Across a Bridge of Dreams – lecture dates 2012

Forthcoming lectures: Monday June 18th 6.45 pm Japan Society Oriental Club, Stratford House, 11 Stratford Place, London WC1 1 ES www.JapanSociety.org.uk Illustrated talk: The New Japan and the Last Samurai free but booking essential *** Monday October 8th 6.30 pm Gateshead Japan Festival Gateshead Central Library, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead NE8 4LN Illustrated talk: Japan: … Read more

Lesley Downer interviewed by Italian literary blog ‘Critica Letteraria’

Il Giappone e le sue tradizioni: una storia di amore e dedizione Intervistare Lesley Downer, affermata autrice di saggi e romanzi di ambientazione nipponica, contribuisce a sfatare il mito-maledizione secondo cui il più delle volte l’immagine che ci costruiamo di un autore che abbiamo amato va a cozzare inevitabilmente con la realtà, facendoci uscire dall’incontro … Read more

The Courtesan and the Samurai – lecture dates tour 2011 update

Forthcoming lectures: Sunday July 17th Festival of Living History, Kelmarsh, Northants. 11.40 – 12.40 ‘WHAT WOMEN WORE – AND WHY’ Panel with Hallie Rubenhold and Laura Wilson – and re-enactors in costume! http://www.thehwa.co.uk/content/festivals http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/festival-of-history-2011/ Watch this space!

The Courtesan and the Samurai – lecture dates 2011 update

Forthcoming lectures: Monday April 11th 6.15pm Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, Yurakucho Denki North Building 20F Yurakucho 1-7-1, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0006, Japan tel +81-3-3211-3161 Illustrated talk: The Yoshiwara and the world of Japanese courtesans Watch this space!

The Courtesan and the Samurai – lecture dates 2011

Forthcoming lectures: Tuesday March 8th WORDS BY THE WATER, Keswick, Cumbria Japanese Culture Many people are fascinated with the ancient traditions of Japanese culture: geishas, courtesans, Samurai. These two writers, travellers and experts on this mysterious country, tell of their research and travel. with John Man 5.15pm, Studio, £7.50 tel. 01803 86 73 73 Visit … Read more

The Courtesan and the Samurai – lecture dates tour 2010 update

Forthcoming lectures: Saturday June 26th 3.00 – 5.00 pm Ipswich Literary Tea, Ipswich Arts Festival, Arlington Brasserie, Ipswich, Suffolk Box Office 01473 433100 £8 (£6 concessions) Law and disorder: Making an impression throughout history. Discussion over tea and cakes with Giles Kristian, author of Sons of Thunder, and Paul Sussman, author of The Hidden Oasis. … Read more

Forthcoming lectures: May – July 2010

Friday May 14th 11 am Lincoln Book Festival, Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln Festival Box Office tel 01522 873 894 £4 (£2 concessions) History panel: Law and disorder: How to make an impression throughout history. With Giles Kristian, author of Sons of Thunder, and Manda Scott, author of Rome: The Emperor’s Spy *** Tuesday May 18th … Read more

The Courtesan and the Samurai – lecture and tour dates

Spoke on Fighting for the shogun: the story of a ship, some samurai, nine French officers and the battle for Hokkaido – at the Japan Society, at a very convivial Japanese pub called The Crane and the Tortoise (suitably auspicious name) on Gray’s Inn Road. My talk was followed by sushi and sake and a … Read more

The window display at Daunts

The Courtesan and the Samurai – launch and tour dates

Launched The Courtesan and the Samurai on March 25th and now hoping for a keen wind to fill her sails! The launch took place at Daunts bookshop on Marylebone High Street, in London, and there was a good-sized gathering of friends, colleagues, my publisher and my agent, as well as Colin the master swordsman, who … Read more