Jonathan Conlin biography
Jonathan Conlin was born in New York and later moved to Britain, where he studied history at Oxford. He went on to do graduate work at the Courtauld Institute and Cambridge, completing a PhD thesis on the early history of the National Gallery, London. From 2002-5 he was a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he researched and wrote the first complete history of the Gallery. This was published in 2006 as “The Nation’s Mantelpiece: a history of the National Gallery”. He is regularly invited to comment on museums and broader questions of national heritage, on ITV’s “South Bank Show”, “History Today” magazine and the “Today” programme, for example. Earlier this year he assisted Radio 4 with the series “Trade Roots” (presented by Michael Buerk), part of the BBC’s Abolition Season.
How I Found the Agency
After completing the manuscript of my first book I went through various discouraging attempts to win over a series of somewhat self-important agents, and eventually gave up. I was subsequently introduced to Andrew by my publisher, and was immediately put at my ease. I’ve since discovered that he also represents several colleagues and friends, all of whom have nothing but praise for him. I only wish I’d met him earlier.
