John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 67 (2008) Winner
Henry Hitchings
ヘンリー・ヒッチングス
Henry Hitchings
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1974-12-11 （Guildford, England）
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Guildford → London
Career
- Occupations
- author, critic, reviewer, theatre critic
- Active Years
- 2000-
- Affiliations
- Johnson Society of Lichfield, Royal Society of Literature (Fellow), The Critics' Circle (former chair, drama section)
- Memberships
- Royal Society of Literature, Johnson Society of Lichfield, The Critics' Circle
- Nominations
- Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award (shortlist)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eton College | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| Christ Church, Oxford | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| University College London | — | Research on Samuel Johnson (PhD research) | — | — | United Kingdom |
Eton College
Country:
United Kingdom
Attended as a King's Scholar
Christ Church, Oxford
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied as an undergraduate; specific details not provided
University College London
Research on Samuel Johnson (PhD research)
Country:
United Kingdom
Conducted PhD research on Samuel Johnson
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | John Llewellyn Rhys Prize | The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English | — | — | winner |
| 2009 | Somerset Maugham Award | The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English | — | The Society of Authors | winner |
| 2005 | Modern Language Association: Prize for Independent Scholars | Defining the World (US edition of Dr Johnson's Dictionary) | — | Modern Language Association | winner |
John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
2008
Work:
The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English
Result:
winner
Somerset Maugham Award
2009
Work:
The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English
Organization:
The Society of Authors
Result:
winner
Modern Language Association: Prize for Independent Scholars
2005
Work:
Defining the World (US edition of Dr Johnson's Dictionary)
Organization:
Modern Language Association
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Somerset Maugham Award
2 appearances
Works
Major Works
Dr Johnson's Dictionary: The Extraordinary Story of the Book that Defined the World
2005 Non-fiction (language history / biography)A popular biography and history of Samuel Johnson's monumental dictionary, tracing its creation and cultural impact.
lexicographyhistory of language18th-century culture
Translations
The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English
2008 Non-fiction (language history)Traces how English has been formed through loanwords and cultural contact, exploring word origins and their social significance.
loanwordsetymologycultural history
Translations
Who's Afraid of Jane Austen?: How to Really Talk About Books You Haven't Read
2008 Non-fiction (reading guide)A guide to books and literary conversation offering backgrounds and talking points to discuss books you haven't read.
readingliterary introductioncriticism
Translations
The Language Wars: A History of Proper English
2011 Non-fiction (language history / sociolinguistics)A historical account of attempts to prescribe and police 'proper' English and the debates surrounding language norms.
prescriptive languagelanguage policysocial history
Translations
Sorry! The English and their Manners
2013 Non-fiction (cultural history)A cultural history examining English manners and social behavior across time.
mannersnational charactersocial history
Translations
Browse: The World in Bookshops (editor)
2016 Essay collection (about bookshops)Edited collection of original essays about bookshops around the world.
bookshopspublishing culturereading
Translations
The World in 38 Chapters, or Dr Johnson's Guide to Life
2018 Non-fiction (biography / essays)Revisits Samuel Johnson's life and thought through thematic chapters offering reflections for the modern reader.
Samuel Johnsonethicsreflections on life
Translations
Bibliography
- Dr Johnson's Dictionary: The Extraordinary Story of the Book that Defined the World (2005)
- Defining the World (US edition, 2005)
- The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English (2008)
- How to Really Talk About Books You Haven't Read (2008)
- Who's Afraid of Jane Austen? (2009)
- The Language Wars: A History of Proper English (2011)
- Sorry! The English and their Manners (2013)
- Browse: The World in Bookshops (editor, 2016)
- The World in 38 Chapters, or Dr Johnson's Guide to Life (2018)
Adaptations
- Birth of the British Novel (documentary, BBC Four)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- clear, explanatory prosenarrative non-fiction grounded in archival researchhumorous and witty commentary
- Recurring Motifs
- origins and spread of wordshistory of dictionaries and vocabularyEnglish culture and manners
Legacy
Henry Hitchings is a British critic and author known for connecting language history with cultural history in accessible, scholarly prose. He has won prizes such as the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the Somerset Maugham Award and authored several important popular works on language and dictionaries.
Academic Societies
- Royal Society of Literature
In Popular Culture
- Appearances on BBC Four documentary (Birth of the British Novel)
Quotes
-
Amazingly accessible, written with unnerving precision, clarity and grace.
Source: Chair of judges for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize (judges' comment) (2008)
Trivia
- Attended Eton College as a King's Scholar.
- Served as theatre critic for the London Evening Standard from 2009 to 2019 (left in 2019).
- Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2015.