Nonsuch English

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes continue....

2012-01-16T11:35:00.004Z

Following another action packed series, the BBC have announced that 'Sherlock' will return for a third installment. Starring Bernard Cumberbatch in the main role, the series has been praised by both critics and audiences alike, with viewing figures of 10.7 million for its first episode.

Its creator, Stephen Moffat, had been coy when asked about a possible return, telling the BBC that there was 'no guarantee we'll be bringing him back'. Yet following the series' conclusion, 'The Reichenbach Falls' last night, Moffat wrote on Twitter, 'Of course there's going to be a third series - it was commissioned at the same time as the second. Gotcha!' The commission echoes Conan Doyle's own ressurection of the character who had supposedly been killed off after toppling off the Reichenbach Falls with Moriarty in 'The Final Problem'. Dates of filming and broadcasting have yet to be announced.

On This Day...

2012-01-16T11:14:00.018Z

Antonio de Nebrija presented the first Spanish grammar book to Queen Isabella I in 1492. Since compared to names such as Erasmus, de Nebrija, who later latinized his name to 'Aelius Antonius Nebrissensis', had dedicated his life to furthering classical education is his native land.

His 'Gramatica de la lengua castellena', which was the first book to study the rules of a Western European language other than Latin, was split into four books: Orthography, Prosody and syllables, Etymology and diction, and Syntax. A fifth book aided those learning Castillian as a foreign language.

Upon presenting the book to the queen, she is said to have asked, 'Why would I want a work like this? I already know the language.' Nebrija reportedly answered, 'Majesty, the language is the instrument of the empire'

A Christmas Extravaganza...

2012-01-02T15:51:00.003Z

With the last mince pie eaten, the decorations taken down, and the return of work looming, one could be forgiven for experiencing a dose of the post-Christmas blues. The new year however, entices optimism. On a personal level; resolutions, new opportunities, reunions and family. On a literary level; award ceremonies, new releases, anniversaries and enjoyment.

If trying to reconcile the two is proving a seemingly impossible task, why not ease your way in by catching up with some of the tv literary highlights from over the holidays? From enthralling 'Great Expectations' to the more light-hearted 'The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff', from the much loved 'Chronicles of Narnia' to the biopic 'Becoming Jane', there are hours of entertainment available. Suggestions and links for these and many more are located on the right hand side of this blog. Enjoy!

Cats marauding as ghost pirates, what more do you want?...

2011-11-09T11:29:00.003Z

Yesterday saw 'Cats Ahoy!' being honoured as the lastest recipient of the Roald Dahl Funny Prize. The rhyming picture book, written by Peter Bently, was named the funniest book for children aged six and under and was articulately summised by chair of the judges Michael Rosen, 'Cats marauding as ghost pirates to steal fishy bounty from lily-livered humans: what more do you want from a funny book?'. Bently was honoured alongside Liz Pichon, whose book 'The Brilliant World of Tom Gates', a 'must for anyone who doodles, likes to wind up their sibling, has a serious caramel wafer habit and enjoys having their chuckle muscles exercised', won in the 7-14 category. Both were awarded prizes of £2,500.

On This Day..

2011-11-09T11:00:00.006Z

Welsh poet Dylan Thomas died in 1953 at the age of 39. The child of an English master and seamstress, Thomas was born in Swansea only months after the outbreak of the First World War. Despite his Welsh heritage, Thomas was brought up to speak only English, and continued to use the anglicised form of his name throughout his life. An ill child, and undistinguished student, Thomas spent his time keeping poetry notebooks and between the years of 1930 and 1934, accumulated over 200 entries which would later form over half of his published works.

Sadly it is Thomas' blighted personal life that seems to so often overshadow the remarkableness of his poetry. Having married a dancer in 1937, Thomas was considered to weak to serve in World War Two, instead writing scripts for the government. Indeed the immediate post war period was one of literary success, with the emergence two of his best known works, 'Deaths and Entrances', and 1953 radio play 'Under the Milkwood'. However, by now a committed alcoholic, Thomas soon took a turn for the worst. Whilst in New York to take part in his play, Thomas suffered black outs, turned blue and slipped into a coma, before finally dying of pneumonia. Despite his tragic and early death, Thomas is still celebrated as one of the nation's best loved poets.

Anger at Anonymous..

2011-10-26T10:52:00.005+01:00

Yesterday saw William Shakespeare's name being removed from sign all around Warwickshire, the county of Startford-upon-Avon. One might think this a work done by vandals, or perhaps even vehement Marlowe fans, but it was in fact an act carried out by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust as a campaign against new film 'Anonymous'. Premiering yesterday, and starring Rafe Spall, Rhys Ifans and Vanessa Redgrave, the film is just the newest medium by which people are seeking to put forward the argument that the man we know as Shakespeare was merely a 'barely literate frontman for the Earl of Oxford'.

Thus, in a backlash against this attempt to 'rewrite English culture and history', the Trust has put in place a campaign by which 9 road signs and 10 pub signs are being taped over, as well as a sheet being placed over a memorial in Stratford-upon-Avon itself. The trust said, 'Today's activity barely scratches the surface, but we hope it will remind people of the enormous legacy we owe to William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon'. The film 'Anonymous' is in cinemas from October 28th.

On this day...

2011-10-26T10:20:00.006+01:00

English monarch Alfred the Great died in 899 at the approximate age of 50. The only English royal to be attributed with such an epithet, Alfred is renowned for his miltary achievements, not least the protection of his Anglo-Saxon kingdom from the Vikings. Yet what is perhaps less well known about the youngest son of Æthelwulf of Wessex, is his penchant for learning. Inspired by Charlemange, Alfred created a court school, not only to educate his own children, but also, countering the perception of aristocratic snobbery, to educate those of lesser birth who showed intellectual potential. Indeed, after only a short time, 'they were seen to be devoted and intelligent students of the liberal arts'.

If the younger generation were embarking on a process of learning, it also made sense for Alfred to cement that of the elder, and so he ensured that literacy became a requirement for those holding a position of authority, especially in religious capacities. The king chose to lead this charge on education himself, beginning a Alfredian programme of translation of books into English that he deemed 'most necessary for all men to know'. These works included Gregory the Great's 'Pastoral Care', Boethius's 'Consolation of Philosophy', St. Augustine's 'Soliloquies', and the first fifty psalms of the Psalter.

Will it be a barnstorming performance?...

2011-10-18T17:25:00.005+01:00

The king of all literature prizes is upon us once again. With the winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize to be announced later this evening, it seems an appropriate time to remind ourselves of the contenders. The 'odds on favourite' position lies with Julian Barnes, a four time previous nominee, for his work 'The Sense of an Ending'. Yet he faces fierce competition from Carol Birch, Patrick deWitt, Esi Edugyan, Stephen Kelman and AD Miller, the other five authors to make the shortlist. Here, you can watch the nominees reading extracts from their own novels. Make sure you tune in to catch the winner.

UPDATE: Julian Barnes has been announced as the 2011 Man Booker Prize winner

On this day...

2011-10-18T13:16:00.009+01:00

The University of Heidelburg was officially opened in 1386. The oldest univeristy in Germany, and only the third established in the Holy Roman Empire, Heidelburg has many things to boast of. Not least is its alumni, whose numbers include 30 Nobel Laureates, German Chancellors, and even a Pope. However, for those of a literary persuasion, there are also several notable associations. Perhaps the most decorated is Nobel Laureate Carl Spittler who was rewarded 'in special appreciation of his epic, "Olympian Spring"'.

Yet despite his success amongst critics and academics, Spittler is by no means thebest known inhabitant of the medieval walls. Mark Twain, who visited the univeristy as part of his European tour in 1878, detailed his impression in the travelogue 'A Tramp Abroad', humorously depicting a student body of aristocratic dandies. Such was the popularity of the American writer, that a US Army base in the city now bears his name. The university also plays fictional host to W. Somerset Maugham's Philip Carey in his novel 'Of Human Bondage' and, perhaps more famously, appears on screen in the Oscar winning adaptation of Bernard Schlink's 'The Reader'.

Jane or Joanne?...

2011-07-19T11:42:00.003+01:00

It seems unoriginal to begin another awed tribute to the Hary Potter phenomenon, whose last installment has taken £104 million in its opening weekend in the US and Canada. Instead, across the Atlantic, another famous female British writer was proving that endurance of time is the real test.

Almost 194 years after her death, a rare Jane Austen manuscript has sold for £993, 250. 'The Watsons', an unfinished novel complete with revisions and crossings out, was originally owned privately, yet is now in the hands of the Bodleian Library, who beat off competition from New York's Morgan Library. Having secured money from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Bodleian say that they are 'delighted' to have bought 'such a valuable part of our literary heritage'.

Austen may be worth 105 times less than Potter today, but until Rowling influences 200 years' worth of readers, she won't hold the same place in literary hearts as the beloved Jane.

