George Canning is My Son: A Mother's Struggle to Regain Her Son's Love by Julian Crowe

In 2019 and 2020 we published a three part essay by Julian Crowe that detailed the theatrical career of Mary Ann Canning. Drawing on these essays, this magnificent study locates her theatrical fortunes in the context of her strained relationship with her son, the statesman George Canning. Not only does it offer rich insights into the complexities and cross-currents of their lives and of the social backgrounds against which they moved, it amply justifies the author's choice of subtitle. Readers of the journal may find the author's account of the vicissitudes that dogged both his and others' attempts to even research his subject more than instructive. We should also acknowledge that more than 120 people crowdfunded this volume and praise their generosity in showing a way forward for enterprising authors.