Henty was educated at Westminster School and Cambridge University. He saw action with the British army in the Crimea, as a war correspondent witnessing Garbaldi fight in Italy, being present in Paris during the Franco-Prussian war, in Spain with the Carlists, at the opening of the Suez Canal, touring India with the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) and a trip to the California gold fields, just to mention a few of his adventures. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to inumerable articles and short stories for magazines. Henty's stories almost always revolve around a fictional boy hero during interesting periods of history. His heroes are diligent, courageous, intelligent and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril. His histories, particularly battle accounts, have been recognized by historian scholars for their accuracy. In fact, the only criticism Henty faced by the liberals of his day was that his heroes were "too Christian." There is nothing dry in Mr. Henty's stories and thus he removes the drudgery and laborious task often associated with the study of history. Among his many works are Dragon and the Raven, The; or, the Days of King Alfred (1886), Bonnie Prince Charlie: A Tale of Fontenoy and Culloden (1887), Captain Bayley's Heir: A Tale of the Gold Fields of California (1889), By England's Aid; or, The Freeing of the Netherlands (1890), In the Heart of the Rockies: A Story of Adventure in Colorado (1894), On the Spanish Main (1899), Out with Garibaldi: A Story of the Liberation of Italy (1900), Treasure of the Incas, The: A Tale of Adventure in Peru (1902) and The Young Patriot (1906). Henty also published some works of non-fiction including The March to Magdala (1868) and Those Other Animals (1891). |
