Dan Snow
Writer/Presenter
Books
Presenting
Voiceover
Books
Dan Snow is an historian who has researched, written and presented several documentaries on British and world history. His writing has appeared in The Times, the Sunday Times, the Guardian, the Daily Express and BBC History Magazine. Educated at the University of Oxford, he has joint British and Canadian citizenship.
Non-Fiction
| Publication Details | Notes |
|---|---|
THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO EXPERIENCE 2015 Andre Deutsch | In association with the National Army Museum, well known military historians, journalists and broadcasters Peter and Dan Snow tell the story of one of the world's most famous and important battles. The Battle of Waterloo Experience provides what no other book on the battle contains—removable facsimiles of historic archival documents. Readers can relive this extraordinary moment in history by holding and examining rare or previously unpublished sketch maps, letters, orders, official papers and proclamations held by the National Army Museum and other archives and museums around Europe. |
BATTLE CASTLES: 500 YEARS OF KNIGHTS AND SIEGE WARFARE 2012 HarperPress | Join TV’s Dan Snow as the fully illustrated ‘Battle Castles’ brings to thrilling life a cavalcade of medieval fortifications and the clashes that turned empires to dust and mortals into legends. Castles and their ruins still dominate the landscape and are a constant reminder to us of a time when violence, or the threat of it, was the norm. Dan Snow explores the world’s greatest medieval castles: from Dover Castle to Château Gaillard, Richard I’s fortress in Normandy, and Castillo de Gibalfaro, the last vanguard of Moorish rule in Spain, to Krak des Chevaliers in Syria – an astounding feat of engineering by the Crusaders. Each castle’s story is dramatically recounted: the building techniques, the weapons used and daily life within the walls. |
DEATH OR VICTORY 2009 HarperPress | An epic history of the battle of Quebec, the death of Wolfe and the beginnings of Britain’s empire in North America. Military history at its best. In this magisterial book which ties in to the 250th anniversary of the battle, Dan Snow tells the story of this famous campaign which was to have far-reaching consequences for Britain's rise to global hegemony, and the world at large. Snow brilliantly sets the battle within its global context and tells a gripping tale of brutal war quite unlike those fought in Europe, where terrain, weather and native Indian tribes were as fearsome as any enemy. 'I never served so disagreeable campaign as this,' grumbled one British commander, 'it is war of the worst shape.' 1759 was, without question, a year in which the decisions of men changed the world for ever. Based on original research, and told from all perspectives, this is history – military, political, human – on an epic scale. |
WORLD'S GREATEST 20TH CENTURY BATTLEFIELDS 2007 BBC Books | Co-written with Peter Snow |
BATTLEFIELD BRITAIN 2004 BBC Books | From Boudicca to the Battle of Britain. Co-written with Peter Snow. |
Presenting
Dan Snow is a historian, broadcaster and television presenter. He was born and raised in London, and remembers spending every weekend of his childhood being taken to castles, battlefields, country houses and churches. He developed a great love of history which he went on to pursue at Oxford University. While there he also rowed in the Boat Race three times. He left Oxford and immediately started presenting military history programmes with his father, Peter Snow. Their series, “Battlefield Britain”, won a BAFTA award. He went on to make programmes around the world on a range of historical topics. He has presented shows such as “Armada”, “Grand Canyon” and “Vikings”. He has a regular slot on the ONE show on BBC1 and is also part of the BBC Events team presenting anniversary programmes commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the landings at Gallipoli in 2015. He has written or contributed to several books including ‘Death or Victory;’ the story of the siege of Quebec in 1759, ‘The World's Greatest Twentieth Century Battlefields’ and most recently ‘The Battle of Waterloo Experience’.
‘Battleplan: Alamein’ October 2002
Co-wrote and presented with Peter Snow.
1 hour 60th anniversary program on BBC2.
BBC Specialist Factual.
‘Battlefield Britain’ August- September 2004
Co -wrote and presented with Peter Snow
8x1 hour programs on 8 British battles for BBC2. Winner of BAFTA for Best CGI.
BBC Specialist Factual.
‘Britain at War: A Nation Remembers’ June 2005
Presented 3 short films for the celebrations marking the end of the Second World War on BBC1.
Also presented the fly past over Buckingham Palace live from inside a B-17 ‘Flying Fortress,’ the first time this has ever been attempted.
