John Braine was a British author born on April 13, 1922, in Dewsbury, England. He is best known for his debut novel, Room at the Top, published in 1957, which explores themes of ambition and social class in post-war Britain. The book received critical acclaim and was adapted into a successful film. Braine was part of the Angry Young Men literary movement, which highlighted the struggles of the working class. Throughout his career, he wrote several other novels, plays, and essays, contributing significantly to British literature until his death on October 28, 1986.