Biography: philosophy and social sciences Books

Book SynopsisIn the high-stakes world of politics, there are superb highs and terrible lows - and never more so than in the period since 2010, during which so much has changed. Few are better placed to give an insider's view of the turmoil than the Rt Hon. Dame Andrea Leadsom MP. From working cross-party on reform of the European Union to taking to the stage at Wembley as a key figure in the Leave campaign, through two leadership bids, Cabinet intrigue, squaring off against an increasingly erratic Speaker, founding a campaign to give babies the best start for life and securing a landmark Spending Review settlement, Andrea's story tracks the ups and downs of a political career and particularly some of the challenges for female MPs. In this very personal account, she gives a real insight into the daily goings-on with ministers, parliamentary colleagues, civil servants, special advisers, the media and constituents. As a lifelong optimist, Andrea argues that political careers don't always - as is so often claimed - end in failure, and explains how, like a game of snakes and ladders, politics is often about getting yourself into the right place at the right time.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'If the United States does not lead, there will be no leadership. If the US instead turns inward, there will be a price to be paid later.' - George H. W. Bush Marking thirty years since the end of George H. W. Bush's presidency, Robin Renwick paints a warm, affectionate portrait of a President who sought to unify rather than divide his country, and whose staunch belief in diplomacy strengthened cooperation around the world. A True Statesman explores Bush's core belief in the United States as the 'indispensable nation' in helping to deal with world crises, charting his efforts to end the Cold War, secure the reunification of Germany and drive Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait. Extending beyond Bush's time in office, it also reflects on US foreign policy over the past three decades, examining the consequences of his successors' differing approaches to America's role on the world stage. Incisively written by a former British Ambassador to Washington, this insider account offers fresh insights into both the 41st President and America's foreign policy from Iran-Contra to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCarrie Johnson is not only the consort of the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson; she is also considered by some to be the second most powerful unelected woman in Britain after the Queen. Since she moved into Downing Street in July 2019, questions have been raised about her perceived influence, her apparent desire to control events, and the number of her associates who have been appointed to positions of standing in the government machine. So, are these concerns justified? In this carefully researched unauthorised biography, Michael Ashcroft charts the extraordinary ascent of Mrs Johnson, speaking to multiple sources who have been close to her and to Boris Johnson in recent years to produce a fascinating portrait of a woman who is still under the age of thirty-five. The book scrutinises Mrs Johnson's colourful family, her attempt to become a professional actress, and her early decision to work in politics. Long before she moved into No. 10, Mrs Johnson made a name for herself as a Conservative Party press aide before becoming a special adviser to two Cabinet ministers and eventually director of communications at Conservative campaign headquarters. Aside from politics, she is also the mother of two young children and campaigns in the fields of the environment and animal welfare. Carrie Johnson is without doubt a very modern prime ministerial spouse. This examination of her career and life offers the electorate the chance to assess exactly what role she plays in Boris Johnson's unpredictable administration and why that matters.Trade Review“The book is not the misogynist hatchet job that many reviews suggest and most readers will be able to discern that much of what is alleged is known to only those close to the events.” Maggie Pagano, Reaction.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.Three francs will feed you till tomorrow, and you cannot think further than thatAs a young man struggling to find his voice as a writer, George Orwell left the comfort of home to live in the impoverished working districts of Paris and London. He would document both the chaos and boredom of destitution, the eccentric cast of characters he encountered, and the near-constant pains of hunger and discomfort.Exposing the grim reality of a life marred by poverty, Down and Out in Paris and London, part memoir, part social commentary, would become George Orwell's first published work.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the high-stakes world of politics, there are superb highs and terrible lows - and never more so than in the period since 2010. Few are better placed to give an insider's view of the turmoil than the Rt Hon. Dame Andrea Leadsom MP. From taking to the stage at Wembley as a key figure in the campaign to leave the European Union, through two leadership bids, Cabinet intrigue and squaring off against an increasingly erratic Speaker, Andrea's very personal account tracks the ups and downs of a life in politics and particularly the challenges for female MPs. In this updated edition, which sheds new light on the fraught leadership campaigns of 2022, Andrea argues that political careers don't always - as is so often claimed - end in failure, and explains how, like a game of snakes and ladders, politics is often about getting yourself into the right place at the right time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTeachers inspire and nurture children. Never has this been more evident than during Covid-19, where teachers risk their own health and wellbeing to ensure that no child is left behind, either face to face or online. Yet teachers do not live at school. They have rich lives we know little about. These stories explore the human side of our educators.