BBC Events.
‘God Bless America’ September 2005
Wrote and presented a 40 minute polemic on anti-Americanism.
Liberty Bell TV for Channel 5.
Trafalgar Celebrations BBC 2, October 2005
Co- presenting with Neil Oliver
Live program from Trafalgar square to celebrate the battle of Trafalgar
BBC Events.
‘Whose Britain is it anyway?’ BBC 2, January 2006
Co- presenting with Peter Snow
90 minute special for BBC2 on land ownership in the UK.
BBC F&L Bristol.
‘Shipwreck: Ark Royal’ BBC 1, February 2006
Presented a one off, one hour special on the hunt for HMS Ark Royal which sank off Gibraltar in 1941.
BBC Specialist Factual
Beating Retreat BBC 2, June 2006
Presented the hour long coverage of the Massed Bands of the Royal Marines Beating Retreat.
BBC Events
Trooping the Colour BBC 1, June 2006
Co-presented with Huw Edwards and Clare Balding the Trooping the Colour to celebrate the Queens 80th birthday.
BBC Events
‘History Hunter’ on The ONE Show BBC 1, August 2006 and July 2007 to present
Presents 4 minute slots on the ONE show on various topical history themes. Often followed by studio appearance.
BBC Birmingham
Who Really Owns Britain BBC 2, January 2007
Co- presenting with Peter Snow
90 minute special for BBC2 on the UK economy.
BBC F&L Bristol.
Edwardian Winners and Losers BBC 4, May 2007
60 minutes on Edwardian social history.
Juniper TV.
‘20th Century Battles’ BBC 2, June-July 2007
Co-writing and co-presenting with Peter Snow
8x1 hour programs on great battles of the 20th century for BBC2.
BBC Specialist Factual. US co-producer: The Military Channel.
Falklands 25 BBC 1, June 2007
Co-presenting with Huw Edwards the commemoration marking the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War.
BBC Events
The First Emperor BBC 2, September 2007
Presented a documentary about the First Emperor of China and his terracotta warriors.
BBC Wales
In Living Memory BBC 1, November 2007
Presenting a documentary about the new British Armed Forces Memorial.
Reef TV
What Britain Earns BBC 2, January 2008
Co-presenting with Peter Snow. A national survey of incomes from fruit pickers to city traders.
BBC Bristol
City Salute BBC2, May 2008
Co-presenting with Fiona Bruce. Presenting and commentating on Princes William and Harry’s charity event for wounded veterans in the City of London.
BBC Events
Hadrian BBC 2, June 2008
A documentary on the emperor who ruled over Rome at its zenith
St Kilda: Britain’s Lost World BBC 1, June 2008
Co-presented with Kate Humble and Steve Backshall. A series on the history and natural history of St Kilda.
‘My Family at War’ BBC 1, November 2008
One of the celebrities followed as they uncovered their own family’s history from the First World War.
‘How the Celts Saved Britain’ BBC4 and BBC2, April 2009
A two part series on the role of the Irish missionaries in Dark Age Britain
‘Montezuma’ BBC 2, September 2009
The third in the series of documentaries on great rulers in history. In conjunction with the British Museum.
‘Empire of the Seas’ BBC 2 Jan/Feb 2010
A four part series on the role of the Royal Navy in shaping the modern world.
‘The Battle for North America’ BBC2, March 2010
To accompany his book ‘Death or Victory’ an account of the capture of Quebec in 1759
Other Recent Contributions:
‘100 Greatest War Movies’, Granada for Channel 4
‘BBC Breakfast’, BBC1
‘This Morning’, ITV 1
‘The Wright Stuff,’ Channel 5
‘The Culture Show.’ BBC2
‘War Stories’, BBC Bristol for BBC4
‘Question Time’, Mentorn for BBC1
Radio:
‘Boat Race 2005’ presented for LBC. Winner of SONY award for Best Live Event Coverage.
‘Somme Dig’ Presented for Radio 4. 30 minute documentary on the archaeology of World War One. tx: December 26 2007.
‘At War with Wellington’ Radio 4. A series of documentaries to mark the 200th anniversary of the Peninsula War.
‘Prince of Wales’ Radio 4. Two documentaries looking at the history of the Office of Prince of Wales and the present incumbent.