A review of Being Shelley: The Poet's Search for Himself by Ann Wroe. Leading literary firms failed to recognise the work of Jane Austen when it was sent in by a prankster. The opening chapters of three novels were submitted under an invented name, with titles and character names changed. Think you can do better? Try our opening line quiz. From LRB, The Astor Place Riot: A review of The Shakespeare Riots: Revenge, Drama and Death in 19th-Century America by Nigel Cliff. In some ways, one might regard the literary couples whose intimate relationships inspired Katie Roiphe’s Uncommon Arrangements as performance artists. From American Heritage, a look at how Alaska gold formed Jack London. From TLS, a review of Cahiers de la Guerre et Autres Textes by Marguerite Duras. A review of Nancy Cunard: Heiress, Muse, Political

… full text available to registered users