John Keay | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1941 Barnstaple, Devon, England |
| Education | Oxford University |
| Occupation(s) | Writer and historian |
| Known for | Histories of colonial Asia |
| Spouse(s) | Julia Keay (died 2011) Amanda Douglas (2014–present) |
| Relatives | Anna Keay, Humphrey Atkins, Simon Thurley |
John Stanley Melville Keay FRGS (born 1941) is a British historian, journalist, radio presenter and lecturer specialising in popular histories of India, the Far East and China, often with a particular focus on their colonisation and exploration by Europeans. In particular, he is widely seen as a pre-eminent historian of British India.[citation needed] He is known both for stylistic flair and meticulous research into archival primary sources, including centuries-old unpublished sources.[1][failed verification]
The author of some twenty-five books, he also writes regularly for a number of prominent publications in Britain and Asia. He began his career with The Economist. He has received several major honours including the Sir Percy Sykes Memorial Medal. In 2019, he received an honorary doctorate, presented by Princess Anne, from the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.[2][3]
The Economist has called him "a gifted non-academic historian", the Yorkshire Post has called him "one of our most outstanding historians", The Independent has called his writing "exquisite" and The Guardian has described his historical analysis as "forensic" and his writing as "restrained yet powerful". He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Keay lives in both Edinburgh and in Argyll in the West Highlands of Scotland and travels widely.[4][5][3]