A proud author shows off her latest work!

Mark Antony and Popular Culture: Masculinity and the Construction of an Icon is now available from I.B. Tauris. Based on Rachael's doctoral thesis, the book looks at the enduring legacy of one of ancient Rome's most famous sons and asks why the man who almost ruled the world is remembered today as a drunk and a dilettante - the man who threw away an empire for love. Combining ancient history and modern film and television, Mark Antony and Popular Culture will change the way you look at history's most notorious lover!

"Kelly's brilliant new work is quite simply a tour de force" - Monica S Cyrino, University of New Mexico.

"At last - an original and engaging assessment of Mark Antony s place in popular culture" - Maria Wyke, University College London.

In the run-up to the publication of her new book, Mark Antony and Popular Culture (coming soon from I.B. Tauris), Rachael will be giving a talk about the legendary Roman general as part of the Belfast Book Festival 2014 at the Crescent Arts Centre.

From the festival programme:

"Who was Mark Antony? Lover or soldier? Leader or bon vivant? Hero of the old Republic or traitor of Rome? From Plutarch to Shakespeare, from Richard Burton to James Purefoy, popular culture has imagined him as the tragic hero, dashing but deeply flawed--a man who threw away an empire for love. But history is written by the winners, and the winners in the struggle for Rome were no friends of Antony.

"In this talk, Dr. Rachael Kelly discusses her forthcoming book, Mark Antony and Popular Culture: Masculinity and the Construction of an Icon, and looks at how Roman political invective has masqueraded as fact in shaping the way we think of a man who almost ruled the known world."

The event will be held on Thursday 12 June at 13:00. Tickets are priced at £5 and are available from the Belfast Book Festival website.

Wavelength, Rachael's contribution to Tales from the Perseus Arm Volume 2, will be making an appearance at this year's Belfast Book Festival! 

Rachael will be giving a public reading in Belfast's beautiful Crescent Arts Centre as part of the festival, which will also play host to such well-known names as Queen of Couture, Mich Turner, and the former Tory politician Anne Widdicombe. Wavelength is free to attend and will be held at 13:00 on 10 June. Refreshments will be served!