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I was determined to break into the White House and, with the confidence of youth, I didn't see how anyone was going to be able to stop me.' So how did a small-town girl from Muncie, Indiana, end up an assistant to and favourite of the President, joining George H. W. Bush for early morning runs and on the White House tennis court? In this sparkling memoir, Annie Bracken takes readers straight to the heart of the action. How do the powerful live on Capitol Hill? What is Joe Biden really like and could he be a successful President? What is life like after the White House? Packed with vivid personal portraits of Bracken's encounters with Presidents, gangsters, spies and even some Hollywood greats, this is a joyful insider account of one woman's journey from America's fly-over states, through tales of hilarity and intrigue in London and Cannes, all the way to the White House.Trade Review“You definitely want her on your side.” - Katharine Graham, owner of the Washington Post “A breath of fresh air.” - Richard Helms, former director of the CIA“This book is a riot, bright and breezy, whose pages sparkle with unlikely insights into official Washington, with a first person flavour of what goes on behind the closed doors of power. Every line is worth the ticket; the fun is in the reading. It is on the tennis courts that she meets and sometimes is wooed by Washington’s high and mighty. Small as the book is, it offers us a spectacular range of celebrities, by whom the author is undaunted, offering not so much a memoir, as sketches of a life enthusiastically lived.” - John Carlin, author of Invictus “Not a page is turned without a smile” - Andrew Ovenstone

Read more less

Book SynopsisNew edition of one of the most celebrated books on the Troubles. Famously described as 'Bandit Country' by Merlyn Rees when he was Northern Ireland Secretary, for nearly three decades South Armagh was the most dangerous posting in the world for a British soldier. In this acclaimed work of reportage, originally published in 2000, Toby Harnden stripped away the myth and propaganda associated with the region to produce one of the most compelling and important books on the Troubles. Drawing on secret documents and interviews on South Armagh's recent history, Harnden told the inside story of how the IRA came close to bringing the British state to its knees.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA unique selection of the greatest thinkers from the fields of philosophy, political theory, sociology, art, architecture and literature, with enjoyable profiles of what they have to teach to us today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Daily Mail Political Book of the Year Our political leaders spend their careers spinning their images and polishing their achievements; Michael Cockerell has spent his professional life stripping off the gloss. Over fifty years, he has gained unrivalled access to the secret chambers of Westminster and Whitehall. Here, he reveals in illuminating and often hilarious stories what our top politicians are really like behind the mask. Drawing on his unique experience of having filmed all the past ten Prime Ministers, Cockerell tells how he manages to lull some of the wariest people in the land into candour, and shows how questions of sex are never far from the surface in Westminster. Amongst much else, he recounts: how Margaret Thatcher flirted with him on screen but attacked him by name in the Commons; how Tony Blair said he would willingly 'pay the blood price' in Iraq; how David Cameron learned from Enoch Powell always to make a big speech on a full bladder - and how Boris Johnson admitted to doubts about his ability to be Prime Minister. Funny, riveting and above all revealing, Unmasking Our Leaders is an absorbing insight into half a century of British politics.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPenguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers'' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.Visit the Penguin Readers websiteExclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and an

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA few months into the new millennium in May 2000, Ken Livingstone became the first ever Mayor of London. In the succeeding two decades, London has undergone a dramatic evolution under three very different mayors, but how has the mayoralty itself changed? How have the capital’s challenges and crises been overcome? And is the office still fit for purpose? At a time of tremendous uncertainty for the capital and the nation generally, this ambitious new book marks the twentieth anniversary of the creation of the position of the Mayor of London. It examines how the first three mayors have approached the role with markedly distinct politics, outlooks and styles and how the position has transformed over time to meet the changing needs of the city. London’s Mayor at 20 combines expert opinion with reflections from those closely involved in setting up, running and working in the mayor’s office. Featuring a foreword by Tony Blair, who played a crucial role in the establishment of the mayoralty, and including interviews with Ken Livingstone and Sadiq Khan, this comprehensive analysis seeks to investigate how the government of London has developed and what the future holds for this modern metropolis.Trade Review"At a time when so many people are disillusioned about politics, this book reminds us that real change is possible - as we've seen with the impact of successive London mayors. From the congestion charge to Tech City, London has evolved dramatically over the past two decades - and London's Mayor at 20 tells the story of this transformation in a brilliantly human and compelling way." - Rohan Silva, former senior policy advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron "The London mayoralty was the most radical innovation in the capital's government since the LCC. For the first time the political life of the metropolis was embodied in one personality. This study of its creation, strengths and weaknesses is essential reading for anyone who cares about London. It should roll the pitch for a second stage of reform to the capital's transport, policing, education and health. Where I think some regional mayors are of dubious permanence, London's is irreplaceable." - Simon Jenkins, journalist and author of A Short History of London

