Jan Morris

Date of Birth: October 2, 1926

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: November 20, 2020

Biography

Jan Morris was a renowned Welsh historian, author, and travel writer known for her vivid descriptions and insightful narratives. Born James Humphry Morris, she underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1972 and continued to write under the name Jan Morris. Her works span a wide range of genres, including historical narrative, travel literature, and memoirs. Morris gained international recognition with her book “Pax Britannica,” a trilogy that detailed the history of the British Empire. Her writing career began as a journalist, where she reported on significant events such as the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. Over her lifetime, Morris published more than 40 books, leaving an indelible mark on the literary world.

5 Interesting Facts about Jan Morris

1. Jan Morris was born as James Humphry Morris and served in the British Army during World War II.

2. She was one of the journalists who covered the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.

3. Jan Morris transitioned from male to female in 1972, becoming one of the first public figures to do so.

4. Her trilogy “Pax Britannica” is considered one of the most comprehensive accounts of the British Empire.

5. Morris was awarded the Golden PEN Award by English PEN for “a Lifetime’s Distinguished Service to Literature” in 2005.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Jan Morris

1. “To me, travel is more than seeing the sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”

2. “The past is a work of art, free of irrelevancies and loose ends.”

3. “I do not write as an outsider, but as one who belongs.”

4. “I was three or perhaps four years old when I realized I had been born into the wrong body, and should really be a girl.”

5. “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of her career, Jan Morris’s net worth was estimated to be around $2 million.

Children

Jan Morris had five children with her wife, Elizabeth Tuckniss, whom she married in 1949. The couple remained together until Jan’s passing, and their marriage was legally recognized as a civil partnership in 2008.