The author and journalist Simon Winchester has died at the age of 82 following a heart attack. Winchester, who became an American citizen in 2011, was known for his extensive body of work, comprising 30 books on a wide range of subjects.
His career included serving as an acclaimed foreign correspondent, reporting from Asia and the US. He covered significant events such as the Troubles in Northern Ireland, where he was named UK Journalist of the Year in 1971, and the Watergate affair.
Winchester's bestsellers began with The Surgeon of Crowthorne (1998). His final book, The Breath of the Gods, was published in 2025. At the time of his death, he was planning a trip to Bolivia to research the history of silver.