Joan Smith
| Joan Alison Smith | |
|---|---|
Joan Smith
|
|
| Born |
27 August 1953 London |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Reading |
| Spouse(s) | Francis Wheen (1985–1993) |
| Partner(s) | Denis MacShane (2003–2010) |
Joan Alison Smith (born 27 August 1953) is an English journalist, novelist, and human rights activist, who is a former chair of the Writers in Prison committee in the English section of International PEN and was the Executive Director Hacked Off.
The daughter of a park superintendent, Smith was educated at a state school before reading Latin at the University of Reading in the early 1970s. After a spell as a journalist in local radio in Manchester, she joined the staff of The Sunday Times in 1979 and stayed at the newspaper until 1984, although Smith still contributes book reviews, usually on crime fiction, to the publication. She has had a regular column in the The Guardian's Weekend supplement, also freelancing for the newspaper and has contributed to The Independent, the Independent on Sunday, and the New Statesman.
In her non-fiction Smith displays a commitment to atheism, feminism (Misogynies: Reflections on Myths and Malice, 1989) and republicanism; she has travelled extensively and this is reflected in her articles. She is scornful of popular culture and once gave away her television set to her ex-husband, although she acquired a new set almost a decade later.
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