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{{Short description|British children's author}}
'''Terry Deary''' (born 3 January [[1946]], [[Sunderland]]) is a children's author now living in [[Burnhope]], [[County Durham]], [[England]].
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Terry Deary
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1946|1|3}}
| birth_place = [[Sunderland]], [[County Durham]], England
| occupation = Author
}}
'''William Terence Deary''' (born 3 January 1946)<ref Name="Biog"/> is a British children's author of over 200 books, selling over 25 million copies in over 40 languages, best known as the writer of the ''[[Horrible Histories]]'' series. Since 1994 he has been one of Britain's best-selling authors.<ref Name="Bloom"/><ref Name="Guardian"/> In 2012, he was the tenth most-borrowed author in British libraries, and was voted Outstanding Children's Non-Fiction Author of the 20th Century by ''Books for Keeps'' magazine.<ref Name="Bloom">{{cite web | url=http://www.bloomsbury.com/author/terry-deary | title=Terry Deary | year=2012 |work=Bloomsbury Publishing| access-date=4 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|year=2012|title=Children's writers dominate UK's most borrowed books chart|url=http://www.alcs.co.uk/News-Members-information/News/Children%E2%80%99s-writers-dominate-UK%E2%80%99s-most-borrowed-boo.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520184053/http://alcs.co.uk/News-Members-information/News/Children%e2%80%99s-writers-dominate-UK%e2%80%99s-most-borrowed-boo.aspx|archive-date=20 May 2013|access-date=4 September 2012|website=[[Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society]]}}</ref>


==Life and career==
A former actor, theatre-director and drama teacher, Deary says he began writing when he was 29. Most famously, he is the author of the [[Horrible Histories]] series of books which is popular among children for their disgusting details, gory information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated.
Deary was born in [[Sunderland]]. His father Bill owned a butcher's shop in [[Hendon, Sunderland|Hendon]], a poverty-stricken area of the city, and his mother Freda was the manager of a clothing shop. Deary went to [[Monkwearmouth]] Grammar School and intensely disliked his school experience, particularly the style of teaching he received.


He worked as a butcher's boy for much of his childhood, helping in the shop from the age of three. He joined the [[electricity board]] as a management trainee<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bigissue.com/culture/horrible-histories-durham-death-and-terry-dearys-dodgy-drama/|title=Horrible Histories: Durham, death and Terry Deary's dodgy drama|date=16 February 2018|website=The Big Issue}}</ref> when he was 18 and later the Theatre Powys drama company in 1972 and as an actor toured Welsh village halls bringing theatre to children.
A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on [[CiTV]] for a period in [[2002]].


He qualified as a teacher at the Sunderland's College of Education and taught drama. He was the Theatre Director/County Drama Advisor of the Lowestoft Theatre Centre in Suffolk between 1975 and 1977 – an educationally linked organisation funded by Suffolk Country Council.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/children/scholarly-magazines/deary-terry-1946|title=Deary, Terry 1946– &#124; Encyclopedia.com|website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref> He began writing in 1976, turning full-time in 1994, with the publication of the ''Horrible Histories'' series.<ref Name="Guardian">{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/jul/14/terry-deary-horrible-histories | title=Terry Deary: The man behind the Horrible Histories|date=14 July 2012|work=The Guardian| access-date=4 September 2012}}</ref><ref Name="Biog">{{cite web | url=http://www.terry-deary.com/pg/terry-deary-biography | title=Terry Deary's biography| year=2010|work=official website| access-date=4 September 2012}}</ref><ref Name="achuka">{{cite web | url=http://www.achuka.co.uk/archive/interviews/tdsg.php| title=Terry Deary|date=14 July 2012|work=Achuka Publishing| access-date=4 September 2012}}</ref><ref Name="Echo">{{cite web|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/archive/2000/07/20/The+North+East+Archive/7134556.Author_Terry_is_honoured_by_his_home_city/| title=Author Terry is honoured by his home city |date=20 July 2000 |work=The Northern Echo | access-date=4 September 2012}}</ref>
Terry is also known widely throughout [[children]] and [[adult]] reading groups alike for his [[True Stories]] series (see below for series list).


