Richard Adams

Richard Adams is one of Britain’s best-loved authors, renowned for his fantasy and fiction books, most notably Watership Down. Born in 1920, he has become one of Britain’s most celebrated authors of modern times, and his work has strongly influenced many contemporary authors.

The son of a government clerk, Adams attended Bradfield College, followed by study at Oxford University. He worked for the British Civil Service for twenty-seven years, during which time he wrote in his spare time, initially submitting his work to magazines and short story competitions.

His breakthrough book Watership Down was published in 1972. It follows a small group of field rabbits on their search for a new home, a quest that contains strong archetypal references and allegorical elements. It has achieved a cult status, and won the Carnegie Medal in 1973. Since then, it has been established as a classic of children's fantasy, and has been adapted into an animated television series.

Adams has also written the highly acclaimed novel Shardik, published in 1974. It follows the nomadic and superstitious Orc Tribe and their veneration of an enormous bear, which Adams described as “a fable, ancient in intention and action, a novel of ideas…” This and other Adams’ titles often explore themes of nature and morality, and his literature often contains elements of horror as well as humour.

In 1995, Adams wrote The Plague Dogs, a story concerning two dogs’ escape from a laboratory, and their subsequent plight as they move through hostile countryside. This novel in particular has been praised as an insight into animal rights and the ill-treatment of animals in scientific experiments, taking a stance rare in children’s fiction. This book made a lasting impression on the way animals are viewed, and is seen as a “precursor” to animals’ rights.

Adams has also written tales for adults, such as Traveller, written in 1988. In this work, he redefines the English Civil War in a unique style, following a single character through the battlegrounds. The tales of Richard Adams all reflect British culture, morality and the importance of nature in life. Adams has raised two daughters and still lives in Hampshire, in the same house from which he originally wrote Watership Down.

The legacy of Richard Adams has been to establish a place in British fiction for popular adult-fiction that is still enjoyed by children, whilst being accessible and entertaining for adults. His books, full of fantasy and excitement, have been viewed as both classic novels, and as modern commentaries on the environment and our place in the world. He is loved for the exceptional worlds he creates, the fantastic way that he follows a story from start to finish, and his moral and ethical considerations.