On this day...

2011-07-19T10:57:00.003+01:00

Famous Italian poet and 'Father of Humanism' Francesco Petrarca, or Petrarch, died in 1374 at the age of 69. Born in Tuscany, Petrarch spent much of his early childhood in Florence before leaving with his family to Avignon to follow the flourishing papacy of Pope Clement V. There, much against his wishes he was schooled in the practice of law - a profession he could only escape from upon the death of his parents. Instead he pursued his love of classical literature, creating his own Latin epic 'Africa', and his disdain for the ignorance of the intervening centuries led Petrarch to be credited with creating the concept of the 'Dark Ages'.

Although he fulfilled many roles throughout the rest of his life - scholar, diplomat, priest - Petrarch is best known for his poetry, in particular, that devoted to Laura. The identity of the woman is unknown, yet she has become famous world over as the original Petrarchan ideal, which writers such as Sidney and Shakespeare have since incorporated in their own works. 'Il Canzoniere', or 'The Songbook', mainly written in sonnet form, alongside 'Secretum' and 'Itinerarium', Petrarch's guide to the Holy Land, have ensured his place among the greatest and most influential of the world's writers.

Ordinary people, extraordinary writing...

2011-07-11T10:57:00.004+01:00

The time has come for the Guardian First Book Award to appear again, yet this time it has a different dimension. The honour for debut writers has traditionally been chosen by expert panellists, who narrow entries down to a longlist, shortlist, and finally a winner. However, this year, for the first time, the full catalogue of submissions have been released online. The 136 entries from publishers include the 2011 Orange Prize winner Tea Obreht, yet the Guardian believes that the public might know better. At the end of this month, the 10th title of the longlist will be announced, chosen by ordinary people, but hopefully uncovering extraordinary writing.

On this day...

2011-07-11T10:13:00.002+01:00

English poet John Keats visited the home of another famous composer of verse, Robert Burns in 1818. During a summer walking tour in the North Country, whilst traversing 20 or 30 miles a day, Keats came to the family home of the Scottish Bard in Alloway.

The 'Ploughman Poet', who had died 24 years previously, has since been lauded as a founder of the Romantic movement, and influenced not only Keats himself, but also his contempories, such as Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Wordsworth. It was here that Keats composed his sonnet, 'Written in the Cottage Where Burns Was Born' - a poem most notable for its premonitory first line, 'this mortal body of a thousand days'. Keats died 43 days short of this number.

Tennis in texts...

2011-07-07T11:45:00.002+01:00

Wimbledon may have come to an end, but the sport of strawberries and cream remains all year round in literature. Indeed, from Betjemin poetry, to Shakespeare's histories, racquets pervade countless pages. Here is a quiz about tennis in texts.

On this day...

2011-07-07T11:19:00.003+01:00

Irish playwright, poet and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan died in 1816, at the age of 64. Born in Dublin to parents both active in the theatre business, Sheridan moved to England at the age of seven and attended the independent Harrow School. The most significant event of his early life however, was not of literary importance, rather, it was two duels fought against Captain Matthews, who had defamed Sheridan's wife-to-be in a newspaper article.

Having barely escaped with his life, Sheridan set up a house in London and began writing for the stage, opening with the play, 'The Rivals'. Although a failure on its first performance, a change of actor ensured that its second was an immediate success, and following another profitable composition, 'The Duenna', Sheridan was able to buy complete ownership of the Drury Lane Theatre. It was there that some of his most famous plays, such as 'The School for Scandal' and 'The Critic', made their debut. At the same time, Sheridan was vigourously engaging in parliamentary work, yet things cam to a head in 1809, when his theatre burnt down. Three years later, he failed to gain re-election after 32 years, and he died in poverty after contracting an illness. Sheridan is buried in Poets' Corner.

Magic turns digital...

2011-06-25T13:05:00.008+01:00

J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has long been a well-thumbed favourite on book shelves across the globe. Yet the popular wizarding tales are now going to be available to a new audience. Rowling has announced that the seven novels will be launched as e-books in September, alongside digital audio books to ensure subsequent generations will continue to be captivated by the magical world of Hogwarts.

The release will coincide with the launch of Pottermore, a site dedicated to the boy wizard which will provide users with an immersive interactive experience. Fans will be able to, amongst others things, choose a wand in Diagon Alley, travel to school on the Hogwart's Express, and be sorted into houses. Yet perhaps most exciting for Harry Potter's loyal following, is the announcement that Rowling herself will be posting new material online that she has been 'hoarding for years'. 'This is such a great way to give something back to the fans who made Harry Potter such a huge success', said Rowling.

On this day...

2011-06-25T12:20:00.003+01:00

German author Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann, better known as simply E. T. A. Hoffmann, died in 1822 at the age of 46. His father was a successful barrister, yet by Hoffmann's second birthday, his parents had separated and he was later to regret his paternal estrangement. Instead, he lived with his mother in Königsberg and was educated by his two aunts and uncle until his enrollment in a local school. Despite displaying a great talent for the arts from a young age, he was held back by his rural setting and took it upon himself to read Göthe and Rosseau, as well as attending lectures by Kant.

The next few years were spent travelling around Prussia in various capacities, trying his hand both at composing and drawing, before being exiled due to some controversial caricatures. A victim of the Napoleonic wars, Hoffmann was forced to return to Berlin, now married, and it was here that his literary career began in earnest, finding success with 'Ritter Gluck'. Yet finding daily work was becoming increasingly difficult, and with failing health, mainly attributed to alcohol abuse and syphilis, he left theatre management to become a jurist. It was to be his last job. Remembered as a pioneer of the fantasy genre, Hoffmann is best known for his work 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King', on which the ballet is based, and his influence on later authors such as Edgar Allan Poe.

Heroines and Feminists...

2011-03-16T20:39:00.002Z

From a medieval damsel in distress to a contemporary figure of striking independence, the woman has seen a marked transformation in literature. Following International Women's Week, the Guardian has released a podcast, debating the place of the woman in modern writing. 'Heroines and Feminists' can be heard here

On this day...

2011-03-16T20:12:00.003Z

Lithuanian book smuggler Jurgis Bielinis was born in 1846. 1864 heralded the start of the Lithuanian press ban, during which all Lithuanian language books published in the Latin alphabet were forbidden by the ruling Russian Empire. Tsarist authorities hoped that this measure, part of a larger Russification plan, would decrease Polish influence on Lithuanians and would return them to what were considered their ancient historical ties with Russia.

However, Bielinis showed resistance, taking it upon himself to form the Knygnešiai society - the largest contemporary book smuggling organisation. Nicknamed 'The King of the Book Carriers', Bielinis was actively sought by the authorities, who promised a large monetary reward for his capture after he had escaped their guards at least five times. During the 31 years of his activity, it is estimated that he and his society illegally brought about half of all Lithuanian books from East Prussia into the Lithuanian mainland during the entire press ban. Bielinis died in 1918 at the age of 71.

The KJV: influencing the centuries....

2011-03-15T15:00:00.009Z

This year sees the 400th anniversary of one of the world's greatest literary achievements. Whilst for some that may immediately conjure up images of Shakespeare or John Donne, it is, in fact, the work of King James, and his now eponymous publication of the Bible. The third English translation, the work required 47 scholars of Hebrew and Ancient Greek and took 7 years to complete, eventually selling for 10 shillings a copy. Only recently usurped by the more more NIV and Message translations, the KJV has inspired centuries of Christians, encouraging them to delve into the word and making their gospel more accessible to others. In a series of recent BBC documentaries, the makings and influence of this masterpiece have been explored. 'The King James Bible: The Book that Changed the World' can be seen here.

On This Day...

2011-03-15T14:34:00.010Z

German writer Paul Johann Ludwig von Heyse was born in 1830. The son of Felix Mendelssohn's tutor, and a Prussian court jeweller descendant, Heyse was born into a family already heavily connected with the artistic world. Thus he soon befriended names such as Theodor Fontane and Emanuel Geibel, joining the literary group Tunnel über der Spree, before publishing his first poem, 'Frühlingsanfang', in 1848. Although settled on becoming a writer, Heyse's hopes were initially short-lived, as he was discovered to have been conducting an affair with the wife of a university professor and was sent back to Berlin in disgrace.

Yet it was in Munich that his literary revival was secured. Granted an audience with the King of Bavaria, Heyse presented his verse tales, 'Hemen', and preceeded to become known as one of the Nordlichten, establishing his own literary society, Die Krokodile. He continued to write prolifically and his work was recognised in 1910, when he received the Nobel Prize for Litertaure as 'a tribute to the consumate artistry, permeated with idealism, which he has demonstrated during his long productive career as a lyric poet, dramatist, novelist and writer of world-renowned short stories'. Hysee died in 1914, at the age of 84.

