Andrew James Hamilton Lownie (born November 1961) is a British

biographer Biographers are authors who write an account of another person's life, while autobiographers are authors who write their own biography. Biographers Countries of working life: Ab=Arabia, AG=Ancient Greece, Al=Australia, Am=Armenian, AR=Ancient Rom ...

and literary agent.

Biography

He was educated at Westminster School and Magdalene College, Cambridge, and was

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of the

Cambridge Union The Cambridge Union Society, also known as the Cambridge Union, is a debating and free speech society in Cambridge, England, and the largest society in the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1815, it is the oldest continuously running debatin ...

in Easter term 1984. He has a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His dissertation at Edinburgh was titled: ''Stalin's Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess''. Lownie founded his eponymous literary agency in 1988. It specialises in non-fiction, representing some 200 authors, and is reported to have "regularly been the top selling agent in the world." He has published biographies of writer John Buchan, spy Guy Burgess and

Lord Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of Germa ...

and his wife

Edwina The name Edwina is a feminine form of the male name Edwin, which derives from Old English and means "rich friend." Edwin was a popular name until the time of the Norman Conquest, then fell out of favour until Victorian times. People *Edwina Bar ...

. While researching for his book on the Mountbattens, Lownie found himself blocked by the

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and

University of Southampton , mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour , type = Public research university , established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...

, despite public money being used in 2011 to acquire their archive to "ensure public access". In 2021, Lownie published ''The Traitor King'', a

biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

, based on fresh sources, of the Duke of Windsor. The former

Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 1 ...

is alleged by Lownie to have been a Nazi sympathiser who gave aid and comfort to his country’s enemies before and during the Second World War. Lownie also wrote a literary guide to Edinburgh, and has edited several volumes of John Buchan's works. He founded, and is President of, The Biographers' Club, a group "committed to supporting, promoting and connecting biographers at all levels".

Selected publications

* * (earlier ed 1992 Canongate Press) * * *

References

External links

Andrew Lownie literary agency website
1961 births Living people British biographers Literary agents People educated at Westminster School, London Alumni of Magdalene College, Cambridge Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Historical Society {{UK-writer-stub