263:, and through that her entire oeuvre of historical fiction: "Although Dunnett’s writing style is not the neutral prose of genre fiction and it can be opaque and hard to read, especially in the early works, at times, this works with the almost melodramatic content to produce a powerful, operatic mixture... It is neither as a literary novelist nor as a historian, but as a writer of historical fiction that Dorothy Dunnett deserves recognition... The publication of
837:. It was held on Saturday 15 October 2011, with readers gathering in locations around the world at 13:00 (1pm) local time to toast the author. Meetings were held in Edinburgh, London, Vancouver, San Francisco, the Costa Del Sol, Boston, and other locations. The second IDDD was held on Saturday 10 November 2012, to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the death of Dorothy Dunnett on 9 November 2001. The last pre-COVID-19 event was held on 9 November 2019.
536:, as well as explanations of classical allusions and literary and other quotations used in the two series, notes to sources of these citations, and many maps. The second volume, which was written after the Niccolò series was completed, contains a bibliography of many of the hundreds of primary and secondary sources Dunnett used in her historical research. Dunnett contributed more to the second volume than the first and wrote many of the entries.
651:. Membership of this registered charity is open to all Dunnett readers, and aims to promote interest in the periods of history about which Dunnett wrote, to preserve her writings, and to promote appreciation of the literary merit of her works. It also encourages discussion and meetings between readers. Prior to 1 September 2011, the Society was known as the Dorothy Dunnett Readers' Association.
498:(1982), her long novel set in Orkney and Scotland in the years just before the invasion of England by William the Conqueror, was in Dorothy Dunnett's eyes her masterpiece. It is about an Earl of Orkney uniting the people of Alba (Scotland) and becoming its king, and is based on the author's premise that the central character
691:(Charles Burnett). The initiative to lay the stone, and the main funding for it, came from the members of the Dorothy Dunnett Society. The Stone contains Dorothy Dunnett's name, her coat of arms, and a brief quote from one of her books "Where are the links of the chain ... joining us to the past".
33:
378:(Niccolò, Nicholas van der Poele, or Claes), a talented boy of uncertain birth who rises to the heights of European merchant banking and international political intrigue. The series shares most of the locations in Dunnett's earlier series, the
809:
in the United States in March 2008 and the
Dunnett Confluence of Pittsburgh took place in Pennsylvania in October 2013. Smaller meetings also occur locally in several other countries, such as Germany (notably the annual meeting in
479:, the series features a number of historical persons, many as important characters. Both the historical and fictional characters are, however, taken from a wider variety of occupations and social classes than in the
483:. There are significant differences in narrative approach and writing style between the series, reflecting in part the very different personal journey taken by the central character in each.
550:
This series of mystery thrillers was written over a long period, starting when she was writing the Lymond
Chronicles. The final entry was published prior to the first House of Niccolò book.
1167:
719:
Dorothy
Dunnett readers are devoted and active, and have held gatherings in Edinburgh in 1990, 1994, and in 2000 with over 300 people in attendance. Similar events were held in
1177:
1086:
351:, England, Scotland and Russia. In addition to a compelling cast of original characters, the novels feature many historical figures, often in important roles.
229:
on many occasions. She had portraits commissioned by a number of prominent public figures in
Scotland. She had a keen interest in opera, was a trustee of the
332:
in 1961. It was written in response to her husband's suggestion that she write something herself, when she complained of having run out of reading material.
