E.M. Forster once said that if he had to choose between betraying his country and his friends, he hoped he'd have the courage to betray the former. This preference for personal loyalty over patriotism reveals the core of Forster's values, the liberalism that he brought to his fictional explorations o

Bloomsbury, Elegant, Homoerotic, Political, Sincere, Witty

Lonely pregnancies, jealous sisters, fears of physicality, and loss of identity are Margaret Drabble's specialties. She spins tales of London's upper-middle-class life, and for the past 30 years England has eaten them up. Fans devour her hyper-accurate descriptions of the furniture, values, and perso

Clean, Composed, Eclectic, Post-war literature, Witty, Women's literature

In 1994 Dennis Potter knew he was going to die. The writer of such television theater masterpieces as "The Singing Detective" and "Pennies from Heaven" had just been diagnosed with untreatable cancer of the liver and pancreas. In a strange move, he agreed to talk with the BBC about his life and immin

Contemplative, Contemporary plays, Dense, Political, Profane, Witty

When he joined the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round in 1957, Alan Ayckbourn was set on being an actor. Little did he know he would become one of England's most successful and well-respected playwrights; in fact, he would go on to become the first living playwright to be knighted since Noel Coward.

Clean, Contemporary plays, Domestic, Playful, Quirky, Witty