Biography: general Books
The University of Chicago Press Men Who Made a New Physics Physicists and the
Book SynopsisCline recounts the development of quantum theory, capturing the atmosphere of argument and discovery among physicists in the 1920s. She explores the backgrounds of the major figures--Rutherford, Bohr, Planck, Einstein--separately, but draws them together as they begin to consider each other's questions about the nature of matter.
£27.00
Indiana University Press Mourning Headband for Hue
Book SynopsisVietnam, January, 1968. As the citizens of Hue are preparing to celebrate Tet, the start of the Lunar New Year, Nha Ca arrives in the city to attend her father's funeral. Without warning, war erupts all around them, drastically changing or cutting short their lives. After a month of fighting, their beautiful city lies in ruins and thousands of people are dead. Mourning Headband for Hue tells the story of what happened during the fierce North Vietnamese offensive and is an unvarnished and riveting account of war as experienced by ordinary people caught up in the violence.Trade ReviewThe author's narrative burns with firsthand accounts, her own and those of others who shared their stories, as they all were trapped in blasted houses, churches and makeshift shelters, wounded, starving, sick and overrun by the Communists and their squads of vengeful executioners...[A] searing first-person account of the misery of war visited upon her family, neighbors and countrymen, caught in senseless, chaotic horror...A visceral reminder of war's intimate slaughter. * Kirkus Reviews *Nha Ca relates countless moments of terror she and her extended family members suffered and shares stories told to her by others who faced similarly dire circumstances. It's an intimate—and disturbing—account of war at its most brutal, told from the point of view of civilians trying to survive the maelstrom. * Publishers Weekly *To this day, her harrowing account—of war casualties, searches and arrests, ideological purges—generates intense debates about accountability during war time. * Shelf Awareness *...[A] searing eyewitness account...It makes for an intimate—and disturbing—account of war at its most brutal told from the point of view of civilians trying to survive the maelstrom. * VVA Veteran *This is a worthy addition to accounts that help readers understand the Vietnam War. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *On the whole, scholars will find this memoir invaluable for understanding the American War in Vietnam as an internal civil war between the Vietnamese. * H-Net Reviews H-War *In her translation of A Mourning Headband for Hue, Olga Dror has traversed the terrain of contemporary Vietnamese literature, selected a wonderful gem, Gii Khăn Sô Cho Hu by Nhã Ca, and made it accessible to an English readership. . . . It is simultaneously an account of the experience of civilians trapped in a city under siege and a literary response to the brutalities of war by a leading poet and writer of South Vietnam. * Journal of Vietnamese Studies *Mourning Headband for Hue is Nhã Ca's searing condemnation of the brutality of war. * Michigan War Studies Review *A work of great historical and literary value ideal for use in the classroom, Mourning Headband for Hue highlights overlooked voices and facets of the Vietnam War, meriting inclusion among the classics of wartime fiction. * Southeast Asian Studies *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsNote on TranslationTranslator's IntroductionSmall Preface: Writing to Admit Guilt1. First Hours2. The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer3. Hodge-podge4. On a Boat Trip5. A Person from Tu Dam Comes Back and Tells His Story6. Going Back into the Hell of the Fighting7. Story from the Citadel8. Returning to the Old House9. A Dog in Midstream10. Little Child of, Hue Little Child of Vietnam, I Wish You Luck!
