Biography: adventurers and explorers Books
Yale University Press Merze Tate
Book Synopsis
£26.12
Yale University Press Adventurer
Book SynopsisA fast-paced narrative about the world-famous libertine Giacomo Casanova, from celebrated biographer Leo Damrosch Trade Review“The great virtue of Mr. Damrosch’s biography is that, while never losing critical distance, he fully succeeds in communicating that ‘vivid presentness,’ that ‘joyful eagerness’ for life, which is what keeps us reading Casanova—and reading about him.”—Gregory Dowling, Wall Street Journal“Damrosch’s biography is undoubtedly a huge achievement, at once erudite and vivid. By the end I was almost convinced that Casanova was worthy of such prodigious scholarship.”—John Carey, Sunday Times“[A] stern but measured book. . . . In his stylish, insightful and, yes, one must admit, sexy biography, Damrosch gives us the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.”—Laura Freeman, Times (UK)“Colourful and entertaining. . . . The author is clear-eyed about Casanova’s faults.”—The Economist“There have been many biographies of Casanova before, some of them very good, although they have tended to be thesis driven. . . . [Damrosch] is in turn clear that he is writing a post MeToo Casanova. At the same time, he is also keen that we should understand just what a valuable document Histoire is for scholars working on the 18th century.”—Kathryn Hughes, The Guardian“Damrosch’s biography condenses a vast trove of Casanoviana into a well-researched, four-hundred-page narrative that is most engaging on its subject’s catholic interests as an intellectual and on the milieus he traversed as an itinerant charlatan.”—Judith Thurman, New Yorker“Leo Damrosch is a professor emeritus of literature with an emphasis on the 18th century. And he reads Casanova post-Weinstein, so to speak—but not sourly or dogmatically, instead confidently, inspired, admiringly and at the same time critically, passionately. And he can write brilliantly too.”—Jean-Martin Büttner, Basler Zeitung (Basel, Switzerland)“Damrosch’s adroit and balanced narration is never less than enthralling.”—Michael Prodger, New Statesman“Casanova rarely describes his surroundings and omits much on contemporary Venice that he simply takes for granted. Damrosch fills in the details, provides comment on Casanova from third parties, identifies those lovers whose identities Casanova attempted to obscure, adds previously unpublished material from Casanova’s later years, and places the libertine’s transgressions in the context of the mores of the time.”—Peter Neville-Hadley, South China Morning Post“Casanova’s life was in the best of hands with Leo Damrosch’s erudition. He follows Casanova’s escapades and escapes as a vertiginous heroic story. Out of Venice we are thrown into an experiment with the eighteenth century, its tastes, and transgressions, revealing a surprising ‘book of life.’”—Pierre Saint-Amand, author of Suite libertine: Vies du XVIIIe siècle“A pleasure to read, remarkably clear and readable, engaging, vivid, informative—in short, an excellent biography that both delights and instructs.”—April Alliston, Princeton University“The name Casanova has become synonymous with serial seduction—hardly a model in the age of #MeToo. The excellence of Leo Damrosch’s energetic biography is that it reveals so many other dimensions of this remarkable man: pioneering autobiographer, questioner of received ideas, traveler through high culture and low.”—Jonathan Bate, author of Radical Wordsworth: The Poet Who Changed the WorldPraise for Leo Damrosch’s The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped an Age “Damrosch brilliantly brings together the members’ voices. . . . As this stellar book moves from one Club member to another, it comes together as an ambitious venture homing in on the nature of creative stimulus.”—Lyndall Gordon, New York Times Book Review “Engaging and illuminating. . . . In The Club, as the actors appear one by one, surrounding Johnson and Boswell on Damrosch’s stage, we are transported back to a world of conversations, arguments, ideas, and writings.”—Jenny Uglow, New York Review of Books “Beginning in 1764, some of Britain’s future leading lights (including Samuel Johnson, Edmund Burke and Edward Gibbon) met every Friday night to talk and drink. Damrosch’s magnificent history revives the Club’s creative ferment.”—New York Times Book Review, Editors’ Choice
£16.99
Yale University Press Julian
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Yale University Press Vergil
Book Synopsis
£11.39
Hachette Books Empty Without You
Book SynopsisIn 1978, more than 3,500 letters written over a thirty-year friendship between Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok were discovered by archivists. Although the most explicit letters had been burned (Lorena told Eleanor''s daughter, Your mother wasn''t always so very discreet in her letters to me), the find was still electrifying enough to create controversy about the nature of the women''s relationship. Historian Rodger Streitmatter has transcribed and annotated more than 300 of those letters,published here for the first time,and put them within the context of the lives of these two extraordinary women, allowing us to understand the role of this remarkable friendship in Roosevelt''s transformation into a crusading First Lady.
£16.79
Hachette Books Hysterical
Book SynopsisBetween 2016 and 2018, Elissa Bassist saw over twenty medical professionals for a variety of mysterious ailments. Bassist had what millions of American women had: pain that didn''t make sense to doctors, a body that didn''t make sense to science, a psyche that didn''t make sense to mankind. But then an acupuncturist suggested some of her physical pain could be caged fury finding expression, and that treating her voice would treat the problem. It did.Growing up, Bassist''s family, boyfriends, school, work, and television had the same expectation for a woman''s voice: less is more. She was called dramatic and insane for speaking her mind; she was accused of overreacting and playing victim for having unexplained physical pain; she was ignored or rebuked like women throughout history for using her voice inappropriately by expressing sadness or suffering or anger or joy.Because of this, she said yes when she meant no; she didn''t tweet #MeToo; and she never spoke without
£22.50
Hachette Books Beautiful People
Book SynopsisWell-known disability activist and social media influencer Melissa Blake offers a frank, illuminating memoir and a call to action for disabled people and allies. In the summer of 2019, journalist Melissa Blake penned an op-ed for CNN Opinion. A conservative pundit caught wind of it, mentioning Blake’s work in a YouTube video. What happened next is equal parts a searing view into society, how we collectively view and treat disabled people, and the making of an advocate. After a troll said that Blake should be banned from posting pictures of herself, she took to Twitter and defiantly posted three smiling selfies, all taken during a lovely vacation in the Big Apple:I wanted desperately to clap back at these vile trolls in a way that would make a statement, not only about how our society views disabilities, but also about the toxicity of our strict and unrealistic beauty standards. Of course I knew that posting those selfies wasn't goin
£22.50
Hachette Books Trail of the Lost
Book SynopsisFrom an award-winning former law enforcement park ranger and investigator, this female-driven true crime adventure follows the author’s quest to find missing hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail by pairing up with an eclectic group of unlikely allies. As a park ranger with the National Park Service's law enforcement team, Andrea Lankford led search and rescue missions in some of the most beautiful (and dangerous) landscapes across America, from Yosemite to the Grand Canyon. But though she had the support of the agency, Andrea grew frustrated with the service's bureaucratic idiosyncrasies, and left the force after twelve years. Two decades later, however, she stumbles across a mystery that pulls her right back where she left off: three young men have vanished from the Pacific Crest Trail, the 2,650-mile trek made famous by Cheryl Strayed's Wild, and no one has been able to find them. It’s bugging the hell out of her. Andrea’s concern soon leads her to a wild environment unlike any she’s ever encountered: missing person Facebook groups. Andrea launches an investigation, joining forces with an eclectic team of amateurs who are determined to solve the cases by land and by screen: a mother of the missing, a retired pharmacy manager, and a mapmaker who monitors terrorist activity for the government. Together, they track the activities of kidnappers and murderers, investigate a cult, rescue a psychic in peril, cross paths with an unconventional scientist, and reunite an international fugitive with his family. Searching for the missing is a brutal psychological and physical test with the highest stakes, but eventually their hardships begin to bear strange fruits—ones that lead them to places and people they never saw coming. Beautifully written, heartfelt, and at times harrowing, TRAIL OF THE LOST paints a vivid picture of hiker culture and its complicated relationship with the ever-expanding online realm, all while exploring the power and limits of determination, generosity, and hope. It also offers a deep awe of the natural world, even as it unearths just how vast and treacherous it can be. On the TRAIL OF THE LOST, you may not find what you are looking for, but you will certainly find more than you seek. ** THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER **
£14.39
Hachette Books Sis Dont Settle
Book SynopsisDATE SMARTER, MAKE BETTER DECISIONS IN LOVE, AND ACHIEVE THE RELATIONSHIP YOU DESERVE… IT ALL STARTS WITH NOT SETTLING! By day, Faith Jenkins is the host of Oxygen's Killer Relationship and former host of the nationally syndicated relationship show Divorce Court; by night, she’s a happily married new mother who navigated these dating streets for years before learning how to attract the love of her dreams. When she turned 35 without a wedding ring in sight, like most women, she started getting tons of questions about not being married. But she made a decision: I. Will. Not. Settle. As an attorney and arbitrator, Faith has presided over hundreds of cases, and has helped couples avoid and resolve a wealth of drama. And she’s seen it all! In Sis, Don’t Settle, she’s gathered an arsenal of love, wisdom and advice for women on how to play it smart. Modern culture would have women believe they can’t have it all—and be smart, successful, strong women with authentic love to boot. Wrong. Told in her signature style—sometimes salty and sometimes sweet—Faith provides real solutions that will teach you how to thrive in relationships while avoiding common missteps and pitfalls. She delivers it straight, with no chaser, to show us how to level up, and reminds you that how you live single will set the tone for your success in relationships. Smart, illuminating, and, often laugh-out-loud funny, Sis, Don’t Settle is the essential playbook that will help you build your confidence, generate better results in love, and land a high-value relationship once and for all. You’ll find tips on topics like: Strong Independent Women…and the Men Who Love Them What’s Worse than a Bad Relationship? Overextending Your Stay in One Becoming the Right Person to Attract the Right Person How to Release Trash Subconscious Beliefs that Keep You Settling And much more! Whether you’re single, divorced, or in a situationship, Sis, Don’t Settle reveals the direction and guidance you need to navigate love and take back your power.