1147:
833:
In 2011, the first
International Dorothy Dunnett Day was announced by the Dorothy Dunnett Society to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the publication of
751:(2010). A gathering, 'The Dunnett Siege of Constantinople', took place in Istanbul in September 2012. Places visited by the 115 Siegers focused on
900:
494:
1197:
339:
is a series of six novels, set in mid-sixteenth-century Europe and the
Mediterranean, which follows the life and career of a Scottish nobleman,
528:(2002), which were written by Elspeth Morrison. These books provide background information to historical characters and events featured in the
1101:
274:
to promote interest in the historical periods about which she wrote and communication among her readers. Dunnett's archive was left to the
1202:
1187:
925:
1152:
1182:
1172:
1114:
343:, from 1547 through 1558. Meticulously researched, the series takes place in a wide variety of locations, including France, the
1192:
1157:
659:
On 22 April 2006, a memorial stone to Lady
Dunnett was laid by her grandchildren, Hal and Bella Dunnett, alongside those for
234:
563:
A contemporary short story, "The
Proving Climb", set on the Scottish Isle of St. Kilda, was published in the 1973 anthology
1212:
499:
759:, this was followed by the 'Dunnett Carnival of Venice' in Venice in 2016 focusing primarily on the 'House of Niccolò'.
817:
Readers also get together more informally to go on holiday to various
Dunnett locations. In 2007 some readers visited
601:
180:. Dunnett is most famous for her six novel series set during the 16th century, which concern the fictitious adventurer
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572:
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and also on John Grant in the Niccolὸ series, in which historical character John Grant had taken part in the 1453
238:
683:
in
Edinburgh. The Lord Provost of Edinburgh was in attendance, and gave a speech, as did the Edinburgh Makar (
575:). It was republished by the Dorothy Dunnett Society and distributed to its members in 2008 with issue 100 of
251:
856:
506:, Scottish King, were one and the same person (Thorfinn is his birth name and Macbeth his baptismal name).
275:
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in 2000. Since her death smaller international gatherings of between 50 and 115 people have been held in
246:
172:
150:
790:. Also the formal Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Dorothy Dunnett Society is held each spring in
708:
340:
181:
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853:
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176:(nĂ©e Halliday, 25 August 1923 – 9 November 2001) was a Scottish novelist best known for her
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In collaboration with her husband, Alastair Dunnett, she wrote the text for the photography book
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is a series of eight historical novels set in the late-fifteenth-century European Renaissance.
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218:. She started her career as a press officer in the civil service, where she met her husband.
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596:. This was finalised after her death by Elspeth Morrison and edited by Richenda Todd (
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384:, but it extends much further geographically to take in the important urban centres of
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299:, 1984. By virtue of his knighthood in 1995, she became Lady Dunnett. She died in
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328:, was rejected by five British publishers before being published by U.S. publisher
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There are several meetings of readers in the UK each year, in locations such as
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901:"Poldark producers line up new heroic historical drama The Lymond Chronicles"
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contains her versions and translations of some of the poems that appeared in
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460:. Nicholas's progress is intertwined with such historical characters as
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54:
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Occasional meetings are held in Australia and Canada, as well, with one
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680:
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370:, the first book of the series, was published in 1986, and the last,
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71:
1017:(IDDD02)Editor, "The First Ever International Dorothy Dunnett Day",
1004:(IDDD01)Hedges, "The First Ever International Dorothy Dunnett Day",
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457:
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393:
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32:
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Dunnett's long-term home at 87 Colinton Road, Edinburgh was at an
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225:, she was a professional portrait painter and exhibited at the
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Writers of historical fiction set in the early modern period
190:. Her other works include a novel concerning the historical
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626:
In December 2016, it was announced that the rights to the
303:, and was survived by her sons Ninian and Mungo Dunnett.
184:. This was followed by the eight novel prequel series
198:(1982), and a series of mystery novels centered upon
931:. Dorothy Dunnett Society. May 2011. Archived from
618:(Photographs: David Patterson), published in 1988.
245:of Scottish Television. In 1992 she was awarded an
221:A leading light in the Scottish arts world and a
1178:People educated at James Gillespie's High School
1129:
558:
1032:"International Dorothy Dunnett Day (IDDD) 2019"
282:, the magazine of the Dorothy Dunnett Society.
