Louis de Bernières is one of the UK’s leading, bestselling novelists. His fourth novel, “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” about a love story set in World War II, has now sold over 4 million copies worldwide, translated into 36 languages and has been made into a Hollywood film starring Nicolas Cage and... Read more
Louis de Bernières is one of the UK’s leading, bestselling novelists. His fourth novel, “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” about a love story set in World War II, has now sold over 4 million copies worldwide, translated into 36 languages and has been made into a Hollywood film starring Nicolas Cage and Penélope Cruz.
Born in London, after graduating in Philosophy from the Victoria University of Manchester, he took a postgraduate certificate in Education at Leicester Polytechnic and passed his MA, with distinction, at the University of London. He has held various jobs: landscape gardener, mechanic, officer cadet at Sandhurst, and schoolteacher in both Colombia and England.
His first novel, “The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts”, published in 1990, won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, Best First Book Eurasia Region in 1991. His second novel, “Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord”, won the same prize a year later. In 1992, he published “The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman”, which completed his ‘Latin American trilogy’. All three works were influenced by his experience of living and working in Colombia. In 1993, he was also selected by Granta magazine as one of the Best of Young British Novelists.
His fourth novel “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” (1994) won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and became one of the most talked about books of the decade. “Red Dog”, a novella charting the life of a popular dog in Western Australia, followed in 2002 and was made into a film with the same title.
Louis’ next epic narrative, “Birds Without Wings”, was published to great critical acclaim in 2004. Set against the background of the collapsing Ottoman empire and the bitter struggle between the Greeks and Turks, it was described by the Independent on Sunday as the work of a ‘mature writer, whose rage at human cruelty and stupidity is Tolstoyan’. “A Partisan’s Daughter” (2008), set partly in 70’s London and partly in wartime Yugoslavia in the early 90s, was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award in 2009. He published “Notwithstanding” in 2009, a collection of stories inspired by life in the English village in which the author grew up.
Most recently, in August 2013, he has published his first collection of poetry, “Imagining Alexandria: Poems in Memory of Constantinos Cavafis”. He is currently working on a new novel.
Louis de Bernières is an experienced speaker who is invited regularly to contribute to festivals worldwide. In discussing his own creative process, he can inspire and motivate your audience.
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You can book Louis de Bernieres through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Louis's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Louis de Bernieres's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Louis tailored to your event.
Louis de Bernieres speaks on a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Louis to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Louis de Bernieres for events worldwide, subject to Louis's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Louis de Bernieres is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Louis can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Louis de Bernieres on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Louis can offer.
Louis de Bernieres delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Louis de Bernieres's areas of expertise include a range of business, leadership and industry subjects. To get a clear sense of Louis's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Louis de Bernieres can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in a range of business, leadership and industry subjects is relevant. Details of Louis's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Louis de Bernieres is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Louis de Bernieres, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Louis's current availability for your dates.