£13.49
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Custers Trials A Life on the Frontier of a New
Book SynopsisWinner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for HistoryIn this magisterial biography, T. J. Stiles paints a portrait of Custer both deeply personal and sweeping in scope, proving how much of Custer’s legacy has been ignored. He demolishes Custer’s historical caricature, revealing a capable yet insecure man, intelligent yet bigoted, passionate yet self-destructive, a romantic individualist at odds with the institution of the military (court-martialed twice in six years) and the new corporate economy, a wartime emancipator who rejected racial equality. Stiles argues that, although Custer was justly noted for his exploits on the western frontier, he also played a central role as both a wide-ranging participant and polarizing public figure in his extraordinary, transformational time—a time of civil war, emancipation, brutality toward Native Americans, and, finally, the Industrial Revolution—even as he became one of its casualties. Intimate, dramatic, and pro
£12.59
Zondervan The Torn Veil
Book SynopsisA true story of freedom and miraculous healing as a Muslim girl finds faith in Christ When Gulshan Esther, a devout Muslim girl, was six months old, typhoid left her a cripple. Her loving father took her from Pakistan to England to find a cure, but the only hope the British specialist could offer was prayer. Gulshan and her father made pilgrimage to Mecca and begged Allah for healing, but it was not until her father's untimely death that Gulshan began to receive an answer. In her grief she wanted to die, but as she called out to God, for the first time in her life she sensed she was being heard. She heard a low, gentle voice say, I won't let you die. I will keep you aliveI am Jesus, son of Mary. As Gulshan began reading the Quran, her interest in Jesus grew, until one amazing night he appeared to her in her bedroom in a blaze of light. He restored her crippled arm and leg and taught her The Lord's Prayer. He told her to go to his peoplenow her peopleand tell them what he had done. Sinc
£7.59
Zondervan Hope Heals
Book SynopsisWhen all seems lost, where can you find hope?Katherine and Jay Wolf married right after college and sought adventure far from home in Los Angeles, CA. As they pursued their dreams--she as a model and he as a lawyer--they planted their lives in the city and their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just six months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family.On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through forty days on life support in the ICU and nearl
£13.49
Little, Brown & Company The Revolutionary Samuel Adams
Book SynopsisThomas Jefferson asserted that if there was any leader of the Revolution, Samuel Adams was the man. With high-minded ideals and bare-knuckle tactics, Adams led what could be called the greatest campaign of civil resistance in American history. Stacy Schiff returns Adams to his seat of glory, introducing us to the shrewd and eloquent man who supplied the moral backbone of the American Revolution. A singular figure at a singular moment, Adams amplified the Boston Massacre. He helped to mastermind the Boston Tea Party. He employed every tool available to rally a town, a colony, and eventually a band of colonies behind him, creating the cause that created a country. For his efforts he became the most wanted man in America: When Paul Revere rode to Lexington in 1775, it was to warn Samuel Adams that he was about to be arrested for treason. In The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams, Schiff brings her masterful skills to Adams''s improbable life, illuminating his transformati
£15.29
Little, Brown & Company Race of Aces
Book Synopsis The astonishing untold story of the WWII airmen who risked it all in the deadly race to become the greatest American fighter pilot. In 1942, America''s deadliest fighter pilot, or ace of aces -- the legendary Eddie Rickenbacker -- offered a bottle of bourbon to the first U.S. fighter pilot to break his record of twenty-six enemy planes shot down. Seizing on the challenge to motivate his men, General George Kenney promoted what they would come to call the race of aces as a way of boosting the spirits of his war-weary command. What developed was a wild three-year sprint for fame and glory, and the chance to be called America''s greatest fighter pilot. The story has never been told until now. Based on new research and full of revelations, John Bruning''s brilliant, original book tells the story of how five American pilots contended for personal glory in the Pacific while leading Kenney''s resurgent air force against the most formidable enemy America ever faced. The pilots -- Richard Bong, Tommy McGuire, Neel Kearby, Charles MacDonald and Gerald Johnson -- riveted the nation as they contended for Rickenbacker''s crown. As their scores mounted, they transformed themselves from farm boys and aspiring dentists into artists of the modern dogfight. But as the race reached its climax, some of the pilots began to see how the spotlight warped their sense of duty. They emerged as leaders, beloved by their men as they chose selfless devotion over national accolades. Teeming with action all across the vast Pacific theater, Race of Aces is a fascinating exploration of the boundary between honorable duty, personal glory, and the complex landscape of the human heart. Brings you into the cockpit of the lethal, fast-paced world of fighter pilots . . . Fascinating. -- Sara Vladic Extraordinary . . . a must-read. -- US Navy Captain Dan Pedersen A heart-pounding narrative of the courage, sacrifice, and tragedy of America''s elite fighter pilots. -- James M. Scott Vivid and gripping . . . Confirms Bruning''s status as the premier war historian of the air. -- Saul David
£17.09
Pan Macmillan Passage To Juneau
Book SynopsisAn entrancing travelogue from celebrated writer Jonathan Raban.First published in 1999, Passage to Juneau is an account of Raban's personal journey from Seattle to the Alaskan Capital by boat through the meandering sea route, the Inside Passage, told in parallel to the same voyage taken by Captain George Vancouver in the late eighteenth century.Described by Ian McEwan as 'Raban at his best', this is extraordinary travel writing, told from two very different perspectives. A book about the idea of loss, Raban is home but still, he is very much still at sea.
