• City of London Corporation pays tribute to best-selling author
• “Master storyteller” also recognised for promoting reading and literacy
• Ken Follett “honoured” to be admitted into the Freedom of the City of London

Ken Follett, regarded as one of the world’s most popular authors, has received the Freedom of the City of London, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to fiction writing and his charitable work to promote reading and literacy skills.

A prolific writer of thrillers and historical novels, Ken Follett has sold over 198 million copies of his 38 books, which have been translated into 40 languages and sold in more than 80 countries.

Ken, who has been nominated for the Freedom by the City of London Corporation’s Chief Commoner, Henry Pollard, and former Lord Mayor Alastair King, attended his ceremony at Guildhall this afternoon.

Born in 1949 in Cardiff, Ken studied Philosophy at University College, London. He started his career as a reporter for South Wales Echo and London Evening News, before joining the Everest Books publishing house, where he became Deputy Managing Director. Ken came to prominence with the publication of Eye of the Needle in 1978, which won the 1979 Edgar Award for Best Novel from the Mystery Writers of America. The Pillars of the Earth was published in 1989 and became a bestseller, which was adapted for a major TV series, produced by Ridley Scott, in 2010. The novel’s sequel, World Without End, was published in 2007. Ken’s most recent book, Circle of Days, tells the story of the building of Stonehenge and was published last autumn.

Ken was president of Dyslexia Action for 10 years. He has been active in several literacy charities and was chair of the National Year of Reading in 1998-99.

Speaking after his Freedom ceremony, Ken Follett said:

“I am honoured to have been made a Freeman of the City of London. Though I was born in Cardiff, I have lived and worked in London for many years, and it will always have a special significance for me. 

"Particularly as it is the city where I married my wife, Barbara. I am grateful to Henry Pollard and Alastair King for the nomination, and to the City of London Corporation for the opportunity to be a part of such a deeply historical tradition.”

City of London Corporation Policy Chairman, Chris Hayward, said:

“Whether he is writing about global conflicts, intrigue in Elizabethan England, the Spanish Civil War or, most recently, the mystery surrounding the building of Stonehenge, Ken Follett always has his readers in his grip and they love him for it. 

"The Freedom of the City of London can be offered to individuals to recognise their outstanding talent or expertise in their chosen field and, as one of our finest and most versatile authors, Ken Follett has it in abundance.”

Chief Commoner of the City of London Corporation, Henry Pollard, said:

“Over the course of a stellar career spanning nearly five decades, Ken Follett has built up a legion of fans around the world that appreciate his attention to detail, clear prose, engagingly written characters, and ability to build suspense until the final pages. 

"Very much at the height of his powers, it has given me great pleasure to nominate Ken for the Freedom of the City of London for both his consummate skill as a master storyteller and his commitment to promoting literacy and reading through his support for charitable causes.”

One of the City of London’s ancient traditions, the Freedom is believed to have begun in 1237 and enabled recipients to carry out their trade.

As well as being nominated for, or applying for, the Freedom, it is also offered by the City of London Corporation to individuals as a way of paying tribute to their outstanding contribution to London or public life, or to celebrate a very significant achievement.

Recent notable recipients include Academy Award-winning actor and humanitarian, Cate Blanchett; artist and President of the Royal Academy of Arts, Rebecca Salter; mental health campaigner and former professional heavyweight boxer, Frank Bruno; and one of the last surviving ‘Chindit’ soldiers, Sidney Machin.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

About the City of London Corporation:

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK – www.cityoflondon.gov.uk