True Born Englishman: did the BBC ban this Buckingham Palace play?

Peter Barnes’ monologue about a royal footman was commissioned for radio but never broadcast until now. Director Philip Franks and others unravel its mysteryThe most celebrated set of dramatic monologues for broadcasting and theatre are Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, first performed in the 1980s. But, at around the same time, a lesser-known dramatist created another trove of solos. Peter Barnes had 14 soliloquies on BBC Radio 3 under the umbrella titles Barnes’ People and More Barnes’ People. They attracted remarkable actors, including Laurence Olivier (in his final role), Judi Dench, Alec Guinness, Alan Rickman, Janet Suzman and Jeremy Irons.Barnes wrote, though, a 15th monologue, which the BBC, in mysterious circumstances, withdrew from production in 1990. A True Born Englishman, in which a Buckingham Palace lackey recalls his career, will now have its world premiere online, performed by Adrian Scarborough, on 18 February, alongside new versions of three monologues that did go out on radio. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-02-12 13:00:44 UTC ]
News tagged with: #alan bennett #talking heads #alan rickman #jeremy irons

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The True Tales of a Literary Bartender

It’s a writerly dream come true: a cocktail based on your book, prepared by a dedicated bookseller who has pored over your pages for references to alcohol or even flavors and scents he can interpret to concoct the drink. Nick Petrulakis of Booksmith in Brookline is the literary bartender in this... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-12-03 09:49:31 UTC ]
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Manilla to publish novel inspired by true story of 2011 tsunami

Bonnier Books UK has announced a novel inspired by the true story of Japan's 2011 tsunami for its new literary imprint, Manilla Press. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-03 06:38:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #manilla press #true story #literary imprint #bonnier


Weekly E-Ranking: Pullman in BBC boost

Lee Child's Blue Moon claimed a second week atop the Weekly E-Book Ranking, bringing the veteran crime author’s total haul of number ones up to eight. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-21 18:28:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lee child #week atop #e-book


True crime podcaster-detective debut goes to Pushkin

Pushkin Press has bought a debut about a detective and true crime podcaster by Melbourne-based author A Suiter Clarke, with the book also selling in various deals throughout the globe. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-19 15:11:19 UTC ]
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Letting the televised impeachment hearings play out

On May 17, 1973, the first witness to testify in the Senate’s Watergate hearings took the stand. It wasn’t former White House Counsel John Dean, or former Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman, or the burglar James McCord, but Robert C. Odle, Jr., a “baby-faced” 29-year-old who had been the office... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2019-11-13 13:14:35 UTC ]
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BBC panel defend Cooper's Riders on 100 Novels That Shaped Our World list

The panel who picked a BBC list of 100 Novels That Shaped Our World have set out the reasons for their choices, including defending the appearance of Riders by Jilly Cooper. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-10 17:18:37 UTC ]
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The First Banned Book in America

Thomas Morton, an English businessman who had a knack for riling up Puritans, was the author of the first book explicitly banned in the United States. The post The First Banned Book in America appeared first on The Millions. Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2019-11-06 21:30:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #america appeared #thomas morton #banned book


The Novels That Shaped Our World: BBC reveals 100-strong list

Novels by authors including Toni Morrison, Sylvia Plath and Salman Rushdie have been recognised by the BBC in a new list of novels that have shaped the world. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-05 15:14:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sylvia plath #salman rushdie


Jonty Claypole on the BBC's year-long celebration of books

Later today, an expert panel of leading British writers, curators and critics enlisted by the BBC are revealing 100 genre-busting reads as part of an ambitious Novels That Shaped Our World season... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-04 20:59:29 UTC ]
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OUP lands BBC Sports reporter’s debut children’s novel in two-book deal

Oxford University Press has snapped up the stand-alone debut children’s novel from BBC Sports reporter Joe Wilson. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-24 19:41:15 UTC ]
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Michael Connelly reveals how ‘Bosch’ was born and other tales of his humble rise to fame

The author talks about his new novel, “The Night Fire,” and why, despite TV and podcasting fame, he’s a book writer at heart. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-10-16 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Libraries Connected launches programme for BBC Novels That Shaped Our World festival

Libraries Connected has launched a programme of activities and partnerships as part of the BBC’s The Novels That Shaped Our World festival. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-10 15:45:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bbc novels #world festival #libraries connected #libraries


True-crime thriller goes to Harvill Secker

Harvill Secker has triumphed at auction to snap up true-crime book The Dublin Railway Murder by Thomas Morris. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-07 16:55:28 UTC ]
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Turkey bans sale of Rebel Girls to children

Rebel Girls has said they are "saddened" by the Turkish government’s decision to ban the sale of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls to under 18s. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-06 20:39:58 UTC ]
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TikTok is banning political ads, Taboola buys Outbrain, plus the latest from the ANAs : Friday Wake-Up Call

Welcome to Ad Age’s Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. If you're reading this online or in a forwarded email, here's the link to sign up for our daily newsletter. You can also get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device. TikTok wants... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-10-04 10:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #retail sales #lindsay rittenhouse #pumpkin spice #i-hsien sherwood #alfred maskeroni #digital publisher


America’s First Banned Book Is for Sale for $35,000

If you have a spare 35 grand or so, you now have a shot at a rare copy of the first book banned in America. Christie’s Auction House in New York recently announced that it will be auctioning a copy of New Canaan by Thomas Morton, a 1637 political satire that caused outrage among New […] The post... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2019-10-03 11:00:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post america #rare copy #book banned #thomas morton #electric literature #banned book


BBC, Please let people hold actual books on telly

Illustrator Sarah McIntyre calls on the BBC to allow physical copies of children's books on its programmes. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-01 12:36:28 UTC ]
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Welsh writer Jo Lloyd scoops £15k BBC National Short Story Award 2019

Welsh writer Jo Lloyd has unanimously won the £15,000 BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University 2019 for her story inspired by a real-life 18th century woman who claimed to be friends with an invisible family living in an invisible mansion. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-30 18:57:26 UTC ]
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New PEN America Report Condemns Prison Book Bans

In the wake of a series of recent reports on book banning in the nation’s prison systems, PEN America has released a new policy report that condemns the practice and issues an urgent call for reform. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Keeping the Lights On During Banned Books Week (shelftalker)

Reflecting on the ways that we “softly” censor books for young readers by the titles we recommend in the bookstore. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-23 12:00:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young readers #books week