£11.69
Pan Macmillan The Invention of Clouds How an Amateur
Book SynopsisAn extraordinary yet little-known scientific advance occurred in the opening years of the nineteenth century when a young amateur meteorologist, Luke Howard, gave the clouds the names by which they are known to this day. By creating a language to define structures that had, up to then, been considered random and unknowable, Howard revolutionized the science of meteorology and earned the admiration of his leading contemporaries in art, literature and science. Richard Hamblyn charts Howard''s life from obscurity to international fame, and back to obscurity once more. He recreates the period''s intoxicating atmosphere of scientific discovery, and shows how this provided inspiration for figures such as Goethe, Shelley and Constable. Offering rich insights into the nature of celebrity, the close relationship between the sciences and the arts, and the excitement generated by new ideas, The Invention of Clouds is an enthralling work of social and scientific history.Trade Review'Elegantly written and richly diverting' Guardian
£10.44
Hodder & Stoughton An Auctioneers Lot
Book SynopsisFrom priceless eighteenth-century dining tables hidden away in decaying farm sheds to tattooed travellers with a penchant for Wedgewood china, professional auctioneer Philip Serrell has seen it all. In An Auctioneer''s Lot he brings to life a world in which the most valuable antiques frequently turn up in the most unlikely places - and accompanied by the most unlikely people. For over twenty years he has uncovered a huge range of priceless (and occasionally worthless) antiques, and he has met, done business with and befriended people from some odd corners of English life. Funny, startling and sometimes poignant, these stories of ordinary people with extraordinary possessions are also the perfect inspiration for anyone who''s ever wondered whether they might just be sitting on a fortune . . .Trade Review'Marvellous . . . forget about car boot sales and eBay: this is the real thing.' * Independent *
£10.44
Hodder & Stoughton Fidel and Che The Revolutionary Friendship
Book Synopsis''As exciting and readable as a Cold War thriller'' The Times''Brings back the danger and intense emotions of that revolutionary period...it reads like adventure fiction'' IndependentThe story of the remarkable and revolutionary friendship between two of the most iconic figures in twentieth century history - Fidel Castro and Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara.Not yet thirty, Fidel Castro and Ernesto Guevara met in 1955 while both in exile in Mexico City. Guevara, the Argentine doctor plagued by asthma, had reached the end of the travels he began by motorcycle several years before. Fidel Castro, peasant''s son, scholar and rebel, had just fled Cuba, fearing for his life. Over the next twelve years, until Guevara''s death in 1967, their journey together would take them from the safe houses of Mexico''s political underground, to war in the Cuban mountains and ultimately into the heart of the Cold War. Drawing on extensive researchTrade ReviewAs exciting and readable as a Cold War thriller * The Times *Reid-Henry brings back the danger and intense emotions of that revolutionary period...it reads like adventure fiction. * Independent *Gripping...deeply impressive...rigorously sourced * Independent on Sunday *Two big figures, one fine debut: It is quite a task to make your first book a lucid, pulsating study of not one but two huge figures, but Simon Reid-Henry pulls it off . . . Reid-Henry produces a taut history of two men who brought out the best in each other and came to embody the very notion of modern-day protest. * The Economist's Intelligent Life *Absorbing * Sunday Times *Lucid, well-researched and highly readable * City AM *
£12.34
Hodder & Stoughton All that Glitters
Book SynopsisDrugs, misery and rock and roll... the totally candid story of how one woman's addiction to a glamorous life turned into a nightmare and how she brought herself back from the point of no return.Trade ReviewLifts the lid on what it's like to run with the Primrose Hill set ... Ultimately uplifting, it's a sobering read for anyone who finds Pete Doherty's lifestyle glamorous * Cosmopolitan *Our book of the summer, the year, the century * Guardian *Utterly compelling * Sunday Times *horribly compelling * Guardian *'a poignantly self-flagellating inventory of her failures.' * Observer *a remarkably open and candid account that acarries a message of hope and redemption at its core... * Daily Express *
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group Smoke In The Lanes
Book SynopsisIn the 1950s the Romani people lived on the brink of great change. In their bright wooden wagons they journeyed between horse-fairs and traditional stopping places - stoic, humorous and wild, often poverty-stricken but protective of their freedom - on the fringes of a society that was soon to close around them. Dominic Reeve describes his life among the Gypsies: the feuds and fairs, the joyful muddy squalor of an outdoor existence. He evokes an unforgettable cast of fireside characters - bold children, fierce matriarchs and dandyish villains in snap-brimmed hats - and tells of sharp deals done and rings run round country policemen, of love affairs, dances and open-air feasting. Smoke in the Lanes is the vivid, memorable record of a disappeared world.Trade ReviewThe real deal ... a fascinating, unflinching portrait of the rich diversity of characters and traditions of the Romani life at a time when it was threatened as never before' * Choice magazine *
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group My Autobiography of Carson McCullers
Book SynopsisFINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD''Fascinating and intimate'' OBSERVER''Lucid, distilled, honest'' MAGGIE NELSON''Gorgeous, symphonic, tender'' CARMEN MARIA MACHADOHow do you tell the real story of someone misremembered - an icon and idol - alongside your own?Jenn Shapland''s celebrated debut is both question and answer: an immersive, surprising exploration of one of America''s most beloved writers, alongside a genre-defying examination of identity, queerness, memory and love. Interweaving her own story with McCullers'', Shapland shows us how the writers we love and the stories we tell about ourselves make us who we are.''A moving record of love at the margins'' NEW YORKER''A call to arms to reappraise past lives'' THE TIMESTrade ReviewWeaves together biography and memoir . . . Shards of the author's own life glitter amid the story of McCullers's triumphs and struggles . . . A lively cast of walk-on characters includes Tennessee Williams, Elizabeth Bowen, Edith Sitwell and Robert Lowell . . . But it is Shapland's identification with her subject that energises the book . . . Only an accomplished writer could marshal this tricky material in order to enmesh two stories. The reader sees McCullers afresh in these pages . . . The politics of female queerness are central to this book, and Shapland handles the subject adroidy. At the same time, this volume, which I admire and recommend without reservation, speaks clearly and universally of the human heart, and specifically of the human heart in conflict with itself -- Sara Wheeler * Literary Review *The truth about Carson McCullers, the great American gothic writer, is finally told . . . What makes this such an unusual work, far removed from conventional biography, is that it's as much Shapland's story as it is McCullers's. In the process of recasting McCullers, Shapland finds her own identity . . . My Autobiography of Carson McCullers is the result: impeccably young, modern and fresh, an assertion of lesbian liberation. Political and at times polemical, it's a call to arms to reappraise past lives . . . beautifully and sparsely written -- Melanie Reid * The Times (Ireland) *A very interesting and innovative work * Irish Times *The kind of state-of-the-form reckoning that makes one wish there were more like it * New York Times Book Review *Weird and un-categorisable (in a good way) * Guardian (Nonfiction to look out for in 2021) *Intelligent and invigorating . . . it is sharp-eyed and sensitive about biography as a form, and it is a vital piece of life-writing in its own right * New Statesman *A fascinating and intimate examination of the work of archives, research and historic preservation as well as the arc of identity and social construction . . . [an] idiosyncratic and entirely winning book * Observer *A moving record of love at the margins * New Yorker *In lucid, distilled, honest prose, Jenn Shapland teaches us about McCullers, the desire for recognition, loneliness, the complexities of queer history, the seductions and resistances of the archive and, all throughout, love -- Maggie Nelson
