Today, we focus on the anniversary marking of Dante’s death, the house sale associated with Sir Walker Scott and the PEN Prize.

700^th Anniversary of Dante’s Death Marked with Forli Show

The Uffizi Gallery, which is in Florence, is putting together a significant show in Forli next year in honour of the 700^th anniversary of the death of Dante.

The gallery director, Heike Schmidt said that this will be a great show that is to be dedicated to the poet who was supreme, in a place that is truly symbolic. This was the area that the poet spent several years of his exile.

Some of the works that are most closely associated with Dante and his time will be loaned by the Uffizi gallery. There will also be loans of major importance from all over the world.

Part of the Former Home of Sir Walter Scott Goes up for Sale

Literary fans could be in with a unique opportunity. Part of the house in which Sir Walter Scott penned some of his most famous works will be going up for sale.

Located in Edinburgh on North Castle Street, the three-bedroom property was the location where the author and poet wrote such classics as Ivanhoe and The Lady of the Lake. In 2006, the Georgian property, which still retains many of its original features was turned into luxury flats, and now the basement flat is up for sale with a price tag of offers over £525,000.

It is believed that this garden apartment is where the staff would have prepared meals for the family during the early 1800s, they would also have lived in this part of the house.

Of course, it looks a little different inside now having been given a thoroughly modern makeover. In addition to the stunning interior, prospective buyers would benefit from a private entrance and an outdoor patio area. The house is in what is described as a prime location with Edinburgh city right on its doorstep.

There is, of course, a blue plaque on the wall of the house which states that it is the former home of Walter Scott. The poet lived here from 1802 to 1826 at which time he fell into financial difficulties. This led to him taking up employment in 1806 as a principal clerk based at the Court of Sessions, along with his writing career and his other jobs.

In the end, Scott had no choice but to sell the property, he moved to Shandwick Place where he lived for two years before he settled in Abbotsford on the Scottish Borders where he lived for his remaining years.

PEN Pinter Prize Winner

Linton Kwesi Johnson, the pioneer of dub poetry, has been named as the winner of the PEN Pinter Prize. His work was described by judges as being truly Pinteresque. The felt that once they were looking at the work of all the shortlisted poet’s they had one clear winner in front of them and the decision was an easy one.

The award is named for the writer Harold Pinter and Johnson who was the first-ever published black poet with Penguin modern classics will join a wealth of former winners including Margaret Atwood, Lemm Sissay and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.