Jason Goodwin (born 1964) is an English writer and historian.

Biography

Goodwin attended Sussex House School. He studied Byzantine history at Cambridge University. Following the success of ''The Gunpowder Gardens or, A Time For Tea: Travels in China and India in Search of Tea'', he walked from Poland to Istanbul, Turkey. His account of the journey, ''On Foot to the Golden Horn'', won the John Llewellyn Rhys/Mail on Sunday Prize in 1993. Subsequently, he wrote ''Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire'', which was featured on the cover of '' The New York Times Book Review''. Later, he became popular as the author of a series of historical mystery novels beginning with ''

The Janissary Tree ''The Janissary Tree'' is a historical mystery novel set in Istanbul in 1836, written by Jason Goodwin. It is the first in the Yashim the Detective series, followed by ''The Snake Stone'', ''The Bellini Card'', ''An Evil Eye'' and ''The Baklav ...

'', which pivot on the Ottoman investigator Yashim, a eunuch living in Istanbul during the 1830s-1840s. ''The Janissary Tree'' won the

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

for Best Novel in 2007 and novels in the series have been translated into over 40 languages. ''The Snake Stone'' involves a French archaeologist and Byron's doctor. ''The Bellini Card'' takes the action to Venice, and involves Italian painter Gentile Bellini's portrait of Mehmed II. The fourth Yashim novel, ''An Evil Eye'', centres on the Ottoman sultan's harem, and the final Istanbul adventure, ''The Baklava Club'', involves Italian and Polish revolutionaries in Istanbul. In 2016 Goodwin published a cookbook, ''Yashim Cooks Istanbul'', based on the detective series, which was selected by NPR's Book Concierge as one of its Great Reads of the year. From January 2018 he has written the weekly Spectator column for '' Country Life'' magazine. Goodwin is the son of writers

Jocasta Innes Jocasta Claire Traill Innes (21 May 1934 – 20 April 2013) was a British writer, journalist and businesswoman. Life Innes was born in Nanjing, China, the eldest of three daughters born to Paul Joseph Anthony Innes, a Shell Oil Company, S ...

and John Michell. However, his parents separated before he was born. Goodwin did not meet his birth father until 1992, at the age of 28,"John Michell, Counterculture Author Who Cherished Idiosyncrasy, Dies at 76", ''New York Times'', May 2, 2009
and was raised by his mother's first husband, the film producer

Richard B. Goodwin Richard B. Goodwin (born 13 September 1934) is a British film producer. As a producer, he received an Academy Award nomination for '' A Passage to India'' oscars.org Accessed 2016-2-18 (1984). His other films include ''The Tales of Beatrix Potte ...

.Obituary: Jocasta Innes
telegraph.co.uk, 23 April 2013 One of his four half-sisters is the British TV producer and novelist Daisy Goodwin. He is married and has four children.

Published works

*''A Time For Tea: Travels in China and India in Search of Tea'' *''On Foot to the Golden Horn'' *''Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire'' *''Greenback: The Almighty Dollar and the Invention of America'' *Yashim the Eunuch Investigator novels **''

'' (2006) **''

The Snake Stone ''The Snake Stone'' () is the second in a series of detective novels by Jason Goodwin, featuring the eunuch Yashim. It is set in Constantinople in 1838. The novel was nominated for a Macavity Award. Plot Detective, polyglot, chef, eunuch--Investi ...

'' (2007) **''The Bellini Card'' (2008) **''An Evil Eye'' (2011) **''The Baklava Club'' (2014) *''Yashim Cooks Istanbul: Culinary Adventures in the Ottoman Kitchen'' (2016)

Awards

*1987 Spectator/Sunday Telegraph Young Writer of the Year (UK) *1991 Thomas Cook Travel Writing Award (UK) ''The Gunpowder Gardens'' shortlisted *1993 John Llewllyn Rhys Prize (UK) ''On Foot to the Golden Horn: A Walk to Istanbul'' *2007

for Best Novel (US) ''The Janissary Tree'' *2007 Macavity Award for Best Mystery Novel (US) ''The Janissary Tree'' shortlisted *2012 Library Dagger (UK) shortlist

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Goodwin, Jason 1964 births Living people British historians British writers John Llewellyn Rhys Prize winners Writers of historical mysteries Edgar Award winners People educated at Sussex House School