James G. Ballard was born in Shanghai in 1930. Susan Sontag refered to him as "one of the most important, intelligent voices in contemporary fiction." He is the author of many novels, including High-Rise, Crash, and Concrete Island. Empire of the Sun, which is based on Ballard's childhood experiences during the Second World War, was nominated for Britain's premier fiction award, The Booker Prize. His novel, The Unlimited Dream Company, was selected by Anthony Burgess in 99 Novels as one of the best English novels since 1939. Ballard now lives in Shepperton, England.