Sarah Perry Opens Up on Personal Fears and Professional Journey
In a candid interview, acclaimed author Sarah Perry, 46, shares intimate details about her life, from personal insecurities to career-defining moments. Born in Essex, Perry studied English at Anglia Polytechnic University and worked as a civil servant before earning a PhD in creative writing and the gothic at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her literary career took off with her first novel, After Me Comes the Flood, in 2014, followed by the award-winning The Essex Serpent in 2016, which was named Waterstones Book of the Year and adapted for television. Her other notable works include Melmoth and Enlightenment, the latter longlisted for the Booker prize, and Death of an Ordinary Man, which won the 2025 Nero Non-Fiction Book award. Married and residing in Norfolk, Perry reflects on a range of topics with honesty and wit.
Personal Traits and Fears
When asked about her greatest fear, Perry admits it is not being loved. She deplores her own trait of being monstrously judgmental, comparing it to talking to the pope, while in others, she most dislikes lateness. Her most treasured possession is a gold bangle made from family jewellery, which she never removes. Describing herself in three words as impatient, ambitious, and happy, Perry reveals her desired superpower would be the ability to dance, lamenting, I cannot dance and when I see people who can, they might as well be flying. On appearance, she dislikes the dark hairs that appear on her chin with age, waking up to bristles each morning.
Career Reflections and Influences
Perry's biggest disappointment was flunking her history A-level in 1998, which cost her a place at Cambridge. She recalls it as absolutely devastating at the time but now embraces it, using her polytechnic background as a point of pride. She expresses a deep admiration for the late author Hilary Mantel, stating she would bring her back to life if possible, calling her my queen. In a film of her life, she envisions Olivia Colman playing her role. Professionally, Perry ranks writing equally with her husband, Rob, as the greatest love of her life, describing love as like it's worth being alive.
Philosophical Insights and Social Views
On significant life lessons, Perry emphasizes that every single morning the sun comes up and you get to try again. She admits to rarely changing her mind due to her obdurate nature. Regarding death, she confesses an inability to become an atheist, believing irrationally in an afterlife of glory. When it comes to despising others, she avoids hatred but feels appalled pity for figures like Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, and Nigel Farage, viewing their lives as squandered on wickedness and stupidity. Her most unappealing habit is wiping her nose on her sleeve, and she fears losing the ability to hear crickets as she ages, a sound she cherishes in summer.
This interview showcases Sarah Perry's blend of vulnerability and resilience, offering a glimpse into the mind of a writer who has navigated both personal and professional challenges with grace and humour.
