Amis, Kingsley (William)

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English novelist and poet. He was associated early on with the Angry Young Men group of writers. His sharply ironic works include his first novel, the best-selling Lucky Jim (1954), a comic portrayal of life at a provincial university. His later novels include the satiric comedy The Old Devils (1986), for which he won the Booker Prize.

Amis was the son of a clerk in south London. After serving in the Royal Signals Corps during World War II, he attended Oxford University. At Oxford, he considered himself a communist, but eventually he became a staunch Conservative. He was a gifted and hard-working writer, determined to type 500 words each day. He was a lecturer at University College, Swansea, Wales (1949–61). He married twice, first in 1948 to Hilary, the mother of his two sons, including the novelist Martin Amis, and a daughter. In 1965, he married novelist Elizabeth Howard; they divorced in 1983. He was knighted in 1990.

The wingless dragon holds jewels in its claws to represent prosperity. Saffron yellow symbolizes the power of the monarchy. Orange-red stands for Buddhism. Effective date: c. 1971. >>