Thackeray

Originally published in 1879 in the first series of 'English Men of Letters', 'Thackeray' by Anthony Trollope is an in depth look at the author William Makepeace Thackeray. The pair were close friends, and so 'Thackeray' is an intimate and personal overview of his life and career, allowing the reader to get to know the man behind the novels. Thackeray’s most enduring success is perhaps 'Vanity Fair', much adapted for TV, radio and film audiences, with adaptations starring famous names such as Reese Witherspoon, Michael Palin and Stephen Fry. A fascinating study of one of the most successful authors of the period, written by another.

Anthony Trollope (1815 – 1882) was a Victorian writer and author of 47 novels. He also wrote an autobiography, short stories and plays, travel articles, reviews and lectures. A prolific writer, he made no secret of the fact that money was his motivation for writing – an admission which raised eyebrows among his literary contemporaries at the time. The amount of works Trollope authored are testament to his belief in hard work. His first successful novel was The Warden followed by its sequel, Barchester Towers. The Chronicles of Barsetshire are perhaps his most well-known series of novels, though many of his works have been adapted for TV and radio, starring many familiar faces such as Alan Rickman, David Tennant, Bill Nighy and Tom Hollander. Alongside his literary career, Trollope also worked for some time for the Post Office and is credited with the introduction of the iconic post box to Britain. A memorial to Anthony Trollope was unveiled in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey in 1993.