克里斯多夫·希伯特

Arthur Raymond Hibbert (5 March 1924 – 21 December 2008), known as Christopher Hibbert, was an English author, popular historian and biographer. He has been called "a pearl of biographers" (New Statesman) and "probably the most widely read popular historian of our time and undoubtedly one of the most prolific" (The Times).

Biography

Arthur Raymond Hibbert was born in Enderby, Leicestershire in 1924, the son of Canon H. V. Hibbert (died 1980) and his wife Maude. He was the second of three children, and christened Arthur Raymond. He was educated at Radley College, a public school for boys near Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire, before he went up to Oriel College at the University of Oxford. He was awarded the degrees of BA and later MA.

He left Oriel College to join the Army, where a sergeant major referred to Hibbert as "Christopher Robin" (of Winnie the Pooh books) based upon his youthful looks. The name "Christopher" subsequently stuck. During World War II, Hibbert served as an infantry officer in the London Irish Rifles regiment in Italy, reaching the rank of captain. He was wounded twice and awarded the Military Cross in 1945.

From 1945 to 1959, he was a partner in a firm of land agents and auctioneers, and began his writing career in 1957. Hibbert was awarded the Heinemann Award for Literature in 1962 for The Destruction of Lord Raglan. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Personal life

Hibbert lived at Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and was a member of the Army and Navy Club and the Garrick Club. He was married to Susan Piggford and the couple had three children: his literary executor Kate Hibbert, television writer Jimmy Hibbert and music journalist Tom Hibbert.

He died on 21 December 2008, in Henley, from bronchial pneumonia at the age of 84. He was cremated, after a humanist ceremony in Oxford, on 2 January 2009.