Rhidian Brook Information
Rhidian Brook (born 1964) is a novelist, screenwriter and broadcaster.
He has written two novels. His first - The Testimony of Taliesin Jones (1996) - won the 1997 Somerset Maugham Award, a Betty Trask Award and the Author's Club First Novel Award as well being runner up for Wales Book of the Year (1997). Telling the story of an 11 year old who finds faith whilst coming to terms with his parent's separation, this critically acclaimed novel was hailed as a Welsh classic. In 2000 the novel was made into a film starring Jonathan Pryce.
His second novel - Jesus and the Adman (1999) - tells the story of Johnny Yells, a young, ambitious advertising executive, who comes up with the idea of using Jesus in a life assurance commercial. The resulting success of the campaign sees Yells' career take off; but a growing obsession with death sees him endure a frightening breakdown.
Brook has also written a number of short stories. His first was a winning entrant in the 1991 Time Out Short Story competition. After which he went on to have several stories published in magazines such as The Paris Review, Punch and the New Statesman, as well as a number recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Short Story.
In 2005 Brook started writing screenplays for television and cinema. His first commission was 'Mr Harvey Lights A Candle' (2005) and starred Timothy Spall and was directed by Susanna White. He then wrote episodes for the BBC TV series Silent Witness : The Meaning of Death" (2005); and A Body of Work (2006) . In 2008 he worked on developing 'The Bible' for the BBC and in 2009 wrote the drama 'Atlantis' which is due to broadcast on BBC1 in January 2011. His first feature film 'Africa United' was released in the UK on 22 October 2010. It tells the story of five children who make a 3000 mile journey to the opening ceremony of the World Cup in South Africa.
An occasional journalist and broadcaster, Brook has also written articles on faith, travel, social issues and education for The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Observer and others. In Easter 2005, he presented Nailing the Cross a documentary for BBC1 about the meaning of the cross to British culture. In 2006 he broadcast a series titled In The Blood for The BBC World Service, recording his family's journey through the AIDS pandemic and work with the Salvation Army. He wrote a memoir about that journey, published as More Than Eyes Can See: A Nine Month Journey into the Aids Pandemic (2007).
Since 1999, Rhidian Brook has been a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day.
He lives with his wife and two children in London, England.
Books by Rhidian Brook
- The Testimony of Taliesin Jones (1996)
- Jesus and the Adman (1999)
- More Than Eyes Can See: A Nine Month Journey into the Aids Pandemic (2007)
References
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| Name | Brook, Rhidian |
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| Date of birth | 1964 |
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Categories:
- 1964 births
- Living people
- Welsh novelists
- Welsh television writers
- People from Pembrokeshire
- People educated at Churcher's College
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