£16.14
Oxford University Press Twenty Years AGrowing
Book SynopsisMaurice O'Sullivan was born on the Great Blasket in 1904, and 'Twenty years A-Growing' tells the story of his youth and of a way of life which belonged to the Middle Ages. He wrote for his own pleasure and for the entertainment of his friends, without any thought of a wider public; his style is derived from folk-tales which he hear from his grandfather and sharpened by his own lively imagination.Trade ReviewI was fascinated by the language of the book, originally written in Irish: much of the idiom of that language had been retained in the English Translation * Paul Buttle - The Independent *Part of a unique and remarkable Irish literary archive ... compelling. * Neil Johnston, Belfast Telegraph, 24/6/00 *Table of Contents1. IN DINGLE; 2. MY FIRST JOURNEY HOME; 3. THE ISLAND; 4; A DAY'S HUNTING; 5. VENTRY RACES; 6. PIERCE'S CAVE; 7. A SHOAL OF MACKEREL; 8. HALLOWE'EN; 9. THE WHALE; 10. THE WAKE; 11. A NIGHT IN THE INISH; 12 THE WAR; 13. THE SHIPWRECK; 14. THE WANDERER; 15. THE LOBSTER SEASON; 16; MATCHMAKING; 17. THE WEDDING DAY; 18. AN AMERICAN WAKE; 19. THE STRANGER; 20 MY LAST JOURNEY TO THE INISH; 21; I LEAVE HOME; 22. FROM DINGLE EAST; 23. THE CITY OF DUBLIN; 24. THE CIVIC GUARD; 25. CONNEMARA; 26. CONCLUSION
£9.02
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Traci Lords Underneath It All
Book SynopsisThe moving, gripping and tell all autobiography of Traci Lords, a former child porn queen, electronica maven and cult movie and TV star.Trade Review"Frank, opinionated, intelligent, drenched in emotion...Will have readers cheering Lords on as they speed through its gritty, big-souled pages." -- Publishers Weekly
£7.59
Random House USA Inc Letters to Véra
Book SynopsisNo marriage of a major twentieth-century writer is quite as beguiling as that of Vladimir Nabokov’s to Véra Slonim. She shared his delight at the enchantment of life’s trifles and literature’s treasures, and he rated her as having the best and quickest sense of humor of any woman he had met. From their first encounter in 1923, Vladimir’s letters to Véra chronicle a half-century-long love story, one that is playful, romantic, and memorable. At the same time, the letters reveal much about their author. We see the infectious fascination with which Vladimir observed everything—animals, people, speech, landscapes and cityscapes—and glimpse his ceaseless work on his poems, plays, stories, novels, memoirs, screenplays, and translations. This delightful volume is enhanced by twenty-one photographs, as well as facsimiles of the letters and the puzzles and drawings Vladimir often sent to Véra. With 8 pages of photographs and 47 illustrations in text
£20.82
Hodder & Stoughton Parky My Autobiography
Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times BestsellerAll Michael Parkinson really wanted to do was play cricket for Yorkshire and England. However, he soon realised that to be paid to watch films, football and cricket would be the best way to spend life, so he became a journalist.Television beckoned and for three decades Parkinson interviewed the movers and shakers of the late twentieth century, making his television programme the must-see event of the week. In singing with Bing Crosby, dancing with Billy Connolly, flirting with Miss Piggy and sparring with Muhammad Ali, Parkinson proved himself one of the most engaging and durable hosts in both Britain and Australia.In Parky he recalls a full life with honesty, insight and humour.Praise for Parky:''Nothing less than riveting.'' Mirror''Joyous'' Telegraph''Wonderfully readable'' Daily Mail''One of the finest broadcasters of any Trade ReviewI recommend it heavily. It's a wonderful book * Melvyn Bragg *Parky's book is a joyous, breezy read, as much for the improbability of his early escapades as for his backstage anecdotes about the stars. It is also beautifully written * Daily Telegraph *The early chapters about his childhood and early career ... are disarmingly modest and offer a proper glimpse into another world * Independent *Crisp and detailed prose ... with an especially impressive account of a pre-second world war childhood in the north * Mark Lawson, Guardian *Funny and self-deprecating and just as laid-back as he is on camera * Boyd Tonkin, Independent *This autobiography is just like an extended edition of a brilliant Parkinson on television - engrossing and entertaining * Irish Times *
£18.75
Farrar, Straus and Giroux My Struggle Book One
Book SynopsisA New York Times bestseller, My Struggle: Book 1 introduces American readers to the audacious, addictive, and profoundly surprising international literary sensation that is the provocative and brilliant six-volume autobiographical novel by Karl Ove Knausgaard. It has already been anointed a Proustian masterpiece and is the rare work of dazzling literary originality that is intensely, irresistibly readable. Unafraid of the big issuesdeath, love, art, fearand yet committed to the intimate details of life as it is lived, My Struggle is an essential work of contemporary literature.
£15.20
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc Life of Christ
Book SynopsisWidely proclaimed a classic work of Christian faith, Life of Christ has been hailed as the most eloquent of Fulton J. Sheen''s many books. The fruit of many years of reflection, prayer, and research, it is a dramatic and moving recounting of the birth, life, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Christ, and a passionate portrait of the God-Man, the teacher, the healer, and, most of all, the Savior, whose promise has sustained humanity for two millenia.With his customary insight and reverence, Sheen interprets the Scripture and describes Christ not only in historical perspective but also in exciting and contemporary terms -- seeing in Christ''s life both modern parallels and timeless lessons. His thoughtful, probing analysis provides new insight into well-known Gospel events.An appealing blend of philosophy, history, and biblical exegesis, from the best-known and most-loved American Catholic leader of the twentieth century, Life of Christ has long been a sour
£999.99
Alfred A. Knopf Stags Leap
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£13.09
Yale University Press Why Did Freud Reject God
Book SynopsisIn this study, the author reviews and reorganizes data about Freud's development and life circumstances to provide a psychodynamic interpretation of his rejection of God. She contends that Freud's early life made it impossible for him to believe in a provident and caring divine being.
