Author Louis de Bernieres to chat about his new Norfolk-based book at Sheringham Little Theatre

A leading author best known for his Mediterranean wartime romance is revealing glimpses of his real life in rural Norfolk in a chat about his latest book at Sheringham Little Theatre.

Louis de Bernières found fame with his 1994 novel Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, featuring an Italian army officer and a local doctor’s daughter on the Greek island of Cephalonia, which was later turned into a star-studded movie featuring Nicholas Cage and Penelope Cruz.

Now he has penned Smelling of Rooks, a decade of East Anglian reflections, anecdotes and observations on everything from music, cats and motorcycles to politics, parenting and the perils of social media.

And on Saturday October 3 he will be discussing the work with Chris Hamilton-Emery, owner of the book’s Cromer-based publishers Salt at 7pm, and taking questions from the audience. It follows a showing of the Captain Corelli film earlier in the day at 3.30pm.

Chris said Smelling of Rooks, subtitled “nine years in the Norfolk Alps”, is a “candid, comic portrait of a writer’s life in rural Norfolk.”

“The book is drawn from Louis’ hugely popular Facebook posts written between 2015 and 2024. It is about ordinary days, told with the warmth, eccentricity and mischief that have made de Bernières one of Britain’s most beloved storytellers.”

The “accidental memoir” captures “a writer at ease with his life, his readers and his absurdities.

“There are the pleasures of cooking and DIY, portraits of friends and neighbours, the escapades of his children, and the unpredictable joys of country living.

“It is funny, tender and defiantly unfiltered, showing Louis as he really is – reflective, unpretentious and gloriously human,” added Chris. It is a “celebration of family, friendship and the small wonders of daily life.”

His wife Jen, who edited the book, added: “A lot of people know Louis through his books but this is a chance to learn about the man himself. We featured one of Louis’ short stories in an anthology 10 years ago, but his approach for this book came out of the blue – and we were delighted.”

Stories range from anecdotes of meeting celebrities, his many hobbies, including restoring old musical instruments, and travel. There are also escapades involving his children – one of whom provided the title for the book from an observation about Louis after he had been rescuing baby birds that had fallen from the rookery nests in the garden of his Georgian rectory in the south of the county.

Theatre director Debbie Thompson said: “We are thrilled Louis has chosen to make his first appearance at the Little Theatre to talk about his new book in a fundraising event to help our ongoing need to replace and update equipment.”

Tickets for the events are at www.sheringhamlittletheare.com or the box office on 01263 822347. The film is £6, the In Conversation session £11. A bundle ticket to both, including a Greek snack of olives, pitta, hummus and sweet treat, is £15.

Copies of the book are at all good book sellers or via Salt Publishing www.saltpublishing.com