Jack Charles Turner (born 1968) is an Australian non-fiction writer and television documentary host. His work focuses on international studies, especially relating historical societies to modern ones.

Background

Jack Charles Turner was born in 1968 in Sydney, Australia.Random House, Inc
"Author Spotlight: Jack Turner"
Retrieved 16 July 2023. He lives with his wife, Helena Fraser (a graduate of St Antony's College, Oxford, class of 1995), their son Oscar, and daughter Zoe,"Antonian Productions"
. (Autumn 2005). ''St Anthony's College Newsletter'' p. 11. Retrieved 16 july 2023. in

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

. He has also lived in

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...

, and New York City."Making a difference: Rhodes Scholars review how the Scholarship shaped their lives"
. (Number 58 – Summer 2000) ''Trinity Today''. p. 11. Retrieved 23 November 2006.

Education

Turner graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from

The University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state of Victoria. Its ...

, where he was a resident student at

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

. In 1992, he was elected as the "Australia at Large"

Rhodes Scholar The Rhodes Scholarship is an international Postgraduate education, postgraduate award for students to study at the University of Oxford in Oxford, United Kingdom. The scholarship is open to people from all backgrounds around the world. Esta ...

,The University of Melbourne
"List of Rhodes Scholars Elected for Victoria"
. Retrieved 22 November 2006. and attended

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

. Graduate study allowed Turner to change his major area of research interest, and in 1994 he graduated from

Magdalen College Magdalen College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and one of the strongest academically, se ...

with a

Master of Philosophy A Master of Philosophy (MPhil or PhM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. The name of the degree is most often abbreviated MPhil (or, at times, as PhM in other countries). MPhil are awarded to postgraduate students after completing at leas ...

(MPhil) in

International Relations International relations (IR, and also referred to as international studies, international politics, or international affairs) is an academic discipline. In a broader sense, the study of IR, in addition to multilateral relations, concerns al ...

."University Acts: Congregation 25 March: Degree by Special Resolution"
. (18 April 1996). ''Oxford University Gazette''. Retrieved 22 November 2006. His masters

thesis A thesis (: theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: D ...

entitled ''Soviet New Thinking and the Cambodian Conflict'' was completed in the Department of Politics and International Relations. Turner then went on to graduate with a

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...

degree (DPhil) in International Relations from Oxford, being awarded the MacArthur Junior Research Fellowship in International Relations at Exeter College."Full List of Successful Graduate International Relations Theses from 1971"
. p. 64. Retrieved 22 November 2006.

Writings

Two years after receiving his

Fellowship A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...

, Turner took a break from academia and took a professional job in

, Spain. After three months, he quit and moved with his wife to

, Georgia to write his first book. Throughout his studies, Turner was fascinated by how many times various

spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

s appeared in historical references. That, combined with an early interest in spices, partly enhanced by his mother's spicy cooking, resulted in his decision to pursue the subject of spices further.Random House, Inc
"AUTHOR Q & A: A Conversation with Jack Turner"
Retrieved 22 November 2006. The result is a book entitled ''Spice: The History of a Temptation'', which traces spices back through time, through history, myth, archeology, and literature. In the summer of 2000, he stated that he planned to base his next book on his experiences living in

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

Career

Turner is the host of the '' What the Ancients Knew'' documentary series on

The Science Channel Science Channel (often simply branded as Science; abbreviated to SCI) is an American pay television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel features programming focusing on science related to wilderness survival, engineering, manuf ...

. In the series, he visited key places from world history, focusing on the scientific, anthropologic, economic, and mechanical issues of the ancient civilizations and how their works influence modern life. The original three episodes covered the Romans, the Egyptians, and the Chinese. Later episodes covered the Japanese, the Greeks, and India.

Bibliography

*''Spice: The History of a Temptation'' (9 August 2005). . Paperback. Vintage; Reprint edition, 384 pages. *''Spice: The History of a Temptation'' (21 March 2005). . Paperback. Harper Perennial; New Ed edition, 448 pages. *''Spice: The History of a Temptation'' (10 August 2004). . Hardcover. Knopf, 384 pages.

Notes and references

External links

* MP3 Podcast:
"What the Ancients Knew: China"
', hosted by Jack Turner. (11.8 MB, 26 min.) * MP3 Podcast:
"What the Ancients Knew: Rome"
', hosted by Jack Turner. (11.8 MB, 26 min.) {{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Jack 1968 births Living people Australian Rhodes Scholars Australian non-fiction writers University of Melbourne alumni People educated at Trinity College (University of Melbourne) Alumni of New College, Oxford