The fourth in Anthony Trollope’s ‘Palliser’ series, in ‘Phineas Redux’ we are reunited with protagonist Phineas Finn - first introduced in the second book of the series, ‘Phineas Finn’ which charted his parliamentary ambitions. We meet with Phineas as he is once again drawn into the world of Westminster politics, following the tragic death of his wife and his dissatisfaction with his political role in Ireland. Phineas flings himself back into the political arena, renewing friendships with old acquaintances and former romantic interests. Conflicts within his own party soon surface however, and Phineas finds himself a suspect following the mysterious demise of a political rival.
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.
