Born in 1961 in Australia, moved to Mexico with his family where he grew up. Known as much for youthful scandal as for books, DBC Pierre was an artist before writing his first novel in 2001. His debut Vernon God Little became the first book to win both a Booker and Whitbread prize, and went on to be published in 43 territories, leading to another two novels – Ludmila’s Broken English and Lights Out In Wonderland, in a loose trilogy of comedies. Petit Mal, a “picture book for grown-ups”, followed in 2013, and the novella Breakfast with the Borgias in 2014. Pierre divides his time between the UK and a mountainside lair in County Leitrim, Ireland.
Vernon God Little
(exceprt)
It’s hot as hell in Martirio, but the papers on the porch are icy with the news. Don’t even try to guess who stood all Tuesday night in the road. Clue: snotty ole Mrs Lechuga. Hard to tell if she quivered, or if moths and porchlight through the willows ruffled her skin like funeral satin in a gale. Either way, dawn showed a puddle between her feet. It tells you normal times just ran howling from town. Probably forever. God knows I tried my best to learn the ways of this world, even had inklings we could be glorious; but after all that’s happened, the inkles ain’t easy anymore. I mean - what kind of fucken life is this?