Best-selling author Caroline Lawrence opens exciting new season of Classical Association lectures

The Lytham St Annes Classical Association has unveiled a stellar line up of guest speakers in its new Lecture Programme, including a best-selling author of over a million books; the new Regius Professor of Greek appointed just a few weeks ago by Her Majesty the Queen; not one but two of the country’s most well-known and respected classicists; and the very popular presenter and President of the Association, Dr Michael Scott.

The Association has gone from strength to strength in just one year and is now the largest in the UK with almost 200 members. New and present members alike can look forward to an exceptional year of lectures with Caroline Lawrence, much-loved author of the Roman Mysteries Series, getting the year off to a wonderful start on 17th September at 7pm at AKS Senior School Hall (doors open for refreshments, raffle and books at 6.15pm).

Caroline’s Roman Mysteries Series, a collection of 20 books, which have sold over a million copies world-wide, has sparked thousands of children’s interest in learning more about the Ancient World, including Chair of the LSA Classical Association and former AKS pupil Katrina Kelly: ‘Caroline’s books were the first ones I read about the Ancient World when I was seven and now I’m off to read Classics at university so Caroline’s influence was obviously immense!”

In 2007, the BBC made a glossy children’s TV series based on the Roman Mysteries and two years later Caroline won the Classical Association Prize for ‘a significant contribution to the public understanding of Classics’. In 2013 she was chosen to be President of JACT (The Joint Association of Classical Teachers) following in the footsteps of Boris Johnson and Paul Cartledge.

Caroline says: “I want to know everything about the past, especially the exciting things. Also the sounds, smells, sights and tastes. I write historical novels because nobody has invented a Time Machine. And I write for kids because 11 is my inner age.”

Caroline’s talk for the Lytham St Annes Classical Association asks: What do Homer’s Odyssey, Paddington Bear and school prize-giving ceremonies have in common? The answer is “mentors”, “talismans” and “crossings of thresholds”. These are some of the powerful elements that not only make stories magical, but transform our lives. Caroline says she will be teasing out these three elements from Myth, Movies and Life in her talk. The talk is free to members or tickets costing £5 can be bought on the door from 6.15 pm onwards.

Katrina says she is ‘thrilled that Caroline has agreed to come to Lytham St Annes for the first time to open the new season of lectures. We’d encourage everyone to come along to our lectures as we’re not only the largest CA in the country now but hopefully also the friendliest and you will be guaranteed a warm welcome. It only costs £12 a year for adults and £5 for students for free entry to seven monthly lectures – fantastic value for money!”

A programme of the 2015-2016 lectures can be downloaded here.

Caption: Homeros Caetani Louvre Ma440 n2″ by Marie-Lan Nguyen