Len Deighton
Len Deighton was born in Marylebone, London, in 1929 to working-class parents.
After National Service as an RAF photographer, he studied art, graduating from the Royal College of Art in 1955.
He worked diverse jobs including airline steward with BOAC, illustrator in New York, and advertising art director in London, creating the first British cover for Kerouac's On the Road.
Following his novels' success, he became The Observer's cookery writer and produced illustrated cookbooks.
Deighton left England in 1969 and has rarely returned, dividing his time between Portugal and Guernsey with his wife Ysabele.
