After receiving an email and having a quick telephone conversation, it looks as though I'm going to be interviewed tomorrow about The Most Remarkable Woman in England by Sean Moncrieff on Ireland's Newstalk 106-108 FM.
The live interview should, I'm told, take place at about 4pm GMT.
Even if you're not in Ireland, of course, you can listen along online.
[UPDATE]: for those who might have missed it, you can hear the interview here (from 6:40).
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Thursday, 22 November 2012
New review in the Times Higher Education
There is a very positive review of The Most Remarkable Woman in England in today's Times Higher Education.
Along with providing a good summary of the main contents, June Purvis observes:
And she concludes:
I would only note a minor misstatement early on in the review: it was not 'nearly five decades' after the case that I became interested in it, rather nearly eight.
Five decades after the case I was still in primary school.
At that point, I had still given little thought to becoming a historian. My interests were focused elsewhere.
Along with providing a good summary of the main contents, June Purvis observes:
The Most Remarkable Woman in England is an intriguing book. It not only raises pertinent questions about the use of "evidence" to build a criminal case but also reveals how debates about gender roles, domestic violence and justice for the poor erupted at one particular cultural moment in inter-war Britain.
And she concludes:
This book will be an invaluable aid to those interested in the history of criminal justice and British society in the 1920s.
I would only note a minor misstatement early on in the review: it was not 'nearly five decades' after the case that I became interested in it, rather nearly eight.
Five decades after the case I was still in primary school.
At that point, I had still given little thought to becoming a historian. My interests were focused elsewhere.
Friday, 16 November 2012
Today in the Pace case: 16 November 1890
16 November 1890: The date of birth of Harry Pace.
 |
| The only image of Harry Pace that was published by the press in 1928. |
Saturday, 27 October 2012
The Most Remarkable Woman in the Guardian
In today's Guardian, there's a very thoughtful review by Tessa Hadley of The Most Remarkable Woman in England.
It opens like this:
The rest is certainly also worth your time, and the review also features a wonderful photo of part of the crowd gathered outside the Gloucester Shire Hall upon Beatrice Pace's acquittal.
It opens like this:
Sometimes life is better than fiction. Is there any novelist who could have got this extraordinary story so perfectly right, inventing it: the violence at the heart of it, the suspense, the succession of revelations, the passions so raw and inchoate that they have a mythic force? And then there's the grand sweep of the narrative, beginning in the bleak poverty of an obscure cottage in the Forest of Dean, acted out finally on the national stage.
The rest is certainly also worth your time, and the review also features a wonderful photo of part of the crowd gathered outside the Gloucester Shire Hall upon Beatrice Pace's acquittal.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Today in the Pace case: 24 October 1927
Monday, 24 October, 1927: Harry Pace is released from Gloucester Royal Infirmary after a little over two months' stay. He returns to his home, Rose Cottage, where he is tended to by Beatrice.
Today in the Pace case: 24 October 1889
24 October 1889: The birthdate of Beatrice Pace (or, as she was known then, Beatrice Martin).
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Today in the Pace case: 23 October 1909
23 October 1909: Beatrice Martin and Harry Pace were married at the Monmouth register office.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
The Most Remarkable Woman's Hour
I will be appearing tomorrow (Wednesday, 17 October) on BBC Radio 4's programme 'Woman's Hour' to talk about The Most Remarkable Woman in England.
The programme will be available live ('Woman's Hour' is broadcast between 10 and 10.45am GMT) online via the BBC website. If you can't make time to listen live, however, it will be available on the iPlayer soon after broadcast.
I've had some very nice chats with the show's producers in recent weeks and am looking forward to the interview and meeting host Jenni Murray!
[UPDATE]: Here's a direct link to my segment (or, 'chapter') on the show.
The programme will be available live ('Woman's Hour' is broadcast between 10 and 10.45am GMT) online via the BBC website. If you can't make time to listen live, however, it will be available on the iPlayer soon after broadcast.
I've had some very nice chats with the show's producers in recent weeks and am looking forward to the interview and meeting host Jenni Murray!
[UPDATE]: Here's a direct link to my segment (or, 'chapter') on the show.
Wednesday, 3 October 2012
The Most Remarkable Woman in England: Available in the UK, US and Europe
"Compelling."
"Such a page turner."
"Absolutely fabulous."
These are a few of the verdicts that I have received in emails from British readers of my book, The Most Remarkable Woman in England: Poison, Celebrity and the Trials of Beatrice Pace.
So, I'm pleased to announce that, just over a month after its UK release, the book is now available in the US/Canada and in continental Europe.