£1,600 library fine...

2011-03-14T10:29:00.005Z

It has travelled with a naval commander to Hong Kong and Australia, but this week a rare library book has found itself back home in Wallington thirty years on. A 1928 volume of Samuel Pepys' Diary, part of a set worth an estimated £200, was taken out in 1981 by former Royal Australian Navy Commander Ron Robb to help his daughter with a school project. Yet shortly afterwards he returned back home from his posting in London, and did not rediscover the book until recently, when he was in the process of moving house.

Although, at the current rate Mr. Robb would face an overdue fine of more than £1,600, local Councillor Graham Tope has waived it and is just pleased to have the book returned, 'We've had the odd overdue library book, but 30 years must be a record..it's great that this valuable book has been returned to complete the set, particularly as they have been part of the library for so long'. The book is now back with the other volumes of the edition in Wallington Library's Mallison Room.

On This Day...

2011-03-14T10:08:00.005Z

English author Thomas Malory died in 1471, at the age of approximately 66. The compiler of 'Le Morte d'Arthur', Malory translated the Arthurian romance tales of the King, Guinevere and Lancelot from French prose into eight books of Middle English verse, providing the basis for later literary works such as T.H. White's 'The Once and Future King', and Tennyson's 'The Idylls of the King'. Yet despite a lasting literary legacy, much uncertainty surrounds the man himself.

At least six Thomas Malorys were alive at the time of the books writing, and from those, three main theories have emerged as to the identity of the author. Firstly, it was proposed by John Bale, that Malory was Welsh, hailing from Maloria and related to the poet Edward Rhys Maelor. The second alias is that of Thomas Malory of Papworth St. Agnes - a respected, yet average, country gentlemen. Yet it is to the turn that most scholars look, Sir Thomas Malory of Newbold Revel. A soldier and politician in the early years of his life, Sir Thomas turned to thievery, rape and kidnapping, serving time in both Marshalsea and Newgate Prisons. The most popular claimant, it is this Thomas Malory who died 540 years ago.

On this day...

2010-12-21T17:28:00.002Z

Romantic poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy moved into Dove Cottage in 1799. The previous autumn had seen the pair in Germany, along with fellow poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. One of his many trips to Europe, Wordsworth was reportedly homesick and thus it was in 1799 that he moved back to the Lake District - the region in which he grew up. His work at this time comprised of 'The Lucy Poems', a series of five poems later included in his 'Lyrical Ballads' collection. Living near Coleridge and Robert Southey, the trio became collectively known as the 'Lake Poets'.

Christmas Carols...

2010-12-20T19:47:00.000Z

To celebrate Christmas, Carol Ann Duffy has release a new collection. 'The Manchester Carols', modernising and changing the traditional favourites is a collaborative work with Sasha Johnson Manning, performed by the National Chamber Orchestra. Here is a podcast of the Poet Laureate and other potential literary Christmas presents.

On this day...

2010-12-20T19:22:00.003Z

English playwright John Fletcher was baptised in 1579. The son of a cleric, who later became chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, Fletcher was a child prodigy and entered Cambridge University at the age of 11. Despite this start, little is known of Fletcher throughout his education until he reappeared as a writer for the Children of the Queen's Revels, and a performer at Blackfriars Theatre.

Fletcher's best known works are as a collaborator, especially with Francis Beaumont, such as 'The Maid's Tragedy' and 'Philaster'. So close was their relationship, that they were purported to live in the same house, share each other's clothes and even had 'one wench in the house between them'. Their partnership ended with Beaumont's marriage in 1613, and Fletcher's illness in the same year. Subsequently he became a more firm fixture with the King's Men, collaborating with Shakespeare on 'Henry VIII' and 'The Two Noble Kinsmen'. Fletcher continued to write for the company as a solo playwright after Shakespeare's death, returning to collaboration shortly before his own. One of the most important dramatists of the era, Fletcher died in 1625, at the age of 45.

The name's Bond, and the price is also...

2010-12-17T19:49:00.002Z

A rare first edition of Ian Fleming's 'Casino Royale' has fetched £19,000 at auction. Fleming's first James Bond novel, the 1953 copy sold for £4,000 more than expected, and £13,000 more than another of Fleming's Bond books, 'Live and Let Die'. The selling price was only £3,000 less than the highest price for a Bond first edition - coming in closely behind a signed copy of 'From Russia with Love'.

On this day...

2010-12-17T19:28:00.003Z

Leo Tolstoy's 'War and Peace' was sold by the 'Moscow News' in 1867. The now famous literary work was listed thus; 'War and Peace. By Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy. Four volumes (80 sheets). Price: 7 rubles. Weight parcel post: 5 pounds. The first three volumes delivered with a coupon for the fourth'. It seems strange the the novel was so lightly offloaded, considering that that the book was 'five years of unremitting and singleminded labour,' something 'not simply imagined by [Tolstoy] but torn out of [his] cringing entrails'. However, these efforts were soon rewarded when the novel became known as Tolstoy's masterpiece.

Libraries in literature...

2010-12-13T21:31:00.004Z

Some are tucked away in the cobbled streets of villages, others stand as magnificent structures in grand public squares, and some even take to the road, traversing the English countryside. Libraries exist in every community, but they also exist in many of the fictional works they stock. Here is a quiz on their place in literature

On this day...

2010-12-13T21:21:00.003Z

American crime fiction writer Kenneth Millar, better known by pseudonym Ross Macdonald, was born in 1915. By the time he was 16, having been abandoned by his father, and moved around the country to stay with various relatives, Macdonald had gained enough experience of broken relationships and domestic troubles for them to become a prominent theme in his later writings.

Tragedy also struck later in his life, when Macdonald sadly lost his daughter Linda in 1970. Excluding a brief period in which he was involved in the war as a naval communications officer, Macdonald produced a steady stream of great novels, including his famous Lew Archer series. Inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald among others, he is said to be the heir to Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler as the master of the American hardboiled mysteries.

Larkin's shoebox poem...

2010-12-06T22:04:00.002Z

A previously unknown poem by Philip Larkin, has been found in a shoebox. Found by producer Simon Pass amdist internal Hull University communications, 'Dear Jake' is an address to secretary Betty Makereth - one of the three affairs that shaped Larkin's writings. Former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, who was the first to uncover the lovers' relationship in a 1993 biography, said that the poem is ' a little, new piece of the jigsaw, which gives a very sweet and touching picture of this episode of his life'. The manuscript was found with a card from Larkin, explaining that it should be read alongside his 1968 poem 'Posterity' and saying, 'This is for you. You can sell it later on'.

On this day...

2010-12-06T21:39:00.003Z

American inventor Thomas Edison recorded one of the earliest recordings of the human voice in 1877. Known as the 'Wizard of Menlo Park' for his phonograph invention, Edison used tinfoil and a grooved cylinder to record poor quality sounds. The recordings could only be played several times, and the phonograph was redesigned a decade later by Alexander Graham Bell using wax-coated cardboard cylinders. Yet the occasion of Edison's remarkable breakthrough in 1877, was marked by him reciting 'Mary Had a Little Lamb', which can be heard here.

Although this has obviously had an incredible impact on modern society, the Poetry Archive is one small example of how it has furthered literature. Set up by former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, the site contains recordings of poets reading their own work, including names such as Alfred Lord Tennyson and Seamus Heaney. Motion created it with the thought that any lover of literature is able to gain deeper insight , levels of understanding, and enjoyment by listening to a poem in the voice in which it was composed.

Poetry inspired by Iraq...

2010-12-02T13:07:00.002Z

For the first time, a book of poetry has won the Dylan Thomas Prize. 'Clamor', written by American Elyse Fenton, is based on the fragments of instant messaging conversations she managed to share with her medic husband, while he was deployed in Iraq. The work, triumphing over writings by names such as Caroline Bird and Nadifa Mohammed, was praised by judge Peter Florence as 'a great winner...an astonishing, fully accomplished book of huge ambition and spectacular delivery'. The prize is awarded to the best eligible published or produced literary work in the English language, written by an author under 30. Fenton, who has been holding creative writing workshops for students in Wales for the last week, becomes the third winner and the recipient of £30,000.

On this day...

2010-12-02T12:54:00.002Z

Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge joined the cavalry in 1793. Using the false name, 'Silas Tomkyn Comberbache', Coleridge had quit his university education to enlist in the Royal Dragoons, with speculation suggesting it was either due to rising debt, or rejection from a girl that he loved.

Thought to subsequently suffer from about of severe depression, he was discharged with the help of his brothers on the grounds of 'insanity'. He was readmitted to Cambridge, and it was there that his great literary career began to blossom.

World Book Night arrives...