£56.02
University of California Press The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr. Volume II
Book SynopsisMartin Luther King, Jr's ideas - his call for racial equality, his insistence on the power of nonviolence to bring about a major transformation of American society - are as vital as ever. This title begins with King's doctoral work at Boston University and ends with his first year as pastor of the historic Dexter Avenue Baptist Church.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Chronology Editorial Principles and Practices List of Abbreviations The Papers Calendar of Documents Index Illustrations
£53.55
Orison Books The Divine Magnet
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£17.10
Pan Macmillan Isherwood
Book SynopsisBorn into the English landed gentry, the heir to a substantial country estate, Christopher Isherwood ended up in California, an American citizen and the disciple of a Hindu swami. En route, he became a leading writer of the 1930's generation, an unmatched chronicler of pre-Hitler Berlin, an experimental dramatist, a war reporter, a travel writer, a pacifist, a Hollywood screenwriter, a monk, and a grand old man of the emerging gay liberation movement. In this biography, the first to be written since Isherwood's death, and the only one with access to all Isherwood's papers, Peter Parker traces the long journey of a man who never felt at home wherever he lived. Isherwood's travels were a means of escape: from his family, his class, his country, and the dead weight of the past. Parker reveals the truth about Isherwood's relationship with his war-hero father, his strong-willed mother, and his disturbed younger brother, Richard, who was also homosexual. He also draws upon a vast number of letters to describe Isherwood's complicated relationships with such lifelong friends as W. H. Auden, Stephen Spender, Edward Upward and John Lehmann. The result is a frank portrait of contradictions, a man searching for meaning in life, and one of the twentieth century's most significant writers.
£18.00
University of Oklahoma Press The Masterworks of Charles M. Russell
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£999.99
Random House USA Inc Strength in What Remains
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£15.30
Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Frida Kahlo: Una biografía / Frida Kahlo: A
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£20.75
Rowman & Littlefield Flirting with Mermaids The Unpredictable Life of
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewJohn Kretschmer has an easygoing style that will ingratiate the reader from the very start of this book. It is a look at what a life at sea can mean to a person, and it is extremely well-written and easy to follow. Plenty of good insight into what can be expected when you are out there for days at a time. Consisting of anecdotes from his sailing career, this book is highly recommended for those who plan to go cruising. * Latitudes & Attitudes *Wildly festooned with adventure, romance and outrageous characters. * Miami Herald *Filled with a myriad of sea stories...all delivered with a wry and self-deprecating sense of humor. * Sailing *I would highly recommend this book to anyone [with] a sense of adventure and romance. * Good Old Boat *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Chapter 1: A Shallow-Water Appointment Chapter 2: A Show of Presence Chapter 3: Famous Chapter 4: Yacht Delivery 101 Chapter 5: A Waterfront Office Chapter 6: Red Sky by Morn Chapter 7: She Drives Me Crazy Chapter 8: Just Another Crossing Chapter 9: Force Unlucky Chapter 10: A Home Delivery
£12.34
Surrey Books,U.S. Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words: In Her Own
Book SynopsisAs one of only nine women in a class of 500 at Harvard Law School when she enrolled in 1956 and one of only four female Supreme Court justices in the history of the United States, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is frequently viewed as a feminist trailblazer and an icon for civil rights. Ginsburg has always been known as a prolific writer and speaker. Now, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world’s most influential women by collecting 300 of Ginsburg’s most insightful quotes. Meticulously curated from interviews, speeches, court opinions, dissents, and other sources, Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Her Own Words creates a comprehensive picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, her wisdom, and her legacy.Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction Part I: The Law The Law and Constitution Lawyers, Judges, and the Practice of Law The Supreme Court Women and the Law Part II: Civil Liberties: Free to Be You and Me American Rights and Values Equal Justice under the Law The History of the Women’s Rights Movement The Rights of Women Part III: A Life of Her Own Memories of a Long Life Friends, Family, and Other Influences Life Lessons Milestones
£8.99
Princeton University Press From Drawing to Painting