Read more less

Book SynopsisThree francs will feed you till tomorrow, and you cannot think further than thatAs a young man struggling to find his voice as a writer, George Orwell left the comfort of home to live in the impoverished working districts of Paris and London. He would document both the chaos and boredom of destitution, the eccentric cast of characters he encountered, and the near-constant pains of hunger and discomfort.Exposing the grim reality of a life marred by poverty, Down and Out in Paris and London, part memoir, part social commentary, would become George Orwell's first published work.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFINDING FREEDOM IN THE LOST KITCHEN is Erin French’s rollercoaster memoir about her struggle to follow her dream and bring joy to people through food.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Kerry Brown's Xi is the perfect primer for understanding Xi Jinping's status as China's greatest ruler since Mao and as this century's least assailable statesman' John Keay, author of China: A History'A valuable primer for anyone looking to get up to speed on Xi Jinping's rise to global power' Jeff Wasserstrom, Guardian'Offers a nuanced and thorough explanation of Xi's China and why the Communist Party, for all its flaws, has long life in it' Oliver Farry, Irish TimesAlthough Xi Jinping came to power a decade ago, he remains an enigmatic figure in the West. His priority has always been to keep Chinese society as stable as possible, steering a course through a period of astounding economic growth, while ensuring that nothing challenges the political status quo.But with unrest stirring in Hong Kong, reports of human rights abuses taking place in the Xinjiang region and, devastatingly, the outbreak of a virus that would change the world, suddenly understanding Xi's China is more important than ever before.In this short and timely book, academic and author Kerry Brown examines the complexities behind the man, explaining the impact that his rule is already having on the West. But who is Xi really, and what is his vision for China's future? And, crucially, what does that mean for the rest of the world?Trade ReviewKerry Brown's Xi is the perfect primer for understanding Xi Jinping's status as China's greatest ruler since Mao and as this century's least assailable statesman' -- John Keay, author of China: A HistoryBrown's book provides a very readable account of Xi's childhood and rise through the ranks of the Communist party ... an interesting story -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times *A valuable primer for anyone looking to get up to speed on Xi Jinping's rise to global power -- Jeff Wasserstrom * Guardian *There are many books in English about Xi's China, but you'll struggle to find one on the man himself. This book by an academic who has worked and lived in China is a welcome contribution to filling that gap. -- Tim Marshall * Reaction *Highly readable and concise ... A nuanced and thorough explanation of Xi's China and why the Communist Party, for all its flaws, has long life in it -- Oliver Farry * Irish Times *A zesty, fast-paced, very 'human' read... [a] forensic political account -- Neil Mackay * Herald *Written by the veteran British China-watcher Kerry Brown... Brown pithily sums up [Xi Jinping's guiding vision] as "making China great again by making the Party great again" -- Tom Miller * Spectator *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I have been a campaigner in many human rights causes, some successful, some less so, some failed. My mother once said, 'Anthony, we had such a fine system until you ruined it!' I hope she was wrong.' Over the course of his illustrious, pioneering and sometimes controversial career, Anthony Lester transformed Britain's approach to human rights. As a brave and creative lawyer, and as a peer in the House of Lords, he worked tirelessly to combat abuses of public power and to introduce new legal frameworks for human rights, equality and free speech. In these honest and remarkable personal memoirs, which map the history of human rights in this country over the past half-century, Anthony Lester explores the social conditions and interior circumstances that shaped his life as a relentless and passionate campaigner for equality and justice.Trade Review"An informative, provocative and deeply personal account of a distinguished life in law and politics." - Lord Pannick QC "A brave trailblazer for human rights." - Sir Harold Evans, former editor of the Sunday Times "In his eloquent memoir, Anthony Lester weaves the story of the expansion of human rights at home and abroad, drawing on his own involvement in many of the legal breakthrough moments. We too often forget how human rights have been strengthened around the globe, even as our democratic societies face renewed assaults on the rule of law. This rich history by a great human rights lawyer is a reminder that 'hope dies last...', and that we cannot give up hope." - Margaret H. Marshall, former Chief Justice, Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Astonishing... In the American journalist Andrew Nagorski this tale has found its ideal narrator'SEBASTIAN FAULKS, Sunday Times'[A] thrilling book, as edge-of-your-seat gripping as any heist movie'Kathryn Hughes, Guardian Book of the Day'A gripping masterpiece'BRETT KAHR, Freud Museum LondonMarch 1938: German soldiers are massing on the Austrian border, on the cusp of fulfilling Hitler's dream of absorbing the country into the Third Reich. Many Jews make frantic plans to flee to safety. But one of the most famous men in the world, unable to contemplate leaving his beloved Vienna, is not among them. His name is Sigmund Freud.Saving Freud is the story of a great man's life, and of the extraordinary people who managed to prolong