Peter Fiennes follows in the footsteps of twelve inspirational writers, bringing modern Britain into focus by peering through the lens of the past. The journey starts in Dorset, shaped by the childhood visions of Enid Blyton, and ends with Charles Dickens on the train that took him to his final resting place in Westminster Abbey. From the wilds of Skye and Snowdon, to a big night out in Birmingham with J. B. Priestley and Beryl Bainbridge, Footnotes is a series of evocative biographies, a lyrical foray into the past, and a quest to understand Britain through the books, journals and diaries of some of our greatest writers. And as Fiennes travels the country, and roams across the centuries, he wonders: 'Who are we? What do we want? They seemed like good questions to ask, in the company of some of our greatest writers, given these restless times.' "I didn't really know that I'd been waiting for a more literary and stylish Bill Bryson to update Notes from a Small Island, but that's just what Footnotes is, and I loved it.' - THE OBSERVER 'Marvellously quotable...It's not the place, but the mind and spirit of the author that makes a guidebook special. ...Fiennes' literary journey makes for a provocative and engaging book.' FINANCIAL TIMES Weekend travel feature amp; book credit, DAILY TELEGRAPH 'A series of illuminating walks around the British Isles' DISCOVER BRITAIN