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group Kafka
Book Synopsis* First general biography in UK for twenty years of one of the defining writers of the 20th century - Franz Kafka.Trade ReviewFormidably cogent and clear-eyed * William Boyd *[An] admirable and conscientious biography. * LITERARY REVIEW *Nicholas Murray's KAFKA restores the great writer to the human world, not just of relationships, but of actual societies, thus delivering his masterpieces from appropriation by theological and philosophical exegetes. * TLS *Nicholas Murray does what all decent biographers should do: leaves the reader hungry to fo back to the haunting and permanently elusive work that makes the unhappy life so extraordinary. * SUNDAY TIMES *Kafka's writing didn't meet his inner demands for perfection...But when Murray quotes from him, you want to rush off and read more instantly. This makes KAFKA the best kind of literary biography. * INDEPENDENT *
£13.49
Little, Brown Book Group Kipling Sahib
Book SynopsisRudyard Kipling was born in Bombay in 1865 and spent his early years there, before being sent, aged six, to England, a desperately unhappy experience. Charles Allen''s great-grandfather brought the sixteen-year-old Kipling out to Lahore to work on The Civil and Military Gazette with the words ''Kipling will do'', and thus set young Rudyard on his literary course. And so it was that at the start of the cold weather of 1882 he stepped ashore at Bombay on 18 October 1882 - ''a prince entering his kingdom''. He stayed for seven years during which he wrote the work that established him as a popular and critical, sometimes controversial, success. Charles Allen has written a brilliant account of those years - of an Indian childhood and coming of age, of abandonment in England, of family and Empire. He traces the Indian experiences of Kipling''s parents, Lockwood and Alice and reveals what kind of culture the young writer was born into and then returned to when still a teenager. ItTrade ReviewThose who relish Allen's India books will not be disappointed . . . Rich in instruction for the current administration in, say, Basra - and better still, it's vintage Charles Allen -- John Kaey * LITERARY REVIEW *No biographer has done him better justice * Clarence Valley Examiner *The strength of Kipling Sahib: India and the Making of Rudyard Kipling comes from Charles Allen's deep knowledge of British Indian society, which he demonstrated in his previous book, Plain Tales from the Raj, and his ability to describe Kipling's place in it * The Age *Kipling Sahib is a revealing study of a much maligned and fascinating man who was much more than a mere propagandist for the Empire * Sydney Morning Herald *Allen tells his complex story with concision, insight and wide-ranging vision * SUNDAY TIMES *Compelling * TIMES *A fascinating new book * SPECTATOR *Allen marshals his formidable knowledge of British India to considerable effect . . . A valuable guide * SCOTSMAN *Those who relish Allen's India books will not be disappointed . . . Rich in instruction for the current administration in, say, Basra - and better still, it's vintage Charles Allen * John Keay, LITERARY REVIEW *Allen tells his complex story with concision, insight and wide-ranging vision * SUNDAY TIMES *A fascinating new book * SPECTATOR *
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group War Child
Book SynopsisEmmanuel Jal was seven years old when he became a soldier and went into battle with the rebel army in Sudan''s bloody civil war. Believing he was being sent to school, Emmanuel trekked his way to a refugee camp in Ethiopia where he became one of the Lost Boys of Sudan.After nearly five years of fighting, Emmanuel was smuggled into Kenya by Emma McCune, a British aid worker, and finally began to have a childhood and an education. When Emma died tragically, Emmanuel struggled to find purpose in life but eventually - through the power of prayer and music - he succeeded.From child soldier, to refugee, to rap star, War Child is one boy''s incredible story of survival and triumph.Trade ReviewInevitably, War Child will invite comparison to Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone, another memoir by an African boy-soldier ... War Child is very different, very much worth reading, and when you think about it, much more believable ... You'll come away from this book loving Emmanuel Jal * Carolyn See, WASHINGTON POST *An astounding narrative of human physical endurance * Evening Standard *While it may be that no portrayal can ever bring us close to the reality, Jal does afford the reader an insight into a terrrifying existence * New Statesman *
£11.39
Little, Brown Book Group Straight On Till Morning
Book SynopsisBeryl Markham, like Karen Blixen, could only have come out of Africa. Pioneering aviatrix, flamboyant beauty, brilliant race-horse trainer, unscrupulous seducer - her life story is for every reader who was enthralled by Blixen''s exotic world, that of Kenya between the wars. This fully authorised biography, drawn from the author''s personal association with Beryl and her family, paints a vivid portrait of a tempestuous and controversial character. It tells of her friendship with Karen Blixen (though she commandeered Blixen''s husband Bror and lover Denys Finch Hatton), of her spectacular courage when she became the first person to fly from England to America, and of the mysteries surrounding her highly praised, bestselling book WEST WITH THE NIGHT.Trade Review** 'A splendid addition to the tales of Kenya's colonial past DAILY MAIL ** 'Filled with revelations, gossip and fascinating details ... Mary Lovell's superbly researched biography is likely to be definitive NEW YORK TIMES ** 'A stunning biography that should silence many of those who doubted Markham's abilities ... a well-wrought, brilliantly researched portrait LOS ANGELES TIMES
£12.34
Little, Brown Book Group Black Watch
Book SynopsisAs a 19-year old Black Watch conscript Tom Renouf''s war began with some of the most vicious fighting of the conflict - against Himmler''s fanatical ''Hitler Youth'' SS Division. It ended with the capture of Himmler himself and Tom taking a trophy he still treasures - the Gestapo commander''s watch.Seriously wounded and later decorated with a Military Medal for gallantry, Tom Renouf witnessed the death and maiming of countless of his teenage comrades and saw the survivors transformed into grizzled veterans. Tom Renouf draws on his own personal experiences - as well as his unique archive of interviews with veterans amassed over twenty years as secretary of the 51st Highland Division Veterans'' Association - to paint a vivid picture of the Battle of Normandy, the liberation of Holland, the Battle of the Bulge and many more memorable WW2 events.
£10.44
Little, Brown Book Group The Art of Fairness
Book SynopsisA thrilling study of the key elements of great - and fair - leadership, illuminated by real stories from historyTrade ReviewBodanis' book is more than a business book, it is a primer for anyone fed up with the meanness of much of society, and looking for inspiration to do better - and fix things for others * Financial Times *Bodanis is a superb storyteller ... [he] is clearly one of the good guys and this book is a cheering, timely, inspirational reminder, as we witness a new dawn in the American presidency, that they - we - can succeed, without losing our souls -- Christina Patterson * Sunday Times *This is a delightful book about a vitally important subject - and David Bodanis is an enthralling storyteller. Prepare to be taken on a surprising, wide-ranging and ultimately inspiring journey to explore what makes us human - and how decency and kindness can prevail even in dark times. You won't be able to forget this book; and you won't want to -- Tim HarfordThe core message can be found in the subtitle: 'The power of decency in a world turned mean' ... It is a wise lesson * Economist *[Fairness] is one of those senses which drives our feelings much more than our thoughts ... I cannot think of a topic more in need of the kind of intelligent study which David Bodanis unfailingly provides -- Rory SutherlandFascinating -- Roger Trapp * Forbes *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Engineers of Human Souls