it, by convincing him to escape to London: the Welsh physician who brought psychoanalysis to Britain; Napoleon's great-grandniece; an American ambassador; Freud's devoted daughter, Anna; and the doctor who risked his own life by staying at Freud's side.In examining the histories of both Freud and his closest circle, Andrew Nagorski brilliantly evokes the story of Europe in the first half of the Twentieth Century. This is a tale of a great city, a collapsing empire, a rising terror - and of a man who would change the way we think.Trade ReviewThe astonishing story of Sigmund Freud's last-minute escape from Vienna... In the American journalist Andrew Nagorski this tale has found its ideal narrator: clear, objective and keen to keep things moving. -- Sebastian Faulks * Sunday Times *Andrew Nagorski has written a gripping masterpiece about one of the greatest figures in history, whose insights about human beings as "savage beasts" could not be more timely -- Professor Brett Kahr, Honorary Director of Research, Freud Museum London, and author of FREUD'S PANDEMICS[A] thrilling book, as edge-of-your-seat gripping as any heist movie, tells the story of how a "rescue squad" was marshalled to get Freud out of danger before it was too late -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian Book of the Day *Unabashedly gripping and enjoyable, taking on the characteristics of a thriller as it builds to its denouement... Nagorski vividly evokes the atmosphere of [Vienna] in the 1930s, and especially the sudden and violent transition, after decades of resentful tolerance towards its Jewish citizens, to a mood of genocidal hostility. He also offers a tightly controlled, tension-filled account of the inexorable fall of Austria into the abyss of Nazi control -- Josh Cohen * Times Literary Supplement *Nagorski tells a riveting new story, one that shows just how narrow Freud's escape from the Nazi genocide was... The narrative pace and Nagorski's fluid writing give this book the character of an adventure story. It is an engrossing but sobering read that reminds us how many others without the resources of the Freud family had no similar options to make an exodus -- Rachel Newcomb * Washington Post *Fascinating... As Nagorski illustrates with cultural insight and a careful pacing of events, his flight to safety in order to 'die in freedom' amounts to a tale of unlikely resistance at a time of appalling tragedy. -- Simeon House * Mail on Sunday **** *In his fascinating new book Saving Freud, American author Andrew Nagorski pieces together the story of an eccentric bunch of friends and admirers of Freud -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail, Book of the Day *An insight-filled group portrait of the founder of psychoanalysis and his followers. It is also a psychobiographical thriller about the limits of genius -- Diane Cole * Wall Street Journal *Nagorski mixes the pacing of a historical thriller (think Alan Furst, but nonfiction, and starring therapists instead of spies) with a meditation on the limits of insight and what it means to be attached to a specific place and to live in a given moment in time...The result is hard to put down, poignant, and distressingly timely -- Patrick Blanchfield * New Republic *In a time in which the standing and integrity of psychoanalysis continues to be questioned, [Saving Freud] manages to show the extent to which people were entranced by Freud, how much this led some of them to love him, and how in doing so they revealed the deep ethical core of his person and his ideas -- Stephen Frosh * Jewish Chronicle *An intimate, touching portrait of a genius as an old man. Ill, myopic, in denial and terribly vulnerable, this Freud is more human than any I've encountered before. Andrew Nagorski has an artist's eye for revealing detail and a novelist's ability to bring to life a long lost world and its myriad denizens. -- Sylvia Nasar, author of A BEAUTIFUL MINDThis non-fiction work crackles like a novel... Saving Freud seems to have been written for the silver screen, and one can only hope that someone like Steven Spielberg finds his way to this book -- Kitty Kelley * Washington Independent Review of Books *Fascinating, eminently readable... A fresh look at Freud... Freud was magnetic, mythic, and Nagorski's lively and suspenseful biographical history will, it is hoped, recreate interest in this unique figure -- Joan Baum * NPR *Nagorski tells this little-known story in comprehensive and compassionate fashion. -- Sheldon Kirshner * Times of Israel *A richly contextual look at Freud's escape to London... Nagorski delivers a riveting page-turner... a fine biography * Kirkus starred review *Sigmund Freud's vibrant life in Vienna and narrow escape from the Gestapo are recounted in this entertaining history... The result is an invigorating look at a lesser-known chapter of Freud's well-documented life. * Publisher Weekly *As exciting and suspenseful as a spy novel, Andrew Nagorski's masterful narrative reveals how an eclectic group of Sigmund Freud's friends, ranging from an American ambassador to a French-born princess, came together to do the seemingly impossible: engineer his rescue from Nazi-controlled Austria as the Gestapo were closing in. Their successful efforts underscore how powerful love, loyalty, and friendship can be, even in the midst of overwhelming evil -- Lynne Olson, author of MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WARA riveting analysis of exile, old-age and friendship, Nagorski uses his characteristic clarity to tell an untold story about a well-known man. Highly exciting and no less historically ambitious for it; John Le Carré meets Ian Kershaw -- Emma Szewczak, author of THE OFFSETWith his characteristic clarity and meticulous research, Nagorski has once again produced a masterful work. Saving Freud is a page-turner, mixing biography and escape narrative, with a powerful reminder that historians need to pay attention not just to words, but to relationships -- Rebecca Erbelding, author of RESCUE BOARDPart engrossing biography of the father of psychoanalysis, part vivid group portrait of the circle of notables