Two English authors 'engineered start of Spanish civil war', claims new book

History of London’s Authors’ Club reveals plot by two members to return General Franco to mainland Spain from La Palma in 1936

It’s the kind of moment every archivist dreams of: an obscure paper trail proving the institution for whom one works played a forgotten but pivotal role in history. And it is exactly what Chris Schüler found as he rummaged through the archives of the Authors’ Club while researching a new book.

Writers, Lovers, Soldiers, Spies, published this week after being crowdfunded on Kickstarter is packed with anecdotes and marks the 125th anniversary of the club, housed near Whitehall in London. Perhaps best known as sponsor of a number of book awards, the club should also be remembered for some of its more disreputable members, said Schüler.

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