E. H. Gombrich
The great Austrian art historian-theoretician who died in 2001 also wrote, in six weeks, a Little History of the World for children which has just been translated into English. I have read The Story of Art and Meditations on a Hobby Horse, but never knew he wrote a history. No surprise though - he knew everything.
Reminiscences of Gombrich and thoughts about the new book, here. His books on art here.