In the UK, details and ordering information for the reasonably priced paperback edition are available direct from Manchester University Press. It is also available--at various discounts--from online retailers such as Amazon.co.uk, Blackwells and Waterstones, as well, of course, via ordering through your local bookshop.
In the US, the book is being distributed by Macmillan and is available directly from them. Or, of course, from Amazon, other on-line retailers or, again, via ordering through your local bookshop. For the moment, it may be that US orders take a bit longer than would be ideal. Keep in mind that the book is from a university press based in the UK.
But the best signal for them to stock up is to get your orders in.
If you're looking for more immediate gratification, there is already a fair amount of information on the case on this blog, and you may also wish to 'like' The Most Remarkable Woman in England at its Facebook page: if so, please encourage your friends to do the same!
I will be posting updates here and at the Facebook page of any reviews or commentaries on the book and of any future book-related events and developments.
And if you do enjoy the book (which I hope very much), I encourage you to say so via online reviews, comments in social media (Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc.), blogs you may contribute to, and, of course, in that trusty old means of communication: conversation. As a book from a university press, word-of-mouth advertising (amplified electronically) is going to make all the difference!
"Such a page turner."
"Absolutely fabulous."
These are a few of the verdicts that I have received in emails from British readers of my book, The Most Remarkable Woman in England: Poison, Celebrity and the Trials of Beatrice Pace.
So, I'm pleased to announce that, just over a month after its UK release, the book is now available in the US/Canada and in continental Europe.
In the UK, details and ordering information for the reasonably priced paperback edition are available direct from Manchester University Press. It is also available--at various discounts--from online retailers such as Amazon.co.uk, Blackwells and Waterstones, as well, of course, via ordering through your local bookshop.
In the US, the book is being distributed by Macmillan and is available directly from them. Or, of course, from Amazon, other on-line retailers or, again, via ordering through your local bookshop. For the moment, it may be that US orders take a bit longer than would be ideal. Keep in mind that the book is from a university press based in the UK.
But the best signal for them to stock up is to get your orders in.
If you're looking for more immediate gratification, there is already a fair amount of information on the case on this blog, and you may also wish to 'like' The Most Remarkable Woman in England at its Facebook page: if so, please encourage your friends to do the same!
I will be posting updates here and at the Facebook page of any reviews or commentaries on the book and of any future book-related events and developments.
And if you do enjoy the book (which I hope very much), I encourage you to say so via online reviews, comments in social media (Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, etc.), blogs you may contribute to, and, of course, in that trusty old means of communication: conversation. As a book from a university press, word-of-mouth advertising (amplified electronically) is going to make all the difference!
Monday, 24 September 2012
Scenes from a remarkable book launch
A little over two weeks ago, the third British Crime Historians Symposium was held at The Open University in (ever-scenic) Milton Keynes.
I was very pleased that the conference organisers had put together a triple book-launch event, co-sponsored by Manchester University Press, for The Most Remarkable Woman in England, Rosalind Crone's Violent Victorians and Janet Clark's The National Council for Civil Liberties and the Policing of Interwar Politics.
A few photos from the evening:
Here, first, a stack of most remarkable women...
...next to some violent Victorians and ardent civil-liberties activists.
I'm pleased to say that all three stacks became significantly smaller in the course of the evening...
...through sales such as this one.
All three of us were very honoured that Clive Emsley, emeritus Open University professor and, as noted at the conference, doyen of police history, agreed to introduce our books in his inimitable style.
During Clive's talk, my crime-historian colleagues listened attentively while gathered strategically near the wine table....
...where Clive and I, of course, then joined them.
It was through a happy coincidence that three OU-connected books on criminal justice history were released by the same publisher in time to be introduced at the conference.
Many thanks to Manchester University Press for contributing to the event and my former Open University colleagues for the great organisational work in putting the event together!
I was very pleased that the conference organisers had put together a triple book-launch event, co-sponsored by Manchester University Press, for The Most Remarkable Woman in England, Rosalind Crone's Violent Victorians and Janet Clark's The National Council for Civil Liberties and the Policing of Interwar Politics.
A few photos from the evening:
Here, first, a stack of most remarkable women...
...next to some violent Victorians and ardent civil-liberties activists.
I'm pleased to say that all three stacks became significantly smaller in the course of the evening...
...through sales such as this one.
All three of us were very honoured that Clive Emsley, emeritus Open University professor and, as noted at the conference, doyen of police history, agreed to introduce our books in his inimitable style.
During Clive's talk, my crime-historian colleagues listened attentively while gathered strategically near the wine table....
...where Clive and I, of course, then joined them.
It was through a happy coincidence that three OU-connected books on criminal justice history were released by the same publisher in time to be introduced at the conference.
