Anthony Davis
Recently retired after 35 years as a photographic dealer, I am now concentrating on my twelve-year career as an author. During this time, I have written and published eight books. These are all available on Amazon/KDP in paperback, Kindle and audio versions. In addition, three books have been translated and published in Spanish and one in French.
King of Diamonds: The Life of Barney Barnato
ASIN: 1534966072
King of Diamonds—The Life of Barney Barnato is based on actual facts and characters. It transports the reader to South Africa’s tumultuous diamond and gold-mining days in the late 1800s, when thousands of fortune-seekers rushed there for riches.
Many died of disease, violence, or mine disasters. Most returned home as the paupers they arrived. Significant figures of that era are portrayed, including ruthless empire builder Cecil Rhodes, Paul Kruger, the ill-tempered, British-hating president of the Dutch-controlled Transvaal, and an assortment of British and French speculators who capitalised on the gruelling conditions faced by white and black miners.
Woolf Barnato – Man About Town
ASIN: 153063086X
Based on actual facts and characters, Woolf Barnato inherited a fortune when his father, Barney Barnato, the diamond millionaire, died mysteriously in 1897 when Woolf was two years old. Woolf left university to serve in the Royal Field Artillery in France, Belgium, and Egypt during the First World War, rising to the rank of Captain. Obsessed with racing fast cars, he saved Bentley Motor Cars from bankruptcy in 1926, taking over the company. Woolf became well known as one of the Bentley Boys, a cadre of wealthy young men who raced Bentley cars. He won the Le Mans 24-Hour Endurance Race for three consecutive years. As a result, he was considered the best racing driver of his time.
The Love of Nature: The Life of Photographer Samuel Bourne
ASIN: 1986570479
This is based on the life of photographer Samuel Bourne, who followed his dream to become a landscape photographer working in India from 1863 to 1870. He risked life and limb to photograph the Himalayas, Kashmir, and all over the Indian subcontinent. His masterful work is considered the finest photography of the 19th century. With partner Charles Shepherd, they formed the studio Bourne & Shepherd, which lasted more than 150 years.
Felice Beato: Photographer of India, China, Japan, Korea, Sudan & Burma in the 19th Century
ASIN: B09MYYXLDQ
There is no doubt that the photographic legacy of Felice Beato (1834 – 1909) influenced many photographers during his lifetime and afterwards. Thousands of his photographs have survived and can be seen in museum collections worldwide. In addition, many public and private collections contain fine examples of Felice Beato’s exemplary work.
Photographs and albums produced during Beato’s lifetime are a testament to the highest level of artistic and documentary photography he contributed to the nineteenth-century world.
Felice Beato’s travels and life story have been recreated utilising the timeline written by John Clark, John Fraser, and Colin Osman in “A Revised Chronology of Felice (Felix) Beato.”
License has been used to convey a sense of the man in the absence of available documentation.
The Photographer and the Missing Confederate Gold
ASIN: 171060560X
A fictional story based on events of the American Civil War. The Civil War broke out in April 1861 when secessionist forces from the Confederate States of the South attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina. The loyalists of the Union in the North faced secessionists of the Confederate States in the South, who advocated for states’ rights to uphold slavery.
Photography was still in its infancy. Our story follows the life of photographer Jim Hooker as he travels through the battlefields and headquarters of the Confederate States of America.
Toward the end of the War, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, under siege in Charleston, is forced to leave as the Union Army continues its bombardment of the city. Expecting to encounter Union soldiers as he escapes, Davis entrusts four naval cadets with all the gold that remains in his treasury. He instructs them to bring the gold to him in Danville, where he is heading. He believes they have a better chance to get past the Union army than he does.
The narrative follows these young lads as they meet up with the photographer Jim Hooker along the way. As events unfold, the gold has to be hidden.
The story shifts to the present day, where a shady character named Smythe discovers a map. The map is crucial to the mystery of the missing Confederate gold. Smythe discovers the map after purchasing a chest full of old photographs at a closed-box auction. Having no use for the photos, he sells them to photograph dealer Kathy Tyler. Among the many photographs is an old journal written by Jim Hooker. After reading it, Kathy and her boyfriend Nick decide to go on a hunt to see if they can find the gold.
El Fotógrafo y El Oro Confederado Desaparecido
ASIN: Bo81JRNQ2S
Esta es una obra de ficción basada en los acontecimientos de la Guerra de Secesión estadounidense, que comenzó en abril de 1861 cuando las fuerzas secesionistas de los Estados Confederados del Sur atacaron Fort Sumter en Carolina del Sur. Los leales a la Unión en el Norte se enfrentaron a los secesionistas de los Estados Confederados en el Sur, quienes defendían el derecho de los estados a mantener la esclavitud.
La fotografía aún estaba en sus inicios. Nuestra historia sigue la vida del fotógrafo Jim Hooker mientras recorre los campos de batalla y los cuarteles generales de los Estados Confederados de América.
