This is my archive

Heroines of the Special Operations Executive

The SOE (Special Operations Executive) was a British organisation established during World War II to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance in occupied Europe. The organisation recruited mainly men and a few brave and intrepid women as agents, many of whom were highly effective in their missions. Let’s take a closer… Read More

The Importance of Family – Gabriel García Márquez

Much has been made of the influence of Gabriel García Márquez’s family on his work – especially Love in the Time of Cholera. He has spoken extensively about his grandmother, his grandfather, their faith, their stories and their love. Most importantly, what this love meant to Gabriel and subsequently, his… Read More

M.M. Kaye and Paul Scott

M.M. Kaye and Paul Scott

Paul Scott was born in 1920 in Southgate in London. He inherited both his mother’s creativity and his father’s practicality and Scott found that he was divided between these two approaches for the whole of his life. Scott was successful at school and in 1943 aged twenty-two, he joined… Read More

M.M. Kaye’s Children’s Writing

M.M. Kaye’s Children’s Writing

Although best known for The Far Pavilions, M.M. Kaye wrote prolifically throughout her life both for children and adults. In 1980 she published The Ordinary Princess, which is the story of a princess who at her christening was bestowed the gift of ordinariness. This meant that instead of having long… Read More

Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris

Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris

Mrs ‘Arris Goes To Paris is really a fairy tale in disguise. Mrs Harris is bewitched by the idea of a Dior dress, and as soon as she arrives in Paris, she starts to play the part of both fairy godmother and princess, with varying degrees of success. The ‘transformation’… Read More

International Day of the Girl Child

International Day of the Girl Child

The International Day of the Girl was started ten years ago by ActionAid, who wanted to celebrate the incredible potential of girls around the world. Today, they want to recognise the progress that has been made for girls’ rights in the last decade, but also highlight how much further there… Read More

The Writing Style of Bernardine Evaristo

The Writing Style of Bernardine Evaristo

Bernardine Evaristo defines her style as ‘fusion fiction’: ‘As a storyteller, I like to mix things up temporally, spatially and stylistically – to cross the borders of genre, race, culture, gender, history and sexuality’. But how did she come to develop it? Here the Booker Prize-winning author takes The Reading Room… Read More

What Inspires The Writing Of Bernardine Evaristo 

What Inspires The Writing Of Bernardine Evaristo 

Bernardine Evaristo defines her style as ‘fusion fiction’: ‘As a storyteller, I like to mix things up temporally, spatially and stylistically – to cross the borders of genre, race, culture, gender, history and sexuality’. But how did she come to develop it? Here the Booker Prize-winning author takes The Reading Room… Read More

Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020 – Actions Speak Louder, by Cassandra Nguyen, Junior Winner, aged 13 from Canada

Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020 – Actions Speak Louder, by Cassandra Nguyen, Junior Winner, aged 13 from Canada

Bernardine Evaristo defines her style as ‘fusion fiction’: ‘As a storyteller, I like to mix things up temporally, spatially and stylistically – to cross the borders of genre, race, culture, gender, history and sexuality’. But how did she come to develop it? Here the Booker Prize-winning author takes The Reading Room… Read More

Matalasi

Matalasi

Bernardine Evaristo defines her style as ‘fusion fiction’: ‘As a storyteller, I like to mix things up temporally, spatially and stylistically – to cross the borders of genre, race, culture, gender, history and sexuality’. But how did she come to develop it? Here the Booker Prize-winning author takes The Reading Room… Read More

Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020 – Voices From The Blue World, by Aditya Choudhury, Senior Winner, aged 14 from Singapore

Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2020 – Voices From The Blue World, by Aditya Choudhury, Senior Winner, aged 14 from Singapore

Bernardine Evaristo defines her style as ‘fusion fiction’: ‘As a storyteller, I like to mix things up temporally, spatially and stylistically – to cross the borders of genre, race, culture, gender, history and sexuality’. But how did she come to develop it? Here the Booker Prize-winning author takes The Reading Room… Read More