Morris West

About Morris West

Morris Langlo West was a New York Times bestselling Australian author of crime, thriller, literature, and fiction books. He was born in St. Kilda, Melbourne, and, at 14, joined the Christian Brothers seminary to seek refuge from his difficult childhood. He graduated from the University of Melbourne and worked as a teacher. He quit the Christian Brothers in 1941 without taking his final vows. During the Second World War, he served as a code breaker and served for a time as private secretary for former prime minister Billy Hughes. After World War Two, West became a successful author and producer of radio serials. He left Australia in 1955 to build an international career as a writer. He lived in Italy, England, Austria, and the USA and returned to Australia in 1982. He wrote 30 books and man