diff --git a/recipes/granta.recipe b/recipes/granta.recipe
index 1c20f61732..d0fa38bbcb 100644
--- a/recipes/granta.recipe
+++ b/recipes/granta.recipe
@@ -156,10 +156,14 @@ def absurl(url):
         url = 'https://www.granta.com' + url
     return url
 
-
 def stripstyle(tag):
     if tag is not None:
         del tag['style']
+
+def get_innermost_string(tag):
+    while hasattr(tag, 'contents') and len(tag.contents) > 0 and tag.contents[0] is not None:
+        tag = tag.contents[0]
+    return str(tag).strip()
 ##################################################################
 
 
@@ -265,16 +269,16 @@ class Granta(BasicNewsRecipe):
                 h1 = toc.find('h1')
                 h2 = toc.find('h2')
                 if h1.find('a') is not None and len(h1.find('a').contents) > 0 and h1.find('a').contents[0] is not None:
-                    title = str(h1.find('a').contents[0]).strip()
+                    title = get_innermost_string(h1.find('a').contents[0])
                 elif len(h1.contents) > 0 and h1.contents[0] is not None:
-                    title = h1.contents[0]
+                    title = get_innermost_string(h1.contents[0])
                 else:
                     title = ''
                 if h2.find('a') is not None and len(h2.find('a').contents) > 0 and h2.find('a').contents[0] is not None:
-                    author = str(h2.find('a').contents[0]).strip()
+                    author = get_innermost_string(h2.find('a').contents[0])
                     title = title + u' (%s)' % author
                 elif len(h2.contents) > 0 and h2.contents[0] is not None:
-                    author = h2.contents[0]
+                    author = get_innermost_string(h2.contents[0])
                     title = title + u' (%s)' % author
                 else:
                     author = ''