Dan Jones (writer)

Daniel Jones (born 27 July 1981) is a British historian, TV presenter and journalist. He was educated at The Royal Latin School, a state grammar school in Buckingham, before attending Pembroke College, Cambridge and later the University of Cambridge.

Dan Jones
Jones in 2012
Born (1981-07-27) 27 July 1981
Reading, Berkshire, England
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
OccupationHistorian and journalist
Known for

Early life and education

Jones was born in Reading, England, in 1981 to Welsh parents.[1][2] He was educated at The Royal Latin School, a state grammar school in Buckingham, before attending Pembroke College, Cambridge and later the University of Cambridge Where Jones achieved a First Degree in History in 2002.

Career

Historian

Dan Jones' first history book was a popular narrative history of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381, titled Summer of Blood: The Peasants' Revolt of 1381, which was published in 2009.[3] His second book, The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England, was published in 2012 in the United Kingdom and a year later in the United States, where it became a New York Times bestseller.[4][5] The book, which covers the history of the Plantagenet dynasty from Henry II to Richard II, received positive reviews from critics.[6][7]

Jones' third book, The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors, published in 2014, picks up where The Plantagenets leaves off and covers the period 1420–1541, from the death of Henry V to the execution of Henry VIII's cousin, Margaret Pole.

His fourth book is about Magna Carta and is titled Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of the Great Charter. It was published in 2014.

Jones' fifth book, The Templars, The Rise and the Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors, was published in September 2017 about the Knights Templar.[8] Jones also worked as historical consultant on the 2018 History historical drama Knightfall, also presenting the official podcast.[9]

In August 2018, he published The Colour of Time: A New History of the World, 1850–1960 illustrated by Marina Amaral. He collaborated with Amaral again in 2020 for the book The World Aflame.

His sixth book, Crusaders: An Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Land was published on 5 September 2019. It deals with the Crusades from 1096 onwards.

TV presenter

In 2014, Jones' book The Plantagenets was adapted for television as a four-part series on Channel 5 entitled Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets.[10]

Jones has also made a twelve-part series for Channel 5 (UK) entitled Secrets of Great British Castles.[11]

In April 2016, he co-wrote and co-presented, with Suzannah Lipscomb, Henry VIII and His Six Wives which was shown on Channel 5 (UK).[12][13]

In May 2017, he co-wrote and co-presented a three-part docu-drama Elizabeth I, with Suzannah Lipscomb. The programme was shown on Channel 5.[14]

In May and June 2017, Jones, with Suzannah Lipscomb and engineer Rob Bell, presented The Great Fire, for Channel 5, a series in which the three presenters walked the actual route the Great Fire of London fire took across the city.[15][16][17]

In June 2018 he presented a three-part series, for Channel 5, Building Britain's Canals.

Jones has also made a four part documentary series entitled Britain's Bloody Crown about the Wars of the Roses.

Over four weeks in March 2019, Jones presented London: 2,000 years of history alongside with Lipscomb and Bell.[18]

Journalist

Jones is a journalist. He is a columnist at the London Evening Standard, where he writes regularly about sport.[19] He has written for The Times,[20][21][22] the Sunday Times,[23][24][25] The Telegraph,[26][27][28][29] and for The Spectator,[30] The Daily Beast and Newsweek,[31] The Literary Review, The New Statesman,[32] GQ, BBC History Magazine and History Today.

Personal life

Dan Jones is the great-nephew of British politician and journalist Alun Gwynne Jones, Baron Chalfont.. He lives in Staines-upon-Thames with his wife and two daughters.

Publications
  • Summer of Blood: The Peasants' Revolt of 1381, London, HarperPress, 2009, ISBN 978-0-00-721391-7.
  • The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England, London, HarperPress, 2012, ISBN 978-0-00-721392-4
  • The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors, New York, Viking, 2014, ISBN 978-0-670-02667-8; also published as The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors, London, 2014, ISBN 978-0-571-28807-6.
  • Magna Carta: The Making and Legacy of the Great Charter, London, Head of Zeus, 2014, ISBN 978-1-78185-885-1.
  • The Templars: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors, London, Head of Zeus, 2017, ISBN 978-0-525-42830-5.
  • The Colour of Time: A New History of the World, 1850–1960, London, Apollo, 2018, ISBN 978-1-78669-268-9.
  • Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Land, London, Head of Zeus, 2019
  • The World Aflame: The Long War, 1914–1945, London, Apollo, 2020, ISBN 978-1-78854-778-9.

