Terry Deary
The Horrible Histories series is Terry Deary's most prominent work, a sequence of books presenting history to young readers that has made him one of Britain's most recognisable children's authors.
Deary was born on 4 March 1946 in Sunderland. He was educated at East Point Academy, Monkwearmouth Academy, and later at the University of Sunderland. He works as a children's writer, a writer, a historian, a stage actor, a theatre director, and an actor, and he writes in English as a citizen of the United Kingdom.
His output has been extensive. Deary has written 351 books in total, and his works have sold over 38 million copies, with translations available in more than 45 languages. Since 1994 he has been among Britain's best-selling authors. In 2012, he was recorded as the tenth most-borrowed author in British libraries, a measure of how consistently his books have reached readers through public lending. Books for Keeps magazine voted him Outstanding Children's Non-Fiction Author of the 20th Century, a distinction that identifies the particular category — children's non-fiction — in which a significant portion of his work sits.
That award from Books for Keeps magazine, naming him Outstanding Children's Non-Fiction Author of the 20th Century, remains one of the more concrete honours associated with his name, alongside the library borrowing figures that placed him tenth among the most-borrowed authors in Britain in 2012.
Quotes by Terry Deary
Greeks heard the poems read on stage while a group of dancers performed. Then a clever poet called Aeschylus came along and had a great idea. He put a second reader on stage. Now you had a ‘play’ –the first drama in the world.
After they had lost the war with Sparta the Athenians looked for someone to blame. They blamed the old teacher, Socrates. Being a rather groovy guy, he was always hanging around with young people, telling them not to believe in the old gods.
The oldest written poem was by the Greek, Homer. His poem, The Iliad, tells the story of the siege of Troy, a story of the heroes who fought to the death to get Helen back to her hubby, King Menelaus.
I’m not a historian, and I wouldn’t want to be. I want to change the world. Attack the elite. Overturn the hierarchy. Look at my stories and you’ll notice that the villains are always, always, those in power. The heroes are the little people. I hate the establishment. Always have, always will.
I'm not a historian, and I wouldn't want to be. I want to change the world. Attack the elite. Overturn the hierarchy. Look at my stories and you'll notice that the villains are always, always, those in power. The heroes are the little people. I hate the establishment. Always have, always will.
Hippocrates was so great that today’s doctors still take the Oath of Hippocrates (though it has been modified during the 20th century)
The only politician ever to have entered parliament with honourable intentions, was Guy Fawkes.
Life is a road... a wild and wearying road... and I've reached the end. Death is like an old friend, waiting at the end, to wrap me in his arms.
They also thought there were spirits called ‘daimons’ around. Some were good and protected you; some were evil and could lead you into wickedness.