs+like+And+When+Did+You+Last+See+Your+Father%3F+%281993%2C+J.R.+Ackerley+Prize%29+and+Things+My+Mother+Never+Told+Me+%282002%29+explore+family+secrets.+Novels+such+as+The+Justification+of+Johann+Gutenberg+%282000%29+and+South+of+the+River+%282007%29+showcase+his+versatility.+A+Royal+Society+of+Literature+Fellow%2C+he+chairs+The+Reader+Organisation%2C+promoting+therapeutic+reading.+Morrison%27s+work%2C+influenced+by+Larkin+and+Heaney%2C+probes+memory%2C+loss%2C+and+identity%2C+earning+Guardian+acclaim+for+its+%22restless+ambition.%22+%0A%0A%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
©Si Barber. Moral rights asserted.
Blake Morrison (b. 1950, Skipton, Yorkshire) is a prolific English poet, author, and critic, blending memoir, fiction, and verse with emotional depth. Educated at Nottingham, McMaster, and UCL, he edited for The Observer and Independent on Sunday before full-time writing in 1995. His debut poetry, Dark Glasses (1984), won Somerset Maugham and Dylan Thomas prizes; later collections include Pendle Witches (1996, illus. Paula Rego) and Shingle Street (2018). Memoirs like And When Did You Last See Your Father? (1993, J.R. Ackerley Prize) and Things My Mother Never Told Me (2002) explore family secrets. Novels such as The Justification of Johann Gutenberg (2000) and South of the River (2007) showcase his versatility. A Royal Society of Literature Fellow, he chairs The Reader Organisation, promoting therapeutic reading. Morrison's work, influenced by Larkin and Heaney, probes memory, loss, and identity, earning Guardian acclaim for its "restless ambition."