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Ian Breckon was born and grew up in England, and currently lives in the West Country. He has worked as a novelist, teacher, university lecturer and historical researcher. Mad Tom's Rising is his first non-fiction history book.
Ian Breckon gives us a fascinating microhistory of a brief, bloody Millenarial uprising in Kent in 1838; its leader, John Nichols Tom - Mad Tom - a charismatic, supremely persuasive man of many aliases; its tragedy, the power of fanatical belief that belies reason. * Elaine Chalus, Professor of British History, University of Liverpool * Mad Tom's Rising is mystery, history, thriller and horror - the historical record is assembled and reassembled, this way, that way, deftly and subtly, to create a meticulous, gripping, shimmering tale of an enigma. * Samantha Harvey, Booker Prize-winning author of Orbital * A meticulously researched book that provides a fascinating glimpse of a lost world, this is a poignant and vivid account of a motley group of country folk who fell under the spell of a delusional conman in 1838, and followed him to disaster. * Richard Francis, author of Ann the Word: The Story of Ann Lee, Female Messiah, Mother of the Shakers, The Woman Clothed with the Sun *
