Leslie Thomas, OBE (born March 22, 1931, in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales) is a British author.
Virgin Soldiers
His novels about 1950’s British National Service such as “The Virgin Soldiers” spawned two film versions, in 1969 and 1977, whilst his Tropic of Ruislip and Dangerous Davies, The Last Detective have been adapted for television (the former as Tropic in 1979 and latter having also spawned a film version, in 1981).
Barnardo’s Boy
Orphaned at the age of 12, Thomas was subsequently brought up in a Dr Barnardo’s home; the story of this upbringing was the subject of his first, autobiographical, book, This Time Next Week.
OBE
In the New Year Honours List published 31 December 2004, he was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to Literature.
Bibliography
Biographical
- This Time Next Week (1964)
- In My Wildest Dreams (1984)
Novels
- The Virgin Soldiers (1966)
- Orange Wednesday (1967)
- The Love Beach (1968)
- Come to the War (1969)
- His Lordship (1970)
- Onward Virgin Soldiers (1971)
- Arthur McCann and All His Women (1972)
- The Man with the Power (1973)
- Tropic of Ruislip (1974)
- Stand Up Virgin Soldiers (1975)
- Dangerous Davies, the Last Detective (1976)
- Bare Nell (1977)
- Ormerod’s Landing (1978)
- That Old Gang of Mine (1979)
- The Magic Army (1981)
- The Dearest and the Best (1984)
- The Adventures of Goodnight and Loving (1986)
- Dangerous in Love (1987)
- Orders for New York (1989)
- Evening News Short Stories (1990)
- The Loves and Journeys of Revolving Jones (1991)
- Arrivals and Departures (1992)
- Running Away (1994)
- Dangerous by Moonlight (1995)
- Kensington Heights (1996)
- Chloe’s Song (1997)
- Dangerous Davies and the Lonely Heart (1998)
- Other Times (1999)
- Waiting for the Day (2003)
- Dover Beach (2005)
Travel
- Hidden Places of Britain (1981)
- A World of Islands (1983)
- Some Lovely Islands (1984)
