The self-educated son of a British factory worker, he achieved literary
celebrity at the age of 24 with the publication of his first book, "The
Outsider" (1956). He was hailed as one of the "Angry Young Man" group.
Within the same year, the mass media and the literary establishment
that had built up his rags-to-riches story and created his reputation
as a prophet of his generation, turned around and set out to tear him
down, following him around and invading his privacy. After many
misadventures, Colin and his second wife Joy left London forever, and
he was able to make his living as a writer.