Gaby Wood
Gaby Wood | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1971 |
| Occupation(s) | Author, journalist, literary critic |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Known for | Literary director of the Booker Prize Foundation |
Gaby Wood, Hon. FRSL (born 1971), is a British author, journalist, and literary critic known for her contributions to publications such as The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, London Review of Books, Granta, and Vogue. Since 2015, she has held the position of literary director at the Booker Prize Foundation, succeeding Ion Trewin.
Career
Wood pursued French literature studies at Cambridge University, earning the Harper-Wood Studentship from St John's College in 1999. Beginning in 2002, she joined The Observer where she spent seven years fulfilling roles including deputy literary editor, arts editor, review section editor, and correspondent based in New York.
Her 2002 publication, Living Dolls: A Magical History of the Quest for Mechanical Life (published in the US as Edison's Eve), was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2003 and was praised for its compelling storytelling and thorough research.
During 2007–2008, Wood was a recipient of the Cullman fellowship at the New York Public Library. She served as head of books at The Daily Telegraph from January 2010 until 2015, managing literary content while continuing her writing contributions. Additionally, she has written for outlets including the London Review of Books, The Guardian, Granta, and the US edition of Vogue.
Wood has also participated as a judge for prominent literary honors such as the Man Booker Prize in 2011, Granta magazine's Best of Young British Novelists, the Jerwood Award, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize in 2013, and the Bookseller Industry Awards.
In April 2015, she was appointed literary director of the Booker Prize Foundation, taking over from Ion Trewin. She was named an honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in July 2021.
Personal life
Daughter of Michael Wood, Professor Emeritus of English at Princeton University, Wood identifies as "half-Mexican, half-British" and spent her upbringing between Mexico and England. She is a mother to two daughters.
Selected bibliography
- The Smallest Of All Persons Mentioned In The Records Of Littleness, Profile Books, 1998 .
- Living Dolls: A Magical History of the Quest for Mechanical Life, Faber and Faber, 2002, ; paperback edition 2003, .
- US version: Edison's Eve: A Magical History of the Quest for Mechanical Life, Alfred A. Knopf, 2002, ; Anchor Books, 2003, .