The past is never dead, it isn’t even past
Augustus: Son of Rome, about the young Octavius Caesar journeying to Rome after hearing of his great uncle’s assassination, was your breakthrough book. It was a huge hit on kindle, leading a wave of other novelists to score hits in the genre and period. Can you tell...
A play within a play. A nod towards music hall theatre. A Wilde evening, with a subtle and suitable amount of smut. The Canterville Ghost is the perfect tonic for cheering up an audience which may be as gloomy as the weather at the moment (especially those who have...
The Hope Theatre has staged a coup in hosting the first UK production of Jen Silverman's The Moors. The play may be bizarre in places, but it is never dull. Phil Bartlett directs the show with ingenuity and precision. The play toys with certain tropes of 19th century...
Richard Foreman, Besieged is the second book in your fabulous The First Crusade series, could you tell us a little about it and what inspired you to write them? After finishing of the Spies of Rome series I decided to return to the medieval period, having enjoyed...
You’ve written quite extensively on ancient Rome, beyond the two short tales set in Rome in The Die is Cast. There's the Sword of Rome, Sword of Empire and Augustus Caesar series, to name a few; what has attracted you most to write about this period? Fundamentally,...
From the beginning of Turpin’s Prize, Foreman’s aim is clear. The very first scene shows his skill at creating a twist, which can be seen throughout the book, when it becomes clear that Dick Turpin is not the highwayman chasing the coach. Instead, Turpin is a...
Richard Foreman presents five short stories in a collection entitled The Die Is Cast - a reference to his lengthiest tale of the five. Sword of Rome: Rubicon is set in Ancient Rome and, already by the title, fans of Roman history will, perhaps, appropriately guess...
Richard, congratulations with Turpin's Prize. Why did you choose Dick Turpin as your protagonist? What was your inspiration? I enjoy creating anti-heroes, as well as heroes. Turpin fits that bill. I did flirt at one point with writing a series about Robin Hood, but a...
The War on the West by Douglas Murray is not necessarily a history book, but it is one of the most important books that any historian should read this year. Historians (and students of history) are well placed to show that the story of the West is not just a litany of...
Penelope Corfield clearly has a knowledge of - and love for - her subject. The Georgians: The Deeds and Misdeeds of 18th Century Britain provides a comprehensive overview of the period, whilst garnishing the account with plenty of insight and detail. What is...
