Lawrence Norfolk enjoys a busy and rewarding German tour

Lawrence Norfolk is back in the UK, tired but happy, after a busy and rewarding tour of Germany. The trip began with Lawrence reading to bustling venues in Munich and Lüneburg. On the train to Cologne he was amiably accosted in the dining car by a reader avidly making his way through Lawrence's entire backlist. Scheduled for his stay in Cologne was a reading aboard the Literature Schiff, a floating (and entirely  sold-out) venue. Lawrence arrived to find a queue of 550 fans lining the pier. Their wait was rewarded with a rousing reading, which earned Lawrence a five minute-plus standing ovation and ended a very successful tour on a fine note.

JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST is published by Knaus in Germany, Bloomsbury in the UK, Grove Atlantic in the US and many other translated editions.

Praise for JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST:

'Dense in research and intellectual ambition…Norfolk's novels have always expanded their readers' vocabularies, and JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST is no exception…What may come across as a novel indicting Protestantism's suppression of fun, sex and good food (it's Protestant groups who smash up the manor and lay waste to its subterranean kitchens where Saturnall finesses his culinary skills; it's civil war that destroys his supply lines and thwarts his surreptitious affair with Lucretia), is really a broader exploration of control.' -- Stuart Jeffries, The Guardian'

'Norfolk, the author of ornate period novels, here uses his talent for detail to evoke the life of a cook of a seventeenth century British manor.' -- The New Yorker

'Imaginative, quietly intricate and very well put together. All its strands are made to converge or mirror one another in a way that warms your heart.' -- Jonathan McAloon, The Spectator

'A feast... A groaning table laden with delicious and carefully made sweets... Those happy to gobble up Norfolk's delectable fantasies of marchpane and spun sugar are in for a treat.' -- Diane Purkiss, The Independent

JOHN SATURNALL’S FEAST feature on The Leonard Lopate Late Show

During his two week book tour of America, Lawrence Norfolk sits down with Leonard Lopate to discuss the history of food in Britain and his most recent work JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST.

Speaking about the cuisine of Britain during the 17th century, Norfolk relishes in the details of food preparation, saying that British food then was just as good as  that of France and Italy.

JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST tells the story of a young orphan who becomes a kitchen boy at a manor house and rises through the ranks to become the greatest cook of his time.  It's a story of food, ancient myths, forbidden love and John's rise from outcast to hero through his sensuous cooking ability.

Click here to listen to the full segment.

Praise for JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST:
'Dense in research and intellectual ambition…Norfolk's novels have always expanded their readers' vocabularies, and JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST is no exception…What may come across as a novel indicting Protestantism's suppression of fun, sex and good food (it's Protestant groups who smash up the manor and lay waste to its subterranean kitchens where Saturnall finesses his culinary skills; it's civil war that destroys his supply lines and thwarts his surreptitious affair with Lucretia), is really a broader exploration of control.' -- Stuart Jeffries, The Guardian

'Norfolk, the author of ornate period novels, here uses his talent for detail to evoke the life of a cook of a seventeenth century British manor.' --The New Yorker

'Imaginative, quietly intricate and very well put together. All its strands are made to converge or mirror one another in a way that warms your heart.'  -- Jonathan McAloon, The Spectator
 
'A feast…a groaning table laden with delicious and carefully made sweets …those happy to gobble up Norfolk's delectable fantasies of marchpane and spun sugar are in for a treat.' -- Diane Purkiss, The Independent

A personal and touching launch event for JOHN SATURNALL’S FEAST

There wasn't a dry eye at the personal launch event for JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST at Lawrence Norfolk's home - or a less than satisfied palate. Celebrating the launch of JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST, Lawrence enjoyed the night with friends, family and delectable food to satisfy epicurean tastes as David Moore, friend and owner of Pied-a-Terre a 2-Michelin starred restaurant in Charlotte Street, catered the stylish event.

Bloomsbury publisher, Alexandra Pringle, gave a heartfelt and warming introduction to Lawrence and will host a formal launch party on her houseboat later this week. Lawrence then made a speech of such generosity in which he movingly thanked his mother (who passed away in December) his wife and his agent Carole Blake as the 3 women who had sustained him throughout the book.

JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST has had an overwhelming positive response and we are overjoyed for Lawrence's continuous success.

Praise for JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST:

'A lyrical tale of historical havoc set in the English Civil War, with cookery as salvation.'
Eithne Farry, Marie Claire

'All of Lawrence Norfolk's novels - there have been two others since his spectacular debut, LEMPRIERE'S DICTIONARY, in 1991 - give the reader food for thought. However his latest offering is stuffed with thoughts about food… in Norfolk's skilful hands, there is no danger of verbal indigestion. JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST is the most accessible of his works.  A grown-up fairy tale - complete with pretty pictures …Norfolk knows how to make words roll around the mouth…even if cherries don't bake your cake there is plenty of other delights on offer…Fantastical architecture and weird botany are a vivid background to the bloody conflict and swooning romance. Norfolk is an expert on obscure sources as well as sauces.  His blend of horrid history and oddly credible fantasy deserves to be consumed by the masses.' -- Mark Sanderson, The Sunday Telegraph

'A book to lose oneself in. The beautiful writing draws you in; the entrancing story keeps you there. Brilliant, evocative…a sumptuous feast for the soul.' -- Jane Sharp, Waterstones Watford

'Dense in research and intellectual ambition…Norfolk's novels have always expanded their readers' vocabularies, and JOHN SATURNALL'S FEAST is no exception…What may come across as a novel indicting Protestantism's suppression of fun, sex and good food (it's Protestant groups who smash up the manor and lay waste to its subterranean kitchens where Saturnall finesses his culinary skills; it's civil war that destroys his supply lines and thwarts his surreptitious affair with Lucretia), is really a broader exploration of control.' -- Stuart Jeffries, The Guardian