Christopher New: A Brief Biography

Tamara S. Wagner, Fellow, National University of Singapore

Christopher New was born in England, but spent over two decades in Asia. Recently head of the Philosophy Department at Hong Kong University, he has now become a full-time writer. He has written five novels, all of which are set in Asia. Besides numerous articles, he has also published a book-length work of non-fiction, Philosophy of Literature: An Introduction. His China Coast Trilogy has been compared to Paul Scott's Raj Quartet and Anthony Burgess's Malayan Trilogy in its treatment of the decline and fall of the British Empire and specifically of the colonial and expatriate experience. Christopher New's most recent novel, The Road to Maridur, leaves his recurrent interest in mainland China and Hong Kong behind and instead describes a young Englishman's journey into postcolonial India to discover his grandmother's past. The Road to Maridur has been submitted for the 2002 Kiriyama Prize.

Last Modified: 8 October 2002