I killed little Esmerelda because I felt I owed it to myself and to the world in general. I had, after all, accounted for two male children and thus done womankind something of a statistical favour. If I really had the courage of my convictions, I reasoned, I ought to redress the balance at least slightly. My cousin was simply the easiest and most obvious target.

Banks moved to London and lived in the south of England until 1988 when he returned to Scotland living in Edinburgh and then Fife. In April 2012 Banks became the "Acting Honorary Non-Executive Figurehead President Elect pro tem (trainee)" of the Science Fiction Book Club based in London England. G.

In 2008 The Times named Banks in their list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945". Banks including the initial of his adopted middle name Menzies. Iain Banks (born on 16 February 1954) is a Scottish writer.