‘The historical novelists’ historical novelist’ . . .
A Tribute to Dorothy Dunnett (1923–2001)
By J.G. Harlond
By J.G. Harlond
There are two sets of Dorothy Dunnett historical novel series on my bookshelves, plus two copies of King Hereafter: a few are hardbacks the rest are now dry, cracked-spine paperbacks, whose pages are so yellow and print so small that I struggle to read them – but I still do. I’ve bought a few replacements over the past forty years, but somehow can’t bring myself to throw or even give away the originals. The other curious thing about these old books is something very modern. Without strapping any box to my head or standing in any man-made cubicle they produce a form of virtual reality. Just by looking at a title I can see scenes. Stills and moving images hang in the air: a joyous youth riding an ostrich, the same man now older rides a silken-hide camel; a little boy with sturdy legs runs through apricots drying on a rooftop; a vast eagle swoops across a snowy waste onto an arm; a mad, brave youth runs across moving oars and marries a woman with ‘spawn-like’ eyes . . .
If you recognise any of these scenes you probably qualify as a Dorothy Dunnett fan, and are very likely a ‘historical fiction junkie’. That’s what I was told Dunnett fans were a few years ago. There are currently three Facebook groups for Dunnett fans that I know of. I dip in now and again and am always rewarded by some insight into a bit of history or details on one of the many locations. The news on one, as I write this, is from a student in Australia who is writing her MA dissertation on Dunnett.
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| for Dorothy Dunnett |
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A Thank You to Rosemary Sutcliff by Helen Hollick
A Thank You to Harriet Doerr by Inge H. Borg
A Thank You to Richard Zimler by Christoph Fischer
A Thank You to Lindsey Davis by AlisonMorton
A Thank You to Barbara Erskine by Nicky Galliers
A Thank You to Helen Hollick by Annie Whitehead
A Thank You to Sharon K. Penman by Annie Whitehead
A Thank You to Dorothy Dunnett by J.G. Harlond
A Thank You to Richard Zimler by Christoph Fischer
A Thank You to Lindsey Davis by AlisonMorton
A Thank You to Barbara Erskine by Nicky Galliers
A Thank You to Helen Hollick by Annie Whitehead
A Thank You to Sharon K. Penman by Annie Whitehead
A Thank You to Dorothy Dunnett by J.G. Harlond
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