2010-12-01T22:01:00.000Z

As surely as night follows day, so World Book Night will try to emulate the success of World Book Day. The latter is already an established part of the literary calender, as each year tokens are given to school children to redeem on over 600,000 specially-published titles. Yet the new initiative will instead be aimed at adults, with the aim of providing them with 'an accessible work of enduring quality'.

20,000 people will be able to sign up to be a 'giver', and they will be able to chose a title to give away from list, including writers such as Carol Ann Duffy, John le Carre and Margaret Atwood. The 'givers' will be able to donate 48 copies of their chosen title, meaning that almost 1 million books will be given away altogether. Atwood hailed the move, saying that she was 'amazed not only by its magnitude but by its simplicity. The love of writing, the love of reading – these are huge gifts. To be able to give someone else a book you treasure widens the gift circle'.

World Book Night will be held on March 5th 2011.

On this day...

2010-12-01T18:18:00.000Z

A draft of Victor Hugo's 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' was due in 1830. The original publishers, Gosselin, had already agreed with Hugo that the book would be finished in 1829 - the year in which he had started writing it. However, the huge demand for other projects, including the premiere of his drama 'Hernani', had hindered Hugo, and so the completion of the work was delayed. Put out, the publishers delievered an ultimatum, demanding the book be completed by February of 1831.

Thus it is said that Hugo, settling down with a new bottle of ink, refused to leave his house, apart from nightly visits to the cathedral, until the work was finished. It was finally pulished in January 1831, and has proved one of France's most popular books, become a literary classic all over the world, and even led to major renovations at the Notre Dame cathedral itself.

Cold in literature...

2010-11-30T20:13:00.000Z

The last few days have seen the country buried in a thick layer of snow, and reach temperatures as low as -15 degrees. Almost as widespread as the snow, is authors' use of pathetic fallacy, a term coined by Victorian critic John Ruskin. Here is a quiz on the cold in literature.

On this day...

2010-11-30T19:51:00.002Z

Irish writer Jonathan Swift was born in 1667. Much of Swift's childhood is unknown, save that he attended Trinity College, Dublin, before being forced to leave for England in 1688 on account of the Glorious Revolution. There, under the tutelage of Sir William Temple, Swift entered political negotiations with the King, before dissatisfaction, and the onset of Meniere's disease, led him to becoming a priest.

Come the 1700s, Swift was becoming increasingly active on both the political and literary scenes. He was part of the innner circle of the Tory government, acting as a mediator for Prime Minister Robert Harely, and writing several pamphlets, including 'The Conduct of the Allies'. Yet Swift is best known for his fictional works, and after forming friendships with the likes of Alexander Pope and John Arbuthnot, he became a core part of the Scriblerus Club. A writer of all genres, Swift was a prolific author, his prose works compiling fourteen volumes and his poetry a further 950+ pages. Swift's most famous work is 'Gulliver's Travels', but he is also known for 'A Tale of a Tub' and 'A Modest Proposal'. Swift died in 1745, at the age of 77.

King Lear opens...

2010-11-29T21:42:00.002Z

A new production of Shakespeare's 'King Lear' is opening in the West End. Starring Derek Jacobi, it is the tale of an ageing king, who, after a contest of superficial love, divides his kingdom between two of his daughters with tragic consequences. Alongside Jacobi is Shakespeare debutant Gina McKee, who in an interview this week, has admitted she is 'nervous' about playing elder daughter Goneril. The production opens at the Donmar Warehouse on December 3rd, and runs until February 5th.

On this day...

2010-11-29T21:27:00.002Z

American playwright Sarah Jones was born in 1973. The daughter of an African American father and a mother of mixed Euro-American and Caribbean descent, Jones' diverse background has lead her to being labelled a 'multicultural mynah bird [who] lays our mongrel nation before us with gorgeous, pitch-perfect impersonations of the rarely heard or dramatize'.

She had originally planned a career as a lawyer, but soon found herself competing in small poetry slams at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Soon after her solo debut, Jones found herself the subject of numerous commissions, many to do with the presentation of immigrants and racial issues. With works including 'Bridge & Tunnel', 'Women Can't Wait!' and 'Waking the American Dream', Jones has won both a Tony and an Obie Award. She has recently become an Ambassador for UNICEF and their first ever official spokesperson on violence against children.

Playboy Hefner gets literary awards...

2010-11-19T12:20:00.003Z

He is usually more famous for being the founder and proud owner of the Playboy mansion, but this week, Hugh Hefner was honoured with two literary awards. The PEN USA Award ceremony at Beverly Hills Hotel presented Hefner with the 'Award of Honor' and the 'First Amendment Award'. The latter was in reference to his commitment to free speech, a commitment that some would say, has gone too far. Here, Hefner is interviewed about his latest successes

On this day...

2010-11-19T12:05:00.002Z

President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863. Arguably one of the greatest pieces of rhetoric from the last 200 years, and certainly the best-known speech in the U.S, the address lasted a little over two minutes and contained approximately 272 words. Epousing the human equality laid out in the Declaration of Independence, the speech combined with the results of the Civil War to produce the thirteenth amendment, prohibiting slavery. If for nothing else, the Gettysburg Address will be remembered for its definition of democracy, 'government of the people, by the people, for the people'.

Live theatre attracts success...

2010-11-18T19:10:00.003Z

The National Theatre's 2009 live theatre project has been rewarded with a prize for innovation at the Arts and Business Awards. Audiences could pay £10 to see live plays in over 300 cinemas all around the world. Including a portrayal of 'All's Well That Ends Well' and Bennett's 'The Habit of Art', the selection boasted a notable performance from Helen Mirren in Racine's 'Phedre'. The judges said that 'the project had helped break new markets and attract new audiences'.

On this day...

2010-11-18T18:54:00.002Z

Socialist playwright George Bernard Shaw refused to accept the monetary award for his Nobel Prize in 1925. The only person to have been awarded both a Nobel Prize and an Oscar, Shaw was nominated for 'his work which is marked by both idealism and humanity, its stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty'.

In accordance with his leftist ideologies, Shaw had no desire for public honours, and wanted to refuse the Prize outright. At the behest of his wife however, who considered it to be a tribute to Ireland, he reluctantly accepted it, yet still eschewed the 800,000 Swedish Kroner or there abouts. In announcing his decision Shaw said, 'I can forgive Alfred Nobel for inventing dynamite, but only a fiend in human form could have invented the Nobel Prize'.

Literary Weddings...

2010-11-17T10:14:00.008Z

Prince William has today announced he will marry long term girlfriend Kate Middleton in the spring or summer of next year. Obviously the country is hoping that the marriage will be a good one, yet couples in literature have not always enjoyed a happy ending. Here is a quiz about the highs and lows of literary weddings

On this day...

2010-11-17T09:57:00.005Z

American expatriate Sylvia Beach opened her bookshop-library Shakespeare & Co. in 1919. Located in Paris, the store soon became known for being one the centres for Anglo-American literary culture, and indeed not only were the great books of the age located within its walls, but the writers themselves often could be found there. James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound and F. Scott Fitzgerald often visited, and Hemingway actually made a reference to SHakespeare & Co. in his novel 'The Moveable Feast'.

Beach also became renowned for stocking controversial works. Titles such as 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' and 'Ulysses', banned in many countries across the world, could always be bought or borrowed for Beach's store. Although Paris was reduced to only 25,000 citizens, Beach kept the store going through the early years of World War One, until it was shut in 1941, supposedly because to refused to give a German officer her last copy of 'Finnegan's Wake'. Today it exists as 'Le Mistral', with the ethos of being 'a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore'.

Costa Book Awards 2011...

2010-11-16T22:01:00.000Z

The shortlist for the 2011 Costa Book Award has been announced. The selection of 19 writers includes octogenarian Roy Fisher, nominated for his collection of poetry 'Standard Midland', and playwright Michael Frayn, nominated for a biography of his father. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year's winner Christopher Reid, the writers must first win their individual categories: poetry, biography, best novel, best first novel, or best children's book. Those results will be announced on January 5th, and the winners will compete for the top prize three weeks later.

On this day...

2010-11-16T21:33:00.003Z

The International Day for Tolerance is celebrated. Declared by UNESCO in 1995, the aim of the day is to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. The basis for this is found in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which states that we should 'should promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups'.

Many regimes of intolerance have existed, and still do, all across the globe. In these circumstances, literature has often been used as medium through which the common person can shape their voice and express dissatisfaction with ideologies around them. The most famous works, are those that address the issue of race, especially the segregation found in '50s America and apartheid South Africa. Notable examples include Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird', and Coetzee's 'Dusklands'. Sexual discrimination has also been fought against, be it advocating the rise of women in late Victorian literature, such as 'A Doll's House', or raging against homophobia, seen in Radclyffe Hall's 'The Well of Loneliness'. Many such novels have caused controversy. They have been banned, burned and berated in equal measure. Yet as long as the act of written expression exists, there will be a voice to speak up for those who have none.