Book SynopsisInterweaves biographical information about 5 renowned French artists - Nicolas Poussin, Antoine Watteau, Jean-Honore Fragonard, Jacques-Louis David, and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. This book presents over 260 illustrations, and explores drawing as a site of reflection, the space between the idea of a painted image and its realization on canvas.Trade Review"Beginning with a general introduction to the background and style of each artist's work, Rosenberg discusses what the drawings meant to each artist, who collected them, how drawings fit into the practice of the creation of paintings, and the tricky practice of attributing drawings."--Library Journal "[A] wonderful, charming and witty book... The scholarship is personable and engaging, yet unobtrusive. A book for everyone, and a model of the unity, and expansiveness, of the art historical enterprise."--Choice "Rosenberg poses in six chapters a series of basic questions on the nature, function, and connoisseurship of drawings. 'Basic' is, or course, a deceptive word, for the most basic questions can be the most challenging to answer. For general audiences, this book ... is the equivalent of a tour with a patient guide through terrain that otherwise might be perceived as rarified or inhospitable... For specialists, this volume of synthesis and reflection will prove a useful complement to the weighty compilations of fact and documentation in the catalogues raisonnes... One can hope that younger scholars will be inspired to follow Rosenberg's example and give equal attention to drawing and painting as two sides of the same coin, as, of course, they are."--Perrin Stein, Master DrawingsTable of ContentsPREFACE INTRODUCTION ix CHAPTER 1 Five Exceptional Artists 2 CHAPTER 2 The Drawings: Their Histories, Techniques, and Themes 26 CHAPTER 3 Practice and Idea 66 CHAPTER 4 On the Attribution and Dating of the Drawings 96 CHAPTER 5 Drawing and Money 144 CHAPTER 6 Drawing and Design 176 NOTES 211 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 234 INDEX 238
£63.00
University of Oklahoma Press Charles Goodnight
Book SynopsisTells the exciting story of a Texas Ranger, adventurer, and immigration officer who became a symbol of his age while gambling with death in the wild frontier regions of Texas, Arizona, and Old and New Mexico.
£18.86
John Wiley & Sons Cleopatra A Sourcebook
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£19.76
Crecy Publishing Enemy Coast Ahead
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£7.55
AU Press My Decade at Old Sun, My Lifetime of Hell
Book SynopsisIn a series of chronological vignettes, Arthur Bear Chief depicts the punishment, cruelty, abuse, and injustice that he endured at Old Sun Residential School and then later relived in the traumatic process of retelling his story at an examination for discovery in connection with a lawsuit brought against the federal government. Late in life, he returned to Gleichen, Alberta on the Siksika nation—to the home left to him by his mother—and it was there that he began to reconnect with Blackfoot language and culture. Although the terrific adversity Bear Chief faced in his childhood made an indelible mark on his life, his unyielding spirit is evident throughout his story.
£15.29
Goose Lane Editions Riding Into War The Memoir of a Horse Transport
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Riding into War is the best memoir now in print relating to logistics. It explores the forgotten heroics of feeding and arming the Canadian Corps during the First World War." -- Tim Cook * Canadian War Museum *
£11.39
Profile Books Ltd Diaghilev: A Life
Book SynopsisThis magnificent new biography of the extraordinary impresario of the arts and creator of the Ballets Russes 100 years ago draws on important new research, notably from Russia. 'Scheijen masterfully recounts the phenomenal way in which Diaghilev contrived, under virtually impossible circumstances, to nurture a sequence of works ... he triumphs in making clear the degree to which, despite the cosmopolitanism of so much of the work, Russia was at the core of Diaghilev' Simon Callow, Guardian 'It's a fabulous, complicated, very sexy story and Sjeng Scheijen takes us through it with a steadying calm that fudges none of the outrage on or off stage' Duncan Fallowell, Daily Express 'Magnificent ... filled with extraordinary glamour' Rupert Christiansen, Daily Mail
£17.09
Little, Brown Book Group Testament of Friendship: The Story of Winifred
Book SynopsisWRITTEN WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY MARK BOSTRIDGE In her bestselling first volume of autobiography, Testament of Youth, Vera Brittain passionately recorded the agonising years of the First World War, lamenting the destruction of a generation which for her included those she most dearly loved - her lover, her brother and her closest friends.In Testament of Friendship Brittain tells the story of the woman who helped her survive those tragic years - the writer Winifred Holtby. They met at Somerville College, Oxford, immediately after the war. Their friendship continued through Vera's marriage and their separate but parallel writing careers until Winifred's untimely death at the age of thirty-seven. When she died, her fame as a writer was about to reach its peak with the publication of her greatest novel, South Riding. A moving record of a friendship between two women of courage, determination and intelligence and a wonderful portrait of a lifelong love. Testament of Friendship now takes its rightful place as a Virago Modern Classic.Trade ReviewThroughout their correspondence, the fragile Brittain is often painfully demanding - but the role of devoted supporter seems to gratify Holtby * Spectator *Holtby certainly helped Brittain write by looking after her children. But they also both helped each other work. And they each saved the other's best book * Guardian *
