George Gissing (November 22, 1857 – December 28, 1903) was a British novelist. Although Victorian in chronological terms, his work marked a trend towards the cynicism of the 20th century novel. His best known work is New Grub Street.

He was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, and won a scholarship to Owens College, a Quaker school and the predecessor of the University of Manchester. A promising student, he did well, but his tenure as a student was affected when he became involved with a local prostitute, Marianne Harrison. With little money to spare, Gissing engaged in theft, stealing from other students in order to support her. In 1876, he was caught, convicted of theft, and forced to leave the university; he spent a short time in prison. Afterwards, he emigrated to the United States, where he began his career as a writer, having some short stories published in the Chicago Tribune.

On returning to Britain, he married Marianne, with whom he had little in common. Although he succeeded in having several novels published, he was forced to work as a teacher to make ends meet. In 1883, he separated from his wife, now an alcoholic; she died in 1888.

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