I am Dracula and I bid you welcome...

2010-11-15T19:11:00.003Z

Seen by many as the epitome of gothic fiction, Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' has horrified some, inspired others, and entertained many. Although written in 1897, the story has seen new life breathed into it by Sell a Door's theatrical version, based on Liz Lochead's adaptation.

Boasting a wonderful cast, including names such as Louis J. Parker, Matthew Grace and Sophie Holland, the performance is one of raw emotion, conveying an intensity that brings the evil Transylvanian count to life. Yet it is more than simply a piece of artistic brilliance - it is a profound psychological exploration. The charcter of Renfield, powerfully depicted by Kieran Hennigan, provides a constant commentary, as the facade of his insanity proves a cover for alarming insight that ultimately goes unheeded.

'Dracula' is a play based around love, be it sisterly affection, Harker's romantic intentions, or the pure lust of the title character, and it is here that Sell a Door excel themselves. The sincerity in each relationship is evident and acted with such passion that it intensifies the tragedy of the production's conclusion.

Sell a Door's performance will be on at the Greenwich Playhouse in London until December 5th, with tickets available here. A trailer for the production can be seen here

On this day...

2010-11-15T18:50:00.002Z

Science fiction author J. G. Ballard was born in 1930. The son of a textiles worker, Ballard was born in Shanghai, being forced to live through both the Second Sino-Japanese War and the after effects of the Pearl Harbour attack. Living through these atrocities ultimately shaped his creative output, for as Ballard himself said, 'I don't think you can go through the experience of war without one's perceptions of the world being forever changed'.

Having returned to England, Ballard went on to study medicine, but became disenfranchised with the profession as it left hiim no time to write, and instead went to read English Literature. Ballard then pursued a number of odd jobs, including a stint in the RAF, before writing his first full length novel, 'The Wind From Nowhere' in 1960. Four years later, and well into his writing career, his wife suddenly died, leaving him to raise his four children alone. Yet despite this early hardship, J. G. Ballard went on to write some of the most popular titles in science fiction, such as 'Crash' and 'Empire of the Sun'. He died in 2009, at the age of 78.

A new canon...

2010-11-09T20:46:00.004Z

The Western canon is full of literary classics. Shakespeare, Hardy, Dickens, to name but a few, all rightly have their place, but what of those authors who produce works ouside the classics? What of those writers, spread far and wide across the globe, who are not necessarily recognise by academics? Here, author Nadifa Mohamed discusses the emergence of a new canon, reflecting the diversity and culture of the 21st century

On this day...

2010-11-09T17:24:00.003Z

Percy Shelley's first wife Harriet Westbrook killed herself in 1816, at the age of 21. Five years earlier, Westbrook, the daughter of a tavern owner, had eloped with a 19-year-old Shelley to Scotland to get married, but any happiness was short-lived. Before three years were out, Shelley had abandoned pregnant Westbrook and their young child to begin an affair with Mary Godwin, who would later become his second wife.

Distraught by her loss, Westbrook committed suicide, drowning herself in the Serpentine in Hyde Park, leaving a suicide note addressed to her sister and Shelley. In it she expressed her traumatised mental state:'I could never be anything but a source of vexation and misery to you all.... too wretched to exert myself, lowered in the opinion of everyone, why should I drag on a miserable existence?...I never could refuse you and if you had never left me I might have lived, but as it is I freely forgive you and may you enjoy that happiness which you have deprived me of'.

Sedition in literature...

2010-11-08T18:29:00.003Z

This weekend has seen people all over the country setting off fireworks to commemorate the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Inspired by Guy Fawkes and other characters throughout history, many writers have sought to capture some of the mystic and adventure surrounding treacherous dealings. Here is a quiz on sedition in literature

On this day...

2010-11-08T18:04:00.002Z

The Bodleian Library at Oxford University was officially re-opnened in 1602. One of the oldest libraries in Europe, the late 16th century had seen it enter a period of decline, resulting in both furniture and books being sold off. It was not until the appearance of wealthy retired diplomat Thomas Bodley, with the promise to 'take the charge and cost...to reduce it again to his former use' that the institution began to get back on its feet.

The library's collection rapidly expanded, encompassing the varied interests of its benefactor, and sourcing manuscripts from the likes of Turkey and China. Following an agreement signed with the Stationer's Company in 1610 to obtain a free copy of every book published, the building was expanded twice in the next thirty years. It was this agreement that led the Bodleian to become one of Britain's six legal deposit libraries and so contain over 80 miles worth of material.

Unhooking the Moon...

2010-11-01T18:36:00.002Z

Debut novelist Gregory Hughes has won the Booktrust Teenage Prize for his work 'Unhooking the Moon'. The story of two orphaned siblings, Hughes wrote the book over a period of eight months in Iceland, working for six or seven hours a day in a room that he could barely stretch his arms in. Hailed as 'astonishing' by the judges, Hughes literary career is sure to blossom in future years, helped, no doubt, by £2,500 cheque he has received for winning.

On this day...

2010-11-01T18:16:00.002Z

Two of William Shakespeare's best loved plays had their first recorded performance - 'Othello' in 1604, and 'The Tempest' in 1611. Both were performed at Whitehall Palace, and although it is conceivable that this was not the plays' debut performance, it is certainly the first that was documented.

'Othello' was noted as, 'A Play in the Banketinge house at Whit Hall Called The Moor of Venis' and was attributed to 'Shaxberd'. 'The Tempest' was similarly performed in front of King James I on Hallowmas night, and was later included as one of the eight plays acted at court in celebration of the marriage of Princess Elizabeth.

Somali author's debut novel success...

2010-10-29T11:35:00.000+01:00

Somali author Nadifa Mohamed has been nominated for the 2010 Guardian First Book Award. Also shortlisted for this year's Dylan Thomas Prize, her debut novel 'Black Mamba Boy' describes a journey from her homeland to Port Talbot in Wales and the experiences endured. Up against such names as Kathryn Schulz and Maile CHapman, the winner will be announced in early December. Here is a podcast about the award, featuring one of the nominees, Ned Beauman.

On this day...

2010-10-29T11:08:00.004+01:00

Hungarian journalist Joseph Pulitzer, died in 1911 at the age of 64. The son of the 'foremost merchant' in Mako, Pulitzer enjoyed a prosperous childhood, receiving private tuition and learning French and German. Yet after the death of his father, the family went bankrupt, and Pulitzer attempted to enlist in several European armies before emigrating to the U.S. Following his participation in the Civil War, Pulitzer worked a number of odd jobs, including being a mule hustler and a waiter, before his first journalistic piece was published in the 'Westliche Post'.

He became an American citizen in 1867, and two years later was chosen and elected as a Republican member of the Missouri State Assembly, despite being three years under the legal age. However, a decade later, disgusted by GOP corruption, he switched to the Democrat party. By now a highly successful editor, Pulitzer purchased a variety of newspapers, including the 'Post', 'The St. Louis Dispatch', and 'New York World' - increasing the circulation of the latter by 40 times. Pulitzer's legacy has been cemented in establishing the world's first school of journalism, and the famous Pulitzer Prize.

The National starts its transformation...

2010-10-28T21:40:00.003+01:00

Llloyd Dorfman is not a name which many theatre-goers would recognise. However, it is sure to become much more well-known, after the founder of Travelex made a donation of £10 million to the National Theatre. The 'supremely generous gift' marks the beginnings of the £70 million redevelopment of the Grade II listed building, which will include gardens and an education centre. The Cottesloe Theatre, the smallest of the three auditoria, will now be renamed after its benefactor.

On this day...

2010-10-28T13:33:00.002+01:00

American writer Henry David Thoreau gets sent all the unsold copies of his first work, in 1853. Only 1000 copies of 'A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers' had been published at the author's own expense, yet four years later, Thoreau was sent 760, over three-quarters, of the books back. Ostensibly a piece of travel writing, written in tribute to his late brother, the book was published with considerably more success in 1868, six years after Thoreau's death.

George W. Bush's new 'book'...

2010-10-27T21:15:00.003+01:00

Although the political scene in the U.S. is preoccupied with the upcoming mid-term elections, a week later sees the release of a new book, 'written' by ex-President George W. Bush. 'Decision Points', will apparently not be a traditional memoir, but instead an account of the key decisions he made whilst in office. Frequently a figure of comedic gold in the press, it is interesting o see how the release is being reported in the U.S. The right wing Fox News channel, currently the broadcaster of the Tea Party Movement, quotes the publisher, stating the book will offer 'gripping, never-before-heard detail' on his 'historic achievements'. Compare this to Dean Obeidallah, a writer for the liberal Huffington Post, who has some suggestions on how Bush has managed to fill 512 complete pages:

1. Font Size: 96. That size font easily lets you fill a page with just a few words.

2. Blank pages so you can doodle: I'm sure Bush loved to doodle while reading. (I can imagine Bush exclaiming: "I'm a doodler!") These blank pages will let you doodle things that Bush would have likely drawn while reading a book, such as drawing a turkey by using your hand, the Texas Rangers' logo, Dick Cheney's head and other fun stuff. That's about 100 pages right there.

