Iain Banks

Iain Menzies Banks was a Scottish author, known for writing mainstream fiction as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks. Born in Dunfermline, Fife, he studied English literature, philosophy, and psychology at the University of Stirling. After a series of varied jobs, he began writing full-time following the success of his debut novel, The Wasp Factory (1984). His science fiction works often featured 'The Culture,' a utopian, post-scarcity space society. Banks was known for his technical virtuosity, narrative complexity, and a blend of dark humor and philosophical depth. He was a vocal opponent of injustice and inequality, and a proponent of Scottish independence. Banks passed away in June 2013 after announcing a diagnosis of terminal cancer.