Duncan Barrett

Duncan Barrett was born in Islington, London in 1983[http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=onsbirth84&rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-d&gsfn=Duncan&gsln=Barrett&msbdy=1983&msbpn__ftp=London%2c+London%2c+England&msbpn=85535&msbpn_PInfo=8-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5274%7c85535%7c0%7c&cpxt=1&catBucket=rstp&uidh=b26&cp=11&pcat=34&fh=3&h=56041962&recoff=3+6+29 Birth certificate record at Ancestry.co.uk] and went to City of London School from 1994 to 2001,{{cite web |url=http://www.jcc.org.uk/News/Recent-Member-News/Duncan-Barrett-writes--The-Sugar-Girls-.aspx |title=Duncan Barrett Writes 'The Sugar Girls' |publisher=John Carpenter Club |date=10 February 2012 |access-date=19 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819092016/http://www.jcc.org.uk/News/Recent-Member-News/Duncan-Barrett-writes--The-Sugar-Girls-.aspx |archive-date=19 August 2014 |url-status=dead }} before studying English at Jesus College, Cambridge,{{harvnb|Barrett|Skirth|2011| p=}} where he served as Film Editor of student newspaper Varsity.{{cite web|url=http://archive.varsity.co.uk/588.pdf|title=Neo, but hardly classical|author=Duncan Barrett|publisher=Varsity |date=14 November 2003 |access-date=19 April 2012}} He is the author of Star Trek: The Human Frontier, co-written with his mother Michele Barrett and published by Polity Press in 2000.{{cite book |title=Star Trek: The Human Frontier |last=Barrett & Barrett |first=Michele & Duncan |year=2000 |publisher=Polity Press |isbn=978-0745624907 |url=https://archive.org/details/startrekhumanfro0000barr |url-access=registration }} He edited Vitali Vitaliev's travelogue Passport to Enclavia, published by Reportage Press in 2008.{{cite book |title=Passport to Enclavia |last=Vitaliev |first=Vitali |year=2008 |publisher=Reportage Press |isbn=978-0955830297 }}

Barrett was the editor of Ronald Skirth's pacifist First World War memoir The Reluctant Tommy, published by Macmillan in 2010. In it he wrote that, having come across Skirth's memoir through his mother's research, he felt determined that it should be read by a wide audience.{{harvnb|Barrett|Skirth|2011| p=xiv }} The book was favourably reviewed by Richard Holmes in the Evening Standard{{citation

|author=Holmes, Richard

|title=A Decent Man's Rage Against the War Machine

|journal=Evening Standard

|date=15 April 2010

|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A%20DECENT%20MAN/'S%20RAGE%20AGAINST%20THE%20WAR%20MACHINE.-a0223390590

}} and Jonathan Gibbs in the Financial Times,{{citation

|author=Gibbs, Jonathan

|title=The Reluctant Tommy (review)

|journal=Financial Times

|date=1 May 2010

|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/8a78719c-532e-11df-813e-00144feab49a.html

}} Socialist Worker{{citation

|author=Basketter, Simon

|title=The Reluctant Tommy: British soldier who became an anti-war saboteur

|journal=Socialist Worker

|date=20 April 2010

|url=http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=20940

}} and the Sunday Express.{{citation

|author=Barrett, Duncan

|title=Great War Hero who Vowed Not to Kill, Even if it Meant Sabotage

|journal=Sunday Express

|date=11 April 2010

|url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/168511/Great-War-hero-who-vowed-not-to-kill-even-if-it-meant-sabotage}} However, it came under attack from critics who objected to its pacifist politics and questioned its accuracy.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}} In a revised introduction to the paperback edition (2011), Barrett defended the memoir, encouraging people to "read the book for yourself and make up your own mind who to believe".{{harvnb|Barrett|Skirth|2011| p=xxiii }}

