Imagining History
Lakefield College School Bryan Jones Theatre
Friday July 18 @ 7:00 pm
Nothing is more contemporary than historical fiction! Two leading practitioners highlight the diversity to be found in this always popular genre.
Guests: Jennifer Robson & Helen Humphreys
Moderator: John Boyko
Jennifer Robson
Born and raised in Peterborough, and boasting a doctorate from Oxford University in British economic and social history, Jennifer Robson is the author of seven historical novels set during and after the two world wars. Her latest, Coronation Year, brings a diverse cast of characters together in London’s Blue Lion hotel on the eve of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, where they encounter an unexpected menace that threatens to destroy the celebration. Calling herself “an academic by background, a former editor by profession, and a lifelong history nerd,” Ms. Robson currently lives in Toronto.
Helen Humphreys
Helen Humphreys is one of Canada’s most prolific and well-loved writers, having published 10 novels, including several award-winners, and as many works of fiction and non-fiction, Her latest work, Followed by a Lark, explores the upheaval of 19th century life through the eyes of the great writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau, author of Walden, imagining his experiences in a world transformed by rushing industrial change. Born in Kingston-on-Thames, England, Ms. Humphreys currently lives in Kingston, where she teaches creative writing at Queen’s University.
John Boyko
John Boyko is chair of the Lakefield Literary Festival, town councillor, tireless volunteer and the author of eight books of history, most recently The Devil’s Trick: How Canada Fought the Vietnam War.