The ''[[Horrible Histories]]'' series of books are popular among children for their interesting details, vast information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated. A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on [[CITV]] in 2002. The ''[[Horrible Histories (2009 TV series)|Horrible Histories]]'' live action comedy sketch show of the same name has been shown on [[CBBC]] since 2009. Deary himself has made irregular appearances on the show.{{cn|date=November 2022}}
He received an [[Honorary Doctorate]] of Education from the [[University of Sunderland]] in [[2000]].


Deary received an [[Honorary Doctorate]] of Education from the [[University of Sunderland]] in 2000. He supports [[Sunderland AFC]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10050872/Terry-Deary-I-open-my-mouth-I-say-something.-Then-it-causes-a-row.html|title=Terry Deary: 'I open my mouth, I say something. Then it causes a row'|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=27 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/01a6533e-836a-11e1-9f9a-00144feab49a|title=The Inventory: Terry Deary|website=ft.com|accessdate=27 November 2022}}{{subscription required}}</ref>
==True Stories Series==
This [[non-fiction]] series was released in both [[hardcover|hardback]] and [[paperback]] beginning [[1992]] with the latest edition (non-combination) being published and released in [[1999]]. A list of the books in this series are below:


In 2011, he retired from writing children's books after 35 years. He lives in [[Burnhope]], [[County Durham]], England with his wife, Jenny, and their daughter, Sara.<ref Name="achuka"/>
*[[True Monster Stories]] (1992)
*[[True Horror Stories]] (1993)
*[[True Crime Stories]] (1994)
*[[True Ghost Stories]] (1995)
*[[True Shark Stories]] (1995)
*[[True Detective Stories]] (1996)
*[[True UFO Stories]] (1997)
*[[True Spy Stories]] (1998)
*[[True War Stories]] (1998)
*[[True Disaster Stories]] (1999)
*[[True Mystery Stories]]


==Views on education==
There have also been two books that were combinations of more than one of the previously named books. They were:
Deary is an outspoken critic of schools, which he believes serve no function above keeping children off the street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/6120942/Horrible-Histories.html|title=Horrible Histories|website=TheTelegraph.co.uk|accessdate=27 November 2022}}</ref>


Deary has commented: "I've no interest in schools. They have no relevance in the 21st century. They were a [[Victorian era|Victorian]] idea to get kids off the street. Who decided that putting 30 kids with only their age in common in a classroom with one teacher was the best way of educating? At my school there were 52 kids in the class and all I learned was how to pass the [[11-plus]]. Testing is the death of education. Kids should leave school at 11 and go to work. Not down the mines or up chimneys, mind, but working with computers or something relevant. Everything I learned after 11 was a waste of time. [[Trigonometry]], [[Boyle's law]]: it's never been of any use to me. They should have been teaching me the life skills I was going to need, such as building relationships, parenting and managing money. I didn't have a clue about any of these things at 18. Schools need to change."<ref>{{Cite web|author=Guardian Staff|date=12 August 2003|title=Writing history|url=http://www.theguardian.com/education/2003/aug/12/schools.historyandhistoryofart|access-date=12 September 2020|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> Deary has also called to "ban ''Horrible Histories'' from schools", because "classrooms take all the fun out of his stories".<ref>{{cite news|author=Coreena Ford |url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/04/17/terry-deary-calls-to-ban-horrible-histories-from-schools-61634-30773445/ |title=Terry Deary calls to ban ''Horrible Histories'' from schools |publisher=Journal Live |date=17 April 2012 |access-date=2 October 2013}}</ref>
*True Horror Stories / True Monster Stories / True Ghost Stories (1998)
*True Detective Stories / True Spy Stories (2002)


