Jonathan Smith (novelist)

Jonathan Smith (born 1942) is an English novelist, playwright, writer and teacher. A career English teacher, best known for his novels, he has also written many radio plays.

Jonathan Smith
Born1942 (age 80–81)
Gloucestershire, England
OccupationNovelist, playwright, teacher
NationalityBritish
GenreHistorical fiction
Semi-autobiographical
Children2

Early life and education

Smith was born in Gloucestershire to a family of teachers originally from the Rhondda Valley in South Wales.[1] He was educated at Christ College, Brecon and read English at St John's College, Cambridge.

Teaching and writing career

Smith took up his first teaching job at Loretto School near Edinburgh in Scotland. After a brief stint at Melbourne Grammar School in Australia, he taught at Tonbridge School for the rest of his career and was head of English for 17 years.[1] He published five novels during his teaching career before retiring in 2002 to concentrate on writing. His former pupils at Tonbridge include Sir Anthony Seldon, novelist Vikram Seth,[2] poet Christopher Reid, actor Dan Stevens[3] and musician Kit Hesketh-Harvey.

A number of his works have been adapted for television and film. His first novel Wilfred and Eileen was adapted for into a four-part serial which aired in 1981 on BBC One.[4] His first radio play The World Walk was adapted for television and aired on BBC Two.[5] His 1995 novel Summer in February was adapted into a full-length film.[6] The novel The Churchill Secret KBO, was adapted for a feature-length movie starring Michael Gambon, screened in 2016 on ITV under the title Churchill's Secret.[7][8] His two radio plays on John Betjeman were broadcast on Radio 4 in 2017.

Personal life

Smith and his wife Gillian have a daughter, Becky, an educational consultant, and a son, Ed, who is the former England National Cricket Selector, a former England cricketer and published author.

In 2006, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer, he and his son went on a trip to India.[2] It was the inspiration for his book The Following Game, published in 2011.[9]

Bibliography

Novels
  • Wilfred and Eileen (1976)
  • The English Lover (1977)
  • In Flight (1980)
  • Come Back (1985)
  • Summer in February. Abacus (1996). ISBN 978-0349107462
  • Night Windows. Abacus (2004). ISBN 978-0349115313[10][11]
  • The Churchill Secret KBO. Abacus (2015).

Autobiographical
  • The Learning Game: A Teacher's Inspirational Story. Abacus (2002). ISBN 978-0349113883
  • The Following Game. Peridot Press (2011). ISBN 978-1-908095-01-5

Radio dramas

Over twenty plays including:

References
  1. "The score so far". Times Educational Supplement. 11 May 2008.
  2. "The best teachers will always bowl you over". The Guardian. 19 June 2011.
  3. "Dan Stevens: My Best Teacher". Times Educational Supplement. 23 September 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  4. "Love Story: Wilfred and Eileen". BBC.
  5. "The World Walk". BBC.
  6. "British Films Directory: Summer in February". British Council.
  7. "KBO: The Churchill Secret by Jonathan Smith". Reader's Digest.
  8. "Michael Gambon to play Winston Churchill in ITV drama". The Guardian. 26 May 2015.
  9. "Jonathan Smith's book on following his son Ed will resonate with every cricketing parent". Daily Telegraph. 26 July 2011.
  10. "Paperback of the week: Night Windows by Jonathan Smith". The Guardian. 24 July 2005.
  11. "Big head, small heart". Daily Telegraph. 24 October 2004.
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