Many thanks to Manchester University Press for contributing to the event and my former Open University colleagues for the great organisational work in putting the event together!
Friday, 31 August 2012
The Most Remarkable Woman: Now Available (in the UK)
The day is finally here!
Today marks the official UK release of The Most Remarkable Woman in England: Poison, Celebrity and the Trials of Beatrice Pace. (The book will be available in the US/Canada from 2 October. I'll keep things updated here with any further information.)
Details and ordering information for the reasonably priced paperback edition are available direct from Manchester University Press.
The book is also available--at various discounts--from online retailers such as Amazon.co.uk, Blackwells and Waterstones, as well, of course, via ordering through your local bookshop.
Any messages of the '(almost) out of stock' variety should be taken with a grain of salt: the books have been printed and should either be in or on their way to the relevant warehouses. At most, a little patience might be required at the start.
I will continue to keep making updates here at the blog in the coming months, and please, if you have questions or comments please let me know at the address listed to the right.
You may also wish to 'like' The Most Remarkable Woman in England at its Facebook page: if so, please encourage your friends to do the same!
And if you do enjoy the book (which I hope very much), please say so via online reviews, comments in social media (Goodreads, etc.), blogs you may contribute to, and, of course, in that trusty old means of communication: conversation. As a book from a university press, word-of-mouth advertising (amplified electronically) is going to make all the difference.
Finally, if anybody does run across commentary on the book, I'd be happy if you let me know.
Now: get reading!
Today marks the official UK release of The Most Remarkable Woman in England: Poison, Celebrity and the Trials of Beatrice Pace. (The book will be available in the US/Canada from 2 October. I'll keep things updated here with any further information.)
Details and ordering information for the reasonably priced paperback edition are available direct from Manchester University Press.
The book is also available--at various discounts--from online retailers such as Amazon.co.uk, Blackwells and Waterstones, as well, of course, via ordering through your local bookshop.
Any messages of the '(almost) out of stock' variety should be taken with a grain of salt: the books have been printed and should either be in or on their way to the relevant warehouses. At most, a little patience might be required at the start.
I will continue to keep making updates here at the blog in the coming months, and please, if you have questions or comments please let me know at the address listed to the right.
You may also wish to 'like' The Most Remarkable Woman in England at its Facebook page: if so, please encourage your friends to do the same!
And if you do enjoy the book (which I hope very much), please say so via online reviews, comments in social media (Goodreads, etc.), blogs you may contribute to, and, of course, in that trusty old means of communication: conversation. As a book from a university press, word-of-mouth advertising (amplified electronically) is going to make all the difference.
Finally, if anybody does run across commentary on the book, I'd be happy if you let me know.
Now: get reading!
Friday, 24 August 2012
Should any further introduction be needed...
Regular readers of this blog will have a pretty good idea of what The Most Remarkable Woman in England is about.
However, should anyone be looking for a succinct introduction (or seeking a quick refresher), Manchester University Press has posted a brief introduction today on their blog.
It's worth reading!
However, should anyone be looking for a succinct introduction (or seeking a quick refresher), Manchester University Press has posted a brief introduction today on their blog.
It's worth reading!
Sunday, 19 August 2012
Today in the Pace Case: 19 August 1927
Friday, 19 August 1927: After nearly a month of abdominal pains and partial paralysis Harry Pace is admitted to the Gloucester Royal Infirmary.
Shortly before, the Pace family's local doctor, William Henry Du Pré, and another physician, Ram Nath Nanda, had diagnosed the sick man as suffering from 'peripheral neuritis'.
Harry is so weak that he needs to be carried in a blanket to the car that will take him to hospital.
Shortly before, the Pace family's local doctor, William Henry Du Pré, and another physician, Ram Nath Nanda, had diagnosed the sick man as suffering from 'peripheral neuritis'.
Harry is so weak that he needs to be carried in a blanket to the car that will take him to hospital.
Friday, 17 August 2012
First confirmed sighting of the Most Remarkable Woman in England
Thanks to the Twitter activities of my editor at Manchester University Press, I can share the first confirmed sighting of The Most Remarkable Woman in England.
I think it looks excellent.
And it will, of course, look even better up close, i.e., when you have it in your own hands.
Information as to its availability to follow.
But it's very exciting to know that it finally exists in physical form!
I think it looks excellent.
And it will, of course, look even better up close, i.e., when you have it in your own hands.
Information as to its availability to follow.
But it's very exciting to know that it finally exists in physical form!
Today in the Pace case: 17 August
Friday, 17 August 1928: It is reported in several newspapers—such as the Evening News, Daily Chronicle, Daily Mail, Daily News and Daily Telegraph—that Scotland Yard is reopening its inquiries into the death of Harry Pace.
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