Hacia el final de la guerra, el presidente confederado Jefferson Davis, sitiado en Charleston, se ve obligado a partir mientras el Ejército de la Unión continúa bombardeando la ciudad. Anticipando un posible encuentro con soldados de la Unión durante su huida, Davis confía a cuatro cadetes navales todo el oro restante de su tesoro. Les ordena que se lo traigan a Danville, adonde se dirige. Cree que tienen más posibilidades de eludir al Ejército de la Unión que él. La narración sigue a estos jóvenes mientras se encuentran con el fotógrafo Jim Hooker en el camino. A medida que se desarrollan los acontecimientos, el oro debe esconderse.
La historia se traslada al presente con el descubrimiento de un mapa por parte de una figura misteriosa llamada Smythe. El mapa es la clave para resolver el misterio del oro confederado desaparecido. Smythe lo encuentra tras comprar un cofre lleno de fotografías antiguas en una subasta a puerta cerrada. Al no tener ningún uso para las fotos, se las vende a la comerciante de fotografía Kathy Tyler. Entre las muchas fotografías se encuentra un viejo diario escrito por Jim Hooker. Tras leerlo, Kathy y su novio, Nick, deciden emprender una búsqueda para encontrar oro.
Secrets – The Life of Dona Gracia Nasi
ASIN: MoD2077769116
The story of Gracia Mendes Nasi, born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1510.
Gracia’s family was Jewish and resided in Castile, Spain, for a century prior to being compelled to renounce their Jewish identity and convert to Catholicism as a result of the stringent laws enacted by the Inquisition in 1478.
The Mendes family, like many other converts known as conversos or new Christians, accepted forced conversion but maintained their Jewish religious practices in secret due to the risk of death if they were discovered.
Gracia’s work significantly impacted the lives of thousands of conversos, as she played an indispensable role in helping them reclaim their ancient religion in safer places.
Her story is based on actual facts.
Secretos – La Vida de doña Gracia Nasi
ASIN: MoD2087457214
La familia de Gracia era judía y residió en Castilla, España, durante un siglo antes de verse obligada a renunciar a su identidad judía y convertirse al catolicismo como consecuencia de las severas leyes promulgadas por la Inquisición en 1478.
La familia Mendes, al igual que muchos otros conversos, aceptó la conversión forzada, pero mantuvo sus prácticas religiosas judías en secreto debido al riesgo de muerte si eran descubiertos.
La labor de Gracia tuvo un impacto significativo en la vida de miles de conversos, ya que desempeñó un papel indispensable para ayudarlos a recuperar su antigua religión en lugares más seguros.
Su historia se basa en hechos reales.
Joseph Nasi, Lord of Tiberias.
ASIN: M0D2087162278
The Mendes family were conversos, forcibly converted by the Inquisition to Catholicism but secretly practising Judaism within the privacy of their homes. From the age of sixteen, Joseph Mendes became involved in the mercantile and banking business established by his great-grandfather.
The House of Mendes maintained an extensive network of agents across Europe, enabling them to help conversos relocate to safe places and transfer their assets. Meanwhile, multilingual Joseph swiftly became adept at negotiating with European royalty.
When the Inquisition posed too great a threat to his family, he helped them relocate, eventually settling in the Ottoman Empire, where he befriended the future sultan. His life was full of adventures, and he embraced each one. His friendship with the sultan led to him receiving the titles of Lord of Tiberias and Duke of Naxos.
Joseph Nasi, Señor de Tiberíades
ASIN: B0G1YB5NS3
Obra de ficción inspirada en la vida de Joseph Mendes Nasi (1520-1579).
La familia Mendes, como muchas familias judías, se convirtió al catolicismo durante la Inquisición, pero mantuvo en secreto sus prácticas judías. Estos conversos eran conocidos como judíos conversos.
A los dieciséis años, Joseph se incorporó al negocio familiar de comercio y banca. La Casa de Mendes tenía el monopolio de las especias importadas a Portugal. Se volvió experto en desenvolverse en los círculos reales, y finalmente se trasladó a Constantinopla, donde entabló amistad con Selim, el hijo del sultán Sulimán.
Junto a su tía Gracia Nasi, adquirieron tierras en el Levante otomano para su comunidad judía, lo que le valió a Joseph el título de Señor de Tiberíades. Tras un sangriento conflicto entre los herederos del sultanato, la amistad de Joseph con Selim, quien se convirtió en sultán, le granjeó el título de duque de Naxos, un honor excepcional para un judío.
Life is What You Make It
ASIN: B0C12M1Q72
This is my autobiography.
I hate to disappoint readers, but I am not a professional sports personality. I do not, nor have I ever played basketball, football, or any other sport professionally.
Has my life been interesting? that is for the reader to judge.
