Tim Jeal
Encyclopedia
Tim Jeal is a British
novelist, and biographer of notable Victorian
men. His publications include biographies of Baden-Powell
, Livingstone
and his most recent, Henry Morton Stanley
(2007). In 2004 his memoir Swimming with my Father was acclaimed and was shortlisted for the J.R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography.
Jeal was formally educated in London
and Oxford
, and lives in North London. He has a wife and three adult daughters.
, and Constance Wilmot Annie Hastings, who was the daughter of the 13th Earl of Huntingdon
. Jeal was educated at Westminster School
, London
, and Christ Church, Oxford
. From 1966 to 1970, he worked for BBC Television
in the features group. For his third novel, Cushing's Crusade, he was awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
in 1975. Jeal is the parent, with his wife Joyce Jeal, of three daughters.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist, and biographer of notable Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
men. His publications include biographies of Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, Livingstone
David Livingstone
David Livingstone was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and an explorer in Africa. His meeting with H. M. Stanley gave rise to the popular quotation, "Dr...
and his most recent, Henry Morton Stanley
Henry Morton Stanley
Sir Henry Morton Stanley, GCB, born John Rowlands , was a Welsh journalist and explorer famous for his exploration of Africa and his search for David Livingstone. Upon finding Livingstone, Stanley allegedly uttered the now-famous greeting, "Dr...
(2007). In 2004 his memoir Swimming with my Father was acclaimed and was shortlisted for the J.R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography.
Jeal was formally educated in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and lives in North London. He has a wife and three adult daughters.
Personal history
Jeal's mother was Norah Pasley, daughter of Sir Thomas Pasley BtBaronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, and Constance Wilmot Annie Hastings, who was the daughter of the 13th Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon
Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The title is associated with the ruling house of Scotland, and latterly with the Hastings family.-Early history:...
. Jeal was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. From 1966 to 1970, he worked for BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
in the features group. For his third novel, Cushing's Crusade, he was awarded the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
The John Llewellyn Rhys Prize is a literary prize awarded annually for the best work of literature by an author from the Commonwealth aged 35 or under, written in English and published in the United Kingdom...
in 1975. Jeal is the parent, with his wife Joyce Jeal, of three daughters.
Publications
Jeal has been writing books since the 1960s, for London-based publishers. Although most of his works are fictional, he is best known for his biographies, all of which fundamentally and enduringly changed the way in which his subjects had hitherto been perceived. His new biography of Stanley has attracted interest for its revisionist tendencies. Dr Jane Ridley in the Sunday Telegraph (2007-03-18) argues that 'Tim Jeal's absorbing biography will surely be definitive.' Professor John Carey in the Sunday Times (2007-03-18) accepted that Jeal's 'ardent, intricate defence of a man history has damned' had been successful,and concluded: 'Anyone who, after reading this book, imagines they would have behaved better than Stanley, if faced with the same dangers, must have a vivid imagination.' Tim Gardam in the Observer (2007-04-01) felt that Jeal had 'fulfilled a mission to rehabilitate one of the most complex heroes of Victorian Britain'. Kevin Rushby in the Guardian (2007-03-24), said he was 'aware of the dangers of revisionism' and doubted that Stanley was as innocent as Jeal argued, but pronounced Stanley 'a stunning and provocative work, an awesome piece of scholarship executed with page-turning brio.' In the Washington Post (2007-12-23), Jason Roberts wrote of '...this commanding, definitive biography' being 'an unalloyed triumph...', and in the New York Times Book Review (2007-09-30), Paul Theroux described it as 'the most felicitous, the best informed, the most complete and readable [biography of Stanley]'. Tim Jeal had unique access to the massive Stanley collection in the Royal Museum of Central Africa in Brussels and saw many letters, diaries and other documents (including correspondence between Stanley and King Leopold of Belgium) unseen by previous biographers. Stanley was named Sunday Times Biography of the Year for 2007 (2007-11-25) and won the American National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography (2008-03-06)Novels
- For Love or Money (1967)
- Somewhere Beyond Reproach (1968)
- Cushing's Crusade (1974)
- Until the Colours Fade (1976)
- A Marriage of Convenience (1979)
- Carnforth's Creation (1983)
- For God and Glory (1996)
- The Missionary's Wife (1997)
- Deep Water (2000)
Biographies
- Livingstone (1973) (about David LivingstoneDavid LivingstoneDavid Livingstone was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and an explorer in Africa. His meeting with H. M. Stanley gave rise to the popular quotation, "Dr...
) - Baden-PowellBaden-Powell (book)Baden-Powell is a 1989 biography of Robert Baden-Powell by Tim Jeal. Tim Jeal's work, researched over five years, was first published by Hutchinson in the UK and Yale University Press . It was reviewed by the New York Times...
(1989) (about Robert Baden-PowellRobert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-PowellRobert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
) - Swimming with My Father (2004) (memoirMemoirA memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
) - Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer (2007) (about Henry Morton StanleyHenry Morton StanleySir Henry Morton Stanley, GCB, born John Rowlands , was a Welsh journalist and explorer famous for his exploration of Africa and his search for David Livingstone. Upon finding Livingstone, Stanley allegedly uttered the now-famous greeting, "Dr...
) - Explorers of the Nile: The Triumph and Tragedy of a Great Victorian Adventure (2011) (about John Hanning SpekeJohn Hanning SpekeJohn Hanning Speke was an officer in the British Indian Army who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa and who is most associated with the search for the source of the Nile.-Life:...
and Richard Francis BurtonRichard Francis BurtonCaptain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his...