In 2012, Collins published The Sugar Girls, a book co-written by Barrett with Nuala Calvi, telling the stories of women workers at Tate & Lyle's East End factories since the Second World War.{{cite news |title=Sweet! Tate & Lyle lives celebrated|newspaper=Newham Recorder|author=Matt Nicholls|date=23 February 2011}} It soon became a best-seller.{{cite news |title=The Sunday Times Bestsellers |newspaper=The Sunday Times (Culture)|date=8 April 2012 }} In an article for History Workshop Online, Barrett wrote that, while their methodology was indebted to oral history, the result was a work of narrative non-fiction.{{cite web|url= http://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/oral-history-creative-non-fiction-telling-the-lives-of-the-sugar-girls/ |title= Oral History & Creative Non-Fiction: Telling the Lives of the Sugar Girls|publisher= History Workshop Online|date= 11 March 2012|access-date=11 March 2012}} The authors were inspired by Jennifer Worth's Call the Midwife, which was their "touchstone" as they wrote.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20141205073735/http://www.thesugargirls.com/call-the-midwife/ Call The Midwife]}}, The Sugar Girls blog, 20 February 2012. The book is accompanied by a blog, where Barrett and Calvi discuss broader issues of life and work in the East End of London in the period covered by the book, as well as posting photographs and audio clips of the women they interviewed.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120203003922/http://www.thesugargirls.com/news/ The Sugar Girls Blog]}}.

In 2013, Barrett and Calvi's second book together, GI Brides, was published by Harper, based on interviews with British women who married Americans during the Second World War.{{cite book|author=Duncan Barrett and Nuala Calvi|publisher=Harper|title=GI Brides|isbn=978-0007501441|page=359}} It soon became a Sunday Times best-seller.{{cite news |title=The Sunday Times bestsellers |newspaper=Sunday Times Culture section|date=15 September 2013}} The following year, a US edition of the book went into The New York Times nonfiction bestseller list.{{cite news |title=Bestsellers|newspaper=The New York Times|date=30 November 2014}}

In 2014, Barrett's first solo book, Men of Letters was published by AA Publishing. The book tells the story of the Post Office Rifles during the First World War.{{cite news |title=The postmen sent to fight in Europe: new book explores life in Post Office Rifles |first=Anna|last=Silverman|url=http://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/newham_bookshop_launches_book_about_post_office_rifles_in_great_war_1_3700474 |newspaper=Newham Recorder |date=30 July 2014 |access-date=9 August 2014}}

Barrett and Calvi's third collaboration for HarperCollins, The Girls Who Went to War, tells the true stories of women who served in the Army, Navy and Air Force during the Second World War. The book was published on 7 May 2015, and launched the following day to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE-Day.{{cite news |title=VE Day party for The Girls Who Went To War|newspaper=The Newham Mag|date=23 April 2015}} On 17 May 2015, it went into the Sunday Times bestseller list at number 6.{{cite news |title=The Sunday Times Bestsellers |newspaper=The Sunday Times (Culture)|date=17 May 2015}}

In 2018, Barrett’s second solo book, Hitler’s British Isles, was published by Simon & Schuster, based on interviews he conducted with around 100 people who lived through the German occupation of the Channel Islands during the Second World War.{{cite news |title=Review: Hitler’s British Isles|first=Giles|last=Milton|url= https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/review-hitlers-british-isles-the-real-story-of-the-occupied-channel-islands-by-duncan-barrett-wpxz8jtlg |newspaper=The Times |date=3 June 2018 |access-date=17 May 2025}}

In 2024, Barrett and Calvi’s book The Sugar Girls of Love Lane was published by Simon & Schuster, a follow-up to their 2012 book The Sugar Girls, but focusing on Henry Tate’s original Liverpool sugar refinery.{{cite news |title=Liverpool's 'sugar girls' and the lost factory where workers 'loved every minute'|first=Jess|last=Molyneux|url= https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/liverpools-sugar-girls-lost-factory-29043735 |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |date=28 April 2024 |access-date=17 May 2025}} In 2025, their book Blitz Kids was published by Headline.{{cite news |title=Liverpool's 'Blitz Kids' more than 80 years on as nation marks VE Day|first=Jess|last=Molyneux|url= https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/liverpools-blitz-kids-more-80-31588029 |newspaper=Liverpool Echo |date=8 May 2025 |access-date=17 May 2025}}

