Dear Mr Cornwell, I would just like to thank you for the tremendous work you have done. I first read one of your books whilst still a student at university (The Winter King). It not only fired my interest in the course I was currently studying – Anglo-Saxon England – but also helped to guide me upon the course I have since followed. After reading the Warlord Chronicles, I realised that the mistake my own history teachers had made was to teach history as dry facts and dates (“Kings, battles and bishops”, I believe the concept is called). Since qualifying as a teacher of history I have endeavoured to teach history in a more lively and exciting format – often blatantly ‘borrowing’ sections from your books to illustrate a point (please do not send those famed lawyers after me!). Also, your books have served a far more valuable purpose – I have been able to recommend them to a number of students who showed interest in history and those that have read them have found that rare quality in today’s youth – a love of reading. I was prompted to write to you when a former student of mine (who is currently studying history at the University of Kent) informed me that she owes a great deal of her interest in the subject to a lesson in which I read a passage from The Winter King and then asked the class to produce something similar about the topic we were currently discussing. So, in conclusion, allow me to say thank you and keep up the good work! All the best, Sanjay Perera