Lynne Truss

The younger daughter born to an accountant and his wife, a telephone operator, Truss entered the world in Kingston upon Thames on May 31, 1955.  Her parents encouraged reading and writing in their home and passed this enjoyment along to their daughter.  A somewhat unhappy child, Truss also experienced competition with her older sister during their growing up years, which deeply affected her.  Extremely shy, she finished at  Tiffin Girls' Grammar school before entering the University College London.  A long relationship with a self-conscious boy dealing with an inferiority complex didn't help Truss deal with her own issues.  It wasn't until she had worked as a sub-editor for the Radio Times, for the Times Higher Education Supplement, and then moved into editing for the BBC's The Listener that Truss began to open up through behavioral therapy classes.  These sessions helped her gain confidence, write books, and establish a healthier relationship with her sister.

During the time Truss spent with the BBC's publication until it folded, she penned her first novel called With One Lousy Free Packet of Seed.  Several other novels followed it while she worked for the London Times as first a television critic and then a sportswriter.  Life changed dramatically when her sister was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away shortly thereafter.  Truss quit the London Times and began hosting a show on BBC Radio 4 about punctuation called "Cutting the Dash."  When suggested that she put some material into book form, Truss hesitated and declined the offer.  Rethinking the idea, she decided to give it a try, and the result became Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

Honestly believing she had made a fool of herself and dreading the publication of her book, Truss marveled at the success of her work.  Hugely successful, Eats, Shoots & Leaves earned the national British Book of the Year Award, and USA Today considered it one of the best books of 2004.  Truss showed humorous examples of the misuse of punctuation and endeavored to highlight the lack of emphasis on grammar in society today.  Taking on another issue largely ignored, Truss tackled manners in her subsequent book called Talk to the Hand.  Though reviews were mixed, Truss nonetheless has earned financial security for her literary efforts.  She continues to write radio comedy plays, such as the Inspector Steine series, and reviews books for the Sunday Times.  Her next book called The Woman Who Knew Too Little will come out in October 2009 and will delve into her period as a sports writer.  Truss divides her time between residences in London and Brighton, England.

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