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Mark Haddon

マーク・ハドン

Mark Haddon

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1962-09-26 （Northampton, Northamptonshire, England）
Nationality
English
Languages
English
Religion
Atheist / Non-religious
Residence History
Northampton (birthplace) → Oxford (residence)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Illustrator
Active Years
1987-
Nominations
Man Booker Prize longlist (2003): The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award longlist (2015): "The Pier Falls"

Education

Spratton Hall School
Country: United Kingdom
Uppingham School
Country: United Kingdom
Merton College, Oxford
English Literature / Faculty of English
Degree: MA
Country: United Kingdom
MA in English Literature (year not specified)

Awards

Whitbread Book of the Year (Costa Book Awards)
2003
Work: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Category: 小説部門
Organization: Whitbread / Costa
Result: winner
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
2003
Work: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Category: 児童文学
Organization: The Guardian
Result: winner
Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Best First Book)
2003
Work: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Category: Best First Book
Organization: Commonwealth Writers' Prize
Result: winner
Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award
Organization: Dolly Gray
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

2003 Novel (adult / crossover with children's literature)

A mystery-like novel narrated by 15-year-old Christopher, exploring family, truth and difficulties of communication as he investigates the death of a neighbour's dog.

Autism spectrum perspectiveFamily relationshipsTruth and honestyComing of age
Adaptations
  • [Stage play] The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (play) / Simon Stephens（脚色）、Marianne Elliott（演出） (2012)
Translations
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

A Spot of Bother

2006 Novel (adult)

A darkly comic novel about family life, interpersonal friction and individual anxieties.

Midlife crisisFamily dynamicsHumour and pathos

The Red House

2012 Novel

A psychological family drama set during a holiday, revealing past tensions and hidden secrets.

Family secretsMemory and trauma

The Pier Falls

2016 Short story collection

A collection of short stories inspired by classical myth and various motifs, notable for its density and range.

Mythic motifsHuman frailty and violence

The Porpoise

2019 Novel

An experimental novel blending classical motifs with contemporary narrative, reflecting on storytelling itself.

NarrativityIntersection of classical and modern

Dogs and Monsters

2024 Short story collection

A collection of short stories inspired by classical mythology, noted in recent critical discussion.

Myth reinterpretationAllegories of humanity

Bibliography

  • Gilbert's Gobstopper (1987)
  • Gridzbi Spudvetch! (1992)
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003)
  • A Spot of Bother (2006)
  • The Red House (2012)
  • The Pier Falls (2016)
  • The Porpoise (2019)
  • Dogs and Monsters (2024)

Adaptations

  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time — stage adaptation (adapted by Simon Stephens, directed by Marianne Elliott)

Translations of Works

  • Japanese translations of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (titles vary by edition)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Concise, direct first-person narrationObservational style mixing humour and empathyBlending of children's literature elements with adult themes
Recurring Motifs
Family secretsSearch for truth and honestyPerspectives of different cognition (autism spectrum)

Health

  • Heart bypass surgery
    2019
    Underwent bypass surgery; relevant to later health developments.
  • Long COVID
    COVID-19感染後（2020頃）〜回復途中（2024まで言及）
    Experienced years-long 'brain fog' affecting reading and writing; reported partial recovery by 2024.

Legacy

Gained international attention with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and is recognized for works that cross boundaries between children's and adult fiction. His work has had wide cultural impact through stage adaptations and he is regarded as a significant contemporary British writer.

In Popular Culture

  • Stage adaptation of The Curious Incident has enjoyed long runs and international productions.

Quotes

  • I would feel uneasy accepting an honour which presumes an uncritical acceptance of the British Empire as a good thing.
    Source: New Statesman (2024): "Mark Haddon: why I turned down an OBE" (2024)

Trivia

  • Vegetarian.
  • Describes himself as a hard-line atheist.
  • Underwent heart bypass surgery in 2019.
  • Developed long COVID after COVID-19 infection and experienced prolonged 'brain fog'.
  • Married to Sos Eltis (a fellow at Brasenose College, Oxford) and has two sons.
  • Continues to write actively; published Dogs and Monsters in 2024.
  • Declined an OBE in 2023.
  • Official website: http://www.markhaddon.com/