G A Henty

The Boy Knight G A Henty

A rousing tale told in magnificent style, G. A. Henty's story of medieval life follows the remarkable adventures of young Cuthbert de Lance, a lad who serves as a page to an English nobleman during the Third Crusade. Readers have a ringside seat at a major historical event as they follow the boy to the Holy Land, experience the excitement of battle, and share Cuthbert's dangerous exploits on his return trip across Europe to England. Henty was known for his historical accuracy, and this volume reinforced his reputation; once again, he places his young characters in critical periods of history. Masterfully blending fact with fiction, Henty produced more than 140 books and achieved a reputation as the "Prince of Storytellers." His popular novels continue to ignite youthful imaginations with thrilling tales of reckless courage set in bygone days...... George Alfred Henty (8 December 1832 - 16 November 1902) was a prolific English novelist and war correspondent. He is best known for his historical adventure stories that were popular in the late 19th century. His works include The Dragon & The Raven (1886), For The Temple (1888), Under Drake's Flag (1883) and In Freedom's Cause (1885). BiographyG. A. Henty was born in Trumpington, near Cambridge. He was a sickly child who had to spend long periods in bed. During his frequent illnesses he became an avid reader and developed a wide range of interests which he carried into adulthood. He attended Westminster School, London, and later Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was a keen sportsman. He left the university early without completing his degree to volunteer for the Army Hospital Commissariat when the Crimean War began. He was sent to the Crimea and while there he witnessed the appalling conditions under which the British soldier had to fight. His letters home were filled with vivid descriptions of what he saw. His father was impressed by his letters and sent them to The Morning Advertiser newspaper which printed them. This initial writing success was a factor in Henty's later decision to accept the offer to become a special correspondent, the early name for journalists now better known as war correspondents. Shortly before resigning from the army as a captain in 1859 he married Elizabeth Finucane. The couple had four children. Elizabeth died in 1865 after a long illness and shortly after her death Henty began writing articles for the Standard newspaper. In 1866 the newspaper sent him as their special correspondent to report on the Austro-Italian War where he met Giuseppe Garibaldi. He went on to cover the 1868 British punitive expedition to Abyssinia, the Franco-Prussian War, the Ashanti War, the Carlist Rebellion in Spain and the Turco-Serbian War. He also witnessed the opening of the Suez Canal and travelled to Palestine, Russia and India. Henty was a strong supporter of the British Empire all his life; according to literary critic Kathryn Castle: "Henty ... exemplified the ethos of the new imperialism, and glorified in its successes."Henty's ideas about politics were influenced by writers such as Sir Charles Dilke and Thomas Carlyle.