GRANT, Neil 1938-
(David Mountfield)

Personal

Born June 9, 1938, in United Kingdom; son of Alastair and Margaret (Sims) Grant. Education: St. Johns College, Cambridge, B.A., 1961.

Addresses

Home— Middlesex, England. Office— c/o Author Mail, McGraw-Hill Children's/Peter Bedrick Books, 8787 Orion Place, 4th Fl., Columbus, OH 43240.

Career

Author. American People Encyclopedia, New York, NY, associate editor, 1962-67.

Writings

Benjamin Disraeli: Prime Minister Extraordinary, F. Watts (London, England), 1969.

Charles V: Holy Roman Emperor, F. Watts (London, England), 1970.

Victoria: Queen and Empress, F. Watts (London, England), 1970.

English Explorers of North America, Messner (New York, NY), 1970.

The Renaissance: A First Book, F. Watts (New York, NY), 1971.

Munich, 1938: Appeasement Fails to Bring Peace for Our Time, F. Watts (London, England), 1971.

Cathedrals: A First Book, F. Watts (London, England), 1972.

Guilds: A First Book, F. Watts (London, England), 1972.

The Easter Rising: Dublin, 1916, F. Watts (London, England), 1972.

The Industrial Revolution, F. Watts (London, England), 1973.

The Partition of Palestine, 1947: Jewish Triumph, British Failure, Arab Disaster, F. Watts (London, England), 1973.

The New World Held Promise: Why England Colonized North America, Messner (New York, NY), 1974.

(Under pseudonym David Mountfield) A History of Polar Exploration, Dial (New York, NY), 1974.

(Under pseudonym David Mountfield) A History of African Exploration, Domus Books, 1977.

Diamonds: Myth, Magic, and Reality, Bonanza Books (New York, NY), 1980.

Life in the Rainforest, Rourke Enterprises (Vero Beach, FL), 1987.

Atlas of the World Today, Harper & Row (New York, NY), 1987.

United Kingdom, Silver Burdett Press (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1988.

Ireland, Silver Burdett Press (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1989.

Village London, Past and Present, Pyramid Books (London, England), 1990.

Heroes of World War II, Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1990.

James Dean in His Own Words, Hamlyn (London, England), 1991.

Marilyn: In Her Own Words, Hamlyn (London, England), 1991.

The Great Atlas of Discovery: A Pictorial Atlas of World Exploration, Knopf (New York, NY), 1992.

Chronicle of Twentieth-Century Conflict, Smithmark Publishers (New York, NY), 1993.

The Egyptians, Oxford University Press (New York, NY), 1996.

People and Places, Gareth Stevens (Milwaukee, WI), 1997.

The Vikings, Oxford University Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Hamlyn History: Literature, Hamlyn (London, England), 1998.

Eric the Red: The Viking Adventurer, Oxford University Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Scottish Clans and Tartans, Lyons Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Oxford Children's History of the World, Oxford University Press (New York, NY), 2000.

History of Theatre, Sterling Publishing (New York, NY), 2002.

Everyday Life of the Celts, illustrated by Manuela Cappon, Smart Apple Media (North Mankato, MN), 2003.

Everyday Life in Medieval Europe, Smart Apple Media (North Mankato, MN), 2003.

Everyday Life in Ancient Rome, Smart Apple Media (North Mankato, MN), 2003.

The Atlas of the Renaissance World, Peter Bedrick Books (Columbus, OH), 2003.

Sidelights

Neil Grant is the author of several historical nonfiction works, among them the Oxford Children's History of the World, History of Theatre, and Everyday Life of theCelts. Many of Grant's works are geared toward children, to be used as educational tools. "Clearly and succinctly written," according to Susan Shaver of School Library Journal, the Oxford Children's History of the World is an encyclopedia that "captures the essence of historical time periods in an easy-to-follow format."

In his History of Theatre Grant provides readers with a brief, yet informative glimpse into the history of world theatre, including varying cultural traditions and similarly related arts. Laura A. Ewald, in a review for Library Journal, stated that "Grant's analysis includes a mixture of literary, archaeological, and historical evidence, and his metaphorical prose provides a pleasurable and insightful discussion of theatre in a social context."

Included as part of the "Uncovering History" series, Grant's Everyday Life of the Celts provides younger readers with an informative look at one of the world's most intriguing cultures. The topics discussed range from clothing and household responsibilities to more complex social relationships involving religion and social customs. While the book's generalized approach was questioned by some critics, Everyday Life of the Celts nonetheless answers the basic questions of those American readers who are less-than-familiar with this ancient British culture.

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, September, 1996, Cynthia Sturgis, review of The Egyptians, p. 214; December 1, 1998, April Judge, review of The Vikings, p. 663.

Library Journal, June 15, 2002, Laura A. Ewald, review of History of Theatre, p. 68.

Publishers Weekly, April 12, 1993, review of Chronicle of Twentieth-Century Conflict, p. 56.

School Library Journal, December, 1998, Eunice Weech, review of Eric the Red, p. 102; May, 2001, Susan Shaver, review of Oxford Children's History of the World, p. 86; February, 2004, Lynda S. Poling, review of Everyday Life of the Celts, p. 164.*