Alan Wall was born in Bradford and studied English at Oxford. He has published six novels and a book of short stories. Jacob, a book written in verse and prose, was shortlisted for the Hawthornden Prize. His work has been translated into nine languages. He has published essays and reviews in many different periodicals including the Guardian, Spectator, The Times, Jewish Quarterly, Leonardo, PN Review, London Magazine and Agenda. He has been Royal Literary Fund Fellow in Writing at Warwick University and Liverpool John Moores. He is currently Professor of Writing and Literature at the University of Chester. He lives in North Wales.