Did you catch Dr Chris Naunton’s documentary on BBC4 the other night? The Man Who Discovered Egypt follows the life and work of intrepid explorer and Egyptologist, William Matthew Flinders Petrie (1853 – 1942). Of course, Flinders Petrie was the grandson of the great naval explorer, Matthew Flinders (1774 – 1814), but Naunton’s program didn’t mention this… [Read more…]
March 8, 2012
History Lab‘s regular ‘Meet the Historian’ seminar series hosted the engaging classicist and author Mary Beard at Senate House on Tuesday6th March 2012. Mary Beard is Professor of Classics at Newnham College Cambridge, and classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement, which also hosts her popular blog, A Don’s Life. Addressing an intimate audience of about twenty, Mary Beard began… [Read more…]
March 2, 2012
Is it really springtime in London? The British Library says so, and has a fashion & creativity-themed Spring Festival, running from 1 – 5 March 2012, to prove it. Today, the library forecourt hosted a pop-up craft market, made up of a dozen competition winners including Cole of London, Ketchup on Everything, Phoebe Richardson, Ruby Red and Squid… [Read more…]
February 10, 2012
If you happen to be in the local area over the next few months, with half an hour to spare, pop in to University College London‘s Art Museum, where a small exhibition is showcasing the life of French philosopher and author Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). This event marks the 300th anniversary of his birth, and features books and… [Read more…]
January 28, 2012
Acclaimed author and historian Antony Beevor addressed a small group of people at History Lab on Wednesday 25th January 2012. Part of the Institute of Historical Research at Senate House, History Lab hosts a variety of events for postgraduate history students and the intellectually curious, including this “Meet the Historian” series, where established academics are invited to discuss their careers in an intimate, informal setting. Antony… [Read more…]
January 23, 2012
Two of England’s creative forces were in conversation at the Foundling Museum on Sunday 22nd January 2012 - Quentin Blake and Christopher Frayling. Quentin Blake is a renowned illustrator, whose awards include Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration (2002), and the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres for services to literature (2004). Blake became the first ever Children’s Laureate in 1999. His illustrations span some 300 books, most recently Angelica… [Read more…]
December 17, 2011
Tickets are now on sale for the next Josephine Hart Poetry Hour, on 29th February 2012 at the British Library. The poet under the spotlight will be Oscar Wilde, and the readers are still to be announced. Click here for more information and booking. These events are highly recommended, and also oversubscribed, so do yourself… [Read more…]
December 11, 2011
The Science Tourist tagged along on a recent ‘Dead Famous’ Bloomsbury walking tour, organised by the Wellcome Collection and led by historian Richard Barnett (Wellcome Trust Public Engagement Fellow, and author of Medical London), below. The subtitle of the talk was, ‘A glimpse into the genius and depravity of Bloomsbury’s elite’. The route went from the Wellcome Collection, past St Pancras… [Read more…]
December 10, 2011
Waterstones Gower Street hosted their annual Christmas Extravaganza Author Night on Thursday 8th December 2011, and as usual, supplied some big literary names to participate in signings and chats with readers. This year’s line-up included: The wonderfully prolific John Gribbin - science writer and astrophysicist - promoting his latest book, The Reason Why: The Miracle of Life on Earth.… [Read more…]
December 6, 2011
Bloomsbury has a reputation as the home of historic and contemporary literary types, but University College London’s current exhibition on past inhabitants’ links to slavery aims to unsettle that genteel notion. But it wasn’t all bad news back then. For every George Hibbert (1757 – 1837), there was a Zachary Macaulay (1768 – 1838). Father of historian and politician… [Read more…]
London Bytes
April 3, 2012
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