Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 19 (1998) Winner
Roy Porter
ロイ・シドニー・ポーター
Roy Sydney Porter
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1946-12-31 （South London, England）
- Died
- 2002-03-03 （St Leonards-on-Sea, England） age 55
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- South London (grew up) → Cambridge (education/research) → London (UCL, Wellcome Institute) → St Leonards-on-Sea (later life)
Career
- Occupations
- historian, social historian, university professor, author, broadcaster
- Active Years
- 1968-2002
- Affiliations
- Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine (University College London), Christ's College, Cambridge, Churchill College, Cambridge, University College London (UCL)
- Memberships
- British Academy, Royal College of Physicians (honorary), Royal College of Psychiatrists (honorary)
- Influenced By
- J. H. Plumb, Robert M. Young
- Influenced
- Subsequent scholars in history of medicine and social history, Researchers in history of psychiatry (e.g. collaborators with G. E. Berrios)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson's School | — | Secondary education | — | 不明 | United Kingdom |
| Christ's College, Cambridge | — | History | BA (double starred first) | 1960年代（学士） | United Kingdom |
| University of Cambridge (PhD) | — | History (history of science) | PhD | 〜1974 | United Kingdom |
Wilson's School
Secondary education
Period:
不明
Country:
United Kingdom
Secondary school attended; later gave annual lectures to boys at Wilson's School.
Christ's College, Cambridge
History
Degree:
BA (double starred first)
Period:
1960年代（学士）
Year of Graduation:
1968
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied under J. H. Plumb; achieved a double starred first and became a junior fellow.
University of Cambridge (PhD)
History (history of science)
Degree:
PhD
Period:
〜1974
Year of Graduation:
1974
Country:
United Kingdom
Doctoral thesis on the history of geology; later published as The Making of Geology.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Leo Gershoy Award | — | — | American Historical Association | 受賞 |
| 1994 | Fellow of the British Academy | — | — | British Academy | 選出（FBA） |
| — | Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians | — | — | Royal College of Physicians | 名誉フェロー |
| — | Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists | — | — | Royal College of Psychiatrists | 名誉フェロー |
Leo Gershoy Award
1988
Organization:
American Historical Association
Result:
受賞
Fellow of the British Academy
1994
Organization:
British Academy
Result:
選出（FBA）
Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Organization:
Royal College of Physicians
Result:
名誉フェロー
Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Organization:
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Result:
名誉フェロー
Awards & Nominations
Wolfson History Prize
1 appearances
Works
Major Works
The Making of Geology: Earth Science in Britain, 1660–1815
1977 history of scienceBased on his doctoral thesis, a study of the development of geology in Britain linking practices, institutions and key figures.
history of geologyinstitutionalization of science
A Social History of Madness: Stories of the Insane
1987 history of medicine / social historyA social history emphasizing patients' perspectives on mental illness and the social treatment and institutions related to madness.
history of psychiatrypatient-centered perspectivessocial stigma
Enlightenment: Britain and the Creation of the Modern World
2000 history of the Enlightenment / social historyA general-audience overview of the British Enlightenment and its role in the creation of the modern world.
Enlightenmentmodernity
Madness: A Brief History
2002 history of medicine / overviewA concise, accessible introduction to the history of mental illness, summarizing historical cases and social contexts.
history of mental illnesssocial responses
Bibliography
- The Making of Geology (1977)
- A Social History of Madness (1987)
- The Greatest Benefit to Mankind (1997)
- Enlightenment: Britain and the Creation of the Modern World (2000)
- Madness: A Brief History (2002)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- clear and erudite, scholarly yet accessible to general readerseloquent public speaking and lecturing style
- Recurring Motifs
- patient-centered social-historical approachrelations between Enlightenment knowledge and societyintersections of medicine and society
Health
-
heart attack (myocardial infarction)2002-03-03Died suddenly of a heart attack while cycling; death ended his active career.
Legacy
Roy Porter became a leading figure in the history of medicine and 18th-century British social history; his patient-centered approach significantly influenced the field. He was prolific as an author and editor and reached wide audiences through lectures and broadcasting.
Academic Societies
- British Academy
Archives
- Roy Porter memorial and bibliography / archival material at the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL
Quotes
-
I'm not really a medical historian. I'm a social historian and an 18th century man.
Source: Quoted remark attributed to Roy Porter (2001)
Trivia
- Married five times (including Sue Limb among spouses).
- Known for needing very little sleep.
- Gave an annual history lecture to boys at Wilson's School.
- A memorial plaque was unveiled in 2008 at 13 Camplin Street, New Cross Gate, London.