Book Synopsis
£11.69
Little, Brown Book Group Three Times a Countess
Book SynopsisTELEGRAPH 50 BEST BOOKS OF 2022THE UNTOLD STORY OF PRINCESS DIANA''S STEPMOTHER ''A sparkling biography of a fascinating woman'' - Lynn Barber, Telegraph ***** ''Gaudoin''s book is revealing and hugely entertaining. Highly recommended.'' - Daily Mail''Gaudoin tells these delicious stories with brio'' - Sunday Times Debutante of the year. Able politician. Femme fatale. Just some of the many labels attached to the irrepressible, controversial Raine Spencer: Countess, socialite and stepmother to Diana, Princess of Wales. But who was the real Raine? What was hidden behind the immaculately manicured public façade and her overwhelmingly negative tabloid image? From her childhood days as daughter of romantic novelist powerhouse, Barbara Cartland, to Westminster councillor and wife of Earl Spencer, Three Times a Countess recounts Raine''s compelling and glamorous life, revealing her to be a powerful, accomplished woman who, after a tumultuous relationship, reconciled with Diana to become the Princess''s closest confidante and a key witness at the inquest into her death. To her friends, Raine was shrewd, intelligent, witty and loyal; to her enemies, pushy, overly flamboyant and ruthless. From a career spanning local politics to dealing with the fortunes of Althorp; from taking on the Spencer family estate to her final role as a board member at Harrods, Raine''s life was, by any standards, a success . Yet she could not sway the powerful media narrative which pitted her as ''the evil stepmother'' at every turn. A societal whirl of London Seasons, family feuds, politics, pomp and ''big hair'', Gaudoin''s vibrant history of the Countess sets the record straight once and for all, drawing insight from those who knew Raine most. Three Times a Countess reveals a sophisticated, determined woman whose loyalty knew no bounds and whose cache of secrets would have worried even the most upright of royals.Trade ReviewAn excellent book about a difficult, but life-enhancing woman -- Julian FellowesEnthralling -- Nicholas ColeridgePerceptively examines the life of one of the twentieth century's original "tough, ambitious women" -- Lindy WoodheadWonderful. A great friend brought vividly back to life. -- Lady GlenconnerA sparkling biography of a fascinating woman. ***** -- Lynn Barber * Telegraph *Gaudoin's book is revealing and hugely entertaining. Highly recommended. * Daily Mail, *Royal Books of the Year* *Delicious * Sunday Times *This book is a vindication, both of Raine herself and of a type of person - of woman - whom it became uncool to value * TLS *Gaudoin elegantly depicts the esoteric life of an aristocrat * Observer *Tina Gaudoin sets out to rehabilitate Raine as a far more nuanced woman, an insouciant, sexy survivor uncredited for her many achievements . . . A colourful life. * The Times *I lapped up this tale of London seasons, family feuds, politics, big hair and Raine's carpe diem attitude * Gloss *
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Inc In Sensorium
Book Synopsis
£22.94
Lulu.com Attack Transport The Story of the USS Doyen
Book Synopsis
£17.76
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group The Double and the Gambler Vintage Classics
Book SynopsisThe award-winning translators Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky have given us the definitive version of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s strikingly original short novels, The Double and The Gambler.The Double is a surprisingly modern hallucinatory nightmare-foreshadowing Kafka and Sartre-in which a minor official named Goliadkin becomes aware of a mysterious doppelganger, a man who has his name and his face and who gradually and relentlessly begins to displace him with his friends and colleagues. The Gambler is a stunning psychological portrait of a young man's exhilarating and destructive addiction to gambling, a compulsion that Dostoevsky-who once gambled away his young wife's wedding ring-knew intimately from his own experience. In chronicling the disastrous love affairs and gambling adventures of Alexei Ivanovich, Dostoevsky explores the irresistible temptation to look into the abyss of ultimate risk that he believed was an essential part of the Russian national
£13.49
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group The Journals of Sylvia Plath
Book SynopsisThe electrifying diaries that are essential reading for anyone moved and fascinated by the life and work of one of America''s most acclaimed poets. Sylvia Plath began keeping a diary as a young child. By the time she was at Smith College, when this book begins, she had settled into a nearly daily routine with her journal, which was also a sourcebook for her writing. Plath once called her journal her “Sargasso,” her repository of imagination, “a litany of dreams, directives, and imperatives,” and in fact these pages contain the germs of most of her work. Plath’s ambitions as a writer were urgent and ultimately all-consuming, requiring of her a heat, a fantastic chaos, even a violence that burned straight through her. The intensity of this struggle is rendered in her journal with an unsparing clarity, revealing both the frequent desperation of her situation and the bravery with which she faced down her demons.
£13.49
Random House USA Inc The Improbable Victoria Woodhull
Book Synopsis
£21.25
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group The Yankee Way
Book Synopsis
£21.25
WW Norton & Co Meg Jo Beth Amy
Book SynopsisRediscover the beloved classic Little Women and its lasting power as it celebrates its 150th anniversary.Trade Review"Anne Boyd Rioux's book, published to coincide with Little Women's 150th anniversary, is a compact but rich account of Alcott's life, how she came to write her most famous and enduring work, and its effect on her and American literature... [a] satisfying, balanced but punchy tribute to Alcott's great work..." -- Lucy Mangan - The Spectator"Highly entertaining and eminently sane…[Rioux] paints a compelling portrait of Alcott, giving us fascinating insights into the creation of Little Women." -- Charlotte Gordon - The Washington Post"Rioux gives an enthralling account of how Little Women broke new ground – with realistic girls who spoke in ‘vulgar’ slang, lost their tempers, had career plans and, if they did get married, found it pretty hard work... This delightful read had me leaping to grab Little Women and its two sequels off the bookshelf immediately." -- The Mail on Sunday"...highly companionable and illuminating…" -- Vanity Fair"Lively and informative…Meg, Jo, Beth, Amy does what—ideally—books about books can do: I’ve taken Little Women down from my shelf and put it on top of the books I plan to read." -- Francine Prose - The New York Times Book Review"Thoughtful… An adroit consideration of Alcott and her milieu." -- Meghan Cox Gurdon - The Wall Street Journal"Rioux considers the cultural impact and enduring popularity of Louisa May Alcott’s American Civil War-set novel Little Women, a runaway success since it was first published 150 years ago." -- The top page-turners of 2018: History - Mail on Sunday"... Rioux does a fine job of accessibly summing up the appeal of a popular classic." -- The Herald
£20.89
Penguin Putnam Inc Up From Slavery
Book Synopsis
£7.41
Basic Books Masters of Sex Media tiein
Book Synopsis Now a New Showtime Original SeriesShowtime''s dramatic series Masters of Sex, starring Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, is based on this real-life story of sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Before Sex and the City and ViagraTM, America relied on Masters and Johnson to teach us everything we needed to know about what goes on in the bedroom. Convincing hundreds of men and women to shed their clothes and copulate, the pair were the nation’s top experts on love and intimacy. Highlighting interviews with the notoriously private Masters and the ambitious Johnson, critically acclaimed biographer Thomas Maier shows how this unusual team changed the way we all thought about, talked about, and engaged in sex while they simultaneously tried to make sense of their own relationship. Entertaining, revealing, and beautifully told, Masters of Sex sheds light on the eternal mysteries of desire, intimacy, and the American psyche.
