Paul De Zulueta

Petworth author Paul De Zulueta delves into his illustrious family background…The grandson of the iconic author and playwright Daphne du Maurier, De Zulueta sifts through personal archives to paint an intensely personal account of the life of the iconic author of Rebecca; a woman out of time, whose unconventionality and turbulent private life informed her still-admired work. Born into a famous artistic dynasty, Daphne grew up into an atmosphere of carefree privilege. At a time when girls of her class were not expected to have a career, she defied convention, moving to Cornwall to pursue her ambitions as a writer.

Last Night I Dreamt explores how the turbulence and contradictions of Daphne’s own life - spanning war, affairs, a marriage to a renowned but damaged general, and unrequited love –inspired her writing. All in all, a moving portrait of one of our great writers as well a member of one of the great British artistic families of the 19th and 20th centuries.