Jack Charles Turner (born 1968) is an Australian non-fiction writer and television documentary host. His work focuses on international studies, especially relating historical societies to modern ones.

Background

Jack Charles Turner was born in 1968 in Sydney, Australia.Random House, Inc
"Author Spotlight: Jack Turner"
Retrieved 16 July 2023. He lives with his wife, Helena Fraser (a graduate of St Antony's College, Oxford, class of 1995), their son Oscar, and daughter Zoe,"Antonian Productions"
. (Autumn 2005). ''St Anthony's College Newsletter'' p. 11. Retrieved 16 july 2023. in

Geneva , neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier , website = https://www.geneve.ch/ Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...

. He has also lived in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...

, and

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

."Making a difference: Rhodes Scholars review how the Scholarship shaped their lives"
. (Number 58 - Summer 2000) ''Trinity Today''. p. 11. Retrieved 23 November 2006.

Education

Turner graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from

The University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...

, where he was a resident student at

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

. In 1992, he was elected as the "Australia At Large" Rhodes Scholar,The University of Melbourne
"List of Rhodes Scholars Elected for Victoria"
. Retrieved 22 November 2006. and attended

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...

. Graduate study allowed Turner to change his major area of research interest, and in 1994 he graduated from

Magdalen College Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

with a

Master of Philosophy The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil ...

(MPhil) in

International Relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such a ...

."University Acts: Congregation 25 March: Degree by Special Resolution"
. (18 April 1996). ''Oxford University Gazette''. Retrieved 22 November 2006. His masters

thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

entitled ''Soviet New Thinking and the Cambodian Conflict'' was completed in the Department of Politics and International Relations. Turner then went on to graduate with a

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

degree (DPhil) in International Relations from Oxford, being awarded the MacArthur Junior Research Fellowship in International Relations at Exeter College."Full List of Successful Graduate International Relations Theses from 1971"
. p. 64. Retrieved 22 November 2006.

Writings

Two years after receiving his

Fellowship A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

, Turner took a break from academia and took a professional job in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. After spending three months wearing a suit to work, he decided that writing was calling. He quit his job and moved with his wife to

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

to write his first book. Throughout his studies, Turner was fascinated by how many times various

spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spice ...

s appeared in historical references. That, combined with an early interest in spices, partly enhanced by his mother's spicy cooking, resulted in his decision to pursue the subject of spices further.Random House, Inc
"AUTHOR Q & A: A Conversation with Jack Turner"
Retrieved 22 November 2006. The result is a book entitled ''Spice: The History of a Temptation'', which traces spices back through time, through history, myth, archeology, and literature. In the summer of 2000, he stated that he planned to base his next book on his experiences living in

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...

Career

Turner is the host of the '' What the Ancients Knew'' documentary series on

The Science Channel Science Channel (often simply branded as Science; abbreviated to SCI) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel features programming focusing on science related to wilderness survival, engineering, manu ...

. In the series, he visited key places from world history, focusing on the scientific, anthropologic, economic, and mechanical issues of the ancient civilizations and how their works influence modern life. The original three episodes covered the Romans, the Egyptians, and the Chinese. Later episodes covered the Japanese, the Greeks, and India.

Bibliography

*''Spice: The History of a Temptation''. (9 August 2005). . Paperback. Vintage; Reprint edition, 384 pages. *''Spice: The History of a Temptation''. (21 March 2005). . Paperback. Harper Perennial; New Ed edition, 448 pages. *''Spice: The History of a Temptation''. (10 August 2004). . Hardcover. Knopf, 384 pages.

Notes and references

External links

* MP3 Podcast:
"What the Ancients Knew: China"
', hosted by Jack Turner. (11.8 MB, 26 min.) * MP3 Podcast:
"What the Ancients Knew: Rome"
', hosted by Jack Turner. (11.8 MB, 26 min.) {{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Jack 1968 births Living people Australian Rhodes Scholars Australian non-fiction writers University of Melbourne alumni People educated at Trinity College (University of Melbourne) Alumni of New College, Oxford