About
Frederick Forsyth, born on 25 August 1938 in Ashford, Kent, and died on 9 June 2025, was a British writer. After serving as a pilot in the Royal Air Force (1956–1958), he became a foreign correspondent for Reuters and the BBC, covering the Biafran War and the assassination attempt on Charles de Gaulle. His debut novel, The Day of the Jackal (1971), won the Edgar Award and was adapted into film. He authored more than 25 books, including The Odessa File (1972), The Dogs of War (1974), and The Fourth Protocol (1984), selling over 75 million copies worldwide. He also worked as a secret agent for MI6 for over twenty years, as revealed in his autobiography The Outsider (2015).
* 1938-08-25 — † 2025-06-09
Major works
- The Day of the Jackal (1971)novel
- The Odessa File (1972)novel
- The Dogs of War (1974)novel
- The Fourth Protocol (1984)novel
- The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue (2015)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1956Becomes a pilot in the Royal Air Force at age 19.
- 1971Publishes his debut novel, The Day of the Jackal, which wins the Edgar Award.
- 1997Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to literature.
Themes
espionagepolitical thrillerwarinvestigative journalisminternational intrigue
Sources: bbc.com · theguardian.com · britannica.com