£12.34
Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd. The Making of the Greatest: Mark Zuckerberg
Book SynopsisThe inspiring story of mark Zuckerberg, who defied every bit of conventional wisdom to become the youngest self-made billionaire ever! Even though controversy kept following mark Elliot Zuckerberg from the time he created a rudimentary website for students of Harvard to rate each other, he went ahead undeterred to create face book, The biggest social network in the world. Face book has revolutionized the way people communicate, and it currently has more than two billion users worldwide. Its baby-faced CEO'' who was depicted as a socially-challenged, emotionless geek in the Oscar-winning movie, the social network, has demonstrated how to dream big and achieve it. This biography explores the fascinating journey of mark Zuckerberg and his many avatars software programmer, fencing champion.
£12.00
McFarland & Co Inc Tal Petrosian Spassky and Korchnoi
Book Synopsis This book describes the intense rivalry--and collaboration--of the four players who created the golden era when USSR chess players dominated the world. More than 200 annotated games are included, along with personal details--many for the first time in English. Mikhail Tal, the roguish, doomed Latvian who changed the way chess players think about attack and sacrifice; Tigran Petrosian, the brilliant, henpecked Armenian whose wife drove him to become the world''s best player; Boris Spassky, the prodigy who survived near-starvation and later bouts of melancholia to succeed Petrosian--but is best remembered for losing to Bobby Fischer; and Evil Viktor Korchnoi, whose mixture of genius and jealousy helped him eventually surpass his three rivals (but fate denied him the title they achieved: world champion).Trade ReviewSoltis doesn't just pick the most familiar games...but rather games that bring something extra to the overall narrative...[McFarland books are of excellent quality, the binding is great and they will last an eternity, no matter how many read-throughs." - American Chess Magazine"I have read many fine biographies of these players, but Soltis' approach brings out something extremely interesting that had not earlier become clear to me. ...by comparing the players so explicitly to each other and highlighting their interactions with each other, Soltis helps you understand much better the strain and struggles that even these great players faced in chess. ...Great stuff! ...another wonderful book, once again beautifully produced by McFarland! 5 stars." - New in Chess"Anyone interested in any of these players or chess in the Soviet era would do well to pick up Soltis' book." - Chess Life"Arguably the best book Grandmaster Andy Soltis has ever written and considering he is one of the most prolific authors in the history of the game, with close to fifty titles to his name, that is saying something. Soltis does a thorough job throughout, sifting through many sources as evidenced by the numerous footnotes and extensive biography...a wonderful read that will continually fascinate...highly recommended." - IM John Donaldson"An excellent narrative history of the trials and tirbulations for these four players...his collection of games is interesting and well annotated...heartily recommended." - Mind's Eye Press"The stories are humorous, enlightening, and entertaining, and brings forth the humanity of the players. This is the soert of biography I know many readers have been waiting for." - ChessCafe.comTable of Contents Preface 1 Introduction: The Soviet Team of Rivals 5 1. Four Boys 15 2. Growing Pains 43 3. Overkill 62 4. Culture War 79 5. Spassky, Spassky, Spassky! 93 6. Volshebnik 109 7. Three Directions 133 8. A Takeoff, an Apogee and a Crash 151 9. Why Not Me? 180 10. Private Lives, Public Games 197 11. Candidacy 222 12. Humors 247 13. Whose Risk Is Riskier? 276 14. The Fischer Factor 301 15. Countdown to Calamity 318 Epilogue: Four Aging Men 335 Appendix A: Chronology, 1929–2016 339 Appendix B: Ratings Comparison 353 Chapter Notes 355 Bibliography 373 Index of Opponents 377 Index of Openings—Traditional Names 379 Index of Openings—ECO Codes 381 General Index 382
£47.17
The University of Alabama Press Selma Lord Selma
Book SynopsisWhen Dr. Martin Luther King arrived in Selma, Alabama, in January, 1965 to organize peaceful demonstrations against discriminatory voting, Sheyann Webb was aged eight and Rachel West Nelson aged nine. This is their account of the events of the winter of 1965 which changed American history.
