James Graham Ballard (born November 15, 1930 in Shanghai; died April 2010) was a British writer. He was a prominent member of the New Wave in science fiction. His most well-known books are the controversial Crash, and the autobiographical novel Empire of the Sun, both of which have been filmed.The adjective "Ballardian", defined as "resembling or suggestive of the conditions described in JG Ballard's novels and stories, especially dystopian modernity, bleak man-made landscapes and the psychological effects of technological, social or environmental developments", has been included in the Collins English Dictionary.