Leo McKinstry
Britannia Bows Out
The breadth and quality of A N Wilson’s literary output is phenomenal. A brilliant newspaper columnist, incapable of writing a dull paragraph, he is also the author of no fewer than nineteen novels as well as a wide range of non-fiction works, including acclaimed biographies of Jesus Christ, C S Lewis, and Tolstoy.
Two years ago Wilson wrote an epic study of Victorian Britain, which sold over 50,000 copies in hardback – the sort of milestone usually achieved only by books from celebrity chefs or alcoholic ex-footballers. After such commercial and critical success, most authors would have been content to take a bit
Sign Up to our newsletter
Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.@Lit_Review
Follow Literary Review on Twitter
'Catastrophe' as a category 'is too large and miscellaneous ... if there is a "correct" response to an earthquake, it is unlikely to have much in common with the "correct" response to an epidemic'.
Jonathan Sumption on Niall Ferguson's 'Doom'.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/prime-minister-versus-pathogen
'He has been arrested in the past and upon his release, he has cheerfully persisted in his activism. His courage is exemplary.’
@lucyjpop investigates Zargana, the renowned Burmese satirist recently arrested as part of a widespread military crackdown.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/zargana-2
A new biography of the archaeologist and explorer Charles Masson provides a 'tale of intrigue, espionage, blackmail, disguise, rebellion, treasure and the discovery of lost civilisations', says @BijanOmrani.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/our-man-in-kabul