Acclaimed British novelist Martin Amis passes away aged 73

As confirmed by his wife Isabel Fonseca, Martin Amis, the celebrated British author passed away on Friday, May 19.

The American-Uruguayan writer revealed that he died at his home in Lake Worth, Florida, aged 73, after battling cancer of the oesophagus, as reported by Sky News.

The deceased writer was arguably the biggest literary star to come out of Britain in the last 50 years. Martin was of course the son of the renowned British author, Sir Kingsley Amis.

Amis will be best remembered for penning the best-selling books ‘Money: A Suicide Note’, in 1984, and ‘London Fields’, in 1989, and ‘The Information’ in 1995. These three books were later commonly referred to as his ‘London Trilogy’, even though they share little in terms of plot and narrative.

His memoir ‘Experience’ earned Martin the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 2000. He was also listed twice for a prestigious Booker Prize. In 1991 he was shortlisted for ‘Time’s Arrow’, and longlisted for ‘Yellow Dog’, in 2003. In 2008, The Times named him one of the fifty greatest British writers since 1945.

A tweet on the Booker Prizes Twitter profile read: “We are saddened to hear that Martin Amis, one of the most acclaimed and discussed novelists of the past 50 years, has died. Our thoughts are with his family and friends”.

We are saddened to hear that Martin Amis, one of the most acclaimed and discussed novelists of the past 50 years, has died. Our thoughts are with his family and friends pic.twitter.com/hn0g38CdpM

— The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) May 20, 2023

Boris Johnson, the former British Prime Minister posted: “Shocked and sad at the death of Martin Amis – the greatest, darkest, funniest satirist since Evelyn Waugh. If you want cheering up, re-read the tennis match in Money. RIP”.

Shocked and sad at the death of Martin Amis – the greatest, darkest, funniest satirist since Evelyn Waugh. If you want cheering up, re-read the tennis match in Money. RIP.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 20, 2023

In 1973, Martin’s first attempt at writing a novel won him the Somerset Maugham Award for ‘The Rachel Papers’. This book was later unsuccessfully made into a film.

The author later acknowledged that the main character of the story – a bright, egotistical teenager and his relationship with the eponymous girlfriend in the year before going to university – was autobiographical.