Publisher's Synopsis
From the opening line of his Introduction to the final entry in this fascinating Guide, Alan Myers proves a passionate champion of the hitherto unsung literary heritage in the North East of England.
His tireless research and committed personal approach produce a compendium which will delight and surprise even those who are expert in the field. This treasure-house includes Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, the Lake poets, Forster and Conrad, Auden and Larkin, no fewer than nine authors of classic children's stories, six pioneer feminists, a great French revolutionary, Portugal's leading novelist, a Pope and a Roman Emperor, not to mention two scribbling relatives of the Queen Mother.
Alan Myers has long been a persuasive opponent of what he calls `the Christmas stocking view of England-that all the good things must eventually find their way to the bottom right-hand
corner'. Here he redresses the balance for literature, pointing out more places of interest on the North East map than there are Wedgwood plaques in the heart of London.
Myers' Guide uncovers a rich cultural seam embedded in the region across all the generations. The book is a must for those who cherish that culture and especially for those who have hitherto failed to recognise it.
