Photo: summonedbyfells / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Tony Harrison is a poet I genuinely love for his nerve. Born in 1937 in working-class Leeds and educated at the University of Leeds, he turned class and language themselves into subject matter, never more fiercely than in V. Honored from the Cholmondeley Award to the European Prize for Literature and staged at the Royal National Theatre, he ranks among Britain's foremost verse writers. What I admire most is his refusal to lock poetry in an ivory tower; he wielded it as a blade against social fault lines. His death in 2025 ended a life, but the words remain.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Tony Harrison
- Name (Japanese)
- トニー・ハリソン
- Reading
- とにー・はりそん
- Born
- April 30, 1937 (age 89)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Ox
- Origin
- Leeds, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- poet / playwright / translator / film director / writer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Leeds
Awards & achievements
- 2009 PEN Pinter Prize
- 1969 Cholmondeley Award
- 1972 Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize
- 1983 Popescu Prize
- 1984 Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
- 2010 European Prize for Literature
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | V | — |
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony%20Harrison
Frequently asked questions
When was Tony Harrison born?
Born April 30, 1937 (age 89).
Where is Tony Harrison from?
Tony Harrison is from Leeds, United Kingdom.
What does Tony Harrison do?
Tony Harrison works as poet, playwright, translator, film director, writer.
What is Tony Harrison known for?
Notable works include V.
Poet — see all → · Playwright — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.