author
Thomas B. (Thomas Bertram) Costain
1885–1965
A longtime editor and journalist who turned to fiction in his fifties, he became a bestselling storyteller of history, known for sweeping novels and lively nonfiction that made distant eras feel close.
1 Audiobook
The Amateur Diplomat: A Novel
by Hugh S. (Hugh Sterling) Eayrs, Thomas B. (Thomas Bertram) Costain
About the author
Born in Brantford, Ontario, in 1885, Thomas B. Costain built his early career in newspapers and magazines before becoming a well-known editor. He worked in Canadian publishing, including a period at Maclean's, and later moved to the United States to join The Saturday Evening Post.
He began publishing historical fiction relatively late, but the change brought him wide popularity. His novels, including The Black Rose and The Silver Chalice, reached a large audience, and he was also admired for narrative histories such as The Conquering Family, which showed his gift for combining research with an easy, readable style.
Costain died in New York in 1965. He is still remembered as a writer who helped make history feel like a vivid story, whether he was writing about medieval courts, early Christianity, or the people behind major turning points in the past.