Brian Jacques
His books have thrilled readers all over the world. Inspired by the classic adventure stories of his childhood, not to mention his many real-life travels, Brian Jacques has conjured up the magical world of REDWALL and now the equally unforgettable CASTAWAYS OF THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.
THE BASICS
Born: Liverpool, June 15th 1939
Jobs: Merchant Seaman, Railway Fireman, Longshoreman, Truck Driver, Bus Driver, Boxer, Police Constable, Post Master, Stand-up comic, Radio presenter, Author.
Lives: Liverpool
First Book: Redwall, 1985
THE BOOKS
Brian Jacques (pronounced “Jakes”) was born into a Liverpool Irish family on the eve of World War Two and grew up close to the docks. He began reading at an early age and was especially keen on adventure stories by writers such as Daniel Defoe, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Robert Louis Stevenson and Edgar Rice Burroughs. From the age of ten, Brian attended St. John’s School. On his first day there, Brian and his classmates were set the task of writing a story about animals. Brian wrote about a bird that cleaned a crocodile’s teeth. His teacher refused to believe that a ten-year-old could write so well and accused Brian of copying the story. Brian ended up being caned as a “liar” when in fact it was his story. At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that he had a talent for writing.
Thankfully, there were some more encouraging teachers at St. John’s, such as Austin Thomas, who introduced his class to poetry and Greek literature. “Because of him,” remembers Brian, “I saved seven shillings and sixpence to buy The Iliad and The Odyssey at this dusty used bookshop.” Such books would shape Brian’s imagination and help to inspire his own adventure stories such as Castaways of the Flying Dutchman. Another teacher who would play an important role in Brian’s life and career was Alan Durband, but more of him later...
After leaving school aged fifteen, Brian set out to find real-life adventure as a merchant seaman. He travelled to many exotic places; from New York to Valparaiso to Yokohama. It was an exciting time but the life of the sailor proved lonely and he decided to return home to Liverpool. It was the 1960s and, with the Beatles causing a worldwide sensation, Liverpool was the place to be. Brian, his two brothers and three mates formed a folksinging group called “The Liverpool Fisherman”. Brian has also backed Roger McGough’s band “The Scaffold”. He has life membership of The Cavern nightclub.
Brian’s writing career began in earnest with playwriting. His three plays, Brown Bitter, Wet Nellies and Scouse were performed at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre.
Brian wrote his first book, Redwall, for the children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind. He first came into contact with the children through delivering milk to the school. He started reading books to them but saw that the stories were not sufficiently firing the kids’ imaginations. He decided to try a story of his own. “I didn’t have a typewriter and I was skint, so I went and bought dozens of 30p pads and sat up all night.”
After Brian wrote out Redwall, he lent it to his friend, a former schoolteacher Alan Durband (who also taught Paul McCartney and George Harrison). Durband showed the book to a publisher without telling Brian. The manuscript was handwritten, over 800 pages long and stored in an Asda carrier bag at this stage!
Brian was signed up on the spot for the first five Redwall adventures. The series has proved phenomenally successful throughout the world. There are over seven million copies of the 14 Redwall books in print. They are published in 19 countries and 16 languages. In the year 2000, The Legend of Luke remained on the New York Times bestseller list for six weeks, while Lord Brocktree was there for over 17 weeks. A TV animation of Redwall has been created by Nelvana Productions. There has even been an opera version!
Brian continues to visit the children at the Royal Wavertree School for the Blind. He has also set up a literary award for children’s writing in Merseyside. Rest assured, any promising writers will be rewarded with a prize rather than a caning!
Throughout his thriving career as an author, Brian has hosted a weekly radio show, “Jakestown”, on BBC Radio Merseyside. On-air, he shares his comic outlook on life as well as his deep passion for opera. In 1980, he won the prestigious Sony Award for Best Light Entertainment Show.
Brian has two grown sons who live close by in Liverpool. Marc is a builder, carpenter and bricklayer. David is a professor of Art (BA, MA) and a muralist.
Brian enjoys doing crosswords and, when there’s time, reading books by his favourite authors including Damon Runyon, Larry McMurty and P G Wodehouse
Brian often finds inspiration for his novels when taking his West Highland Terrier Teddy out for a walk in Stanley Park in Kirkdale. Sometimes, ideas come to him as dreams in the night. He generally writes in the garden of his home, under an umbrella, on a manual typewriter.
