G. A. Henty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Alfred Henty
Photo portrait by Elliott & Fry
Born	(1832-12-08)8 December 1832 Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, England
Died	16 November 1902(1902-11-16) (aged 69) Weymouth, Dorset, England
Occupation	Fiction writer, war correspondent
Period	Late 19th century
Genre	Literature

George Alfred Henty (born December 8, 1832 – died November 16, 1902) was a famous English writer. He is best known for his exciting adventure fiction and historical fiction books. Many of his stories are set in the past and feature brave young heroes. Some of his popular books include The Dragon & The Raven (1886), For The Temple (1888), Under Drake's Flag (1883), and In Freedom's Cause (1885).

About G. A. Henty

G. A. Henty was born in Trumpington, near Cambridge, England. When he was a child, he was often sick and had to stay in bed a lot. During these times, he became a huge reader. This helped him develop many interests that he kept throughout his life.

He went to Westminster School in London when he was 14. Later, he attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he enjoyed sports.

Henty's Time as a War Correspondent

Henty left university early to join the army's supply department during the Crimean War. He saw the terrible conditions soldiers faced. His letters home, describing what he saw, were so vivid that his father sent them to a newspaper, which published them.

This early success led Henty to become a special correspondent, which is what we now call a war correspondent. These are journalists who report from war zones.

After leaving the army as a captain in 1859, Henty married Elizabeth Finucane. They had four children. Elizabeth passed away in 1865. Soon after, Henty started writing for the Standard newspaper.

He traveled all over the world, reporting on many conflicts. He covered the Austro-Prussian War, the British expedition to Abyssinia, the Franco-Prussian War, and the Ashanti War. He also reported on the Carlist Rebellion in Spain and the Turco-Serbian War. He even saw the opening of the Suez Canal and visited Palestine, Russia, and India.

Henty's Views and Writing Style

Henty strongly supported the British Empire throughout his life. He believed in its importance and celebrated its successes. His political ideas were shaped by other writers of his time.

Henty once shared that he started telling stories to his children after dinner. This led him to write his first children's book, Out on the Pampas, in 1868. He even named the main characters after his own children!

Most of the 122 books he wrote were for young readers and published by Blackie and Son. However, he also wrote novels for adults, non-fiction books, and short stories for magazines like The Boy's Own Paper. He also edited a weekly magazine for boys called Union Jack.

Henty was "the most popular Boy's author of his day." At the peak of his popularity, about 150,000 Henty books were printed each year in the UK. Overall, over three and a half million of his books were sold by his main publisher. If you include books printed in other countries, the total might be as high as 25 million!

His children's novels usually featured a boy or young man living through important historical events. These stories could be set during the Punic War, the Napoleonic Wars, or the American Civil War. Henty's heroes were always smart, brave, honest, and clever. They were also modest. These qualities have made his books popular with many families who teach their children at home.

Henty's tombstone in Brompton Cemetery, London

Henty usually researched his novels by reading many books about the historical period he was writing about. Some of his books, like those about the Crimean War, were based on his own experiences. This made those stories very detailed and realistic.

G. A. Henty passed away on November 16, 1902, on his yacht in Weymouth Harbour, Dorset. He left his last novel, By Conduct and Courage, unfinished. His son, Captain C.G. Henty, completed it. Henty is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London.

Henty's Influence

G. A. Henty's success inspired other writers to create adventure stories for young people in a similar style. Writers like "Herbert Strang", Henry Everett McNeil, Percy F. Westerman, and Captain Frederick Sadleir Brereton wrote books in "the Henty tradition." These often included new topics like aviation and battles from the First World War. However, by the 1930s, Henty's books became less popular in Britain, and fewer writers used his style as a guide.

Debates About Henty's Views

Henty's opinions have caused some debate. Some people say his novels are very nationalist (meaning they show extreme pride in one's country) and old-fashioned. For example, in True to the Old Flag (1885), the hero fights for the British side in the American Revolutionary War. His books In the Reign of Terror (1888) and No Surrender! A Tale of the Rising in La Vendée (1900) are very critical of the French Revolution.

In his novel With Lee in Virginia, the main character fights for the Confederacy against the Union during the American Civil War.

Henty's popularity among families who teach at home has also faced criticism. Some people, like American TV host Rachel Maddow, have called Henty's writings "spectacularly racist." While Henty's books do contain many stereotypes about different races and social classes, he sometimes created good characters from ethnic minority groups. For example, in With Clive in India, an Indian servant marries a white woman. Henty also admired the Turkish Empire. However, some critics believe Henty showed strong dislike for black people in novels like By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War and A Roving Commission, or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti.

For instance, in By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War, a character says that "Negroes" are "just like children" and "absolutely without originality, absolutely without inventive power." These types of descriptions are now widely considered offensive and based on harmful stereotypes.

In another novel, Facing Death: A Tale of the Coal Mines, Henty writes against strikes and shows the working-class hero stopping a strike among coal miners.

A review in 2010 described Henty's novels as promoting extreme patriotism and racism. It noted that many conservative Christian websites praise Henty's books as good reads for children, often ignoring the issues of racism by focusing on the heroic and patriotic parts of his stories.

However, in 1888, The Times newspaper reviewed Captain Bayley's Heir. It mentioned that Henty's character in With Lee in Virginia "bravely proving his sympathy with the slaves of brutal masters" escapes with the help of a black servant and a runaway slave he had assisted. The reviewer recommended the book.

List of Books

Books and Audio Adaptations

Only one of Henty's books has been made into a film. However, there are nine audio theater productions based on his books by Heirloom Audio. These include Under Drake's Flag, With Lee in Virginia, In the Reign of Terror, The Cat of Bubastes, Beric the Briton, The Dragon and the Raven, Wulf the Saxon, Captain Bayley's Heir, and In Freedom's Cause.

Heirloom Audio's productions have featured well-known actors like Joanne Froggatt from Downton Abbey and Billy Boyd from The Lord of the Rings.

Bill Heid, who started Heirloom Audio, said that Henty "took you to places that had great historical significance." He added that Henty's books are "historical fiction, yet there's very little fiction." Heid wants young people to dream big and see historical figures like William Wallace as real people with their own struggles and dreams. He believes Henty makes history exciting, not boring.

Film Adaptation

• A Final Reckoning (1929), American, Black & White: Serial/24 reels
  • Directed by Ray Taylor.
  • Cast: Frank Clark [Jim Whitney], Newton House, Louise Lorraine, Jay Wilsey, Edmund Cobb.
  • Produced by Universal Pictures Corporation; distributed by Universal Pictures Corporation.
  • Story by Basil Dickey and George Morgan, based on Henty's novel.
  • Cinematography by Frank Redman.
  • Twelve episodes (two reels each): [1] "A Treacherous Friend," released April 15, 1929.

Audio Theater Productions

• Under Drake's Flag (2013), Heirloom Audio Productions
• In Freedom's Cause (2014), Heirloom Audio Productions
• With Lee in Virginia, Heirloom Audio Productions
• In the Reign of Terror, Heirloom Audio Productions
• The Cat of Bubastes, Heirloom Audio Productions
• Beric the Briton, Heirloom Audio Productions
• The Dragon and the Raven, Heirloom Audio Productions
• Captain Bayley's Heir, Heirloom Audio Productions
• Wulf the Saxon, Heirloom Audio Productions