£15.26
NewSouth Publishing Escape Artist: The incredible Second World War of
Book SynopsisThe never-before-told story of World War II escape artist extraordinaire, Johnny Peck.In August 1941, an eighteen-year-old Australian soldier made his first prison break an audacious night-time escape from a German prisoner-of-war camp in Crete. Astoundingly, this was only the first of many escapes.An infantryman in the 2/7 Battalion, Johnny Peck was first thrown into battle against Italian forces in the Western Desert. Campaigns against Hitlers Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe in Greece and Crete followed. When Crete fell to the Germans at the end of May 1941, Peck was trapped on the island with hundreds of other men. On the run, they depended on their wits, the kindness of strangers, and sheer good luck.When Pecks luck ran out, he was taken captive by the Germans, then the Italians. Later, after his release from a Piedmontese jail following the Italian Armistice of 1943, and at immense risk to his own life, Peck devoted himself to helping POWs cross the Alps to safety. Captured once more, Peck was sentenced to death and detained in Milans notorious, Gestapo-run San Vittore prison until escaping again, this time into Switzerland.Historian Peter Monteath reveals the action-packed tale of one young Australian soldier and his remarkable war.
£14.36
Syracuse University Press Canoeing the Adirondacks with Nessmuk The
Book SynopsisThe second, revised edition of a classic, 19th-century work which captures the pleasures of camping and canoeing in the Adirondacks. The letters of George Washington Sears should interest not only the wilderness lover, but also the boater and craftsman who longs to own the perfect canoe.
£15.26
Atlantic Books A Dominant Character: The Radical Science and
Book SynopsisBook of the Year in The Economist, Guardian, New Statesman, Wall Street Journal and New York Times.Shortlisted for the Duff Cooper Prize, the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography and the British Society for the History of Science Hughes Prize.'A wonderful book about one of the most important, brilliant and flawed scientists of the 20th century.' Peter Frankopan'Superb' Matt Ridley, The Times'Fascinating... The best Haldane biography yet.' New York TimesJ.B.S. Haldane's life was rich and strange, never short on genius, never lacking for drama. He is best remembered as a geneticist who revolutionized our understanding of evolution, but his peers thought him a polymath; one student called him 'the last man who knew all there was to be known'.Beginning in the 1930s, Haldane was also a staunch Communist - a stance that enhanced his public profile, led him into trouble, and even drew suspicions that he was spying for the Soviets. He wrote copiously on science and politics for the layman, in newspapers and magazines, and he gave speeches in town halls and on the radio, all of which made him, in his day, as famous in Britain as Einstein. Arthur C. Clarke called Haldane 'the most brilliant science popularizer of his generation'. He frequently narrated aspects of his life: of his childhood, as the son of a famous scientist; of his time in the trenches in the First World War and in Spain during the Civil War; of his experiments upon himself; of his secret research for the British Admiralty; of his final move to India, in 1957. A Dominant Character unpacks Haldane's boisterous life in detail, and it examines the questions he raised about the intersections of genetics and politics - questions that resonate all the more strongly today.Trade ReviewDeliciously full of danger, adventure and scandal. * 'Science Books of the Year', Guardian *Superb... Subramanian does a masterly job of summarising a rich and rough life. He uses sharp analogies and arresting images... Haldane deserves a biographer who is eloquent, intelligent, fair, but unsparing and as good at explaining science as politics. Not an easy combination, but he has got one. -- Matt Ridley * The Times *A master biographer brings this original, impulsive and politically misguided figure into sharp focus in this rare account of intellect and temperament in action. * 'Top Ten Books of 2020'. Wall Street Journal *It's hard to recommend a single science book from 2020, but the one I've kept returning to, mentally, is Samanth Subramanian's A Dominant Character... Beautifully written, it's a reminder that no scientist can be extracted from his or her time. * Laura Spinney, 'Books of the Year', New Statesman *Fascinating... The best Haldane biography yet. * New York Times *Samanth Subramanian is a crisp, elegant writer who has produced a compelling biography of this dazzling man. A Dominant Character is perfectly paced... It can be read with the utmost pleasure by everyone who likes to admire a fine intellect in action and to see respect paid to outstanding intelligence. -- Richard Davenport-Hines * Wall Street Journal *A wonderful book about one of the most important, brilliant and flawed scientists of the 20th