Simon Heffer
This Dissected Isle
Irrepressible Adventures with Britannia: Personalities, Politics and Culture in Britain
By Wm Roger Louis (ed)
I B Tauris 400pp £37 order from our bookshop
The British Studies seminar at the University of Texas has been running for nearly forty years, and this is the eighth collection of lectures given to it. Since recycling is all the rage, some of the contents of this volume may be familiar to readers of various literary periodicals in which they have appeared as articles. But most of the book, which consists of lectures given between 2011 and 2013, is fresh and, more than that, stimulating.
Students participating in the seminars receive an eclectic picture of Britain. While there are some obvious subjects (Prince Albert, Sherlock Holmes, Margaret Thatcher), it is the less obvious ones that are most appealing: Andrew Roberts (an Africa expert, not to be confused with the political and military historian of the
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
'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
'Intellect and sensuality commingle in most, whether they are about a recalcitrant schoolgirl or an ice princess.'
@MirandaFrance1 reviews 'Medusa's Ankles', a new selection of A S Byatt's short fiction.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/expect-the-unexpected