In 2013, Deary spoke out against [[public libraries]], saying that they "have been around too long", are "no longer relevant" and have "had their day," and derided the [[Public Lending Right]] remuneration to authors for library loans. He argued: "we've got this idea that we've got an entitlement to read books for free, at the expense of authors, publishers and council tax payers... We don't expect to go to a food library to be fed. The car industry would collapse if we went to car libraries for free use of Porsches... If I sold the book I'd get 30p per book. I get six grand, [when] I should be getting £180,000."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/feb/13/libraries-horrible-histories-terry-deary|title=Libraries 'have had their day', says Horrible Histories author|first=Alison|last=Flood|date=13 February 2013|via=theguardian.com}}</ref>
==Tudor Terror Series==
These historical novels are based on situations that happened in real life although are based around the Tudor and Elizabethan times.


==Selected books==
This is a list of the series:


===Series===
*''The Prince of Rags and Patches'' - (Historical novel based on the murder of the Princes in the Tower)
*''[[Horrible Histories]]''
*''The King in Blood Red and Gold'' - (Novel based on Henry [[VIII]], the [[Scottish Wars]] and the [[Border Reivers]])
*''[[Truly Terrible Tales]]''
*''The Lady of Fire and Tears'' - (Historical novel based on [[Mary Queen of Scots]], and the [[spy trade]])
*''Master Crook's Crime Academy''
*''The Knight of Stars and Storms'' - (Novel based on [[The Armada]], [[Drake]], piracy and the Spanish problem)
*''Tudor Chronicles'' (also known as ''Tudor Terror'')
*''The Lord of the Dreaming Globe'' - (Novel based on [[Shakespeare]], [[London plagues]] and the [[Essex rebellion]])
*''Tudor Tales''
*''The Queen of the Dying Light'' - (Historical novel based on [[John Dee|John Dee's]] [[witchcraft plots]], and [[Elizabeth I]])
*''Roman Tales''
*''Egyptian Tales''
*''[[The Fire Thief]]''
*''The Knowledge''
*''Pirate Tales''
*''True Stories''
*''Time Detectives''
*''The Spark Files''
*''World War I Tales''
*''World War II Tales''


==Terry Deary quotes==
===Other books===
*''A Witch in Time''
"I've no interest in schools. They have no relevance in the 21st century. They were a Victorian idea to get kids off the street. Who decided that putting 30 kids with only their age in common in a classroom with one teacher was the best way of educating? At my school there were 52 kids in the class and all I learned was how to pass the [[11-plus]]. Testing is the death of education. Kids should leave school at 11 and go to work. Not down the mines or up chimneys, mind, but working with computers or something relevant. Everything I learned after 11 was a waste of time. [[Trigonometry]], [[Boyle's law]]: it's never been of any use to me. They should have been teaching me the life skills I was going to need, such as building relationships, parenting and managing money. I didn't have a clue about any of these things at 18. Schools need to change." <ref>''Writing history'', Interview with Terry Deary, ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper, Tuesday August 12, 2003. http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,5500,1016371,00.html</ref>
*''The Ape Escape''
*''Classified''
*''Dangerous Days''
*''All about Bede: the life and times of the Venerable Bede, 672 – 735 AD'' (1996)
*''Spooks'' (1997)
*''Hat Trick''
*''Hope Street'' (1980); {{ISBN|0-304-30514-6}}
*''Ghost For Sale'' (2001)
*''The Treasure of Crazy Horse'' (2001)
*''The Custard Kid'' (2001)
*''The Wishing Well Ghost'' (2002)
*''Into The Lion's Den'' (2002)
*''Footsteps in the Fog'' (2003)
*''The Boy Who Haunted Himself'' (2004)
*''The Last Viking'' (2005)
*''Great big Father Christmas joke book''
*''The Vampire of Croglin''
*''Diary of a murder''


