Lara Pawson
Non-fiction writer, Novelist, Memoirist
About
Lara Pawson began her writing life in journalism and nonfiction, but has moved into fiction. Spent Light (CB editions, 2024), a novel, explores the horrors of the modern world through the objects in a woman’s life. It was a finalist for the Goldsmiths prize 2024, which honours mould-breaking literary fiction. This is the Place to Be (CB editions, 2016) is a fragmentary memoir about war, childhood and love. It was a finalist for the PEN Ackerley prize, the Gordon Burn prize and the Bread and Roses Award for Radical Publishing. Originally, it was conceived as a sound installation for the centenary commemoration of World War One.
Lara studied African politics with history at SOAS University of London. Afterwards, she worked for Bernie Grant MP, one of Britain’s first black politicians, before moving to Ghana as a journalist. She went on to work for the BBC World Service in London and as a foreign correspondent in Mali, Ivory Coast and Angola. Her first book, In the Name of the People: Angola’s Forgotten Massacre (IB Tauris, 2014) mixes investigative journalism, history and memoir. It was a finalist for the Royal Africa Society Book of the Year. Her books have been translated into seven languages.
As well as writing about art and books for the international press, Lara has taught creative writing at the University of London, and English language and literacy to refugees with Hope for the Young. Born in London, she now lives on the edge of the city.