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Penniless virgins. Reckless dukes. Flappers. Airmen. Suf fragettes. Barbara Cartland made them fall in love. She wrote 723 books without touching a typewriter: instead, she reclined on her sofa with a Pekinese on her lap - and romantic fiction billowed out of her.
Writer and broadcasterMatthew Sweet has drawn on archives and firsthand accounts to reveal the woman behind the powder and mascara - a clever, socially precarious writer navigating a twentieth-century world of war-damaged men, class conflict and sexual peril.
Part satire, part biography, part social history, The Great Dictator reveals how a literary legend was made.
Talking to Clare Clark
| Ticket Type | Ticket Tariff |
|---|---|
| Standard | £10.00 |
Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.
| Matthew Sweet: A Life Of Barbara Cartland (24 Sept 2026) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Thursday | 14:00 | |
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Discover Exeter’s urban nature trail: the Green Circle, a 12-mile circular walking route that connects diverse neighbourhoods, leafy suburbs, and hidden heritage
Summer has well and truly arrived in Exeter, and come rain or shine there's lots going on across our city to keep everyone entertained.
Exeter became the only UK destination in 2019 to be awarded UNESCO City of Literature status, recognised for its 1,000 year unbroken history of making books and popularising reading since the early 13th century.
Read the latest blogs here, including guest articles and top tips from locals!
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