==Other Books==
==References==
{{reflist}}


==External links==
A list of other books published by Terry Deary are below:

*Spooks (1997)
*Ghost For Sale (2001)
*The Treasure Of Crazy Horse (2001)
*The Custard Kid (2001)
*The Wishing Well Ghost (2002)
*Into The Lion's Den (2002)
*Footsteps In The Fog (2003)
*The Boy Who Haunted Himself (2004)
*The Last Viking (2005)
*The King In Blood Red And Gold (2005)
*The Prince Of Rags And Patches (2005)
*The Lady Of Fire And Tears (2005)
*The Hat-Trick (2006)
*The Lord Of The Dreaming Globe (2006)
*Queen Of The Dying Light (2006)
*Flight Of The Fire Thief (2006)
*Potty Politics (part of the ''The Knowledge'' series)

==See also==
*[[Children's Non-Fiction / Nonfiction Authors]]
*[[Horrible Histories]]
*[[The Knowledge (book series)|The Knowledge]]

==External link==
*[http://www.terry-deary.com/ Terry Deary's homepage]
*[http://www.terry-deary.com/ Terry Deary's homepage]
*{{LibraryThing author|dearyterry}}
*[https://archive.today/20130418180234/http://newlearning.blip.tv/file/1907235/ Terry Deary's speech] at the Game Based Learning Conference, London, March 2009
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10050872/Terry-Deary-I-open-my-mouth-I-say-something.-Then-it-causes-a-row.html Terry Deary at The Guardian]


{{Horrible Histories}}
==References==
{{Portalbar|Children's literature}}
<references/>
{{Authority control}}




{{DEFAULTSORT:Deary, Terry}}
{{UK-writer-stub}}
[[Category:British children's writers|Deary, Terry]]
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:1946 births|Deary, Terry]]
[[Category:British children's writers]]
[[Category:Living people|Deary, Terry]]
[[Category:British humorists]]
[[Category:Children's non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Writers from Sunderland]]
[[Category:Writers from Durham, England]]
[[Category:British butchers]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Sunderland]]
[[Category:People educated at Monkwearmouth School]]

Latest revision as of 13:47, 2 July 2024

Terry Deary
Born (1946-01-03) 3 January 1946 (age 78)
Sunderland, County Durham, England
OccupationAuthor

William Terence Deary (born 3 January 1946)[1] is a British children's author of over 200 books, selling over 25 million copies in over 40 languages, best known as the writer of the Horrible Histories series. Since 1994 he has been one of Britain's best-selling authors.[2][3] In 2012, he was the tenth most-borrowed author in British libraries, and was voted Outstanding Children's Non-Fiction Author of the 20th Century by Books for Keeps magazine.[2][4]

Life and career

[edit]

Deary was born in Sunderland. His father Bill owned a butcher's shop in Hendon, a poverty-stricken area of the city, and his mother Freda was the manager of a clothing shop. Deary went to Monkwearmouth Grammar School and intensely disliked his school experience, particularly the style of teaching he received.

He worked as a butcher's boy for much of his childhood, helping in the shop from the age of three. He joined the electricity board as a management trainee[5] when he was 18 and later the Theatre Powys drama company in 1972 and as an actor toured Welsh village halls bringing theatre to children.

He qualified as a teacher at the Sunderland's College of Education and taught drama. He was the Theatre Director/County Drama Advisor of the Lowestoft Theatre Centre in Suffolk between 1975 and 1977 – an educationally linked organisation funded by Suffolk Country Council.[6] He began writing in 1976, turning full-time in 1994, with the publication of the Horrible Histories series.[3][1][7][8]

The Horrible Histories series of books are popular among children for their interesting details, vast information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated. A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CITV in 2002. The Horrible Histories live action comedy sketch show of the same name has been shown on CBBC since 2009. Deary himself has made irregular appearances on the show.[citation needed]

Deary received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. He supports Sunderland AFC.[9][10]

