Adams, Simon 1955–

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Adams, Simon 1955–

PERSONAL: Born 1955, in Bristol, England. Education: Studied at London University and Bristol University. Hobbies and other interests: Walking, cycling.

ADDRESSES: Home—London, England. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Heinemann Library, 100 N. LaSalle, Ste. 1200, Chicago, IL 60602.

CAREER: Editor and freelance writer. Children's book editor until 1990; writer, 1990–.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

(With Ann Kramer) Revolution and Technology: Rapid Change and the Growth of the Modern World, Warwick Press (New York, NY), 1990.

(With Ann Kramer) Exploration and Empire: Empire Builders, European Expansion, and the Development of Science, Warwick Press (New York, NY), 1990.

(With Ann Kramer and John Briquebec) Illustrated Atlas of World History, Random House (New York, NY), 1992.

The DK Visual Timeline of the 20th Century, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 1995.

(With others) The DK Geography of the World, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 1996.

Titanic (juvenile), DK Publishing (New York, NY), 1999, revised edition, 2004.

World War II (juvenile), DK Publishing (New York, NY), 2000, revised edition, 2004.

Kids' London, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 2000.

World War I (juvenile), photographs by Andy Craw-ford, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 2001, revised edition, 2004.

The Best Book of Volcanoes (juvenile), edited by Karen Dolan, Kingfisher (New York, NY), 2001.

The Best Book of Weather (juvenile), illustrated by Mike Saunders and Roger Stewart, Kingfisher (New York, NY), 2001.

The Presidents of the United States (juvenile), Two-Can (Minnetonka, MN), 2001, revised edition published as The Presidents of the United States: Completely Revised and Updated to Include the 2004 Election, 2005.

Codebreakers: From Hieroglyphics to Hackers (juvenile), DK Publishing (New York, NY), 2002.

Leicester and the Court: Essays on Elizabethan Politics, Manchester University Press (New York, NY), 2002.

(With Mary Atkinson and Sarah Phillips) Children's World Atlas, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 2003.

Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of Modern India (juvenile), Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 2003.

Castles and Forts (juvenile), Kingfisher (New York, NY), 2003.

Winston Churchill: From Army Officer to World Leader (juvenile), Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 2003.

(With David Murdoch) Texas (juvenile), DK Publishing (New York, NY), 2003.

The Cold War (juvenile), Sea-to-Sea Publications (North Mankato, MN), 2004.

The Role of the United Nations (juvenile), Sea-to-Sea Publications (North Mankato, MN), 2004.

Life in Ancient Rome (juvenile), Kingfisher (New York, NY), 2004.

The Russian Republics (juvenile), Sweet Apple Media (North Mankato, MN), 2005.

Northern Ireland (juvenile), Sweet Apple Media (North Mankato, MN), 2005.

Alexander: The Boy Soldier Who Conquered the World (juvenile), National Geographic Society (Washington, DC), 2005.

The Balkans (juvenile), Sweet Apple Media (North Mankato, MN), 2005.

Elisabeth I: The Outcast Who Became England's Queen (juvenile), National Geographic Society (Washington, DC), 2005.

Propaganda in War and Peace: Manipulating the Truth, Heinemann Library (Chicago, IL), 2005.

Contributor to over sixty books on historical topics, including The Thirty Years' War, edited by Geoffrey Parker, Routledge & Kegan Paul (Boston, MA), 1984.

SIDELIGHTS: Simon Adams is an English writer who specializes in works of history for juvenile readers. His World War II is a "highly visual introduction" to that conflict, according to Booklist contributor Carolyn Phelan. In the book, each major event of the war—such as the Battle of Britain or the development and use of the atomic bomb—is covered in a single paragraph accompanied by a picture. Adams gives the same treatment to the other major military conflict of the twentieth century with World War I. Again Adams blends a good deal of illustrated material with minimal text to examine major aspects of the war, from its causes to its conclusion. Hazel Rochman in Booklistfound that the approach "provides a quick, informative overview." With Castles and Forts Adams explores another aspect of warfare, looking at forts and hilltop castles around the world, from the Great Wall of China to medieval castles. School Library Journal contributor Susan Shaver commended this title for being "colorful and accessible."

Adams has also explored the world of politics and world leaders with other titles. Leaders of the United States is the subject of The Presidents of the United States, in which each president is profiled in two pages with accompanying quotations from the person being profiled. For School Library Journal contributor William McLoughlin, "a fascinating part of each entry is the quotation that has come to define the man and his vision of the office." International world leaders are the focus of two biographies from Adams: Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of Modern India and Winston Churchill: From Army Officer to World Leader. With the former title, Adams provides, according to School Library contributor Kristen Oravec, an "insightful" as well as a "well researched" look at one of the most famous of world leaders. Adams particularly details how Gandhi's religious beliefs influenced his political life. The author also shows how Gandhi was able to stand up against the British Empire to forge a new nation and, in so doing, influence other future leaders, such as Martin Luther King, Jr. With his biography of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Adams follows the course of Churchill's life from his early years in the military in India and South Africa to his rise to a seat in Parliament and leadership of his country through the difficult years of World War II. School Library Journal reviewer Vicki Reutter called Adams's title "rock-solid."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 1, 1996, review of The DK Geography of the World, p. 534; November 15, 1999, Ellen Mandel, review of Titanic, p. 615; November 1, 2001, Carolyn Phelan, review of World War II, p. 526; December 15, 2001, Hazel Rochman, review of World War I, p. 718.

Childhood Education, summer, 2002, Stephanie J. Frickert, review of The Best Book of Weather, p. 240.

Kliatt, July, 2002, Janet Julian, review of Codebreakers: From Hieroglyphics to Hackers, p. 48.

Publishers Weekly, April 9, 2001, review of The Presidents of the United States, p. 76.

School Library Journal, July, 2001, William McLoughlin, review of The Presidents of the United States, p. 116; April, 2002, Patricia Manning, review of The Best Book of Weather, p. 128; April, 2003, Kristen Oravec, review of Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of Modern India, p. 171; July, 2003, Vicki Reutter, review of Winston Churchill: From Army Officer to World Leader, p. 135; December, 2003, Paul J. Bisnette, review of Children's World Atlas, p. 94, Susan Shave, review of Castles and Forts, p. 163; April, 2004, review of Mahatma Gandhi: The Father of Modern India, p. S54.