Return to the Center of the Earth & Other Tales of Steam & Shadows

Have you ever wondered what happened to some of your favorite heroes (and heroines) of classic literature after the last page of their adventures? Did they quietly retire to play Scrabble or do macramé? Or did they have further adventures, as yet unrelated? John Peel opts for the latter – and reveals some of the hitherto-unknown adventures they enjoyed, perils that they faced and companions they discovered.

Professor Lindenbrock never did make it to the center of the Earth… or did he? Professor Moriarty plunged to his death after a clash with Sherlock Holmes. Are you quite sure of that? Did you ever wonder why the Germans never managed to take Paris in World War 1? Could it be…? Nijinsky took Paris (and the world) by storm with his dancing in the Twenties. And Stravinsky changed the sound of classical music with The Rite of Spring. But did you know that this almost didn’t happen? Biggles was the greatest fighter ace the British had in World War 1 – but when did he take his first solo flight? And why? And how did someone suspiciously like the Lone Ranger really come into being?

Return with us now to those daring days of yesterday – days of steam and shadows…