Andrew Lownie Explained

Andrew James Hamilton Lownie (born November 1961) is a British biographer and literary agent.[1] [2] [3]

Early life and education

His father was judge Ralph Hamilton Lownie of Largo (1924-2007). He was educated at Westminster School and Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was President of the Cambridge Union in Easter term 1984.[4] He has a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.[5] His doctoral thesis (2019) was titled "Stalin's Englishman: the lives of Guy Burgess: biography in intelligence history" and discussed his own 2015 book on Burgess.[6]

Representation

Lownie founded his eponymous literary agency in 1988. It specialises in non-fiction, representing some 200 authors, and is reported to have "regularly been the top selling agent in the world."[7] He founded, and is President of, The Biographers' Club,[8] a group "committed to supporting, promoting and connecting biographers at all levels."[9]

Works

Lownie has written biographies of writer John Buchan,[10] spy Guy Burgess[11] [12] and Lord Mountbatten and his wife Edwina.[13] While researching for his book on the Mountbattens, Lownie found himself blocked by the Cabinet Office and University of Southampton, despite public money being used in 2011 to acquire their archive to "ensure public access".[14] [15] [16]

In 2021, Lownie published The Traitor King, a biography, based on fresh sources, of the Duke of Windsor. The former Edward VIII is alleged by Lownie to have been a Nazi sympathiser who gave aid and comfort to his country’s enemies before and during the Second World War.[17]

Lownie also wrote a literary guide to Edinburgh,[18] and has edited several volumes of John Buchan's works.

Selected publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Andrew Lownie . literaryfestivals.co.uk . Sane Earth Literary . 23 August 2019.
  2. Web site: Andrew Lownie literary agency . Jericho Writers . 23 August 2019.
  3. Book: Pagan . F. E. . The Record of Old Westminsters . 1992 . 238 . Volume IV.
  4. Web site: Presidents of the Cambridge Union Society (1815-2005) . Martin Tod . 23 August 2019.
  5. Web site: The Mountbattens: Author Bio . The Mountbattens . 23 August 2019.
  6. Web site: Lownie . Andrew . Stalin's Englishman: the lives of Guy Burgess: biography in intelligence history . E-Thesis Online Service . The British Library Board . 2019.
  7. Web site: Home page . Andrew Downie Literary Agency . 23 August 2019.
  8. Web site: History . The Biographers' Club . 23 August 2019.
  9. Web site: About . The Biographers' Club . 23 August 2019.
  10. News: Buchan . James . The First Hundred Years . 23 August 2019 . London Review of Books.
  11. News: Norton-Taylor . Richard . Stalin's Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie – review . 23 August 2019 . The Guardian . 10 September 2015.
  12. News: Anderson . Porter . When the agent is the author: Andrew Lownie . 23 August 2019 . The Bookseller . 29 August 2015.
  13. News: Tucker . Grant . Lord Mountbatten's 'lust for young men' revealed . 23 August 2019 . The Sunday Times . 18 August 2019.
  14. News: My costly battle to unearth Lord Mountbatten's secret diaries. The Telegraph. 18 May 2021. Stanford. Peter.
  15. Web site: Lownie campaign sees some Mountbatten archives released but tribunal looms | the Bookseller.
  16. Web site: Question and Answer with Andrew Lownie. 19 August 2021.
  17. Web site: Duke of Windsor, Traitor King. 22 October 2021.
  18. News: Guidebook points out castle's little-known link to literary greats . 23 August 2019 . The Scotsman . 2005.

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