Gabriel Krauze Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

About Gabriel Krauze

British author long-listed for the Booker Prize, Gabriel Krauze is a writer with a strong viewpoint and a lot to say. Writing about a side of life that’s often left unseen, he exposes what it’s really like living in particular estates in inner city London. An intelligent novelist who draws the reader in, he doesn’t hold back or shy away from depicting the more violent side of living there. This has shaken up readers from around the world, as they get a view of what it’s actually like, if only for just a moment.

Writing with a great amount of wit and insight, he doesn’t just show what life’s actually like, but he also provides his own unique viewpoint. Drawing from his own experiences, he uses them to inform much of his work and stories, allowing them to shape his writing. Many of the events actually took place, but he’s used the genre of autofiction, whereby he fictionalizes real-life stories, giving people different names. From this he’s found his own unique style, allowing his work to become truly idiosyncratic and different in the process.

Honest and open, his characters are based on real people, as the writing is authentic, really immersing the reader in the world. This can be quite intense at times, with it not holding back from the violence, giving his audience a clear idea of what it’s actually like. Uncompromising to say the least, he’s an extremely gifted writer who knows exactly what it is that he wants to say, writing with a clear sense of confidence. Setting himself apart from many other writers around, he’s an entirely singular presence, providing the reality behind the news stories.

Coming from the world he writes about, Krauze has managed to leave that life behind, writing about it instead. This has proven to be hugely successful for him, winning him awards and critical acclaim, as he’s resonated with readers from all over. There’s definitely more to follow in the future too, as he’s a writer to watch in the years to come, with more planned on the horizon.

Early and Personal Life

Publishing his first book at thirty-four years of age, Gabriel Krauze would grow up in London to a Polish family. Soon he would be drawn into a life of crime and gang culture, living in this world from an early age, which was an experience that would come to inform much of his writing. He was also heavily interested in literature, showing a flair for writing, something which he would develop in the years to come. Attending Queen Mary University of London, he would continue to live his life in inner city London, as well as attending university as a student gaining a BA in English Literature.

This would come to influence a lot of his writing, as Krauze was always obsessed with books and reading from early on. Writing about his own life, he would use his experience with crime as material for his own work, bringing to light the reality of his lifestyle. Later this would see his first book being published, as it would go on to be short-listed for the Booker Prize in 2020. With more planned on the horizon, he’s a writer who has definitely got plenty more to say, with books set for the future.

Writing Career

In 2020 Gabriel Krauze would publish his first book ‘Who They Was,’ and it would go on to become an award winning novel. Classed as autofiction, it would draw heavily from his own life, using his past experiences, while changing the names of many people he knew. Short-listed for the Booker Prize that same year, it would fast go on to become a successful novel, well reviewed by the many critics. Capturing the harshness of the lifestyle, he has dedicated himself to writing and his craft, capturing a unique and interesting voice in the process.

Constantly writing all the time, he continued to live his lifestyle in the criminal underworld of London while attending lectures at university. This would give him a completely unique insight into a way of life that was otherwise completely unseen by many in the wider world. Using the language of London to narrate his writing too, the book would be entirely singular to Krauze and his experience. Looking to write about his own Polish heritage in the future, he’s writing about trans-generational trauma and how it affects people throughout the ages.

Who They Was

Originally brought out through the Bloomsbury Publishing label, this would first come out back in 2020 on the 3rd of September. A stand-alone novel, this would be the debut of Gabriel Krauze, introducing him to the reading public at large for the first time. It would also help establish his style, setting him apart as a reader with something quite different and interesting to say and write about.

Classed as a piece of autofiction, it’s a novel that’s based on the real-life of Krauze himself, incorporating many of his own experiences. A lot of the dialogue has been directly lifted from his own life, although he’s changed many people’s names in order to protect their identity. This sets it up as fiction, but with it being based in reality, and it makes for a highly authentic read set on the South Kilburn estate of north-west London where Krauze grew up.

Essentially caught between two worlds, Gabriel is a university student living the student lifestyle, learning about philosophy and literature. Outside of that he’s Snoopz, living a violent life doing what it takes to survive in London, heavily immersed in the gang culture there. Dealing with both of these lifestyles, he must come to terms with who he is, all while avoiding prison as he decides what he wants. Looking at the lifestyle, it deals with a side of life that’s rarely seen, studying the harshness of the morality relative to Gabriel’s environment.

In this it’s a tough and uncompromising piece of work, not shying away from the reality of the situation Gabriel finds himself living within. From its tense and brutal opening, it really is an eye-opener for any readers wishing to better understand the truth behind the news reports. A window into inner-city life, it’s a well written and creative debut from a writer who will definitely excel in the years to come.