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Author Lynn Barber’s smoking mad 

As if to prove that the sanctimony of the anti-smoking movement knows no bounds whatsoever, the local council in Richmond, England, home of the Book Now festival, has objected to a publicity photograph of Lynn Barber, winner of five British Press awards and author of the memoir An Education, because it showed Barber smoking. Barber, who was scheduled to appear at the festival in November, responded to the request for another photo by withdrawing from the roster of attendees. The stated reason for the Richmond council's objection? Depicting an author smoking would contravene the city's responsibility to promote "good health habits."

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