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Feb 24 19:00 pm - 20:00 pm
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WHAT: “Destination Peking: Revisiting the ‘Foreign Colony’”, an RASBJ Zoom talk by Paul French, moderated by Jeremiah Jenne and followed by QA
WHEN: Feb. 24, 2021 Wednesday 7:00-8:00 PM Beijing Standard Time
MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: New York Times bestselling author Paul French (Midnight in Peking, City of Devils) returns to the Chinese capital to tell 18 true stories of fascinating people who visited the city in the first half of the 20th century. From the ultra-wealthy Woolworths heiress Barbara Hutton and her husband the Prince Mdivani, to the poor “American girl” Mona Monteith, who worked in the city as a prostitute; from socialite Wallis Simpson and novelist JP Marquand, who held court on the rooftop of the Grand Hôtel de Pékin, to Hollywood screenwriter Harry Hervey, who sought inspiration w
Last modified on Thu 14 Jan 2021 13.04 EST
The popular novelist and crime writer Alanna Knight, who has died aged 97, had a career that extended over 50 years and encompassed more than 60 books in numerous genres. Yet her writing life only began with recovery from a severe illness, and the gift of an electric typewriter.
In 1964, while living in Aberdeen with her husband, Alistair Knight, and their two young sons, she was struck down with polyneuritis, a rare nervous disorder that paralysed her from the neck down. As therapy to aid her recovery, Alistair bought her an electric typewriter, and she began writing.
Ian Rankin s archives to be opened up to the public this week scotsman.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scotsman.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
John le Carré was no lowbrow writer – he changed the course of English literature
Genre fiction was once disparaged as stuff to read idly on the train. Today’s most innovative fiction owes the late novelist a great deal
The man behind the mask: David Cornwell
Here’s how John le Carré introduces his most famous creation, George Smiley, in the first chapter of his first novel, Call For The Dead:
When Lady Ann Sercomb married George Smiley towards the end of the war she described him to her astonished Mayfair friends as breathtakingly ordinary. When she left him two years later in favour of a Cuban motor-racing driver, she announced enigmatically that if she hadn’t left him then, she never could have done; and Viscount Sawley made a special journey to his club to observe that the cat was out of the bag.
How writing saved my life â twice
After being mugged, crime author Chris Whitaker found himself unable to cope with the trauma. Putting his thoughts down on paper helped â then disaster struck again
Londonâs financial district, where Chris Whitaker worked as a stockbroker. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images
Londonâs financial district, where Chris Whitaker worked as a stockbroker. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images
ChrisWhitaker
Fri 11 Dec 2020 07.00 EST
Last modified on Fri 18 Dec 2020 07.24 EST
Iâve always struggled with the concept of asking for help. To me it seems like acknowledging a failure, raising a hand and declaring myself inadequate. Mental health is in the news every day; in theory itâs never been more acceptable to talk about it, yet I still feel nervous as I write this. On the surface I am eternally positive. Iâm someone who likes making people laugh. I joke around a lot. Thatâs the me I like people to see, a