Barrett has written for The Guardian,{{cite web |author= |date= |title= Duncan Barrett|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/duncan-barrett |publisher=The Guardian |access-date=20 May 2025}} the Daily Express,{{cite web |author=Duncan Barrett |date=11 April 2010 |title=Great War Hero Who Vowed Not to Kill, Even if it Meant Sabotage |url=https://www.express.co.uk/expressyourself/168511/Great-War-hero-who-vowed-not-to-kill-even-if-it-meant-sabotage |publisher=Daily Express |access-date=20 May 2025}} the Los Angeles Times{{cite web |author=Duncan Barrett |date=20 October 2014 |title=Op-Ed: British war brides faced own battles during 1940s |url=https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-oe-barrett-war-brides-immigration-20141021-story.html |publisher=Los Angeles Times |access-date=20 May 2025}} and Fox News{{cite web |title=GI brides: They came to the U.S. 'for the love of an American serviceman'

|author=Duncan Barrett |date=11 February 2016 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/gi-brides-they-came-to-the-u-s-for-the-love-of-an-american-serviceman |publisher=Fox News |access-date=20 May 2025}}, and contributed reviews to the Evening Standard.{{cite web |author=Duncan Barrett |date=4 June 2015 |title=Love and War in the WRNS by Vicky Unwin - review |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/love-and-war-in-the-wrns-by-vicky-unwin-review-wren-s-letters-give-a-fresh-view-of-the-second-world-war-10298211.html |publisher=Evening Standard |access-date=20 May 2025}}{{cite web |author=Duncan Barrett |date=15 March 2018 |title=Pie and Mash Down the Roman Road by Melanie McGrath - review |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/books/pie-and-mash-down-the-roman-road-by-melanie-mcgrath-a3791196.html |publisher=Evening Standard |access-date=20 May 2025}}

Barrett wrote and co-produced the podcast series Titanic: Ship of Dreams, narrated by Paul McGann, and featuring contributions from his brother Stephen, who discovered that their great-grandfather Jimmy was a coal trimmer on board the ship.{{cite news |title=Titanic stories: actor Stephen McGann on his great-uncle, who was on the last lifeboat |first=Fiona|last=McCann|url= https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/2025/04/13/titanic-stories-actor-stephen-mcgann-on-his-great-uncle-who-was-on-the-last-lifeboat/ |newspaper=Irish Times |date=13 Apr 2025 |access-date=20 May 2025}} Produced by Noiser, the series debuted in April 2025.{{cite podcast|url=https://www.noiser.com/titanic-ship-of-dreams|title=Titanic: Ship of Dreams|website=Noiser Podcasts |publisher=Noiser|host=Paul McGann|date=8 April 2025|access-date=12 April 2025}} It received mostly positive reviews in The Times ('fitted out as lavishly as a White Star Line cabin', 3 stars),{{cite news |title=Titanic: Ship of Dreams review |first=James|last=Marriott|url= https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/titanic-ship-dreams-review-podcast-z83kbm8bh |newspaper=The Times |date=24 Apr 2025 |access-date=20 May 2025}} The Financial Times ('glossy', 'smart sound design'){{cite news |title=Titanic: Ship of Dreams podcast adds new perspectives to a familiar story — review |url= https://www.ft.com/content/ff6494de-9490-4733-aaa7-b7293e3f90f4 |newspaper=Financial Times |date=28 Apr 2025 |access-date=20 May 2025}} and the New Statesmen, where reviewer Anna Leszkiewicz praised Barrett's script as 'arresting and immediate'.{{cite news |title=How the Titanic sank |first=Anna|last=Leszkiewicz|url= https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/radio-podcasts/2025/04/how-the-titanic-sank |newspaper=New Statesman |date=23 Apr 2025 |access-date=20 May 2025}}

Barrett previously co-produced the twelve-part podcast series D-Day: The Tide Turns, also for Noiser, and also narrated by Paul McGann.{{cite podcast|url=https://www.noiser.com/d-day-the-tide-turns|title=D-Day: The Tide Turns|website=Noiser Podcasts |publisher=Noiser|host=Paul McGann|date=4 June 2024|access-date=20 May 2025}} It was selected as one of The Economist's Top 10 Podcasts of 2024.{{cite news |title=The best podcasts of 2024, as picked by The Economist |url= https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/11/15/the-best-podcasts-of-2024-as-picked-by-the-economist |newspaper=The Economist |date=15 November 2025 |access-date=20 May 2025}}