3. Favorite recipes: Bush will share recipes for his favorite foods like how to make a quesadilla, popcorn or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Making PBJ sandwiches are not as easy as they look as Bush will show us over 10 to 20 pages of his book.

4. Another 100 pages of Sudoku, word jumbles and connect the dots so you can fill the work day the same way Bush did on many days. The connect dots section will even draw things that Bush liked, such as Weapons of Mass Destruction - this can turn into a selling point for the book as Bush can exclaim: "I finally found the WMDs and so can you-They're on page 327 of my new book!"

5. Decision Points: Bush will complete the book by sharing with us some of the key decisions he made during his life such as: What nickname to give to Vladimir Putin? (Final decision: "Pootie Poot" - that's true); How to eat a pretzel and watch a football game on TV at same time? (Final decision: Don't do both together or could lead to choking- true again.)

On this day...

2010-10-27T14:54:00.004+01:00

Virgina Woolf's 'Jacob's Room' was published in 1922. Her third novel, the work was the first full-length book published by the Woolfs' Hogarth Press, complete with cover designed by her sister. Thought to be a fictional biography of her late brother, Thoby Stephen, 'Jacob's Room' appears to be a turning point in Woolf's literary career, she herself writing in her diary of the achievement 'that I have found out how to begin (at 40) to say something in my own voice'.

Indeed the novel can be seen as a departure from her two previous books, 'The Voyage Out' and 'Night and Day', and instead adopts the more modernist and experiemental style that appears in her later works, such as 'To the Lighthouse' and 'The Waves'. Perhaps the most striking feature of Woolf's third novel, is the absence of the 'protagonist', as the readers' perception of Jacob is primarily formed through other characters' impressions.

Science fiction formula...

2010-10-26T20:45:00.003+01:00

Isaac Asimov. Arthur C. Clarke. J. G. Ballard. All have somthing in common - the formula for good science writing. In this podcast, tying in with the Royal Society's annual science fiction prize, Tracy Chevalier debates how to craft the perfect science novel, with titles such as 'A World Without Ice', and 'We Need to Talk About Kelvin' under discussion.

On this day...

2010-10-26T20:12:00.002+01:00

Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen re-enrolled at his local school in 1822, at the age of 17. Andersen had previously dropped out of education 6 years earlier, hoping to provide additional income for his struggling family. However, unsuited to a factory environment and rejected as a singer, dancer, actor and playwright, Andersen found himself back in school, supported by wealthy arts patron Jonas Collin.

Yet, stuck in a class of 11-year-olds and supposedly an unattractive boy, Andersen's school years were far form the happiest days of his life. Tormented, failing, and at the mercy of a temperatmental headmaster with whom he boarded, Andersen was the ultimate misfit, often driven to bouts of severe depression. It is in these haunting memories that many of his works have found their inspiration, such as 'The Ugly Duckling', and 'The Emperor's New Clothes'.

Heaney nominated for Eliot's Prize...

2010-10-25T14:59:00.002+01:00

Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney has been shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize. The poet has been recognised for his collection 'the Human Chain', a work which won him the Forwar Prize earlier this year. Heaney will join his fellow nine shortlisted candidates, including Simon Armitage and Derek Walcott, in a poetry reading at London's Royal Festival Hall on the eve on the announcement, which will take place on January 24th. Founded in 1953, the award comes with a monetary prize of £15,000.

On this day...

2010-10-25T14:27:00.003+01:00

The army of Henry V defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The event was to become the inspiration for Shakespeare's play written over 180 years later, and formed the last part of the historical tetralogy which included 'Richard II', 'Henry IV part 1', and 'Henry IV part 2'. A play renowned for its patriotic themes, a Laurence Olivier adaptation led to a resurgance in its popularity during World War Two. Arguably the most famous lines in the play are delivered on 25th October, in Henry V's pre-battle rallying cry - the St. Crispin's Day Speech:

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,

From this day to the ending of the world,

But we in it shall be remembered-

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother

The real Austen?...

2010-10-22T15:58:00.003+01:00

Everyone is familiar with the works of one of Britain's most popular writing talents. 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Emma' are just three of Jane Austen's novels that have enchanted their readers for almost 200 years. Yet new research suggests that the words we read, may not actually be hers.

During a project to create an online archive of Austen's handwritten fiction manuscripts, Professor Kathryn Sutherland has discovered 'a powerful counter-grammatical way of writing', which makes her think that a third party was 'heavily involved' in the editing process. She says, 'the polished punctuation and epigrammatic style we see in Emma and Persuasion is simply not there', but instead the manuscripts 'reveal Austen to be an experimental and innovative writer, constantly trying new things'. The online project is set to be launched on October 25th.

On this day...

2010-10-22T15:14:00.003+01:00

French writer and philosopher Jean Paul Sartre won and declined the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1964. The first Nobel Laureate to voluntarily decline the prize, Sartre had a history for refusing awards, having previously turned down the Legion d'honneur in 1945. As it turned out, the embarassment to the the Swedish Academy could have been avoided, as it later transpired Sartre had written to them two weeks previously asking to be removed from the list of nominees.

However, this went unheeded, and so, on the 23rd of October, 'Le Figaro' published a statement by Sartre explaining the reasoning behind his refusal. His primary objection, was that he did not wish to be seen to be taking sides in an East vs. West cultural struggle by accepting an award from a prominent Western cultural institution. Sartre subsequently hid in a friend's house in a bid to escape the media attention.

Knightley's West End return...

2010-10-21T16:55:00.000+01:00

Following her success in an adaptation of Moliere's 'The Misanthrope', Keira Knightley is once again to take to this stage. Assuming the role of a teacher, Knightley will be performing in 'The Children's Hour', a play written by Lillian Hellman in 1934, and last produced in London by the National in 1994. She will be joined by Elisabeth Moss, best known from American drama series 'Mad Men' and 'The West Wing', and the two will open the production early next year.

On this day...

2010-10-21T16:20:00.003+01:00

Ernest Hemingway's 'For Whom the Bell Tolls', was published in 1940. Coming 10 years after the publication of 'A Farewell to Arms', Hemingway's new novel marked his first real success since, with one critic commenting, 'Hemingway the artist is with us again; and it is like having an old friend back'. The title of the book is a quotation from John Donne's 'Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions', itself very famous, which starts with 'no man is an island, entire of itself..'.

Written partly while Hemingway was in Cuba, the work is based around his experiences in the Spanish Civil War, and thus depiction of death becomes its primary theme. Yet this has caused controversy about the style of Hemingway's narrative, as he, clumsily according to many, uses archaisms and transliterated Spanish to convey the sense of a foreign setting. The work was an undeniable success and sold over half a million copies within its first six months. It was also nominated for the 1941 Pulitzer Prize, yet the President of Columbia University decided that no award was to be given for letters that year, and so Hemingway's masterpiece was never recognised.

Edgar Allan Poe and his women...

2010-10-20T17:45:00.001+01:00

His mother died when he was two, leaving him an orphan. His wife, thirteen years his junior and also his cousin, died of the same condition, spinning him into a state of depression.

Edgar Allan Poe's relationships with women were both complicated and destructive, yet inspired some of the best American literature of the 19th century. Here is a film depicting his life

On this day...

2010-10-20T17:05:00.000+01:00

French poet Arthur Rimbaud was born in 1854. The child of a soldier, Rimbaud was raised by his mother from an early age, as his father, growing irritated by domesticity, fled the household. However, influenced by her strict Catholicism, she ruled her children with an iron fist, reportedly depriving them of meals if they failed to recite hundreds of lines of Latin verse correctly. An extremely gifted boy, Rimbaud's first poem, 'Les Etrennes des orphelines' was published in 1870, and he continued to write under the tutelage of Georges Izambard - a new teacher, who became his literary mentor and a great friend.

Yet shortly afterwards, the Franco-Prussian War broke out and Izambard left, leaving Rimbaud in a a state of despondency. His behaviour started on a downward spiral, and he began to drink heavily, steal books from local shops and become unkempt. A short but eventful affair began with Paul Verlaine, during which the two lived a lifestyle of absinthe and hasish in the poverty of London and ending with Verlaine shooting Rimbaud twice. Although he gave up writing at the age of 21, Victor Hugo described him as 'an infant Shakespeare', and his best known works include, 'Le bateau ivre' and 'Lettres'. Rimbaud died in 1891 from cancer, at the age of 37.

A book is judged by its cover...

