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Author and Contributors
Mary Shelley (1797–1851) was an English novelist best known for her groundbreaking work Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus (1818), which is considered one of the earliest examples of science fiction. Born Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, she was the daughter of the philosopher William Godwin and the pioneering feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft. Tragically, her mother died shortly after her birth, and Mary was raised by her father in an intellectually stimulating environment. In 1814, Mary began a relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and the couple eloped to Europe. Their relationship was marked by scandal, as Shelley was already married, but it also fostered a rich creative partnership. The idea for Frankenstein came to Mary Godwin during a summer sojourn in 1816 with Percy Shelley on the shores of Lake Geneva, where Lord Byron was also staying. She was inspired to begin her unique tale after Byron suggested a ghost story competition. Byron himself produced “A Fragment,” which later inspired his physician John Polidori to write The Vampyre. Mary completed her short story back in England, chapter 4 of which was written during her stay in Bath. Among her other novels are The Last Man (1826), a dystopian story set in the twenty-first century, The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck (1830), Lodore (1835) and Falkner (1837). As well as contributing many stories and essays to publications such as the Keepsake and the Westminster Review, she wrote numerous biographical essays for Lardner’s Cabinet Cyclopaedia (1835, 1838–39). Her other books include the first collected edition of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Poetical Works (4 vols., 1839) and a book based on the Continental travels she undertook with her son Percy Florence and his friends, Rambles in Germany and Italy (1844). Mary Shelley died in London on February 1, 1851.
Professor Fiona Sampson MBE FRSL is a highly regarded British poet, writer and critic, known for her significant contributions to contemporary literature. Born in London in 1963, Sampson has published numerous poetry collections, including "The Distance Between Us", "Coleshill" and "The Catch", which showcase her refined, lyrical style and deep exploration of human experience. Her work often delves into themes of identity, nature, and memory, marked by a careful attention to language and form. In addition to her poetry, Sampson has written extensively in other genres, including biography and criticism. One of her most acclaimed works is In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein, a biography that offers a fresh perspective on the life and legacy of this iconic author. Sampson’s contributions to literature have been recognized with numerous awards, and she has been shortlisted for prestigious honors such as the T.S. Eliot Prize. Sampson has also been a significant figure in the literary community through her editorial work and her role as a professor of poetry at the University of Roehampton. Her influence extends beyond her own writing as she continues to shape the landscape of modern British poetry and literature.
Eleanor Macnair is a British artist best known for her unique and imaginative project Photographs Rendered in Play-Doh. Born in 1978, Macnair's work involves recreating famous photographs using the colourful and malleable medium of Play-Doh, which she then photographs. The project began as a playful experiment but quickly gained international recognition for its innovative approach to reinterpreting iconic images. Macnair’s work has been exhibited in galleries around the world, and she has published books featuring her Play-Doh recreations. Beyond this project, she is also active in the fields of photography and visual arts as a writer, editor and curator.
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