Terry Deary: The man behind the Horrible Histories

The successful Horrible Histories books and TV shows -. Acts led many jokes - are loved by children and adults Written by Terry Deary think it's because his characters often subvert the authority

Before talking to the man who wrote Horrible Histories, I asked my 11 year old son what he thought of them. "They are brilliant," he said. A particular reason, I asked, as there is not much in my 11 years, the universe in general, deserves such praise. "Because you learn things, and laughed at the same time, "he said. "It's great."

The child is obviously not alone. By Terry Deary Terrible Tudor wrote in 1993, the 60-odd volumes of the former actor and theater professor guts-and-gore "history with the nasty bits left in" have sold over 25 million copies in 40 countries. Children very popular BBC television reaches the end of its fourth season last month (the fifth is already in preparation) and a phase of spin-off, Barmy Britain today packed and enthusiastic West End.

Deary, suggest, seems to have found something and do not like children.

"It subversion" he said. "It's what attracts. Falls If an old lady, it's not funny. Pompous If a priest, a policeman, an authority figure, falls on his face, it's funny. Mira, not history books. 'stories about people re in dire situations in the past. jokes with. "

horror stories sealing is strange, little known and - if possible - made disgusting scatological or otherwise (for example, William Conqueror stomach exploded at his funeral, the Egyptian pharaohs were officers windshield ice below, or Farting Miss Clack was a Victorian real name), a series of gags that define almost collegial mood. But what underlies each of them, the Egyptians vicious Vikings ideal is unwavering Deary anti-establishment principles.

"I do not want to write the story," he said firmly. "I'm not a historian, and I do not want to be. Do you want to change the world. Attack the elite. Reversal of the hierarchy. Look at my stories and you will notice that the wicked are always, always, the people in power. The heroes are ordinary people. hate school. Always have, always will. "

Contrarianism

is expressed not only in the books of Deary. When Tony Blair asked him to No. 10, did not even bother to respond. ("The only politician who ever entered Parliament with good intentions," I like to watch, "was Guy Fawkes"). Has rejected invitations to meet the Queen, and admits he was "deeply disappointed" the diamond jubilee of the BBC coverage included a sketch Horrible Histories live .. Tower Bridge (Deary, however, carry the Olympic torch through Barnard Castle, near his home in County Durham, last month Nominated for his "inspiration" written and accepted charity races "because that is what society should be about: large enthusiastic crowds all together, go out ... I thought it was a good thing to do" Well, well course, is an exception to the word of inspiration)

"People ask me what inspired" to write, saying, I am not "inspired" - I get paid to get letters from people who tell me that "inspired" to go . university and read the story - I have today, saying Australian girl he had discovered in the history of the university is really annoying turgidly say not blame me "

..

So where do we come from, this series unpleasant? Deary, 66, said he grew up "in a reasonable part of Sunderland, but the carnage of my father was in a slum. I grew up knowing what poverty was. I have a realistic view of life. "But he said," I was beaten, harassed and bullied at school in the name of passing exams. I learned something and I had to leave. So I started to challenge authority at school, in fact, and just never stopped. "

There is still a deep distrust of anything related to school and unfortunately horror stories have become texts class in some schools ("If you are part of the curriculum, the children disconnected . so how can I be subversive? ")

Basically, he says, schools "teach the people what the government tells them to teach. Government and people are twonks complete. What do they know? The school is a total loss of 12 years of his life. should be a preparation for life, education skills we need, looking for what is good and develop. Instead, it is trigonometry, chemistry, French .. . I've never been any use to me. I wrote my ability was clearly good at it, get good grades, but no teacher told me .. you should try to do something with this "

• So instead, Deary became an actor. The Scripture says, finally resulted in the following: "I was in this small touring company, taking playrooms for children through the Welsh who found this easy to play ideas into scripts." .
At the age of about 30 years, after a successful tour in particular was found Deary package sets and costumes and wish something could remain in production. "It was called The Custard Kid," he recalls, "about a cowardly cowboy. So I wrote this book, and sent it to about 23 publishers who all said thank you, but no thank you. 24th said yes. "

Deary wrote 50 novels for children and advanced Horrible Histories before the idea was presented by the publisher. They wanted a "joke book history" and - when he protested that he knew nothing about the story - has offered to provide data to go with the gags. But events proved, he said, to be really interesting. So, what emerged was a "fact book with jokes."

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