who rescued Sigmund Freud from the Nazis, Saving Freud ... captures the power of self-delusion and denial among even the most brilliant minds -- Kati Marton, author of THE CHANCELLORThe astonishing story of Sigmund Freud's last-minute escape from Vienna... In the American journalist Andrew Nagorski this tale has found its ideal narrator: clear, objective and keen to keep things moving. -- Sebastian Faulks * Sunday Times *Andrew Nagorski has written a gripping masterpiece about one of the greatest figures in history, whose insights about human beings as "savage beasts" could not be more timely -- Professor Brett Kahr, Honorary Director of Research, Freud Museum London, and author of FREUD'S PANDEMICS[A] thrilling book, as edge-of-your-seat gripping as any heist movie, tells the story of how a "rescue squad" was marshalled to get Freud out of danger before it was too late -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian Book of the Day *Unabashedly gripping and enjoyable, taking on the characteristics of a thriller as it builds to its denouement... Nagorski vividly evokes the atmosphere of [Vienna] in the 1930s, and especially the sudden and violent transition, after decades of resentful tolerance towards its Jewish citizens, to a mood of genocidal hostility. He also offers a tightly controlled, tension-filled account of the inexorable fall of Austria into the abyss of Nazi control -- Josh Cohen * Times Literary Supplement *Nagorski tells a riveting new story, one that shows just how narrow Freud's escape from the Nazi genocide was... The narrative pace and Nagorski's fluid writing give this book the character of an adventure story. It is an engrossing but sobering read that reminds us how many others without the resources of the Freud family had no similar options to make an exodus -- Rachel Newcomb * Washington Post *Fascinating... As Nagorski illustrates with cultural insight and a careful pacing of events, his flight to safety in order to 'die in freedom' amounts to a tale of unlikely resistance at a time of appalling tragedy. -- Simeon House * Mail on Sunday **** *In his fascinating new book Saving Freud, American author Andrew Nagorski pieces together the story of an eccentric bunch of friends and admirers of Freud -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail, Book of the Day *An insight-filled group portrait of the founder of psychoanalysis and his followers. It is also a psychobiographical thriller about the limits of genius -- Diane Cole * Wall Street Journal *Nagorski mixes the pacing of a historical thriller (think Alan Furst, but nonfiction, and starring therapists instead of spies) with a meditation on the limits of insight and what it means to be attached to a specific place and to live in a given moment in time...The result is hard to put down, poignant, and distressingly timely -- Patrick Blanchfield * New Republic *In a time in which the standing and integrity of psychoanalysis continues to be questioned, [Saving Freud] manages to show the extent to which people were entranced by Freud, how much this led some of them to love him, and how in doing so they revealed the deep ethical core of his person and his ideas -- Stephen Frosh * Jewish Chronicle *An intimate, touching portrait of a genius as an old man. Ill, myopic, in denial and terribly vulnerable, this Freud is more human than any I've encountered before. Andrew Nagorski has an artist's eye for revealing detail and a novelist's ability to bring to life a long lost world and its myriad denizens. -- Sylvia Nasar, author of A BEAUTIFUL MINDThis non-fiction work crackles like a novel... Saving Freud seems to have been written for the silver screen, and one can only hope that someone like Steven Spielberg finds his way to this book -- Kitty Kelley * Washington Independent Review of Books *Fascinating, eminently readable... A fresh look at Freud... Freud was magnetic, mythic, and Nagorski's lively and suspenseful biographical history will, it is hoped, recreate interest in this unique figure -- Joan Baum * NPR *Nagorski tells this little-known story in comprehensive and compassionate fashion. -- Sheldon Kirshner * Times of Israel *A richly contextual look at Freud's escape to London... Nagorski delivers a riveting page-turner... a fine biography * Kirkus starred review *Sigmund Freud's vibrant life in Vienna and narrow escape from the Gestapo are recounted in this entertaining history... The result is an invigorating look at a lesser-known chapter of Freud's well-documented life. * Publisher Weekly *As exciting and suspenseful as a spy novel, Andrew Nagorski's masterful narrative reveals how an eclectic group of Sigmund Freud's friends, ranging from an American ambassador to a French-born princess, came together to do the seemingly impossible: engineer his rescue from Nazi-controlled Austria as the Gestapo were closing in. Their successful efforts underscore how powerful love, loyalty, and friendship can be, even in the midst of overwhelming evil -- Lynne Olson, author of MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WARA riveting analysis of exile, old-age and friendship, Nagorski uses his characteristic clarity to tell an untold story about a well-known man. Highly exciting and no less historically ambitious for it; John Le Carré meets Ian Kershaw -- Emma Szewczak, author of THE OFFSETWith his characteristic clarity and meticulous research, Nagorski has once again produced a masterful work. Saving Freud is a page-turner, mixing biography and escape narrative, with a powerful reminder that historians need to pay attention not just to words, but to relationships -- Rebecca Erbelding, author of RESCUE BOARDPart engrossing biography of the father of psychoanalysis, part vivid group portrait of the circle of notables who rescued Sigmund Freud from the Nazis, Saving Freud ... captures the power of self-delusion and denial among even the most brilliant minds -- Kati Marton, author of THE CHANCELLORThe astonishing story of Sigmund Freud's last-minute escape from Vienna... In the American journalist Andrew Nagorski this tale has found its ideal narrator: clear, objective