Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jack Higgins

Role / Field:

Best-selling British author of popular thrillers and espionage novels.

Born:

1929-07-27

Died:

2022-04-09

Century / Era:

1929s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Henry Patterson (27 July 1929 – 9 April 2022), commonly known by his pen name Jack Higgins, was a British author. He was a best-selling author of popular thrillers and espionage novels. His novel The Eagle Has Landed (1975) sold more than 50 million copies and was adapted into a successful 1976 movie of the same title. Some of his other notable books are A Prayer for the Dying (1973), The Eagle Has Flown (1991), Thunder Point (1993), Angel of Death (1995), Flight of Eagles (1998), and Day of Reckoning (2000).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His 85 novels in total have sold more than 250 million copies and have been translated into 55 languages. Jack Higgins was born Henry Patterson on 27 July 1929 in Newcastle upon Tyne to an English father and a Northern Irish mother. When his father abandoned them soon afterward, his mother returned with him to her home town of Belfast, Northern Ireland, to live with her mother and her grandfather on the Shankill Road. Raised amid the religious and political violence of Belfast, Patterson learned to read at the age of three, when he was tasked with reading The Christian Herald to his bed-ridden grandfather. At night, he would crouch beneath a window and read by...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Al Davis — Contemporary (Born in 1929) (1929): Pioneering NFL executive and coach, known for building the legendary Oakland Raiders.
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• Aletta Jacobs — Contemporary (Died in 1929) (1929): Pioneering Dutch physician and feminist, advocating for women's rights and reproductive health.
• Aaron Carter — Contemporary (Died in 2022) (2022): American singer and rapper known for teen pop stardom and enduring musical career.
• Alexander Vovin — Contemporary (Died in 2022) (2022): Pioneering Russian-American linguist specializing in East Asian languages, particularly Japanese.
• Angela Lansbury — Contemporary (Died in 2022) (2022): Iconic British-American actress and singer with an 80-year career.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Shared historical date (07-27 · Died) (2015): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Achille Mbembe — Shared historical date (07-27 · Born) (1957): Cameroonian historian and political theorist known for critiques of colonialism.
• Andrea Dworkin — Shared historical date (04-09 · Died) (2005): Radical feminist writer and activist known for analyzing pornography and patriarchal violence.
• Benedetto Castelli — Shared historical date (04-09 · Died) (1643): Italian mathematician known for his association with Galileo and his work in hydraulics.
• 1929 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1929
• July 27 (07-27) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on July 27
• 2022 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2022
• April 9 (04-09) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on April 9

Frequently Asked Questions about Jack Higgins