century - that explains much not only about J.B.S. Haldane but about the complex times he lived in. -- Peter Frankopan, bestselling author of THE SILK ROADSEven if there had been no scientific legacy, the rich and at times outrageous life of J.B.S. Haldane would justify a biography... Intelligent and energetic. * Sunday Times *Sympathetic and astute * The Economist *The 20th century British geneticist J.B.S. Haldane remains one of the most influential scientists of modern times. And this remarkable biography by Samanth Subramanian, which brings to life Haldane at his brilliant, unpredictable, outspoken, visionary best, will make you see exactly why his light still shines so brightly today. -- Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of THE POISON SQUADA wholly delightful, even brilliant, exploration of the scientific mind. Subramanian brings alive J.B.S. Haldane's rollicking, unbelievable life journey from privileged English childhood to Indian asylum. He writes with grace and confidence about both the science and the man, a "Darwinian preacher" whose life explains why scientists in our age of artificial intelligence and revolutionary genetics need to think politically. A Dominant Character is a captivating story of prickly genius, sexual scandal, and radical politics. -- Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning co-author of AMERICAN PROMETHEUSA marvellous, comprehensive, and entertaining biography of J.B.S. Haldane, who made major contributions to many fields. His biggest impact was on evolutionary biology, as a major founder of the theory of population genetics. Subramanian has done impressive research on Haldane's background, scientific contributions, and political controversies - this will be the definitive work on his life from now on. -- Joe Felsenstein, Professor Emeritus of Genome Sciences and of Biology, University of WashingtonExcellent.... Full of insight and felicitous writing. -- David Brown * American Scholar *If you were looking for a model protagonist for a ripping yarn, you could do a lot worse than John Burdon Sanderson Haldane... A Dominant Character turns on the Lysenko affair, examining how scientists wedded to both their work and their political ideals can be forced to choose between them. * Literary Review *Insightful...This portrait of a brilliant, egotistical contrarian illustrates how science and politics can collide, a subject with ample relevance for the modern world. * Publishers Weekly *A rich biography of a central figure in the 20th-century genetics revolution... Succeeds superbly. * Kirkus Reviews *Captures Haldane's outsize character, productive scientific career, and communist convictions.... Explaining clearly Haldane's science and discerning astutely Haldane's personality, Subramanian delivers a well-judged biography. * Booklist *Attempting to encompass the entirety of the polymath that was J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964) is no easy task.... Social historians will appreciate the emphasis on the man and his politics, over an emphasis solely on the science, in this excellent biography. * Library Journal *Balanced and modern ... [A Dominant Character] should prove engaging to readers interested in the birth of genetics and in the intersection of science and political belief. * Science *A fascinating portrait of Haldane's life. Subramanian succeeds in capturing his public life, fame, and influence, while giving readers a sense of Haldane as a person and as a groundbreaking scientist. * American Scientist *Table of Contents1: The Scientific Method 2: The Deep End 3: Synthesis 4: Red Haldane 5: The War at Home 6: India 7: Ten Thousand Years
£10.44
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Lives of Lucian Freud YOUTH 1922 1968
Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2019SELECTED AS BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TIMES, FINANCIAL TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, NEW STATESMAN, SUNDAY TIMES, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT AND SPECTATORA compendium of high-grade gossip about everyone from Princess Margaret to the Krays, a snapshot of grimy London and a narrative of Freud's career and rackety life and loves Leaves the reader itching for more' SUNDAY TIMES, ART BOOK OF THE YEARThough ferociously private, Lucian Freud spoke every week for decades to his close confidante and collaborator William Feaver about painting and the art world, but also about his life and loves. The result is this a unique, electrifying biography.In Youth, Feaver conjures Freud's early childhood: Sigmund Freud's grandson, born into a middle-class Jewish family in Weimar Berlin, escaping Nazi Germany in 1934. Following Freud through art school, his time in the Navy during tTrade ReviewThe “reptile Freud” is laid bare in a biography that reads like fiction as it charts the painter’s wild, dangerous youth * The Times, Books of the Year *As entertaining, and full of twists and turns, as a picaresque novel … Its amazing zip and gusto