Neal Ascherson

Background

Ascherson was born in Edinburgh on 5 October 1932.

Education

He was educated at Eton and King"s College, Cambridge, where he read history and graduated with a triple starred first degree. Instead, he chose a career in journalism, first at The Manchester Guardian and then at The Scotsman (1959–1960), The Observer (1960–1990) and The Independent on Sunday (1990–1998).

Career

The historian Eric Hobsbawm was his tutor at Cambridge and described Ascherson as "perhaps the most brilliant student I ever had. I didn"t really teach him much, I just let him get on with lieutenant"

After graduating he declined offers to pursue an academic career. He contributed scripts for the documentary series The World at War (1973-1974) and the The Cold War (1998).

He has also been a regular contributor to the London Review of Books.

Ascherson has lectured and written extensively about Polish and Eastern Europe affairs As of 2016 Ascherson is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.

He has been editor of Public Archaeology, an academic journal associated with University College London devoted to Communications Resource Management and public archaeology issues and developments, since its inception in 1999. In 1991 Ascherson was awarded an honorary degree from the Open University as Doctor of the University.

On Street Andrew"s Day 2011 at their Anniversary Meeting the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland elected Ascherson an Honorary Fellow.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Polish August: The Self-limiting Revolution by Neal Ascherson (1981-12-03)
  • Black Sea by Neal Ascherson (1995-11-30)