567:(Scottish Arts Council, published by Collins,
926:"Constitution of the Dorothy Dunnett Society"
539:
295:newspaper, and appears in his autobiography,
1148:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
249:for her services to literature. Writing in
642:
374:in 2000. The protagonist of the series is
31:
637:
607:
318:The manuscript for the first book in the
267:completes an ambitious literary circle."
1110:Dorothy Dunnett - A Personal Perspective
1024:
829:International Dorothy Dunnett Day (IDDD)
794:as part of its Dorothy Dunnett Weekend.
520:Dunnett assisted in the compilation of
354:
285:Dorothy Dunnett was married in 1946 to
212:James Gillespie's High School for Girls
1198:British women romantic fiction writers
1130:
898:
892:
743:in South West Scotland (April 2007),
306:
235:Edinburgh International Book Festival
582:
311:
634:with a view to making a TV series.
13:
1203:British women historical novelists
1188:20th-century British women writers
259:reviewed her final novel in 2000,
14:
1229:
1080:
694:
486:
1153:People associated with Edinburgh
899:Dowell, Ben (22 December 2016).
526:The Dorothy Dunnett Companion II
205:
1050:
1011:
604:published in 2003 by Penguin).
436:; the Mediterranean islands of
278:and articles from it appear in
1183:20th-century British novelists
1173:Writers of historical romances
1087:Random House - Dorothy Dunnett
998:
986:
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950:
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866:
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553:
239:Scottish National War Memorial
202:, a portrait painter and spy.
1:
1193:20th-century Scottish writers
1158:Scottish historical novelists
861:The Times Literary Supplement
840:
805:in April 2006 and another in
714:
522:The Dorothy Dunnett Companion
511:The Dorothy Dunnett Companion
252:The Times Literary Supplement
1097:Bill Marshall's Dunnett Site
647:Dorothy Dunnett founded the
276:National Library of Scotland
231:National Library of Scotland
16:Scottish historical novelist
7:
1213:20th-century Scottish women
1115:Obituary by Guy Gavriel Kay
878:The Dorothy Dunnett Society
703:semi-detached villa in the
654:
10:
1234:
543:
540:The Johnson Johnson series
424:; the Black Sea cities of
341:Francis Crawford of Lymond
182:Francis Crawford of Lymond
1123:radio programme from 1982
854:Fiske-Harrison, Alexander
156:
146:
118:
104:
96:
88:
78:
61:
39:
30:
23:
1163:Scottish women novelists
500:Thorfinn, Earl of Orkney
270:In 2001 she founded the
257:Alexander Fiske-Harrison
233:, a board member of the
210:Dunnett was educated at
1208:People from Dunfermline
1092:Dorothy Dunnett Society
1062:Dorothy Dunnett Society
1036:Dorothy Dunnett Society
757:Siege of Constantinople
649:Dorothy Dunnett Society
643:Dorothy Dunnett Society
272:Dorothy Dunnett Society
747:(September 2007), and
661:Robert Louis Stevenson
638:Additional information
616:The Scottish Highlands
609:The Scottish Highlands
565:Scottish Short Stories
243:non-executive director
227:Royal Scottish Academy
136:Johnson Johnson series
630:had been obtained by
594:The Lymond Chronicles
466:James III of Scotland
169:Dorothy, Lady Dunnett
25:Dorothy, Lady Dunnett
1058:"Forthcoming Events"
857:'Connected By Blood'
807:Alexandria, Virginia
753:Pawn in Frankincense
534:The House of Niccolò
363:The House of Niccolò
356:The House of Niccolò
287:Sir Alastair Dunnett
187:The House of Niccolò
161:Sir Alastair Dunnett
1121:Desert Island Discs
559:"The Proving Climb"
502:and the historical
237:, a trustee of the
1019:Whispering Gallery
1006:Whispering Gallery
993:Whispering Gallery
981:Whispering Gallery
969:Whispering Gallery
957:Whispering Gallery
707:area, designed by
677:Lady Stair's Close
577:Whispering Gallery
470:James II of Cyprus
376:Nicholas de Fleury