£13.49
John Wiley & Sons Inc Jane Austen For Dummies For Dummies S
Book SynopsisExplains Austen's methods, motivations, and morals The fun and easy way(r) to understand and enjoy Jane Austen Want to know more about Jane Austen? This friendly guide gives the scoop on her life, works, and lasting impact on our culture.Trade Review"If you begin this book as dummy, you won’t be one when you finish." (Financial Times, Sat 7th July)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 What You’re Not to Read 3 Foolish Assumptions 4 How This Book Is Organized 5 Part I: Getting to Know Jane Austen, Lady and Novelist 5 Part II: Austen Observes Ladies and Gentlemen 5 Part III: Living Life in Jane’s World 6 Part IV: Enjoying Austen and Her Influence Today 6 Part V: The Part of Tens 6 Appendix 6 Icons Used in This Book 7 Where to Go from Here 7 Part I: Getting to Know Jane Austen, Lady and Novelist 9 Chapter 1: Introducing Jane Austen 11 Identifying the Lady Writer 12 Keeping a Personal Record 13 Getting Reviewed 13 Checking out the comments from the critics of her day 13 Glancing at later reviews 15 Listening to Austen’s current readers 16 Getting Comfortable with “Jane” 16 Hearing the friendly, welcoming narrator 17 Hearing “Jane, the friend” become the witty, terse narrator 17 Delivering the Hollywood goods 18 Observing with Austen 20 Writing dialogue and conversation 20 Having an ear for a character’s voice 21 Having an eye for details 21 Tracing Austen’s Popularity 22 Starting the Saint Jane myth 22 Victorianizing Jane Austen 23 Taking Austen to the trenches 23 Taking Austen to school 24 Becoming Today’s Janeite 25 Chapter 2: Visiting Jane Austen’s Georgian World 27 Asserting Austen’s Georgian-ness 27 Examining Austen’s Georgian satire 29 Preferring candor over prudishness 30 Surveying the Political Landscape 31 Discerning Tories from Whigs 31 Anticipating trouble at home and across the channel 32 Sugaring tea from the slave trade 35 Understanding the Class System 37 Recognizing class 37 Defining “condescension” 42 Growing the Novel 43 Influencing the creation of the novel 44 Writing for middle-class readers and women 45 Chapter 3: Being Jane Austen (1775–1817) 47 Meeting the Austens 47 Introducing the Rev Mr and Mrs Austen 48 Getting to know Jane and her siblings 48 Growing Up Gentry: Jane’s Formative Years 52 Living and learning at the rectory 53 Surviving boarding school 54 Getting bitten by the writing bug: Austen’s “Juvenilia” 54 Becoming a Professional Writer 57 Beginning a life of letter writing 57 Experimenting with epistolary novels 58 Seeing the Personal Side of Jane 58 Having a sophisticated grown-up friend 59 Flirting with a new friend, Tom Lefroy 59 Remaining unmarried 60 Experiencing New Places, New Faces, New Feelings: Moving to Bath 63 Living and lulling in Bath 64 Accepting and rejecting a proposal 64 Losing a father and a friend 65 Relying on the kindness of sons and brothers 66 Exploring the Highs and Lows of Being a Writer 66 Getting published for the first time 67 Writing as a mature novelist 68 Succumbing to Illness 70 Seeking help in Winchester 71 Dying at age 41 71 Reacting to her death 72 Chapter 4: Inspiring the Aspiring Novelist 75 Growing Up in a Family of Novel Readers 75 Absorbing the style of The Book of Common Prayer 76 Jumping to Dr Johnson for instruction in morality and prose 76 Finding Shakespeare in Austen’s “constitution” 77 Mining Milton 78 Learning from Drama 78 Presenting characters dramatically 79 Creating effective entrances 80 Rising Sentimentalism and Sensibility in Society 82 Austen’s youthful reaction to sensibility 82 Austen’s mature reaction to sensibility 83 Sensing Sensibility in Samuel Richardson 83 Developing the epistolary novel 84 Austen’s inheritance from Richardson 85 Austen’s departure from Richardson 85 Maturing the Novel with Henry Fielding 86 Reading Fanny Burney 87 Being Influenced By Real People 87 Meeting an exotic “French” cousin 88 Running across other memorable personalities 88 Bringing It All Together: The Genius of Jane Austen 89 Creating living, breathing characters 89 Setting her characters in society 90 Part II: Austen Observes Ladies and Gentlemen 91 Chapter 5: Practicing the Politics of Dancing 93 Looking for Love on the Dance Floor 94 Rolling up the rugs to dance at home 94 Attending formal balls 95 Facing the challenges of dancing 102 Finding a Desirable Dance Partner (Possibly for Life!) 103 Getting help from the Master of Ceremonies 103 Taking a turn with family and friends 104 Putting Those Childhood Dance Lessons to Good Use 105 Dancing up the set 106 Knowing other popular dances 107 Observing dancing etiquette 107 Having fun under a watchful chaperone’s eye 109 Amusing the Non-Dancers: Finding the Card and Tea Rooms 110 Chapter 6: Playing the Dating Game: Courtship, Austen Style 113 Defining Eligibility 113 “Coming Out” as a Young Lady 114 Identifying the eligible gentlemen 118 Getting to Know Each Other 119 The courtship do’s of Austen’s day 120 The don’ts (unless done on the sly) 121 Mastering the Fine Art of Flirting 124 “Looking” the feelings of love 125 Reading and misreading body language 126 Speaking the language of love 126 Getting Engaged (Finally!) 127 Making the proposal 127 Securing father’s approval 128 Exchanging gifts 129 Breaking an engagement 129 Chapter 7: Marrying: A Serious Business for Jane Austen and Her Characters 131 Exploring the Main Motivations for Marrying 132 Landing a loving husband with a sizeable estate 132 Choosing a willing wife with a decent dowry 136 Understanding why some folks (including Austen) broke with tradition 138 Coming to Terms 140 Drawing up the marriage settlement or articles 141 Arranging for a jointure 142 Sealing the Deal 142 Choosing the wedding clothes and coach 142 Announcing the nuptials 143 Sharing the big day with family and friends 145 Eloping to Gretna Green and avoiding the whole thing 145 Taking the honeymoon 146 Breaching the Agreement: Facing the Shame of Divorce 147 Chapter 8: Wily Females and Seductive Males 149 Working with What You’ve Got to Get Your Man 150 Capturing a husband with “youth and beauty” 150 Using beauty and trickery when you don’t have youth 152 Flirting Your Way to a Husband — Hopefully 152 Flirting and failing 154 Witnessing unconscious flirting 155 Mistaken flirting 156 Dealing with Dangerous Men 156 Seducing for the thrill of it 156 Seducing for money 158 Winning a Spouse with Honesty 158 Part III: Living Life in Jane’s World 161 Chapter 9: Looking at Ladies’ Limited Rights and Roles 163 Living as a Lady in a Gentleman’s World 164 Limiting the lady’s life by law 164 Belonging to daddy 165 Relying on the kindness of brothers 166 Protecting the unmarried, brotherless gentlewoman 167 Becoming an “Accomplished” Lady 167 Defining the “accomplished woman” 168 Attending a seminary in the city 168 Going to boarding school 169 Having a governess 170 Learning ad hoc at home (or not) 171 Training a lady 171 Placing Austen in the Women’s Movement 172 Austen’s advocating the rational female 172 Aligning Jane Austen with Mary Wollstonecraft 173 Assessing the Single Gentlewoman’s Single Occupation 174 Chapter 10: Being a Man in a Man’s World 177 Being a Gentleman’s Son 177 Training to a be a gentleman in boyhood 178 Beginning a more formal education 179 Heading to Eton or another “public” school 179 Gaining an “OxBridge” degree 181 Taking the Grand Tour 182 Inheriting Property 183 Respecting primogeniture 183 Disentangling the entail 185 Being the Eldest Son 186 Enjoying an elder brother’s “rights” 186 Training to run the estate 188 Supporting Younger Sons of Gentlemen 189 Finding a genteel profession 189 Marrying into money 191 Pinch-hitting for older brother 192 Meeting the New Gentleman in a Rising Middle Class 192 Moving up as a businessman 193 Being a gentleman through manners and education 194 Chapter 11: Experiencing Life at Home in Austen’s Day 195 Living in a Country House 195 Touring country houses 196 Picking up Austen’s hints about a modern-built house 200 Keeping the country house running 201 Taking on the Responsibilities of the Lady of the House 203 Overseeing the country house 204 Raising the children 205 Being a Gentleman Farmer 206 Improving the estate, or not 206 Raising the children 207 Aiding the church 207 Hosting one’s guests 207 Entering Parliament 208 Participating in local government 209 Evening Entertainment 209 Dining with guests 210 Playing cards 210 Reading and writing 211 Chatting with family and friends 212 Listening to music 212 Dancing at home 213 Traveling Away from Home 213 Showing that you are what you drive 214 Austen’s showing that you are what you drive 219 Chapter 12: Minding Your Manners 221 Making a Gentleman 222 Training an English gentleman 222 Assessing Austen’s gentlemen heroes 223 Training a Lady in Her Duty: Pleasing Her Man 227 Ignoring the prescription of Dr Fordyce 227 Undermining Dr Gregory’s advice 228 Knowing Your Place and Rank 230 Honoring rank when entering a room 230 Ranking people in your speech 231 Remembering rank in introductions and greetings 232 Conversing pleasantly and politely 235 Exposing Bad Manners 236 Listening to the ungrammatical and the insecure 236 Discerning