Barrett previously worked as an actor and theatre director. He trained at Central School of Speech and Drama, graduating in 2006.[http://www.cssd.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/alumni_newsletter/alumni_newsletter_issue_11.pdf The Alumni Newsletter, Central School of Speech and Drama]{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Summer 2008 In 2007 he played John Walker in Eastern Angles' production of Arthur Ransome's We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea and was praised for "neatly avoid[ing] any jolly hockeysticks".{{cite web|author=Hugh Homan |url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/21182/we-didnt-mean-to-go-to-sea |title=The Stage / Reviews / We Didn't Mean to go to Sea |publisher=Thestage.co.uk |date=4 July 2008 |access-date=12 April 2012}} In 2011 he played W. T. Tutte in the BBC's Code-breakers and in 2012 he played Paul Winder in National Geographic's Locked up Abroad.{{cite web |url=http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/1/M100799.html |title=Duncan Barrett |publisher=Spotlight |access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819125425/http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/1/M100799.html |archive-date=19 August 2014 |url-status=dead }}

Barrett has often worked on the plays of Shakespeare and other dramatists. He is the director of the short film Exit Strategy (2010), adapted from Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1622609/|title=Exit Strategy|publisher=Internet Movie Database |access-date=13 April 2012}} He played Frederick in a production of Aphra Behn's The Rover at the Edinburgh Fringe 2006.{{cite web|author=Bill Dunlop|url=http://www.edinburghguide.com/festival/2007/rover |title=The Rover |publisher=EdinburghGuide.com |date=11 August 2007 |access-date=12 April 2012}} The previous year he played the title role in Shakespeare's Richard II at the festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburghguide.com/festival/2005/fringe/review_theatre.php?page=r |title=The Edinburgh festival 2005 – Reviews – Theatre 'R' – 8 out of 258 |publisher=Edinburghguide.com |access-date=12 April 2012}} In 2004, he directed All's Well That Ends Well at the festival, with a cast including Joe Thomas of The Inbetweeners.{{cite web |url=http://www.camdram.net/shows/04/alls_well_that_ends_well?type=view) |title=Association of Cambridge Theatre Societies |publisher=camdram.net |date=21 August 2004 |access-date=12 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227054143/http://www.camdram.net/shows/04/alls_well_that_ends_well?type=view) |archive-date=27 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}

• {{cite book | last1 = Barrett | first1 = Duncan | author-link1 = Duncan Barrett | last2 = Skirth | first2 = Ronald | title = The Reluctant Tommy | edition = 2011 | year = 2011 | publisher = Pan Macmillan Limited | isbn=9780330513746 }} - Total pages: 324

• {{cite book|last1=Barrett|first1=Duncan|last2=Calvi|first2=Nuala|title= The Sugar Girls|location=London|date=2012|publisher =HarperCollins|ISBN=9780007448470 }}

• {{cite book|last1=Barrett|first1=Duncan|last2=Calvi|first2=Nuala|title= GI Brides|location=London|date=2013|publisher=HarperCollins|ISBN=9780062328052}}

• {{cite book|last=Barrett|first=Duncan|title= Men of Letters|location=London|date=2014|publisher=AA Publishing|ISBN=0749575204}}

• {{cite book|last1=Barrett|first1=Duncan|last2=Calvi|first2=Nuala|title= The Girls Who Went to War|location=London|date=2015|publisher=HarperCollins|ISBN=9780007501229}}

• {{cite book|last=Barrett|first=Duncan|title= Hitler's British Isles|location=London|date=2018|publisher=Simon & Schuster|ISBN=9781471166372}}

• {{cite book|last1=Barrett|first1=Duncan|last2=Calvi|first2=Nuala|title= The Sugar Girls of Love Lane|location=London|date=2024|publisher=Simon & Schuster|ISBN=9781471148170}}

• {{cite book|last1=Barrett|first1=Duncan|last2=Calvi|first2=Nuala|title= Blitz Kids: True Stories from the Children of Wartime Britain|location=London|date=2025|publisher=Headline|ISBN=978-1-4722-8598-0}}

;Notes

{{reflist|2}}

;References

• {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20121208211632/http://www.thesugargirls.com/ The Sugar Girls website]}}
• [http://www.gibrides.com GI Brides website]
• [http://www.girlsatwar.com The Girls Who Went to War website]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrett, Duncan}}

Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century English writers

Category:21st-century English memoirists

Category:21st-century English male actors

Category:People from Islington (district)

Category:Writers from the London Borough of Islington

Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge

Category:People educated at the City of London School

Category:English biographers

Category:English book editors

Category:English theatre directors