and keen to keep things moving. -- Sebastian Faulks * Sunday Times *Andrew Nagorski has written a gripping masterpiece about one of the greatest figures in history, whose insights about human beings as "savage beasts" could not be more timely -- Professor Brett Kahr, Honorary Director of Research, Freud Museum London, and author of FREUD'S PANDEMICS[A] thrilling book, as edge-of-your-seat gripping as any heist movie, tells the story of how a "rescue squad" was marshalled to get Freud out of danger before it was too late -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian Book of the Day *Unabashedly gripping and enjoyable, taking on the characteristics of a thriller as it builds to its denouement... Nagorski vividly evokes the atmosphere of [Vienna] in the 1930s, and especially the sudden and violent transition, after decades of resentful tolerance towards its Jewish citizens, to a mood of genocidal hostility. He also offers a tightly controlled, tension-filled account of the inexorable fall of Austria into the abyss of Nazi control -- Josh Cohen * Times Literary Supplement *Nagorski tells a riveting new story, one that shows just how narrow Freud's escape from the Nazi genocide was... The narrative pace and Nagorski's fluid writing give this book the character of an adventure story. It is an engrossing but sobering read that reminds us how many others without the resources of the Freud family had no similar options to make an exodus -- Rachel Newcomb * Washington Post *Fascinating... As Nagorski illustrates with cultural insight and a careful pacing of events, his flight to safety in order to 'die in freedom' amounts to a tale of unlikely resistance at a time of appalling tragedy. -- Simeon House * Mail on Sunday **** *In his fascinating new book Saving Freud, American author Andrew Nagorski pieces together the story of an eccentric bunch of friends and admirers of Freud -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail, Book of the Day *An insight-filled group portrait of the founder of psychoanalysis and his followers. It is also a psychobiographical thriller about the limits of genius -- Diane Cole * Wall Street Journal *Nagorski mixes the pacing of a historical thriller (think Alan Furst, but nonfiction, and starring therapists instead of spies) with a meditation on the limits of insight and what it means to be attached to a specific place and to live in a given moment in time...The result is hard to put down, poignant, and distressingly timely -- Patrick Blanchfield * New Republic *In a time in which the standing and integrity of psychoanalysis continues to be questioned, [Saving Freud] manages to show the extent to which people were entranced by Freud, how much this led some of them to love him, and how in doing so they revealed the deep ethical core of his person and his ideas -- Stephen Frosh * Jewish Chronicle *An intimate, touching portrait of a genius as an old man. Ill, myopic, in denial and terribly vulnerable, this Freud is more human than any I've encountered before. Andrew Nagorski has an artist's eye for revealing detail and a novelist's ability to bring to life a long lost world and its myriad denizens. -- Sylvia Nasar, author of A BEAUTIFUL MINDThis non-fiction work crackles like a novel... Saving Freud seems to have been written for the silver screen, and one can only hope that someone like Steven Spielberg finds his way to this book -- Kitty Kelley * Washington Independent Review of Books *Fascinating, eminently readable... A fresh look at Freud... Freud was magnetic, mythic, and Nagorski's lively and suspenseful biographical history will, it is hoped, recreate interest in this unique figure -- Joan Baum * NPR *Nagorski tells this little-known story in comprehensive and compassionate fashion. -- Sheldon Kirshner * Times of Israel *A richly contextual look at Freud's escape to London... Nagorski delivers a riveting page-turner... a fine biography * Kirkus starred review *Sigmund Freud's vibrant life in Vienna and narrow escape from the Gestapo are recounted in this entertaining history... The result is an invigorating look at a lesser-known chapter of Freud's well-documented life. * Publisher Weekly *As exciting and suspenseful as a spy novel, Andrew Nagorski's masterful narrative reveals how an eclectic group of Sigmund Freud's friends, ranging from an American ambassador to a French-born princess, came together to do the seemingly impossible: engineer his rescue from Nazi-controlled Austria as the Gestapo were closing in. Their successful efforts underscore how powerful love, loyalty, and friendship can be, even in the midst of overwhelming evil -- Lynne Olson, author of MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WARA riveting analysis of exile, old-age and friendship, Nagorski uses his characteristic clarity to tell an untold story about a well-known man. Highly exciting and no less historically ambitious for it; John Le Carré meets Ian Kershaw -- Emma Szewczak, author of THE OFFSETWith his characteristic clarity and meticulous research, Nagorski has once again produced a masterful work. Saving Freud is a page-turner, mixing biography and escape narrative, with a powerful reminder that historians need to pay attention not just to words, but to relationships -- Rebecca Erbelding, author of RESCUE BOARDPart engrossing biography of the father of psychoanalysis, part vivid group portrait of the circle of notables who rescued Sigmund Freud from the Nazis, Saving Freud ... captures the power of self-delusion and denial among even the most brilliant minds -- Kati Marton, author of THE CHANCELLOR

Read more less