the liars through their charming manners 237 Chapter 13: Following Religion and Morality for Jane Austen and Her Times 239 Shaping Anglicanism 239 Forming the Church of England 240 Altering Anglicanism by Austen’s day 241 Assessing Austen’s Anglicanism 243 Reviewing Austen’s Clerical Characters 244 Serving Up the Seven Deadly Sins 246 Pride: Thinking you’re the cat’s meow 247 Greed: Wanting it all (and then some) 248 Lust: Failing parents of fallen daughters 249 Anger: Forgetting to hold your tongue 250 Gluttony: Tipping the scales 251 Envy: Casting a jealous eye 251 Sloth: Being a bad parent 252 Outweighing the Bad by Doing Good 253 Part IV: Enjoying Austen and Her Influence Today 255 Chapter 14: Reading Jane Austen 257 Reading Northanger Abbey 257 Knowing the background 258 Linking Northanger Abbey to Udolpho 258 Watching Catherine learn 258 Hearing the narrator’s irony in Northanger Abbey 259 Reading Sense and Sensibility 260 Erring with either sense or sensibility 260 Seeing other characters’ sense and/or sensibility 262 Reading Pride and Prejudice 263 Getting past the first line of the novel 263 Determining who’s proud and who’s prejudiced 263 Understanding Mr Collins 264 Reading Mansfield Park 265 Dealing with abusive behavior 265 Accepting a passive heroine 266 Hearing a very intrusive narrator 266 Reading Emma 266 Attending to the first line and first paragraph of the novel 267 Bringing in Mrs Elton 267 Reading Persuasion 268 Meeting “Only Anne” 269 Facing reader frustration 269 Discussing Austen’s Novels 270 General questions 271 Discussing Northanger Abbey 271 Discussing Sense and Sensibility 272 Discussing Pride and Prejudice 272 Discussing Mansfield Park 273 Discussing Emma 274 Discussing Persuasion 274 Chapter 15: Bringing Austen Novels to Stage, Screen, and Television 277 Assessing Austen’s Adaptability 277 Creating attractive and admirable heroines 278 Finding ready-made dialogue in the novel 279 Looking for courtesy in an increasingly impolite world 280 Watching costume drama to experience armchair travel 280 Dealing with difficulties in adapting Austen 281 Checking Out Austen Adaptations 283 Seeing villains in Northanger Abbey 283 Scoping Sense and Sensibility 284 Perpetuating Pride and Prejudice 286 Moving to Mansfield Park 287 Getting clues about Emma 288 Performing Persuasion 289 “Inventing” Austen’s Life On Screen 290 Chapter 16: Determining Austen’s Literary Descendents 291 Influencing Later Canonical Writers 292 Looking at some of Austen’s novelizing heirs 293 Sequelizing Austen’s Novels 296 Finishing Austen without Austen 297 Attributing “chick lit” to Austen 298 Appropriating Austen in Popular Culture 300 Part V: The Part of Tens 301 Chapter 17: Ten Most Memorable Austen Characters 303 Austen’s Most Memorable Child 303 Austen’s Most Memorable Leading Lady 304 Austen’s Most Memorable Leading Man 304 Austen’s Most Memorable Female Flirts 305 Austen’s Most Memorable Cad 305 Austen’s Most Memorable Dupe 306 Austen’s Most Memorable Talker 307 Austen’s Most Memorable Couple 307 Austen’s Most Memorable Abnormal Personality 308 Chapter 18: Ten Best Austen-Related Books (Besides This One!) 309 Checking Out the Relatives’ Writings 309 Opening Austen’s Letters 311 Following the Austen Family’s History 312 Sailing Away with Austen — or at Least Her Brothers! 312 Creating a Dinner Austen Would Be Proud of — and Probably Ate! 313 Kicking Back with Jane Austen 313 Chapter 19: Ten Best Austen Places to Visit 315 The British Library at St Pancras, London 315 No 10 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden 316 Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton 317 St Nicholas Church and the Chawton House Library 317 Steventon 318 Winchester Cathedral 319 No 8 College Street, Winchester 319 Bath 320 Portsmouth Harbor 321 Lyme Regis 321 Chapter 20: Ten Best Austenisms (and What They Mean) 323 Speaking for the Homebodies 323 Acknowledging Differences 324 Expressing Sympathetic Understanding 324 Embarrassing Moments 325 Revealing Wrongs with Subtle Ease 325 Ending on a Happy Note 326 Seeking Good Fortune — Big Bucks, That Is 326 Making Sure Money Isn’t Everything 327 Watching Your Step 327 Trusting the Right People 327 Appendix: Jane Austen Chronology 329 Index 341
£12.59
John Wiley & Sons Inc Doc Holliday
Book SynopsisHe was a dentist from the South believed to have gone west because of tuberculosis, a man who went on to become a gambler, a faro dealer, and one of the most feared (and fearless) gunfighters of his time--a close friend of Wyatt Earp and a key participant in the famous 1881 shootout at the OK Corral.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Prologue: The Measure of a Man 1 1 Child of the Southern Frontier 7 2 The World Turned Upside Down 25 3 Gone to Texas 55 4 Cow Towns and Pueblos 89 5 The Price of a Reputation 122 6 Friends and Enemies 159 7 The Fremont Street Fiasco 186 8 Vengeance 223 9 The Out Trail 258 10 A Holliday in Denver 284 11 A Living—and Dying—Legend 319 12 The Anatomy of a Western Legend 373 Epilogue: The Measure of a Legend 407 Notes 415 Index 501
£17.10
Dover Publications Inc. The Life of Olaudah Equiano Or Gustavus Vassa the
Book SynopsisThe journey of an Igbo prince from captivity to freedom and literacy; his enslavement in the New World, service in the Seven Years War, voyages to the Arctic, other adventures.
£8.35
Thames & Hudson Ltd Stalins Architect
Book SynopsisThe first biography to trace the remarkable life and career of Ukrainian-born Boris Iofan, beautifully illustrated with many of Iofanâs previously unseen sketchbooks and photographs from private collections. This is a history of architecture, politics and power. Boris Iofan (1891â1976) made his mark as Stalinâs architect, both in the grand projects he achieved, such as the House on the Embankment, a megastructure of 505 homes for the Soviet elite, and through his unbuilt designs, in particular the Palace of the Soviets, a baroque Stalinist dream whose iconic image was reproduced throughout the Soviet Union. Iofanâs life and designs offer a unique perspective into the politics of twentieth-century architecture and the history of the Soviet Union.Trade Review'Gorgeous pencil sketches … a breezy and readable text accessible to a broader, non-specialist audience … [Sudjic] deals with the cascade of names and denunciations, political shifts and relationships with agility and ease' - Edwin Heathcote, The Art Newspaper'Deyan Sudjic conveys Iofan’s story in captivating fashion. The 100 photographs and drawings that accompany Sudjic’s text evoke something of the nature of the Stalinist era and the oppressive atmosphere in which Iofan lived and worked. Reading this cultural biography, you learn as much about Jewish life in Odessa in the late-19th and early-20th century, and the later strictures of Stalinist Russia, as you do about Iofan’s architectural prowess, so the book certainly has a broader interest too' - Beth Williamson, Art Studio international'A fine biography of Boris Iofan' - Jonathan Meades, The Critic'A forensic examination of Iofan’s work and private communications' - Literary Review'Sudjic tells [Iofan's] story with brio' - Financial Times'Sudjic’s book is a useful introduction to Iofan’s life and work … As Sudjic writes, the second half of Iofan’s career is “a cautionary tale of how damaging it can be to come close to political power, especially for an architect negotiating an accommodation with tyranny”' - New English Review
£24.00
Transworld Publishers Ltd Finding Peggy
Book SynopsisGlasgow in the 1950s was a deprived and often violent place. Meg Henderson was part of a large family, and when the tenement block in which they lived collapsed they had to move to the notorious Blackhill district where religious sectarianism and gang warfare were part of daily life. Yet despite appalling conditions , there was warmth, laughter and a remarkable spirit, andMeg''s mother and her Aunt Peggy, both idealistic and emotional women, shielded her from the effects of her father''s heavy drinking. A hopeless romantic, Peggy searched for a husband until late in life and then endured a harsh, unhappy marriage. When she died horrifically in childbirth her death devastated the family and destroyed Meg''s childhood. Only later, after the death of her own mother, was Meg able to discover the shocking facts behind the tragedy.Trade ReviewMeg Henderson's journalistic background undoubtedly adds to the ease with which she describes people and places, making them at once familiar and freshly seen. Finding Peggy is full of rich detail told with humour and sharpness. * Scotland on Sunday *A warm and vivid memory of Glasgow life - it provokes nostalgia and anger in equal measure. Apart from anything else, this is a gripping story, told with real passion -- Magnus Linklater
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd Damn Few
