News

Wednesday April 21st 6.30 pm Japan Society Crane and Tortoise (room to rear of main bar), 39 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8PR tel 0207 828 6330 Illustrated talk: Fighting for the shogun: the story of a ship, some samurai, nine French officers and the battle for Hokkaido. £7.50 including a light Japanese buffet following … Read more

Japan, 1868: the last shogun has been defeated, the age of the emperors is about to begin – and in Japan’s frozen north a diehard band of loyalists plans a desperate last stand. Hana is just seventeen when her husband goes to war, leaving her alone and very vulnerable. When enemy soldiers attack her house … Read more

Wednesday, April 15th –  BERLIN 18.00 Illustrated lecture: The Last Concubine:  Secrets of the Women’s Palace At the centre of the German-Japanese Society of Berlin, Deutsch-Japanisches Zentrum Berlin, Saargemünder Str. 2 Thursday, April 16th – HAMBURG 19.00 Reading: The Last Concubine Shiawase Japanisches Restaurant Jungfernstieg 7 Hamburg Friday, April 17th BIELEFELD 19.00 Illustrated lecture: The … Read more

Asia House Presents Japan Through Writers’ Eyes Thursday 19 March 6.45pm How does one begin to understand the enigma that is Japan? Four Japan specialists will celebrate Eland’s new book, Japan Through Writers’ Eyes, edited by journalist and former Tokyo resident Elizabeth Ingrams. She will be joined by three travel specialists: Lesley Downer, author of … Read more

Many congratulations to Julia Gregson who won the romantic novel of the year award 2009 for her wonderful novel East of the Sun. I was honoured to be nominated for the shortlist and much enjoyed meeting my fellow shortlisters Cecelia Ahern, Linda Gillard, Susanna Kearsley and Judith Lennox. The competition, the award and the very … Read more

The Last Concubine comes out in paperback on February 12th 2009. Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Romantic Novel of the Year Bestselling author Cecelia Ahern is one of the six authors shortlisted for the Romantic Novel of the Year 2009, which is organised by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. The final six novels are currently being read by a panel of three judges, who will select the winner in time for the … Read more

Tuesday November 18th 7 pm Oxford University Japan Society Oriel College, Oxford Illustrated lecture on The Last Concubine: Secrets of the Women’s Palace Free for members, £1.50 for non-members

Lesley Downer is featured author on the Canadian Penguin Book Club website.

There are two German language interviews with Lesley Downer online at BYM.de and NDRKultur.de, which also includes a radio interview available as an audio podcast.