In 2011, he retired from writing children's books after 35 years. He lives in Burnhope, County Durham, England with his wife, Jenny, and their daughter, Sara.[7]

Views on education

[edit]

Deary is an outspoken critic of schools, which he believes serve no function above keeping children off the street.[11]

Deary has commented: "I've no interest in schools. They have no relevance in the 21st century. They were a Victorian idea to get kids off the street. Who decided that putting 30 kids with only their age in common in a classroom with one teacher was the best way of educating? At my school there were 52 kids in the class and all I learned was how to pass the 11-plus. Testing is the death of education. Kids should leave school at 11 and go to work. Not down the mines or up chimneys, mind, but working with computers or something relevant. Everything I learned after 11 was a waste of time. Trigonometry, Boyle's law: it's never been of any use to me. They should have been teaching me the life skills I was going to need, such as building relationships, parenting and managing money. I didn't have a clue about any of these things at 18. Schools need to change."[12] Deary has also called to "ban Horrible Histories from schools", because "classrooms take all the fun out of his stories".[13]

In 2013, Deary spoke out against public libraries, saying that they "have been around too long", are "no longer relevant" and have "had their day," and derided the Public Lending Right remuneration to authors for library loans. He argued: "we've got this idea that we've got an entitlement to read books for free, at the expense of authors, publishers and council tax payers... We don't expect to go to a food library to be fed. The car industry would collapse if we went to car libraries for free use of Porsches... If I sold the book I'd get 30p per book. I get six grand, [when] I should be getting £180,000."[14]

Selected books

[edit]

Series

[edit]
  • Horrible Histories
  • Truly Terrible Tales
  • Master Crook's Crime Academy
  • Tudor Chronicles (also known as Tudor Terror)
  • Tudor Tales
  • Roman Tales
  • Egyptian Tales
  • The Fire Thief
  • The Knowledge
  • Pirate Tales
  • True Stories
  • Time Detectives
  • The Spark Files
  • World War I Tales
  • World War II Tales

Other books

[edit]
  • A Witch in Time
  • The Ape Escape
  • Classified
  • Dangerous Days
  • All about Bede: the life and times of the Venerable Bede, 672 – 735 AD (1996)
  • Spooks (1997)
  • Hat Trick
  • Hope Street (1980); ISBN 0-304-30514-6
  • Ghost For Sale (2001)
  • The Treasure of Crazy Horse (2001)
  • The Custard Kid (2001)
  • The Wishing Well Ghost (2002)
  • Into The Lion's Den (2002)
  • Footsteps in the Fog (2003)
  • The Boy Who Haunted Himself (2004)
  • The Last Viking (2005)
  • Great big Father Christmas joke book
  • The Vampire of Croglin
  • Diary of a murder

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Terry Deary's biography". official website. 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Terry Deary". Bloomsbury Publishing. 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Terry Deary: The man behind the Horrible Histories". The Guardian. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Children's writers dominate UK's most borrowed books chart". Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society. 2012. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Horrible Histories: Durham, death and Terry Deary's dodgy drama". The Big Issue. 16 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Deary, Terry 1946– | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com.
  7. ^ a b "Terry Deary". Achuka Publishing. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  8. ^ "Author Terry is honoured by his home city". The Northern Echo. 20 July 2000. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  9. ^ "Terry Deary: 'I open my mouth, I say something. Then it causes a row'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  10. ^ "The Inventory: Terry Deary". ft.com. Retrieved 27 November 2022.(subscription required)
  11. ^ "Horrible Histories". TheTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  12. ^ Guardian Staff (12 August 2003). "Writing history". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  13. ^ Coreena Ford (17 April 2012). "Terry Deary calls to ban Horrible Histories from schools". Journal Live. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  14. ^ Flood, Alison (13 February 2013). "Libraries 'have had their day', says Horrible Histories author" – via theguardian.com.
[edit]
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