Paul Cooper

Paul Cooper was born in South London and grew up in Cardiff, Wales. He was educated at the University of Warwick and the University of East Anglia (UEA), and after graduating he left for Sri Lanka to work as an English teacher. He has worked as an archivist, editor, and journalist, and holds a PhD on the cultural and literary significance of ruins. His writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The BBC, The Atlantic, National Geographic, New Scientist, and Discover Magazine. His first novel, River of Ink, was published in January 2016, and his second, All Our Broken Idols, in May 2020. In April 2024, his non-fiction book Fall of Civilizations was published. He is the author, producer, and host of the Fall of Civilizations podcast, which has charted in the top ten British podcasts and has accumulated over 200 million listens since its launch in 2019.