G.A. Henty, Historian
Historical Fiction at its Finest!

“My father exposed me to Henty at an early point, and I read book after book with enjoyment and fascination. Such knowledge as I have of ancient Egypt, the republic of Venice, India, southern Africa, the rise of the Dutch Republic, the struggle for Chilean independence, the Franco-Prussian War, the Boxer Rebellion, and many other historical episodes, had its roots in Henty.”
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., winner of two Pulitzer
Prizes in History

George Alfred Henty was born in 1832 in England. After attending Cambridge University for a short time, he joined the Army at the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854, and served in the Commissariat Department (responsible for delivering food and equipment) until 1859.

At the completion of his military service, he joined his father in the mining business, and made trips to the copper mines in Michigan and the gold fields in California. He also worked as a reporter for The Standard, where he was their war correspondent. In this capacity he covered the Austro-Italian, Franco-German, and Turco-Serbian Wars.

His storytelling career began with his 4 children. After dinner, he would spend an hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories went on for weeks. A friend who was present one day watched the spellbound reaction of his children as they sat listening, and suggested he write the stories down so others could enjoy them. He did.

Henty, being a Victorian Englishman, wrote his historical fiction from that worldview. His stories are fiercely historically accurate and full of noble character – honesty, chivalry, integrity, courage, loyalty, diligence, charity and justice. After thoroughly studying the time period on which he wanted to write, he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating a story to one of his stenographers as fast as the man could take it down. In this manner he could easily fulfill his contract with his publisher for three books per year. Before he died in 1901, he had written 122 books, and had been dubbed “The Prince of Story-Tellers” by contemporary critics.

"To be a true hero you must be a true Christian.…heroism is largely based upon two qualities – truthfulness and unselfishness, a readiness to put one's own pleasure aside for that of others, to be courteous to all, kind to those younger than yourself, helpful to your parents, even if that helpfulness demands some slight sacrifice of your own pleasure.  You must remember that these two qualities are true signs of Christian heroism.  If one is to be a true Christian, one must be a Christian hero.  True heroism is inseparable from true Christianity, and as a step towards the former I would urge most strongly and urgently the practice of the latter."
G. A. Henty

“Henty was, I must admit, the author whom I knew best among all English writers until I went to college. His exciting stories based on history’s more romantic episodes stirred my imagination mightily and, I suspect, had much to do with my liking and concentration on history in my educational progress.”
Lester Pearson, Former Canadian Prime Minister

Now these exciting, historically accurate, uplifting stories are available in complete, unabridged recordings by Jim Hodges Productions. Join us as we learn from the master...!