2010-10-19T19:37:00.000+01:00

Some are bold and and attratcive, other merely a last resort, yet a book is nearly always judged by it cover. In this video, Simon Garfield discusses the influence of this art and how it complements, enhances or detracts from the work.

On this day...

2010-10-19T19:05:00.002+01:00

Irish writer Jonathan Swift died at the age of 77, in 1745. Born in Dublin, the Glorious Revolution forced Swift to move to England in 1688, and he soon became the personal assisstant to a high ranking diplomat, Sir William Temple. After several years, which included being introduced to King William III, Swift returned to Ireland, only to come back to England on account of ill-health - now known to be Meniere's Disease.

From then on, Swift barely settled in either, before uprooting to the other. As well as becoming ordained, Swfit attempted to establish his literary career, and formed part of the Scriblerus Club, alongisde names such as Alexander Pope. Although Swift's themes became increasingly morose, his most famous work is undoubtably 'Gulliver's Travel'.

Comic Booker Prize...

2010-10-18T17:37:00.002+01:00

Last week saw author Howard Jacobson shoot to the top of the literary pile as he became the winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize. The oldest winner at 68, since William Golding in 1980, Jacobson was honoured for his comic novel 'The Finkler Question', deemed by Andrew Motion a 'completely worthy winner'. In this video, Jacobson gives his reaction to receiving the prestigious award.

On this day...

2010-10-18T17:04:00.003+01:00

Anton Chekhov's 'The Seagull' premiered in St. Petersburg in 1896. Although he admitted during its creation that he was 'flagrantly disregarding the basic tenets of the stage', Chekhov did not expect the play to flop in the manner in which it did. The hostile audience intimidated Vera Komissarzhevskaya, widely regarded as one of the best actresses in Russia, and she lost her voice.

By Act Two, in a desperate attempt to escape from the booing and jeering, Chekhov was hiding backstage and when he emerged at the end of the play, he declared, 'not if I live to be seven hundred will I write another play'. Yet in spite of its disastrous opening, 'The Seagull' soon became a resounding success, being performed at the Moscow Art Theatre, and receiving praise from names such as Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko and Maxim Gorky. The image of a seagull is now among one of the most famous literary avian motifs, joining Coleridge's albatross, Keat's nightingale, and Poe's raven.

Prizes and poetry...

2010-10-11T20:15:00.003+01:00

The season for literary awards is fully underway, with the Nobel Prize winner announced on Thursday, and the Man Booker to be revealed tomorrow. In this podcast, the winner of the Guardian's Children's Prize for Fiction, Michelle Paver, and Seamus Heaney among others, discuss their celebrated works.

On this day...

2010-10-11T19:47:00.002+01:00

American novelist and screenwriter Elmore Leonard was born in 1925. The son of a General Motors worker, Leonard lived a nomadic childhood, but settled in Detroit at the age of 9, later earning him the nickname, 'the Dickens of Detroit'. After graduating from university, Leonard joined the Navy, serving for three years in the South Pacific before deciding to pursue a literary career and returning to education. He began with entering short story competitions, specialising in Westerns, and his first success came in 1951 with 'Argosy'. Called the 'great American writer' by Stephen King, Leonard's best known works include, 'Hombre', '3:10 to Yuma', and 'Mr. Majestyk'.

Rushdie's comeback...

2010-10-08T13:38:00.004+01:00

His books have been the source of religious controversy, uprisings, and even death threats, yet Salman Rushdie's latest novel is inspired by seemingly innocuous video games. Comparing the written and computer generated formats, Rushdie said, 'video games are often based on a classical quest format. That fits well with a fable. The book is about the value of life, and in video games you can have a thousand lives. So I contrasted those two things'. However, although he enjoyed writing children's books, Rushdie is clear that it is something he does not want to pursue full time. 'Luka and the Fire of Life', a present for his 13-year-old son, was published last week. Here is an interview about the new release.

On this day...

2010-10-08T12:54:00.002+01:00

Virginia Woolf's 'The Waves' was published in 1931. Considered the last of her major works, it is Woolf's most experimental novel, asserted by her nephew to be 'the culminating point in her career as an artist'. As with Woolf's other writings, 'The Waves' pursues a detailed examination of character, as the six voices weave a narrative through soliloquies, interrupted by occasional third-person interludes. As the novel follows the characters from childhood through to adulthood, many have seen glimpses of Woolf's friends and family, including her brother, Lytton Strachey, E.M. Forster, and T.S. Eliot.

Such was the brilliance of the work, that French novelist Marguerite Yourcenar, said, 'I do not believe I am committing an error, however, when I put Virginia Woolf among the four or five great virtuosos of the English language and among the rare contemporary novelists whose work stands some chance of lasting more than ten years'.

Nobel Prize 2010...

2010-10-07T17:31:00.000+01:00

Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, has been awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature. The first South American winner of the prize since 1982, Vargas Llosa first thought the announcement was a joke. His career has not been easy, but following book burnings and a bitter personal feud with a fellow writer, Vargas Llosa has published 30 plays, novels and essays, translated into 31 languages - the best known of which include, 'The Time of he Hero', and 'The Green House'. Hailed for his 'cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual's resistance, revolt, and defeat', Vargas Llosa will receive a 10 million kroner reward.

On this day...

2010-10-07T16:50:00.003+01:00

English poet and playwright John Marston, was born in 1576. The son of a lawyer, Marston followed his father's footsteps to Middle Temple, having completed his education at Oxford. Yet despite a censure for such activities in his father's will, Marston retained a passion for writing. Beginning with an imitation of the classics, Marston's short literary career stared with satire and epics, including the 'Scourge of Villanie', which some believe to have influenced some of Shakespeare's more unstable characters.

He soon entered the theatrical fray, working for Henslowe in 1599 and producing his debut work, 'Histriomastix'. Thus began the 'War of the Theatres', with Marston and Dekker on one side, and Jonson on the other. Both playwrights were frequently satirised in each other's works, and Jonson claimed to have beaten Marston, yet they were seemingly reconciled in later years. Having offended the king with a play, and cut short his writing career, Marston died in 1634 at the age of 57. Although not as well known as some contemporaries, Marston's most famous works include 'Antonio's Revenge', 'The Dutch Courtesan', and 'The Malcontent'.

Hughes on Plath's final hours...

2010-10-06T19:27:00.003+01:00

It is one of the most famous literary relationships, and now a poem in which Ted Hughes describes the night his first wife Sylvia Plath took her own life in 1963, has been published for the first time. Beginning with 'What happened that night? Your final night', 'Last Letter' details the events of Plath's final weekend. The poem was discovered by the guest editor of the 'New Statesman' Melvyn Bragg, who was directed to the piece by Hughes' second wife Carol.

On this day...

2010-10-06T18:56:00.002+01:00

Victorian poet Alfred Lord Tennyson died in 1892, at the age of 83. A descendent of King Edward III, Tennyson was the fourth of twelve children, all of whom received an excellent supplementary education from their father, a rector. Tennyson first published poetry at 17, yet it was at Cambridge University where his literary career blossomed, as he won the Chancellor's Gold Medal, and came to the attention of Samuel Taylor Coleridge with his first solo collection of poems, 'Poems Chiefly Lyrical'.

It was there that Tennyson met someone who was to become a major influence on his works - best friend Arthur Hallam. Hallam's sudden death at the age of 22 devestated the young Tennyson, who composed elegy 'In Memoriam A.H.H' and referenced him in many other poems, even naming his own son Hallam. Tennyson, a favourite of Queen Victoria, became Poet Laureate in 1850, following the death of William Wordsworth, becoming the man to hold the longest tenure before or since. One of Britain's most well loved poets, Tennyson has written many notable works, with the most famous including, 'The Lady of Shalott', 'Idylls of a King', 'Ulysses', and 'The Charge of the Light Brigade'.

Glasses taken hostage...

2010-10-05T20:10:00.002+01:00

Leona Lewis was punched, Tony Blair had eggs thrown at him, but author Jonathan Franzen had his glasses stolen at his latest book signing. Two men approached him, one handing him a ransom note for £100,000 before jumping into the Serpentine Lake in London. The writer, whose novel 'Freedom' had to have thousands of copies recalled earlier this week due to printing errors, was said to be 'shocked'.

On this day...

2010-10-05T19:58:00.002+01:00

Polish-born American author Isaac Bashevis Singer, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1978. A Jewish writer, Singer wrote the majority of his works in Yiddish, even delivering the first part of his Nobel Prize speech in his favoured language.

Singer had suffered tragedy during the war, losing both his mother and brother to the Nazis; an experience which was expressed clearly in his writings, as the Swedish Academy recognised him for 'his impassioned narrative art which, with roots in a Polish-Jewish cultural tradition, brings universal human conditions to life'. His best known works include, 'The Family Moskat', 'The Manor' and 'The Estate'.

Conference season boosts books...

