Ken Follett is one of the world’s most successful authors. He has sold more than 192 million copies of his works, spanning 37 books in over 80 countries and in 40 languages. Born in Cardiff, Wales, as the son of a tax inspector, Follett was educated at state schools and later graduated from University College, London, with an Honours degree in Philosophy. He was made a Fellow of University College in 1995.

He began his career as a reporter, initially with his hometown newspaper, the South Wales Echo, and then with the London Evening News. Subsequently, he worked for Everest Books, eventually becoming Deputy Managing Director. His first significant success was the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978, a World War II thriller that earned him the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America.

In 1989, Follett published The Pillars of the Earth, an epic novel about the building of a medieval cathedral, which reached number one on bestseller lists worldwide and was later adapted into a major television series produced by Ridley Scott. Its sequel, World Without End, published in 2007, proved equally popular. His latest book, The Armour of Light, set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution and war in France, was published in 2023.

Follett is an enthusiastic bass guitar player and resides in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, with his wife Barbara, a former Labour Member of Parliament for Stevenage. They have five children, six grandchildren, and three Labradors. He has been active in numerous literacy charities and was the president of Dyslexia Action for ten years. He is also a past chair of the National Year of Reading and is Patron of Home-Start Hertfordshire.