leaves you wanting more -- CRAIG BROWN * Mail on Sunday *William Feaver has done a brilliant job -- LYNN BARBER * Daily Telegraph *Hard-edged, clear-eyed, as Freud would have relished. Much is recounted in the artist’s own sardonic words, buoyed by fantastic gossip; it flows fast and long, and you close it reluctantly * Financial Times, Books of the Year *This exceptional book is far from standard biography … A compendium of high-grade gossip about everyone from Princess Margaret to the Krays, a tour of the immediate post-war art world, a snapshot of grimy London and a narrative of Freud’s career and rackety life and loves … Leaves the ready itchy for volume two * Sunday Times, Art Book of the Year *Here’s a story to keep you stuck in that fireside seat … Follow the adrenaline-fuelled course of the first half of his fabulously unconventional, unscrupulously promiscuous, relentlessly ambitious and often fantastically scurrilous life as he swirls about in a milieu of grand society and riveting gossip. The second half of this biography is expected soon, so that’s next Christmas sorted * The Times, Picks of the Year *An exceptional level of fact… a robust and intricate evocation of the man at work * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *This is far from a standard biography. At times like a Jilly Cooper novel, at others a socio-economic spotlight on the times * Sunday Telegraph *A superb and engrossing book -- COLM TOIBIN * New Statesman, Books of the Year *This is a tremendous read. Anyone interested in British art needs it … An extraordinary book -- ANDREW MARR * New Statesman *The amoral antics of the painter, as reckless in life as he was fastidious in the studio, mesmerise in this lively account * Financial Times, Books of the Year *Superb, sparklingly intelligent * Daily Telegraph *As gripping as any novel, illuminating both about Freud’s work and about his fairly startling personal life -- INDIA KNIGHT * Sunday Times *The pleasure of this book is infernal -- FRANCES WILSON * Spectator, Books of the Year *Irresistible … Freud and Feaver seize you by the elbows, bundle you into a Bentley, haul you round the nightclubs, feed you oysters, Guinness and amphetamines and order you Russian tea and eggs the next morning. I didn’t know whether I’d been roughed up or ravished * The Times, Book of the Week *Not just a great art biography, but wonderful social commentary about London in particular and Britain in general in the postwar period -- ANDREW MARR * New Statesman Books of the Year *Sparkling … An extraordinary tranche of anecdote and apercu … Feaver’s wonderful biography comes close to Freud’s own definition of his art: “A picture should be a recreation of an event rather than an illustration of an object” -- MICHAEL PRODGER * Sunday Times *Superlative … Every page of this volume affirms his distinction … This is Lucian Freudian biography, packed with stories -- ALEXANDRA HARRIS * Guardian *While he has … filled his book to the brim with the excitement and strangeness of Freud’s life, he sees him as painter rather than playboy … He uses his extensive interviews with Freud subtly and judiciously … the paintings hold their strength, their mystery, their distance. Freud, too, in Feaver’s version, maintains his own strength, his mystery, his distance. His biographer makes no effort to delve into his inner being and explain his work accordingly. Freud’s outer being gives him more than enough to go on -- COLM TOIBIN * London Review of Books *Rich in gossip and written with effortless style -- ROBERT DOUGLAS FAIRHURST * Spectator, Books of the Year *Lucian Freud was unique; unique in intensity, in affection, in interest and in fun. This brilliant and compendious biography has the same qualities. It does justice to Lucian -- FRANK AUERBACHMesmerising, almost surreal in its headlong layering of detail, memory and gossip. Propelled by Freud's sardonic recollections, and lit throughout by William Feaver's impeccable, penetrating analysis of the work, this is a monstrously brilliant portrait -- JENNY UGLOWIn William Feaver’s The Lives of Lucian Freud, based upon decades of conversation with the painter, we hear Freud’s remarkable voice on almost every page. The result is a vivid, intimate biography of one of the 20th century’s most storied artists -- ANNALYN SWANN and MARK STEVENS, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors of de Kooning: An American MasterHere, Freud gets to tell his version of events with panache * Spectator *Sensational … Rich with gossip and stories * Vogue *A rich and elaborate biography * Irish Times *A fascinatingly hybrid form of biography … An epic cultural history, seen through the prism of someone hypnotically fascinating in real life * Tablet *One of the most intimate biographies of an artist ever written … Full of pithy observations, with just enough historical and social background to open up individual paintings and drawings to analysis … A delight * Literary Review *
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