2010-10-04T19:27:00.004+01:00

They have filled the newspapers for weeks and pitted brother against brother, but the party conference season is finally drawing to a close. However, the end does not seem in sight for the political memoirs which have been pouring out of Westminster this summer. Here, the Guardian examines the influence of these books, and uncovers some new reads

On this day...

2010-10-04T19:14:00.003+01:00

The first complete English Bible was published in 1535. Printed in Antwerp, the Coverdale Bible used translations from William Tyndale for the New Testament, whilst Myles Coverdale himself translated the Old, mainly from Latin editions. It was subsequently re-edited and re-published, with the 1539 folio edition carrying the royal licence and therefore becoming the first officially approved Bible translation in English.

More of Potter?...

2010-10-01T18:53:00.000+01:00

Bestselling 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling, has hinted that more installments might be in the offing. Speaking to Oprah Winfrey, Rowling said that she 'could definitely' write more books as the characters were still all in her head. Also speaking about the disappointments she suffered whilst trying to get her first book published, Rowling finished the interview by stating, 'I'm not going to say I won't'.

On this day...

2010-10-01T18:27:00.003+01:00

American writer E.B. White died in 1985, at the age of 86. The youngest child of a piano manufacturer, White served in the army before going to Cornell University and working as editor of the student newspaper. After graduating, White went on to write for the national press, becoming a sports journalist for 'The New York Times', before turning his hand to children's fiction on behalf of his neice.

White did not produce many famous works, yet the two he did, are widely considered classics. 'Stuart Little' was published in 1945, and 'Charlotte's Web' was written 7 years later, the two jointly receiving the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal in 1970 for lasting contributions to children's literature. White was given further recognition for his works, winning an honorary Pulitzer Prize in 1978 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963.

Puffin's Birthday books...

2010-09-30T15:02:00.005+01:00

To celebrate 70 years of Puffin publishing literary classics, 6 of their most popular titles are receiving makeovers, including 'The Secret Garden', and 'Treasure Island'. A complete set of the Puffin Designer Classics is being auctioned on eBay in aid of the Guardian's Ugandan development project, Katine.

On this day...

2010-09-30T14:46:00.003+01:00

Australian writer Patrick White died in 1990, at the age of 78. An ill boy, White was unable to join in with many of the fun and games that form childhood, ensuring instead, a highly developed imagination. He was never particularly close to his parents, and was sent to an English boarding school at the age of 12, allowing him to explore all the delights of the London theatrical scene. After attempting to pursue a career working on the land back home, White decided to stay in England, studying French and German literature at Cambridge, and using his father's inheritance to begin writing and publishing.

His literary exploits were briefly halted during the war, where he joined the RAF and met life partner Manoly Lascaris, a Greek army officer. Yet his work soon began gaining national recognition, and he won two Miles Franklin Literary Awards, declining a further one, was named Australian of the Year, and in 1973, became the first Australian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. In typical fashion, White used the money to found his own literary prize, the Patrick White Award, which honours those who have not yet gained any real recognition for their years of literary service. This year, his novel 'The Vivesector' was shortlisted for the Lost Man Booker Prize of 1970.

Bennett's mastermind...

2010-09-29T14:33:00.003+01:00

He is best known for such creations as 'Talking Heads' and 'The History Boys', yet this week, Alan Bennett became a mastermind specialist subject. Here you can hear the man himself answer questions on his works.

On this day...

2010-09-29T14:01:00.004+01:00

Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes was born in 1547. Little is known about Cervantes early life, bar baptism records, and the first glimpse we get of him is as a 22 year-old soldier in the Spanish navy. Hvaing been shot with three bullets in battles against the Turks, he was captured by Barbary pirates, ransomed after 5 years in captivity. Back in Spain, Cervantes married a girl 18 years his junior and worked sporadically, first as a purchasing agent for the Armada, and later as a tax collector. It wasn't long before Cervantes was again incarcerated, this time for irregularities in his accounts.

The adventure of his life was such, that any autobiographical work would have become an instant hit, but as it was, Cervantes turned his hand to ficiton, writing over 20 plays, and publishing his first major work 'La Galatea'. Yet his masterpiece, and, many argue, the first modern novel, is picaresque writing 'Don Quixote', called by Dostoevsky, 'the ultimate and most sublime work of human thinking'.

Yet Cervantes has interesting parallels with a writer closer to home. It seems that Shakespeare was influenced by Cervantes' work, so much so, that the Spanish author has even entered the Shakespeare authorship question, with some believing they were the same person, others believing that Francis Bacon wrote both. To complete the link, they both died on the same day, April 23rd 1616, leading UNESCO to designate it the International Day of the Book.

Gaskell gains rightful place...

2010-09-28T19:28:00.000+01:00

Browning, Chaucer and Dickens are among many names honoured in Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner, yet the name of Elizabeth Gaskell has been strangely missing from the monuments. That is, until now. The author of 'Cranford' took her place on Saturday, just four days before the bicentenary of her birth, and was celebrated by over 200 people including her great-great-great granddaughter Sarah Prince. Gaskell now has a panel of a magnificent stained-glass window dedicated to her memory.

On this day...

2010-09-28T19:09:00.003+01:00

John Milton's 'Comus' was first performed for the Earl of Bridgewater in 1634. One of only two dramas that Milton wrote, the masque outlines the themes of good and evil, later explored in his masterpiece 'Paradise Lost'. Some see this as the Puritan Milton attempting to reclaim the genre for more virtuous purposes than it had otherwise been used during the Elizabethan and early Jacobean eras. The performance of 'Comus', based on the Greek god of festivity and revels, was given at Ludlow Castle in honour of the Earl's new position of Lord President of Wales, and many of the parts were acted by Bridgewater's own children.

Banned books...

2010-09-27T18:39:00.003+01:00

This week sees the American Libraries Association celebrating Banned Books Week. Designed to celebrate the freedom of speech of which Americans are so proud, the event highlights the harms of censorship by detailing the most challenged books of the year. The ALA reports that there were 460 attempts in 2009 to have a book withdrawn from a library or classroom, accompanied by angry emails from parents such as 'What gives you the right to take away my child's innocence?'.

The 10 top most challenged books of 2009 include some old classics as well as new releases. They are:

•ttyl, ttfn, l8r, g8r (series) by Lauren Myracle: Drugs, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson: Homosexuality

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky: Anti-family, drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: Offensive language, racism, unsuited to age group

Twilight (series)by Stephenie Meyer: Religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult: Drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexism, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group, violence

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

The Color Purple by Alice Walker: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier: Nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group

On this day...

2010-09-27T16:40:00.002+01:00

Ernest Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms' was published in 1929. Serialised in Scribner's magazine from May to October of that year, the semi-autobiographical novel took its title from a 16th century George Peele poem. The plot is formed from Hemingway's World War One experiences, focusing on indivual tragedy to accentuate the futility of the war as a whole, and thus perhaps offering a cynical commentary on American patriotism.

Yet writing the ending to the novel was not an easy process. Unhappy with his work, Hemingway sent off his manuscript to F. Scott Fitzgerald, who sent back 9 pages of revisions with the comment, 'our poor old friendship probably won't survive this but there you are...'. Hemingway's response was to write on the bottom of the page, 'kiss my ass'. The novel has been adapted for the screen twice, in 1932 and 1957 respectively.

Downton Abbey - the new Gosford Park?

2010-09-26T16:34:00.002+01:00

Sunday sees the premier of this year's latest period drama. Although 'Downton Abbey' is not based on a novel, the writing is sure to be superb, with author Julian Fellowes having won an Oscar in 2002 for the screenplay of 'Gosford Park'. Set in a country house in 1912, the drama follows a typical 'upstairs downstairs' theme, juxtaposing the aristocratic Crawley family with their secretive servants to critque Edwardian society. Starring Dame Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville among others, the drama will be on at 9 o'clock on ITV. A trailer can be seen here

On this day...

2010-09-24T16:06:00.036+01:00

British author and politician Horace Walpole, the 4th Earl of Oxford was born in 1717. Cousin of Lord Nelson, and son of British Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole, Walpole's early life was somewhat mapped out for him. He was educated at Eton, then Cambridge, and following a Grand Tour with poet Thomas Gray, Walpole assumed his seat in Parliament. Yet beside his political career, which was, by all accounts, never particularly ambitious, Walpole pursued a number of other interests, chiefly architecture and writing.

His lasting architectural creation is Strawberry Hill in Twickenham, a building which he errected in the gothic style and which prompted the Victorian trend for the design. It was here that he had his own printing press, and indeed his most famous literary work reflects the building in which it was published. 'The Castle of Otranto', published in 1764, is widely acclaimed to be the first gothic romance novel and started the genre which was later to produce such works as 'Wuthering Heights' and 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'. Walpole died in 1797 at the age of 79.