307:Historical fiction
280:Whispering Gallery
178:historical fiction
109:historical fiction
835:The Game of Kings
735:(November 2003),
731:(November 2001),
628:Lymond Chronicles
590:The Lymond Poetry
584:The Lymond Poetry
530:Lymond Chronicles
481:Lymond Chronicles
477:Lymond Chronicles
418:Iberian Peninsula
381:Lymond Chronicles
337:Lymond Chronicles
326:The Game of Kings
321:Lymond Chronicles
313:Lymond Chronicles
223:renaissance woman
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124:Lymond Chronicles
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880:. 10 August 2011
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863:. 11 August 2000
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739:(October 2005),
669:Sir Walter Scott
456:and the city of
402:Hanseatic League
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130:House of Niccolò
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43:Dorothy Halliday
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1038:. 15 July 2019
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368:Niccolo Rising
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147:Notable awards
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206:Life and work
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119:Notable works
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1102:
1066:. Retrieved
1061:
1052:
1040:. Retrieved
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1026:
1018:
1013:
1005:
1000:
992:
988:
980:
976:
968:
964:
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952:
940:. Retrieved
933:the original
920:
908:. Retrieved
904:
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882:. Retrieved
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725:Philadelphia
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665:Robert Burns
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475:As with the
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292:The Scotsman
290:
289:, editor of
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168:
167:
140:
134:
128:
122:
67:(2001-11-09)
18:
1143:2001 deaths
1138:1923 births
905:Radio Times
874:"The Books"
821:and others
733:New Orleans
689:Ross Herald
687:), and the
622:Adaptations
554:Other works
524:(1994) and
454:West Africa
89:Nationality
55:Dunfermline
1132:Categories
841:References
799:SworDDplay
715:Gatherings
705:Merchiston
681:Royal Mile
400:, and the
79:Occupation
74:, Scotland
57:, Scotland
48:1923-08-25
812:Darmstadt
803:Vancouver
792:Edinburgh
784:Harrogate
723:, and in
426:Trebizond
301:Edinburgh
216:Edinburgh
100:1961–2000
72:Edinburgh
1105:obituary
819:Timbuktu
801:held in
788:Stamford
655:Memorial
458:Timbuktu
448:and the
410:Flanders
406:Burgundy
394:Florence
241:, and a
92:Scottish
83:Novelist
884:24 June
780:Warwick
741:Saddell
679:on the
671:in the
504:Macbeth
422:Madeira
414:Iceland
194:called
192:Macbeth
113:mystery
1068:31 May
1064:. 2021
1042:31 May
1021:, 115.
1008:, 111.
942:27 May
910:31 May
823:Venice
772:London
764:Oxford
745:Orkney
729:Dublin
721:Boston
600:
571:
452:; and
442:Rhodes
438:Cyprus
434:Persia
416:; the
398:Geneva
390:Venice
386:Bruges
372:Gemini
330:Putnam
265:Gemini
261:Gemini
157:Spouse
97:Period
936:(PDF)
929:(PDF)
749:Paris
737:Malta
446:Egypt
430:Caffa
349:Malta
105:Genre
1070:2021
1044:2021
944:2012
912:2021
886:2018
786:and
776:York
768:Bath
667:and
598:ISBN
569:ISBN
532:and
513:and
468:and
440:and
428:and
420:and
335:The
62:Died
40:Born
995:119
983:119
971:133
959:117
675:in
247:OBE
214:in
173:OBE
151:OBE
1134::
1060:.
1034:.
903:.
876:.
859:,
825:.
782:,
778:,
774:,
770:,
766:,
711:.
663:,
579:.
472:.
464:,
444:;
432:;
408:,
404:;
396:,
392:,
388:,
347:,
324:,
255:,
139:,
133:,
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