Many of his stories are based on adventures that Brian or his friends have had themselves. The enduring themes of his work – courage and decency in the face of danger – are firmly rooted in his memories of his wartime childhood. Although the heroes and villains of his Redwall books are animals, their characteristics come from people he has encountered throughout his life, all over the world. He’s even written himself into the stories as Gonff, Prince of Mousethieves. When asked why the mice are the heroes of Redwall, he answers that “like children, mice are little and have to learn to be courageous and use their wits”.
Brian’s first book for Puffin marks an exciting new direction for this compelling author. Castaways of the Flying Dutchman is every bit as gripping as a Redwall. In 1620, a young mute boy named Neb is “shanghied” to sail on The Flying Dutchman. The ship’s captain is an evil, godless man with the power of life and death over everyone on board. The Flying Dutchman is not a ship for the faint of heart! Although most of the characters in the novel are human, there are two particularly strong animal heroes; Den, Neb’s talking black Labrador; and Horatio, the cat who appears in the latter part of the story.
WHAT HE SAYS...
“I think kids are very important. I write for children. But I also write for the child in everybody. What a horrible world it must be for people who’ve grown prematurely old and can’t remember the magic of childhood, the lovely escapism of ‘Once upon a time and far away...’.”
“Books were so important to me as a child. They were my escapism in post-war Liverpool.”
“I was born and bred in Liverpool and that’s the place I’ll die. I have never considered myself patriotic English but I’m a patriotic Scouser.”
“I’ve always written, always, always, always. Thank God, I was born with the talent to write. I’ve always been a good descriptive speaker and I can paint my pictures with words.”
“If you look through my books, it’s always a tale being told. Sitting in an abbey, it’s winter, they’re round the fire, and up to the door comes a tramp. Some old mouse, some old otter who tells a tale for a winter night. It goes right back to when I was a kid. All we had was radio then and we used to beg our dad and mum to be able to stay up to listen to Valentine Dyall, The Man in Black. So we’d all sit on the lino in the front room, put the lights out and sit by the old coal fire, you know? When you heard the music, you could feel the hairs standing up on the back of your neck.”
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT BRIAN JACQUES...
“Not since Dahl have children filled their shelves so compulsively.”
The Times
“What binds the episodes is Jacques’ relish for a story and his colourful characters – the kindly spinster, the eccentric retired sailor, the brutish industrial tyrant, the power-crazed sea captain, the scar-faced mutineers et al. You can’t help caring about the goodies and disliking the baddies, and the pages seem to turn themselves.”
Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times on Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
“This new book from master storyteller Brian Jacques combines adventure and mystery to produce a nailbiting story of real quality.”
Funday Times on Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
AWARDS
The Lancashire Libraries Children’s Book of the Year Award for Redwall
The Lancashire Libraries Children’s Book of the Year Award for Mossflower
The Lancashire Libraries Children’s Book of the Year Award for Salamandstron
The Western Australian Young Readers Award for Redwall
The Western Australian Young Readers Award for Mossflower
The Western Australian Young Readers Award for Mattimeo
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Redwall
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Mossflower
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Salamandstron
Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Mattimeo
BRIAN JACQUES TITLES
AVAILABLE FROM PUFFIN
Loamhedge
Angels Command
Triss
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
Rakkety Tam (October 2004)
Rakkety Tam
Rakkety Tam is the seventeenth in the epic Redwall series from the phenomenally successful Brian Jacques. Thrilling readers all over the world, the Redwall titles have had a regular place in the bestseller lists for years, have sold over 6 million copies and have achieved a cult status. The ‘Redwallers’ are a strong and loyal readership.
The excitement and magic of Redwall are strongly apparent in this compulsive new title. Brian Jacques is a powerful storyteller and exhibits his skill with a beautifully written, multi-stranded plot. A dark force is rampaging through the forests of Mossflower. Gulo the Savage, wolverine, flesh-eater and brutal killer, has come across the seas in search of his brother, Askor. Askor stole the famous walking stone that will make one of them king of the lands of ice and snow - and Gulo wants it back. Any beast who gets in Gulo’s way is dead meat. Literally. Rakkety Tam McBurl is a brave border warrior, travelling south in search of adventure. But when his army is attacked by Gulo’s flesh-eating band, adventure finds him. Gulo is heading for the ancient Redwall Abbey - and Rakkety Tam is determined not to let the savage Gulo destroy the peaceful ways of Redwall.
Battles, banquets and skullduggery. This is Brian Jacques at his very best.
Brian Jacques was brought up near the Liverpool docks. His life to date has been adventure-packed - he’s been a sailor, truck driver, longshoreman, comedian, folk singer and radio host. He continues to travel widely but still has his home in Liverpool.
