This week, John reviews Black Victorians / Black Victoriana by Gretchen Gerzina. Find out more about our What we are reading series here.

“I borrowed this specifically for the chapter on ‘Pablo Fanque, Black Circus Proprietor’ (Beatles aficionados will understand). Fanque, real name William Darby, was clearly an impressive fellow, rising through the ranks during the 1830s and 40s, eventually running his own very popular circus which toured with great success all over Britain and Ireland.

This is an academic textbook, so it was a bit dry-as-dust to read. I feel that William Darby/Pablo Fanque’s life-story is crying out for the attention of a novelist; someone with an insight into the lives of British Black people through the ages; someone with the skill and imagination to bring this fascinating historical figure to life in three-dimensional colour. Anyone got any ideas?”

If John hasn’t put you off by describing this as ‘dry-as-dust’, you can find it in Headington library.