Book Synopsis**THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**With all the SEALs'' recent successes, we have been getting a level of attention we are not used to. It''s been flattering but something important has been missing from the discussion. People keep describing what we do, but no one has even scratched the surface of how and why. The unique psychology behind it.Operating in the world's most hostile environments, the Navy SEALs are highly skilled warriors, finely tuned and ready for action. Now, for the first time, Lieutenant Commander Rorke Denver offers a compelling and profound insight into the extreme bravery, borderline lunacy, and touching camaraderie of this elite brotherhood.Packed with tales from the gruelling training process and real-life operations, Rorke Denver recounts his evolution from a young SEAL hopeful pushing his way through Hell Week, into a warrior engaging in dangerous stealth missions across the globe, and finally into a lieutenant commander Trade ReviewIf you’ve ever wished you could read the testament of a Jedi Knight, here it is. Damn Few takes us inside the mind of a born warrior. This is timeless stuff, worthy of being read in the era of Caesar, Alexander, Leonidas—or a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. * Steven Pressfield, author of 'Gates of Fire' and 'The War of Art' *Interweaving tales of battle and reflections on what it means to be a professional killer, Denver crafts an awe-inspiring sketch of soldierly excellence. * Publishers Weekly *
£13.49
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Ariadne Objective
Book SynopsisIn the bleakest years of the Second World War when it appeared that nothing could slow the advance of the German army, Hitler set his sights on the Mediterranean island of Crete, the ideal staging ground for domination of the Middle East. But German command had not counted on the strength of the Cretan resistance or the eccentric band of British intelligence officers who would stand in their way, conducting audacious sabotage operations in the very shadow of the Nazi occupation force.The Ariadne Objective tells the remarkable story of the secret war on Crete from the perspective of these amateur soldiers who found themselves serving because, as one of them put it, they had made ''the obsolete choice of Greek at school''. John Pendlebury, a swashbuckling archaeologist with a glass eye and a swordstick; Xan Fielding, a writer who would later produce the English translations of books like Bridge on the River Kwai and Planet of the Apes; Sandy Rendel, a futuTrade ReviewAn exciting, fast-moving and crisply written adventure story… Highly recommended * The Literary Review *Wes Davis’s fast-paced tale of wartime sabotage reads more like an Ian Fleming thriller than a mere retelling of events * Wall Street Journal *What really sets the book apart from the host of look-alikes is Davis’s dedication to fleshing out the eccentricity of the main players… It is surely a good thing that we no longer associate war with adventure; if it were always as appealing as Davis has made it here, we would grow to love it too much * Daily Beast *
£11.69
Transworld Publishers Ltd eclipse
Book SynopsisEpsom Downs, 3rd May, 1769: a chestnut with a white blaze scorches across the turf towards the finishing post. His four rivals are so far behind him that, in racing terms, they are ''nowhere''. Watching Eclipse is the man who wants to buy him. An adventurer who has made his money through roguery and gambling, Dennis O''Kelly is also the companion of the madam of one of London''s most notorious brothels. While O''Kelly is destined to remain an outcast to the racing establishment, his horse will go on to become the undisputed, undefeated champion of his sport. Eclipse''s male-line descendants will include Desert Orchid, Arkel and all but three of the Derby winners of the past fifty years. And his astonishing life will be matched only by that of the rogue who owned him.Trade ReviewA ripping yarn expertly told: part Flashman at the Races; part Seabiscuit without the schmaltz * Observer *Clee combines the story of Eclipse's racing and breeding career with the lives of those who bred and owned him, a crowd who were racy in every conceivable sense * Daily Telegraph *Clee knows how to tell a gripping story: he weaves the halves together into a well-written narrative of social change... fascinating * Independent *This splendid book... This is a read bursting with life, and Clee has the balance and worldliness to weigh all his material with sense and perspective. No racing home should be without it * The Times *It brings to life a horse that has left behind a matchless legacy. For the casual reader, it is an enjoyable romp through a period knee-deep in fops, fools and fraudsters * Independent on Sunday *
£15.29
Transworld Publishers Ltd The Arcanum
Book SynopsisImprisoned in a fairy-tale castle and under constant threat of execution by his ruthless captor an 18th century apothecary struggled to realize the alchemist''s dream. His name was Johann Frederick Bottger. But instead of transforming base metal into gold he was to discover the formula for something even more exotic and elusive, a substance so precious it was known as ''white gold''. And it was a formula for which others were prepared to lie, cheat, steal and even kill to possess.This was the remarkable backdrop to one of the most strange and compelling episodes in European cultural and scientific history; a tale of genius and greed, of demonic cruelty and exquisite beauty, of the best and worst of which man is capable - it is the true story of the invention of European porcelain.Trade ReviewThe number one bestseller'Breathtaking...a story which has everything: greed, wars, revolution, financial chicanery, industrial sabotage, betrayal and bloodshed' * Guardian *'The author's background research is as admirable as her storytelling...intended to be the next Longitude, and it deserves to be' * Country Life *'Extremely readable...worthy of Dumas, a rich brew of jealousy, betrayal and industrial espionage...fascinating' * Sunday Telegraph *'A remarkably exciting story, told with suitable panache' * Independent on Sunday *
£14.39
Transworld Publishers Ltd Donald Campbell
Book SynopsisGenerations are familiar with the haunting black and white television footage of Donald Campbell somersaulting to his death in his famous Bluebird boat on Coniston Water in January, 1967. It has become an iconic image of the decade. His towering achievements, and the drama of his passing, are thus part of the national psyche. But what of the man himself? The son of the legendary Sir Malcolm Campbell who was famous for being the ultimate record-breaker of the inter-war years - he broke the land speed record nine times and the water speed record four times with his Bluebird cars and boats - Donald Campbell was born to speed. He was outgoing and flamboyant, yet carefully orchestrated the image he presented to the world. Some saw him as a playboy adventurer; others, such as the radio producer on the twenty-first anniversary of his death, as a reckless daredevil with a death wish. He was known to take solace in extra-marital dalliances, and was obsessed with spiritualism.Trade Review'Well-researched, well-balanced, yet highly compelling...beautifully moving and full of suspense' * DAILY EXPRESS *'The first biography to be written with the co-operation of Campbell's family' * OBSERVER *'Goes a long way to answering the questions many of those familiar with Campbell's exploits never contemplated...Wonderfully vivid' * THE TIMES *Table of ContentsGenerations are familiar with the haunting black and white television footage of Donald Campbell somersaulting to his death in his famous Bluebird boat on Coniston Water in January, 1967. It has become an iconic image of the decade. His towering achievements, and the drama of his passing, are thus part of the national psyche. But what of the man himself? The son of the legendary Sir Malcolm Campbell who was famous for being the ultimate record-breaker of the inter-war years - he broke the land speed record nine times and the water speed record four times with his Bluebird cars and boats - Donald Campbell was born to speed. He was outgoing and flamboyant, yet carefully orchestrated the image he presented to the world. Some saw him as a playboy adventurer; others, such as the radio producer on the twenty-first anniversary of his death, as a reckless daredevil with a death wish. He was known to take solace in extra-marital dalliances, and was obsessed with spiritualism. And in his final years, battered by a 360-mph accident while attempting the land record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and his prolonged and anti-climactic subsequent effort on the treacherous Lake Eyre in Australia, Campbell appeared a haggard and often frightened man. He had become trapped on his record-breaker's treadmill as he continually sought to prove himself to his illustrious father, in whose long shadow he felt forever trapped. Donald Campbell: The Man Behind The Mask paints a fascinating portrait of an intense, complex, superstitious yet abnormally brave man who was driven not only by the desire to prove that he was worthy of the mantle of his father, but also by his fervent and unswerving desire to keep Britain at the forefront of international speed endeavour. This book generates a unique insight into how his desperate fear of failure finally lured him into taking one risk too many.
£11.69