Book SynopsisLeonard "Len" Keith and Joseph "Cub" Coates grew up in the rural New Brunswick village of Havelock in the early 20th century. The two were neighbours, and they clearly developed an inseparable relationship. Len was an amateur photographer and automobile enthusiast who went on to own a local garage and poolhall after serving in the First World War. Cub was the son of a farmer, also a veteran of the First World War, a butcher, contractor, and lover of horses. Their time together is catalogued by Len’s photos, which show that the two shared a mutual love of the outdoors, animals, and adventure. Photographs of Len and Cub on hunting and canoe trips with arms around each other’s shoulders or in bed together make clear the affection they held for each other. Their story is one of the oldest photographic records of a same-sex couple in the Maritimes.Len & Cub features Len’s photos of their life and tells the story of their relationship against the background of same-sex identity and relationships in rural North America of the early 20th century. Although Len was outed and forced to leave Havelock in the 1930s, the story of Len and Cub is one of love and friendship that challenges contemporary ideas about sex and gender expression in the early 20th century.Trade Review“A brilliant piece of historical detective work. Batt and Green have pieced together a rare portrait of two queer, rural New Brunswickers from the 1910s and 1920s. Historically significant, this exhaustively researched, beautifully written work is utterly absorbing given the rich photographic record included in the volume. But photos alone don't make history, it is the sensitive, analytically nuanced writing of Batt and Green that brings their world to life. This is a book for every rural queer kid who wondered if they were the only one and for queer historians eager for histories of same-sex experiences and culture beyond the cities.” -- Valerie J. Korinek, author of Prairie Fairies“An archive to treasure. This story of love and companionship pulls us across time and reminds us of the queer possibilities that have long blossomed in New Brunswick and beyond.” -- Craig Jennex, co-author of Out North“The photos alone make this book a must-have for those interested in uncovering the queer histories of rural New Brunswick. The affectionate photos of Len and Cub together convey the essence of a relationship never recognized during their lifetimes. An important contribution to Canadian queer historiography.” -- Ed Jackson, co-editor of Any Other Way: How Toronto Got Queer“The unapologetic gaze of Len Keith and Cub Coates endures in these amazing photographs, regardless of how we interpret their lives today.” -- Kelvin Browne * Literary Review of Canada *“How these men were treated and how their love was seen cannot be explained by it being a different time (though it remains profound and beautiful and unambiguous how deep lies the affection), but by the profound mystery of why ignorance and hate flourish, and how, somehow, healthy adult love can have a hierarchy or a class system.” -- Lara Rae * Winnipeg Free Press *“This is powerful, and instructive, for queer people who seek to be responsive to the suffering of those who may not be marginalised by virtue of their sexual orientation or gender identity but on account of their race, caste, or disability or diagnosis.” -- Chintan Girish Modi * News Nine *“This is a remarkable book and a work of public-facing scholarship in the purest sense. It takes something from behind closed doors and shares it with the world to change how we understand those that came before us and our own relationship with the past.” -- Maria Cichosz * Broken Pencil *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTells the biography of Karl Marx who has long been recognized as one of the best concise accounts of the life and thought of the man who had, in Berlin's words, a more "direct, deliberate, and powerful" influence on mankind than any other nineteenth-century thinker. This book introduces Marx's ideas and sets them in their context.Trade Review"A model of objective clarity."--Richard Charques, Times Literary Supplement "[Berlin's] book, a perennial classic, has all the virtues of Berlin himself: charm, erudition, and (occasionally) grandiloquence."--Peter E. Gordon, New Republic "The best brief account of the life and thought of Marx."--Saturday Review "Exceptional ... [A]s a portrait of the man and the intellectual climate of the mid-nineteenth century it is, perhaps, the finest we have."--Chimen Abramsky, Jewish Chronicle "[Berlin's] accounts of Marx's theses are sometimes more effective than Marx's own words, and his descriptions of Marx as a man are remarkably vivid."--H. B. Acton, Political Studies "Berlin's attitude to his subject is exemplary, and on the whole it is the best introduction to it that we have... [The book] makes Marx intelligible, both as a person and as a thinker."--A. L. Rowse, Political QuarterlyTable of ContentsEditor's Preface to the Fifth Edition xi Foreword by Alan Ryan xix Preface to the Fourth Edition xxix Note to the Third Edition xxxiii Note to the First Edition xxxv 1 Introduction 1 2 Childhood and Adolescence 22 3 The Philosophy of 'The Spirit' 33 4 The Young Hegelians 57 5 Paris 76 6 Historical Materialism 112 7 1848 149 8 Exile in London: The First Phase 168 9 The International 205 10 'The Red Terror Doctor' 220 11 Last Years 248 Afterword by Terrell Carver 267 Guide to Further Reading by Terrell Carver 291 Index 297

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewExcavating and connecting layers of the ideological influences on Angela Davis's familial, educational, activist and academic experiences, Joy James provides an incisive transdisciplinary analysis of paths taken by the world-renowned human rights advocate, feminist and abolitionist. Adroitly avoiding hagiography while embracing inevitable contradictions, James offers nuanced context with which to reflect not only on an iconic progressive figure of our times, but indeed the imperative of critical praxis that planetary antiblackness permanently engenders. * João Costa Vargas, Professor in the Departments of Black Study and Anthropology, University of California, Riverside, USA *Joy James the activist, as well as Joy James the intellectual, is an indispensable thinker; one of five people who I trust to contextualize the 1960s/70s. This book is a compassionate biography of Angela Davis which does not slide into hagiography, written by the Ida B. Wells of our time. * Frank B. Wilderson III, Chancellor’s Professor of African American Studies, University of California, Irvine,USA *Joy James offers a crisply written intellectual and political biography of Angela Y. Davis, one of the world’s most iconic radical feminist leaders. Drawing on a range of materialist and transdisciplinary approaches, James’s argument is impeccably evidenced and thoughtful in its methods. James humanizes Davis through detailed attention to the trajectory of her life and work. This is a riveting work. * Falguni A. Sheth, Professor and Chair of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Emory University, USA *Table of ContentsSeries Editor Preface Preface: Cold War as Context Acknowledgments Introduction I. Socialization and Education 1. “Sweet Home Alabama” 2. Sallye Davis’s Red Diaper Babies 3. Student Assimilationists and Rebels 4. From “Bombingham” to the Big Apple 5. Traumatic Awakenings in Devastated Children II. University 6. Undergrad 7. Marcuse’s “Most Famous Student” 8. 