Leading industry figures have paid tribute to British author Martin Amis, who died on 19th May aged 73 at his home in Florida.

Amis published his first novel, The Rachel Papers, in 1973 with Jonathan Cape, aged 24. Other acclaimed works included the 1984 novel Money, Time’s Arrow (1991) and 2014's The Zone of Interest. His body of work spanned fifty years.

His UK editor Michal Shavit said: “It’s hard to imagine a world without Martin Amis in it. He was the king – a stylist extraordinaire, super cool, a brilliantly witty, erudite and fearless writer, and a truly wonderful man. He has been so important and formative for so many readers and writers over the past half-century. Every time he published a new book it was an event. He will be remembered as one of the greatest writers of his time, and his books will stand the test of time alongside some of his favourite writers: Saul Bellow, John Updike and Vladimir Nabokov.”

Born 25th August 1949 in Oxford, Amis was the son of English novelist Kingsley Amis and Hilary Ann Bardwell. After attending a host of different schools in his youth, Amis attended Exeter College, at Oxford University, where he graduated with a first in English.

Before he published his first novel, he worked at the Times Literary Supplement, and at 27 years old joined the New Statesman as their literary editor. In 2007, he was appointed as a professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester, before stepping down in 2011.

Amis was awarded the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his memoir Experience, and was listed for the Booker Prize twice, including a shortlisting for Time’s Arrow. His works were noted for their dark, wry satire and inventiveness.

Amis’ most recent book was the 2020 Inside Story, which was shortlisted for the National Book Critics’ Circle award for fiction. In a statement, its publisher, Vintage Books, said: “It has been a profound privilege and pleasure to be his publisher; first as Jonathan Cape in 1973, with his explosive debut, The Rachel Papers; then as part of Penguin Random House and Vintage, up to and including his most recent book, 2020’s Inside Story.

“He was always unfailingly warm, kind and generous to those fortunate enough to work closely with him. His death is an enormous loss to all of us at Penguin Random House and to the UK’s cultural landscape.”

In its obituary, the Guardian said Amis "delighted, provoked, inspired and outraged readers of his fiction, reportage and memoirs across a literary career that set off like a rocket and went on to dazzle, streak and burn for almost 50 years", adding that “his scintillating verbal artistry, satirical audacity and sheer imaginative verve at every level from word-choice to plot-shape announced a blazing, once-in-a-generation talent".

Rest in peace Mr Amis, and thank you for the body of work you have left us. Scroll to see some of our Martin Amis favourites. Salman Rushdie said Amis had a unique literary voice and that “it was unwise to try to imitate him”, adding in a piece for the New Yorker: “He used to say that what he wanted to do was leave behind a shelf of books – to be able to say: ‘From here to here, it’s me.’ His voice is silent now. His friends will miss him terribly. But we have the shelf.”

And what a shelf it is.