Empress Bianca
Encyclopedia
Empress Bianca, the first novel
by Lady Colin Campbell
, was initially published in June, 2005. One month later, Arcadia Books, the British publisher, withdrew the book and pulped all unsold copies in reaction to a legal threat intiated on behalf of Lily Safra
under her interpretation that the book was a defamatory roman à clef
. After some changes the book was republished in the United States in 2008 by Dynasty Press.
, demand that the publisher should recall the book and destroy the copies. Julius' letter indicated that Safra "regarded the book as defamatory". As English defamation law
puts the burden of proof on the defendant, Arcadia Books complied indicating that they were too small a company to fight the looming legal battle. Copies already in circulation became valuable collector's items. The author, however, denied that she had used Safra's life as a template and claimed that it was based on characters of her own family, including her cousin Blanche, a double murderess. A countersuit ensued with Lady Campbell demanding compensation for lost income. She did not prevail. She was, however, able to rerelease the book in the United States after addressing the 17 specific issues that had been seen as pointing to Safra. With changes described as minor but legally important - for instance, Barret now growing up in Mexico (not South America), her mother is Palestinian (not Jewish), and her last husband Iraqi (not Lebanese) - the book was published a second time preserving story, plot, incidents, and dialogue in 2008.
, as Nordegren appears concerned on reading how children can be cut-off from the wealth of a divorcing parent, in her case Tiger Woods
.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Lady Colin Campbell
Lady Colin Campbell
Lady Colin Campbell, , is a British writer, biographer, autobiographer, novelist, television and radio personality, known for her biography of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Real Diana, as well as other books on the Royal Family and the international elite.Campbell was born in Jamaica, the child of...
, was initially published in June, 2005. One month later, Arcadia Books, the British publisher, withdrew the book and pulped all unsold copies in reaction to a legal threat intiated on behalf of Lily Safra
Lily Safra
Lily Safra is a Brazilian-Monegasque philanthropist and social figure who attained considerable wealth after four marriages. Her net worth is estimated at $1 billion, ranking her as the 701st richest person in the world according to Forbes in 2009...
under her interpretation that the book was a defamatory roman à clef
Roman à clef
Roman à clef or roman à clé , French for "novel with a key", is a phrase used to describe a novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship between the nonfiction and the fiction...
. After some changes the book was republished in the United States in 2008 by Dynasty Press.
Plot
Bianca Barrett, the protagonist and daughter of a Welsh Surveyor and his Palestinian wife, becomes an "ambitious and mercenary" social climber and double murderess. Charming and well educated, Bianca marries four times and advances in wealth and social influence. With Bernardo, her first husband, Bianca has three children; they lose their son in a tragic car accident. After a divorce, she marries the rich Fredie whose family owns the Piedraplata commercial empire. Before it comes to a divorce, the second husband is shot and killed by a hitman who makes it look like a suicide. The killing is arranged by her lover, Phillipe Mahfud, and Bianca becomes the financial beneficiary. After a brief marriage to husband number three, - she had married him only to make Mahfud jealous-, she lastly marries Mahfud, a superrich Iraqi businessman and banker. When their relationship sours, the banker dies with his nurse in a mysterious fire in his apartment in the tax haven of Andorra. Bianca's lawyers pay off the police and investigators, and the only justice that remains is in the court of public opinion.Pulping of first release
In July 2005, Lily Safra claimed that her life had been "stolen" by the book and had her lawyer, Anthony JuliusAnthony Julius
Anthony Julius is a prominent British lawyer and academic, best known for his actions on behalf of Diana, Princess of Wales, Deborah Lipstadt and more recently Heather Mills...
, demand that the publisher should recall the book and destroy the copies. Julius' letter indicated that Safra "regarded the book as defamatory". As English defamation law
English defamation law
Modern libel and slander laws, as implemented in many Commonwealth nations as well as in the United States and in the Republic of Ireland, are originally descended from English defamation law...
puts the burden of proof on the defendant, Arcadia Books complied indicating that they were too small a company to fight the looming legal battle. Copies already in circulation became valuable collector's items. The author, however, denied that she had used Safra's life as a template and claimed that it was based on characters of her own family, including her cousin Blanche, a double murderess. A countersuit ensued with Lady Campbell demanding compensation for lost income. She did not prevail. She was, however, able to rerelease the book in the United States after addressing the 17 specific issues that had been seen as pointing to Safra. With changes described as minor but legally important - for instance, Barret now growing up in Mexico (not South America), her mother is Palestinian (not Jewish), and her last husband Iraqi (not Lebanese) - the book was published a second time preserving story, plot, incidents, and dialogue in 2008.
Elin Nordegren
The book has been cited as having affected Elin NordegrenElin Nordegren
Elin Maria Pernilla Nordegren is a former Swedish model and the ex-wife of professional golfer Tiger Woods.- Early life :Nordegren was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Her mother, Barbro Holmberg, is a politician and the former Swedish migration and asylum policy minister, and the current Governor of...
, as Nordegren appears concerned on reading how children can be cut-off from the wealth of a divorcing parent, in her case Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
.