Sid Smith

Sid Smith (born ) is an English novelist poet and journalist.

Life and career Smith was born in Preston, Lancashire. For seven years he worked in labouring jobs, including dustman, gardener, gravedigger and construction worker. Since then he has hitch-hiked 9,000 miles around the US, lived in Italy and Greece, and acquired a pilot's licence for paragliders.

Smith came late to literary prominence. He had been a journalist for 17 years, He claims that "the only ticket you need is a library ticket". However, his novels portray the gritty details of manual labour, about which he may claim to be knowledgeable.

Smith's second novel, A House by the River (2003), was another adventure story set in China. His third, China Dreams (2007), has the theme of a Londoner who is obsessed with China but has never been there.

Smith is a sub-editor on The Times.

His website at http://www.sidsmith.co.uk/index.htm is constantly updated with short stories, journalism and poetry.

Private life Smith was married with full Shinto rites to Chieko Nomura at a shrine in Southern Japan. He lives in Islington in north London.

Notable works Something Like a House, Picador 2001 A House by the River, Picador 2003 China Dreams, Pan Macmillan 2007 Nisbet Chronicles Nisbet and Trafalgar, Kindle Edition Nisbet and Nelson's Eye (work in progress)

Other writings Smith is also a poet and short story writer on a variety of topics.

Awards Whitbread First Novel Award 2001 - Something Like a House

Encore Award Nominee 2004 - A House by the River