Simon Winder is a British writer. He is the author of several books, including a trilogy of books on the history of
Central Europe
Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...
: ''Germania'', ''Danubia'' and ''Lotharingia''. The second book in the trilogy, ''Danubia'', which deals with the
Habsburg monarchy, was longlisted for the
Samuel Johnson Prize
The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, formerly the Samuel Johnson Prize, is an annual British book prize for the best non-fiction writing in the English language. It was founded in 1999 following the demise of the NCR Book Award. With its ...
. His books about Central Europe mix historical writing with autobiographical reflections on his travels in various countries in the region. The title of his book ''Germania'' evokes both the
Roman term for the area inhabited by the
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples were historical groups of people that once occupied Central Europe and Scandinavia during antiquity and into the early Middle Ages. Since the 19th century, they have traditionally been defined by the use of ancient and e ...
, and the personification of the
German nation, also known as
Germania. His book ''Lotharingia'' explores the culture and legacy of the historical kingdom of
Lotharingia
Lotharingia ( la, regnum Lotharii regnum Lothariense Lotharingia; french: Lotharingie; german: Reich des Lothar Lotharingien Mittelreich; nl, Lotharingen) was a short-lived medieval successor kingdom of the Carolingian Empire. As a more durable ...
, which encompassed the present-day territory of various European countries, including
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
and
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
.
His books have been praised for their humour and learning.
Winder is a publishing director at
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a British publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers The Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the following year.[The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...]
''.
He lives in
Wandsworth Town in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
Bibliography
* ''The Man Who Saved Britain: A Personal Journey into the Disturbing World of James Bond'' (2006)
* ''Germania: In Wayward Pursuit of the Germans and Their History'' (2010)
* ''Danubia: A Personal History of Habsburg Europe'' (2013)
* ''Lotharingia: A Personal History of Europe's Lost Country'' (2019)
References
British historians
British humorists
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
{{UK-writer-stub