Michael White (16 February 1959 – 6 February 2018) was a British writer who was based in Perth, Australia. He studied at King's College London (1977–1982) and was a chemistry lecturer at d'Overbroeck's College, Oxford (1984–1991).
He was a science editor of British GQ, a columnist for the Sunday Express in London and, 'in a previous incarnation', he was a member of Colour Me Pop. Colour Me Pop featured on the "Europe in the Year Zero" EP in 1982 with Yazoo and Sudeten Creche and he was then a member of the group The Thompson Twins (1982). He moved to Australia in 2002 and was made an Honorary Research Fellow at Curtin University in 2005.
He was the author of thirty-five books: these include Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science; Leonardo: The First Scientist; Tolkien: A Biography; and C. S. Lewis: The Boy Who Chronicled Narnia. His first novel Equinox – thriller, an occult mystery reached the Top Ten in the bestseller list in the UK and has been translated into 35 languages. His non-fiction production included the biography Galileo: Antichrist Novels following Equinox include The Medici Secret, The Borgia Ring and The Art of Murder.
White wrote under two further names, Tom West and Sam Fisher. He used the latter pseudonym to publish the E-Force trilogy, State of Emergency, Aftershock, and Nano.
A further novel by White, The Venetian Detective, features characters including Galileo and Elizabeth.
White wrote a biography of Isaac Newton, The Last Sorcerer. He was both short-listed and long-listed for the Aventis prize. Rivals was short-listed in 2002, and The Fruits of War long-listed in 2006. He was also nominated for the Ned Kelly Prize for First Novel (for Equinox in 2007).
Bibliography
- (2016) The Venetian Detective (a novel, as Michael White)
- (2012) The Kennedy Conspiracy (a novel, as Michael White)
- (2011) The Art of Murder (a novel, as Michael White)
- (2011) Nano (a novel, as Sam Fisher).
- (2010) Aftershock (a novel, as Sam Fisher).
- (2009) State of Emergency (a novel, under the name of Sam Fisher)
- (2009) The Borgia Ring (a novel)
- (2008) The Medici Secret (a novel)
- (2007) Coffee With Newton (non-fiction)
- (2007) Galileo Antichrist, a Biography
- (2006) Equinox (a novel)
- (2004) C. S. Lewis: Creator of Narnia
- (2005) A Teaspoon and an Open Mind: The Science of Doctor Who
- (2005) The Fruits of War
- (2004) Machiavelli: A Man Misunderstood
- (2003) A History of the 21st Century (with Gentry Lee) – Korean translation version
- (2002) The Pope and the Heretic
- (2001) Tolkien: A Biography
- (2002) Rivals – shortlisted for the Aventis Prize
- (2000) Thompson Twin: An ’80s Memoir
- (2000) Leonardo: The First Scientist
- Super Science
- (1997) Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer
- Life Out There
- Alien Life Forms
- Mind and Matter
- (1996) The Science of the X-Files
- (1994) Asimov: The Unauthorised Biography
- Breakthrough (with Kevin Davies)
- Darwin: A Life in Science (with John Gribbin)
- Einstein: A Life in Science (with John Gribbin)
- Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science (with John Gribbin)
- Newton (for younger readers)
- Galileo (for younger readers)
- John Lennon (for younger readers)
- Mozart (for younger readers)
References
- "Michael White, pop star turned bestselling writer – obituary". The Telegraph. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- "Former pop musician dies in Perth". The West Australian. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "Michael White is 'the punky professor', and Andrew Laming on moving to politics". abc.net.au. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Callow, Simon (3 August 2007). "Review: Galileo Antichrist". The Guardian.
- White, Michael (1999). Isaac Newton: Discovering Laws that Govern the Universe, note about the author. Blackbirch Press. ISBN 978-1-56711-326-6. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "State of Emergency – Sam Fisher – Michael White". michaelwhite.com.au. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Yates, Emma (26 June 2002). "Hawking's Universe wins Aventis prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "Popular Science – Aventis Prize 2006". popularscience.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Colman, Padraig (14 May 2016). "The Venetian Detective, book review". The Island. Retrieved 14 December 2016.