Jack Turner (writer)

Jack Charles Turner (born 1968) is a non-fiction writer and television documentary host. His work focuses on international studies, especially relating historical societies to modern ones.

Background

Jack Charles Turner was born in 1968 in Sydney, AustraliaRandom House, Inc. [http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=31581 "Author Spotlight: Jack Turner"] . Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] . He is 165cm (5'5") tall. He lives with his wife, Helena Fraser (St Antony's College at Oxford, class of 1995), their son, Oscar, and daughter, Zoe Saffron Evie (born 20 September 2004) [http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/antonians/MT05newsletterstaipl.pdf "Antonian Productions"] . (Autumn 2005). "St Anthony's College Newsletter" p. 11. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] , in GenevaRandom House, Inc. [http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=31581 "Author Spotlight: Jack Turner"] . Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] . He has also lived in Madrid, Tbilisi, and New York [http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publications/trinity_today/summer2000/TT2000pp10-21.pdf "Making a difference: Rhodes Scholars review how the Scholarship shaped their lives"] . (Number 58 - Summer 2000) "Trinity Today". p. 11. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2006.] .

Education

Jack Turner earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from The University of Melbourne. In 1992, Turner was elected as an "Australia At Large" Rhodes ScholarThe University of Melbourne. [http://www.unimelb.edu.au/ExecServ/honcausa/rhodes.htm "List of Rhodes Scholars Elected for Victoria"] . Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] and attended Oxford University. The Rhodes Scholarship allowed Turner to branch out and change his major from Classics to International Relations [http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publications/trinity_today/summer2000/TT2000pp10-21.pdf "Making a difference: Rhodes Scholars review how the Scholarship shaped their lives"] . (Number 58 - Summer 2000) "Trinity Today". p. 11. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2006.] . He graduated from Magdalen College at Oxford with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in International Relations in 1994 [http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1995-6/weekly/180496/acts.htm#2Ref "University Acts: Congregation 25 March: Degree by Special Resolution"] . (Apr. 18, 1996). "Oxford University Gazette". Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] . His masters thesis was entitled "Soviet New Thinking and the Cambodian Conflict"Oxford University, Department of Politics and International Relations. Jack Turner completed his career at Oxford with a Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations. [http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/teaching/resources/theses/ir/res/ir_theses_table.pdf "Full List of Successful Graduate International Relations Thttp://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/teaching/resources/theses/ir/res/ir_theses_table.pdf "Full List of Successful Graduate International Relations Theses from 1971"] . p. 64. Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] .

Career

Two years after receiving his Fellowship, Turner took a break from academia and took a professional job in Madrid, Spain. After spending three months wearing a suit to work, he decided that writing was calling. He quit his job and moved with his wife to Tbilisi, Georgia to write his first book. [http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publications/trinity_today/summer2000/TT2000pp10-21.pdf "Making a difference: Rhodes Scholars review how the Scholarship shaped their lives"] . (Number 58 - Summer 2000) "Trinity Today". p. 11. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2006.]

Writings

Throughout his studies, Turner was fascinated by how many times various spices appeared in historical references. That, combined with an early interest in spices, partly enhanced by his mother's spicy cooking, resulted in his decision to pursue the subject of spices furtherRandom House, Inc. [http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375407215&view=auqa#catalog_content "AUTHOR Q & A: A Conversation with Jack Turner"] . Retrieved Nov. 22, 2006.] . The result is a book entitled "Spice: The History of a Temptation", which traces spices back through time, through history, myth, archeology, and literature.

In the summer of 2000, he stated that he planned to base his next book on his experiences living in Caucasus [http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/publications/trinity_today/summer2000/TT2000pp10-21.pdf "Making a difference: Rhodes Scholars review how the Scholarship shaped their lives"] . (Number 58 - Summer 2000) "Trinity Today". p. 11. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2006.] .

Bibliography

*"Spice: The History of a Temptation". (Aug. 9, 2005). ISBN 0-375-70705-0. Paperback. Vintage; Reprint edition, 384 pages.
*"Spice: The History of a Temptation". (Mar. 21, 2005). ISBN 0-00-655173-4. Paperback. Harper Perennial; New Ed edition, 448 pages.
*"Spice: The History of a Temptation". (Aug. 10, 2004). ISBN 0-375-40721-9. Hardcover. Knopf, 384 pages.

Other Works

Turner is the host of the "What the Ancients Knew" documentary series on The Science Channel. In the series, he visited key places from world history, focusing on the scientific, anthropoligic, economic, and mechanical issues of the ancient civilizations and how their works influence modern life. The original three episodes covered the Romans, the Egyptians, and the Chinese. Later episodes covered the Japanese, the Greeks, and India.

Notes and References

External links

* MP3 Podcast: " [http://netstorage.discovery.com/science/podcasts/2006/03/AncientsChina.mp3 "What the Ancients Knew: China"] ", hosted by Jack Turner. (11.8 MB, 26 min.)
* MP3 Podcast: " [http://netstorage.discovery.com/science/podcasts/2006/07/WhatAncientsKnowRome.mp3 "What the Ancients Knew: Rome"] ", hosted by Jack Turner. (11.8 MB, 26 min.)
* Press release for the original three-part series " [http://www.dezignare.com/whatshot/05feb/28.civilizations.html "What the Ancients Knew"] ".
* Product description of past episodes of [http://shopping.discovery.com/product-58059.html#desc "What the Ancients Knew" DVDs"] , available from the Discovery Channel Store.