Christie Watson is a British writer and Professor of Medical Humanities at the University of East Anglia.[1] She worked as a nurse for more than twenty years, before becoming an author.[2] She has written six books, including her first novel Tiny Sunbirds Far Away (2011), which won the Costa First Novel Award,[3][4] and first memoir The Language of Kindness (2018), which was a number-one Sunday Times Bestseller.[5] Her work has been translated into 23 languages and adapted for theatre.[6] Her latest book Moral Injuries is currently being developed as a television series.[7]
Christie Watson | |
|---|---|
 Watson in 2022 | |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of East Anglia |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Notable work | Tiny Sunbirds Far Away (2011) The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story (2018 |
| Awards | Costa First Novel Award |
| Website | www |
Career
editHer nursing career included Great Ormond Street Hospital, St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, and Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital.
She won the Malcolm Bradbury Bursary, which enabled her to take an MA in creative writing at the University of East Anglia, from where she graduated in 2009.[8]
Her first novel, Tiny Sunbirds Far Away, won the Costa First Novel Award in the 2011 Costa Book Awards.
Her second novel, Where Women Are Kings (2014), also won critical praise and has been widely translated.[9]
In 2018, she published a memoir, The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story, which was broadcast as Book of the Week on BBC Radio 4 in May 2018 and spent more than five months in The Sunday Times Top-Ten Bestseller list.[10][11] It was named as a Book of the Year in 2018 by The Guardian, Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, New Statesman, Netgalley and The Reading Agency.
Watson published two further memoirs to critical acclaim: The Courage to Care and Quilt on Fire both receiving five-star critical reviews.[12][13]
Weidenfeld & Nicolson have acquired three novels from Watson in a major deal. The first, Moral Injuries, has been published in 2024[14] and received positive reviews, including praise for best new thrillers.[15][16][17] It is currently being developed as a television series.[7]
Public engagement
editWatson lives in London, England. She is a contributor to the media including The Guardian,[18] The Telegraph,[19] The New York Times,[20] and has been a guest speaker for various radio and television shows including BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2,[21] BBC News, Sky News, The Lorraine Show.[22]
Watson has delivered speeches across the UK, including the keynote speech at Royal College of Nursing Conference,[23] and TedX.[24]
She appears regularly at literary festivals, such as Hay, Southbank,[25] and Edinburgh.[26]
Achievements
edit| Achievement | Year |
|---|---|
| University of East Anglia - Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa | 2018 |
| Shortlisted BBI Narrative Non-Fiction Book of the Year | 2018 |
| Shortlisted IBW Adult Book Award | 2018 |
| Marie Claire Magazine – Future Shaper Award | 2018 |
| Waverton Good Read Award | 2013 |
| Red Magazine's Hot Woman of the Year (Creative) | 2012 |
| Costa Book Award for First Novel | 2012 |
Christie Watson is Patron of the Royal College of Nursing Foundation.[27]
Bibliography
edit- Tiny Sunbirds Far Away, Quercus, 2011. ISBN 978-1849163750
- Where Women are Kings, Quercus, 2014. ISBN 978-1849163811
- Here I Stand, Walker Books, 2016. ISBN 978-1-4063-5838-4
- The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story, 3 May 2018. ISBN 978-1-5247-6163-9
- The Courage to Care: nurses, families and hope, 2020. ISBN 1784742988
- Quilt on Fire: The Messy Magic of Midlife, 2022 ISBN 1784744042
- Moral Injuries, March 2024, ISBN 1399613073
References
edit- ^ Cowdrey, Katherine (27 July 2020). "Author Christie Watson appointed UEA professor". The Bookseller.
- ^ "Christie Watson | About". www.christiewatsonauthor.co.uk.
- ^ Brown, Mark (3 January 2012). "Moira Young's Blood Red Road leads Costa book winners". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ "Books: The Sunday Times Bestsellers chart, May 20". The Sunday Times.
- ^ "Christie Watson and daughter write book for Chatto". The Bookseller. 23 February 2021.
- ^ Wiegand, Chris (8 June 2021). "The Language of Kindness review – moving memories of nursing". The Guardian.
- ^ a b Whittock, Jesse (26 March 2024). "Universal International Studios Sets Series Adaptation Of Christie Watson's 'Moral Injuries'; Monumental Television Attached". Deadline. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Barnett, Laura (16 November 2011). "Is the UEA creative writing course still the best?". The Guardian.
- ^ Ganeshananthan, V. V. (8 May 2015). "'Where Women Are Kings,' by Christie Watson". The New York Times.
- ^ Case, Molly (29 April 2018). "The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story by Christie Watson – review". The Observer.
- ^ "Book of the Week". BBC Radio 4. 8 May 2018.
- ^ Brown, Helen (29 September 2020). "The Courage to Care by Christie Watson review: when will we start listening to nurses?". The Telegraph.
- ^ Duguid, Stacey (5 June 2022). "The gritty, funny perimenopause memoir that saw inside my soul". The Telegraph.
- ^ Brown, Lauren (20 March 2022). "W&N lands three from award-winning Watson". The Bookseller.
- ^ Sanderson, Joan Smith | Mark (6 April 2024). "New crime fiction for March — crisis in casualty". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Flood, Alison (17 March 2024). "Crime and thrillers of the month – review | Crime fiction | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Laura (22 March 2024). "The best recent crime and thrillers – review roundup | Crime fiction | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "Christie Watson". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ "Christie Watson". The Telegraph. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ Watson, Christie (13 October 2020). "Is This a Good Time to Be Born? Comparatively Speaking, Yes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
- ^ "Christie Watson: What Makes Us Human". BBC Radio 2. 17 February 2021.
- ^ "Nurse Shares Stories From Her 20 Year Career on the NHS | Lorraine". 16 August 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Christie Watson at #RCNCongress 2018 | Royal College of Nursing". 15 May 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Watson, Christie (October 2021). "What nurses can teach us". TEDxVienna. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "An Extra Pair of Hands: Friendship and Care". www.southbankcentre.co.uk. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Watch online: Christie Watson: Wild At Heart". www.edbookfest.co.uk. August 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ^ "Our Patron | RCN Foundation | Royal College of Nursing". The Royal College of Nursing. Retrieved 5 November 2023.