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Golding was born in Saint Columb Minor in Cornwall, England, on September 19, 1911. His father, Alex, was a schoolmaster, while his mother, Mildred, was active in the Women's Suffrage Movement (the movement for women's right to vote).
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Since the age of seven, Golding had been writing stories. At the age of twelve he attempted to write a novel, but failed.
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After primary school, William went on to attend Brasenose College at Oxford University. His father hoped he would become a scientist, but instead he went to study English literature instead. In 1934, a year before he graduated, William published his first book of poetry. The book was overlooked by many critics.
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After college, Golding worked in settlement houses and the theater for a short amount of time. When he was done with theater he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps of being a teacher. In 1935, he taught English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury.
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In 1940 Golding quit being a teacher for a little while to join the Navy and fight in World War II. He spent 7 years on a boat and except for a seven-month stint in New York. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant in those years.
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In 1945, after World War II had ended, Golding went back to teaching and writing.
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William Golding published his first novel, Lord of the Flies. A classic, it is about a bunch of schoolboys crashing on an island during World War 2. As they turn on each other, readers see the savage side of humans.
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His second novel, The Inheritors is about a group of Neanderthals who discover a group of homo sapiens.
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Pincher Martin is the only survivor of a torpedoed destroyer who ends up on a huge rock in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
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A well-known painter reviews his life and wonders when he became guilty and why.
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The dean of a large cathedral wants to build a 400-foot spire.
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An 18-year-old wants to enjoy life before going to a university.
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The Scorpion God is made up of 3 novels. These novels take place in Egypt, Africa, and Rome.
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A child miraculously survives the holocaust of the Nazi firebombings.
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Inside a warship, a young man writes to his godfather in a journal.
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An English novelist faces a drinking problem.
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This book comes after Rites of Passage.
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This is the last book of Golding's Sea Trilogy.
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William Golding died at the age of 81. He died in Perranarworthal, United Kingdom.
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The Double Tongue is the last novel Golding wrote. However, it was found in draft form, as he did not finish writing it before he died. A fictional memoir, it is about an old woman at Delphi.
