E. M. (Edward Morgan) Forster

Born in London on January 1, 1879, E. M. Forster became one of the most admired English novelists of the early 20th century. He studied at King's College, Cambridge, and went on to write novels that helped define his reputation, including Where Angels Fear to Tread, A Room with a View, Howards End, and A Passage to India.

Forster's fiction is known for its clear style, wit, and emotional intelligence. He often wrote about the pressures of class, the limits of convention, and the need for human connection, giving his work a warmth that balances its sharp social insight. He also wrote short stories, essays, talks, and criticism, and his story The Machine Stops later became especially noted for its strikingly modern vision of technology and isolation.

Although he published less fiction later in life, his standing only grew. After his death in 1970, readers continued to discover new sides of his work, including Maurice, the novel he had chosen not to publish in his lifetime. Today he remains a writer many people meet in school and then return to for the pleasure of his voice, his humanity, and the enduring freshness of his questions.