VI: The life of William Makepeace Thackeray. William Makepeace Thackeray( 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English novelist and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1847–1848 novelVanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of British society, and the 1844 novelThe Luck of Barry Lyndon, which was adapted for a 1975 film by Stanley Kubrick.