Tag Archives: Literature

21May/23

Beatrix Potter’s famous tales are rooted in stories told by enslaved Africans – but she was very quiet about their origins

Emily Zobel Marshall, Leeds Beckett University

Peter Rabbit, the cute and wily bunny who wears a bright blue jacket, is the best-selling creation of English author Beatrix Potter. Originally published in 1902, the Tale of Peter Rabbit – the first of 23 tales in the series – has since been translated into more than 45 languages and sold over 45 million copies.

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17May/23

Wilbur Smith IP Rights up for sale – ACF Investment Bank have been hired to handle the sale process

The market is buzzing with excitement over this once in a lifetime opportunity to acquire, Wilbur Smith’s IP Rights, one of the world’s bestselling authors in the adventure and historical fiction genre known for his action-packed storylines and vivid depictions of Africa and its history. He has published over 50 novels, has sold 140 million copies (more than Ian Fleming) and generated sales in excess of £1.6bn worldwide. Continue reading

14Feb/23

Valentine’s Day’s connection with love was probably invented by Chaucer and other

Natalie Goodison, Durham University

As an undergraduate, on a tour of Europe, I happened to step into the church where Saint Valentine’s head was kept. The tour guide told us a (likely fictitious) story about Saint Valentine performing forbidden marriages for persecuted Christians under the Roman emperor Claudius Gothicus (possibly 269-270 AD). Valentine was then imprisoned and beheaded in Rome.

His saint’s day has since become a celebration of romance. But earlier medieval accounts of Valentine’s life contain no mention of his association with love.

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