Caryl Phillips was born in St. Kitts to Malcolm and Lillian Phillips on 13 March 1958. He came from very humble beginnings, having been born in a rum shop owned by his mother’s family. Phillips’ work has been translated into over a dozen languages, and he has tackled themes on the African slave trade from many angles, and his writing is concerned with issues of "origins, belongings and exclusion", and his interest is in how individuals survive, or succumb to, historical storms and social pathologies. He has written many dramas and documentaries for radio and television, including, in 1996, the three-hour film of his own novel, The Final Passage. Suffice it to say, Caryl Phillips has made tremendous contributions to the literary world, and his depth and decoration have earned him a well-deserved place in the IA.