“James McBride's 'The Good Lord Bird' is set in the mid-19th century and is based on the real life of John Brown, the one who lies a-mouldering in his grave.”

British novelist, originally from South Africa

Justin Cartwright was a British novelist originally from South Africa. He is known for his fiction, and his work placed him among contemporary writers who wrote across national and cultural settings. Cartwright wrote novels that drew on his background and perspective as a South African-born British author. His reputation rests on fiction rather than on any single public role, and his books are associated with careful observation of character and society.