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2014 Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty Presenter 4 episodes
2015–16 Secrets of Great British Castles 12 episodes; Co-writer
2016 The Wright Stuff Guest episode: "Episode #21.4"
Britain's Bloody Crown Presenter 4 episodes
Henry VIII and His Six Wives Co-presenter 4 episodes; with Suzannah Lipscomb
2017 1066: A Year to Conquer England Self / Historian 2 episodes
Elizabeth I Co-presenter 3 episodes; with Suzannah Lipscomb
The Great Fire: In Real Time 3 episodes; with Suzannah Lipscomb and Rob Bell
2017–18 Secrets of the National Trust Guest presenter 5 episodes
2018 Buried: Knights Templar and the Holy Grail Self / Historian 4 episodes
Building Britain's Canals Presenter 3 episodes
Christmas University Challenge Contestant episode: "Pembroke College, Cambridge v King's London"
2019 London: 2000 Years of History Co-presenter 4 episodes; with Suzannah Lipscomb and Rob Bell
2020 Walking Britain's Roman Roads Presenter 6 episodes

References
  1. "Meet Dan Jones: England's edgiest historian". Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  2. "Wars of the Roses (Jones)". Lit Lovers. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  3. Book Reviews (30 May 2009). "Summer of Blood: the Peasants' Revolt of 1381 by Dan Jones: review". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  4. "The Plantagenets – Books by Dan Jones – Penguin Group (USA)". Us.penguingroup.com. 18 April 2013.
  5. "The New York Times bestseller list". The New York Times. 5 May 2013.
  6. Larman, Alexander (3 June 2012). "The Plantagenets by Dan Jones – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  7. Woodwards, Colin; Woodward, Colin (2 August 2013). "The Plantaganets The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England By Dan Jones". The Washington Post. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  8. "The Templars by Dan Jones". Penguin Random House.
  9. Dinning, Rachel (17 July 2018). "Dan Jones on the Templars and 'Knightfall'". History Extra.
  10. "Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty". Channel5.com. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  11. "Catalogue". Dcdrights.com. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  12. "Henry VIII and His Six Wives". Channel 5. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  13. "Home". Channel 5. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  14. "Elizabeth I". Channel 5. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  15. "Three part series on The Great Fire of London to air on Channel 5". ATV Today. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  16. "The Great Fire: In Real Time". Channel 5. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  17. "The Great Fire: London Burns - S1". Radio Times. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  18. "London: 2000 Years Of History". Channel 5. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  19. Jones, Dan (18 June 2013). "A scare could be just what the Lions needed". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
  20. Dan Jones (18 August 2012). "The Watchers: A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth I by Stephen Alford". The Times.
  21. Dan Jones Last updated at 12:01AM, 25 September 2012 (25 September 2012). "The history of Britain (in 15 minutes): from Stonehenge to the credit crunch". The Times.
  22. Dan Jones (24 March 2012). "Thomas Becket: Warrior, Priest, Rebel, Victim by John Guy". The Times.
  23. Dan Jones (6 May 2012). "Rise of the Plantagenets". The Sunday Times.
  24. Dan Jones (30 September 2012). "Blood Sisters: The Hidden Lives of the Women Behind the Wars of the Roses by Sarah Gristwood". The Sunday Times.
  25. Dan Jones (14 October 2012). "A cavalier, with facts". The Sunday Times.
  26. Book Reviews (21 November 2011). "Books of the Year 2011: History Books". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  27. Jones, Dan (29 November 2012). "Christmas 2012: History books of the year". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  28. Hay Festival (5 June 2012). "Hay Festival 2012: Dan Jones on Freedom of Speech". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  29. Christmas (23 December 2012). "The modern joys of Christmas past". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  30. "Dan Jones | Spectator Magazine". The Spectator. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  31. "Dan Jones". Thedailybeast. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  32. Jones, Dan. "The Following Game". New Statesman. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
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