Len Deighton

Len Deighton is a highly accomplished English author, renowned for his spy novels and cookbooks. He was born on February 18, 1929, in Marylebone, London, where he grew up with a father who was a chauffeur and mechanic, and a mother who worked as a part-time cook. After leaving school, Deighton worked as a railway clerk before serving in the Royal Air Force's Special Investigation Branch during his National Service.

Deighton's writing career began after he worked as an illustrator in New York and as an art director in a London advertising agency. He is credited with creating the first British cover for Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." His breakthrough as a novelist came with the publication of "The IPCRESS File," which was later adapted into a film starring Michael Caine. Deighton's expertise in military history led him to write several non-fiction books on the subject, and he has used his drawing skills to illustrate many of them.

Following the success of his early novels, Deighton became The Observer's cookery writer and produced several illustrated cookbooks. He also wrote travel guides and became travel editor of Playboy. In the late 1960s, he began producing films, including an adaptation of his 1968 novel "Only When I Larf." However, he later regretted removing his name from the credits of the film "Oh, What a Lovely War!"

Deighton left England in 1969 and has since divided his time between homes in Portugal and Guernsey. He has not returned to England apart from some personal visits and a few media appearances, his last one being a 2006 interview with BBC Four. Despite his absence from the public eye, Deighton's work continues to be widely read and appreciated, and he remains one of England's most celebrated authors.