Ashley Goodall

Ashley Goodall is the author of several critically acclaimed novels and short stories. He was born in 1968 in Birmingham, England and began his writing career there, writing poetry and short stories before eventually producing full length works of fiction. His writing consistently offers insightful explorations of human nature and its complexity, regularly drawing upon Christian themes in order to explore his characters and their lives.

Goodall’s first published novel was The Cloud Men, released in 2000. Almost a decade later he published his second novel, Strange Imperial, which won the International Pulitzer Prize for literature in 2009. His next publication, Anatomy of a Secret, was published in 2012 and earned him nomination for the Booker Prize. Goodall’s breakthrough came with the 2014 release of his novella Whispers from Europe, which went on to win a number of awards including the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2015.

The Cloud Men tells the story of Jake Spring and his quest to find information on his father’s allusive life while living in Birmingham in the late 1940s. Jake is sure that his father was involved in something important, though he doesn’t know exactly what until he meets four men—the cloud men— who help explain his fathers past. Jake discovers that his father was a member of a group who were trying to overthrow the British government in 1947 in an effort to install a Communist system of governance. The novel explores themes of loyalty, family and the hidden politics of Birmingham during this period.

Goodall’s most celebrated work is Whispers from Europe, a novella set in World War One. It tells the story of Pierre de Fontain, a young man from rural France who joins the French military in an effort to fight for his nation. Through Pierre’s experiences, Goodall reveals the enormity and complexity of WWI, exploring themes such as courage and what it means to fight for one’s country. The novella also examines the evolving landscape of Europe, through the eyes of a young man whose life was forever changed by war.

Goodall’s works have repeatedly been praised for their lyrical prose and insight into human experience. His characters often face difficult social and moral situations, and his use of Christian themes allows him to explore these characters and their emotions on a deeper level. His works are celebrated for their thoughtfulness, nuance, and exploration of topics associated with WWI and Cold War Europe.

Goodall is currently working on a new novel, though the details of the project have yet to be revealed. Regardless of the project, however, Ashley Goodall is an author whose insights and explorations of complex themes remain truly remarkable.