Eleanor Anstruther

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Eleanor Anstruther is a distinctive voice in contemporary literature who writes with intelligence, dry wit, and emotional precision. Born in London, she was educated at Westminster School before taking up the study of History of Art at Manchester University—only to be delightfully waylaid by a life-altering trip to India. She spent the next twelve years tracing her own path: building a commune, erecting a stone circle, and wandering across Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas—before finally anchoring herself in the life she was meant to write.
Her debut novel, A Perfect Explanation (Salt Books), received notable acclaim, spending time on the longlists for both the Desmond Elliott Prize and the 2019 Not the Booker Prize. Since then, Eleanor has built a fervent following via The Literary Obsessive on Substack, where she serializes novels ahead of print, champions independent literary voices, and hosts the popular “8 Questions” interview series.
Now a literary trailblazer, Eleanor lives on a tranquil farm in Surrey with her twin boys, continuing to write novels that shimmer with wit, empathy, and a clear-eyed view of life’s bewildering contradictions.