Bernard Crick (Bernard Rowland Crick) Biography

British political theorist and biographer, born in London, educated at the University of London, where, after holding a succession of academic posts in Britain and America, he became Professor of Politics at Birkbeck College in 1971. His numerous influential works include In Defence of Politics (1962); Political Theory and Practice (1969); Crime, Rape, and Gin (1974), a study of contemporary attitudes to violence, pornography, and addiction; the essays of Political Thoughts and Polemics (1990); and 20/20 Visions: The Future of Christianity in Britain (1992). He remains best known for George Orwell: A Life (1980), the first authoritative biographical treatment of its subject, which was widely acclaimed for its sustained levelness of tone and unusually thorough research.