Somerset Maugham Award
1 appearances
Paul Strathern
ポール・ストラスサーン
Pōru Sutorassān
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1940-01-01 （London）
- Nationality
- Scottish, Irish
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- London → Greek island → India → Himalayas
Career
- Occupations
- writer, academic, historian, historian of philosophy
- Active Years
- 1968-2024
- Affiliations
- Kingston University
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity College, Dublin | — | Philosophy | — | — | Ireland |
Trinity College, Dublin
Philosophy
Country:
Ireland
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Somerset Maugham Award | A Season in Abyssinia | — | — | Winner |
| 2000 | Aventis Prize | Mendeleyev's Dream | — | — | Shortlisted |
| 2001 | Google Business Book of the Year | Dr Strangelove's Game | — | Selected | |
| 2022 | Waterstones History Book of the Year | Ten Cities that Changed The World | — | Waterstones | Selected |
| 2024 | Waterstones History Book of the Year | Dark Brilliance | — | Waterstones | Selected |
Somerset Maugham Award
1972
Work:
A Season in Abyssinia
Result:
Winner
Aventis Prize
2000
Work:
Mendeleyev's Dream
Result:
Shortlisted
Google Business Book of the Year
2001
Work:
Dr Strangelove's Game
Organization:
Google
Result:
Selected
Waterstones History Book of the Year
2022
Work:
Ten Cities that Changed The World
Organization:
Waterstones
Result:
Selected
Waterstones History Book of the Year
2024
Work:
Dark Brilliance
Organization:
Waterstones
Result:
Selected
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
A Season in Abyssinia: An Impersonation of Arthur Rimbaud
1972 NovelA novel impersonating Arthur Rimbaud.
adventureidentity
Mendeleyev's Dream – the Quest for the Elements
2000 History of ScienceHistory of chemistry focusing on the periodic table.
scientific progressdiscovery
The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
2003 HistoryStory of the Medici family's influence in the Renaissance.
powerartfinance
Napoleon in Egypt
2007 HistoryNapoleon's campaign in Egypt.
militaryimperialism
The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior: Leonardo, Machiavelli and Borgia
2009 BiographyFateful collusion of three figures.
Renaissancepolitics
Bibliography
- Pass by the Sea: A Novel
- A Season in Abyssinia
- One Man's War
- Vaslav: An Impersonation of Nijinsky
- The Adventures of Spiro
- Mendeleyev's Dream
- Dr Strangelove's Game
- The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
- A Brief History of Medicine
- Napoleon in Egypt
- The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior
- Death in Florence
- The Spirit of Venice
- The Periodic Table
- The Borgias
- Rise and Fall: A History of the World in Ten Empires
- The Florentines: from Dante to Galileo
- Ten Cities That Changed The World
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Concise and accessible, known for 90 Minutes series
- Recurring Motifs
- Exploration of historical figuresIntersection of science and philosophy
Legacy
Prolific author in popular science, philosophy, and history. Books translated into over two dozen languages, recommended by Bill Gates. Lectured at Kingston University.
Trivia
- He has one daughter.
- Served in the Merchant Navy for two years.
- Lived on a Greek island.