Charles Bruce Chatwin, a renowned English travel writer, novelist, and journalist, was born on May 13, 1940, in Sheffield, England. He gained an extensive knowledge of art by working at Sotheby's in London, where he eventually ran the auction house's Antiquities and Impressionist Art departments.
After leaving Sotheby's in 1966, Chatwin went on to read archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, but he abandoned his studies two years later to pursue a career as a writer. He was hired by The Sunday Times Magazine in 1972, where he travelled the world, interviewing notable figures such as Indira Gandhi and André Malraux.
In 1974, Chatwin left the magazine to visit Patagonia, Argentina, an experience that inspired his first book, "In Patagonia" (1977). This book established him as a travel writer, although he considered himself a storyteller, drawn to unusual tales. He went on to write five other books, including "The Songlines" (1987),about Australia, which became a bestseller.
Chatwin's work is credited with reviving the genre of travel writing, and his influence can be seen in the works of other notable writers such as William Dalrymple, Claudio Magris, Philip Marsden, Luis Sepúlveda, and Rory Stewart. He won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his novel "On the Black Hill" (1982) and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for his novel "Utz" (1988.
