author

J. B. (John Black) Atkins

1871–1954

A seasoned British journalist and war correspondent, he reported from the Spanish–American War and the Second Boer War before moving into senior editorial work in London. His books mix firsthand reporting with reflective, observant writing, including a biography of pioneering war reporter William Howard Russell and the collaborative memoir A Floating Home.

1 Audiobook

A Floating Home

A Floating Home

by Cyril Ionides, J. B. (John Black) Atkins

About the author

Born on November 5, 1871, John Black Atkins was educated at Marlborough College and Pembroke College, Cambridge. After university he joined the Manchester Guardian and became its first special correspondent, leaving for Cuba and Puerto Rico in 1898 to cover the Spanish–American War.

He went on to report on several major conflicts, including the Greco-Turkish War and the Second Boer War. After returning to England, he was promoted to London editor of the Manchester Guardian in 1901, and later served as an assistant editor at The Spectator from 1907 to 1926.

Atkins also wrote books drawn from both journalism and personal experience. These included The War in Cuba, The Relief of Ladysmith, a biography of William Howard Russell, and, with Cyril Ionides, A Floating Home. He died in 1954.