1967 Entry Points 9. Philosophy Professor and Communist Target III. Political Activism 10. Not Your Mother’s CPUSA: The Che-Lumumba Club 11. Doppelganger Panther Women: Roberta Alexander, Fania Davis Jordan, Angela Davis 12. Queering Radicalism: On Tour with Oakland Panthers and Jean Genet 13. Crucibles Conclusion: Context and Democracy Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''SUCH AN INCREDIBLE READ'' ZOE BALL''ONE OF THE YEAR''S MOST INSPIRING BOOKS'' HOLLY WILLOUGHBYWith a foreword by 2021 Strictly Come Dancing winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, and including chapters on Rose and her mum, the 3 Dads Walking, Martin Hibbert, Paul and Nick Harvey, the heroes of Fishmongers'' Hall, and Jimi Olubunmi-Adewole.Dan Walker is back, determined to keep shining a light on the kindness, compassion and selflessness which continue to characterise so many people and their actions right across the country.As one of the UK''s leading journalists, Dan has made it his life work to focus on people who often act as the catalysts for change: the unheralded champions who frequently go without getting the recognition they deserve.The new book from the author of the bestselling Remarkable People contains a totally fresh batch of humble heroes whose actions, bravery and determination have helped shape thTrade ReviewExtraordinary -- Julia Kuttner * Sunday Express *On Remarkable People: A compilation of inspirational stories from ordinary - in the best sense of the word - people [Dan Walker] has met over the years living through extraordinary circumstances, both joyous and torturous * Radio Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Fascinating and richly documented . . . Few books manage to be so informative and so entertaining.' – Sunday TimesSantiniketan-Sriniketan in India, Dartington Hall in England, Atarashiki Mura in Japan, the Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man in France, the Bruderhof in Germany and Trabuco College in America: six experimental communities established in the aftermath of the First World War, each aiming to change the world.Anna Neima's The Utopians is an absorbing and vivid account of these collectives and their charismatic leaders and reveals them to be full of eccentric characters, outlandish lifestyles and unchecked idealism.Dismissed and even mocked in their time, yet, a century later, their influence still resonates in progressive education, environmentalism, medical research and mindfulness training. Without such inspirational experiments in how to live, post-war society would have been a poorer place.'Thanks to Neima’s rigorous research, each chapter offers something new.' – Spectator'Neima ranges with impressive confidence across the world'. – Literary ReviewTrade ReviewFascinating and richly documented . . . This is Neima’s first book, and should not be her last. She writes with a novelist’s eye for detail and clearly revels in the eccentrics she has to chronicle — Gurdjieff selling sparrows painted yellow, for example, to fund his trek from Russia to France. Few books manage to be so informative and so entertaining. -- John Carey * Sunday Times *[Neima] offers an original perspective on the entire period and a new way of navigating its artistic and ideological upheaval . . . Fascinating . . . by showing how a global crisis can lead people to question tradition and reshape society, the subject remains important to this day. -- Guy Stagg * Spectator *[Neima] ranges with impressive confidence across the world . . . pleasingly non-judgemental and avoids laborious analysis. Reading this book is perhaps the most delightful way to indulge in elite communism in the 21st century, other than being recruited to a Californian tech start-up. -- Marc Mullholland * Literary Review *Neima’s brisk storytelling and eye for the illustrative quote and telling anecdote conveys the thrilling and sometimes scandalous strangeness of these experiments . . . highly readable -- Mary Harrington * The Critic *Meticulously researched . . . an engaging and immersive blend of macro- and micro-histories. The fascinating protagonists of each story are expertly situated within wider socio-economic history, with parallels usefully drawn between each community. -- Zoe Apostolides * Prospect *Neima’s diligent account focuses on six interwar endeavours, in Japan, India, America, Germany, England and France, each established by a charismatic leader, each with a goal of creating a more democratic, just and peaceful society. -- Olivia Laing * TLS *Neima’s writing is absolutely, faultlessly superb. It was a pleasure to read every page and an example of how non-fiction can be capable of blending intense research with first-class prose plus a large dash of entertainment. Highly recommended. * BookMunch *Anna Neima has picked a valuable and illuminating focus for her first book . . . Engagingly written with colour, warmth and unobtrusive erudition, The Utopians looks back to find some sturdy roots of hope. -- Boyd Tonkin * The Arts Desk *In the midst of crisis it’s inspiring to read about men and women who dedicated themselves to creating new worlds. Neima’s book, impeccably researched and beautifully written, will be an inspiration for anyone looking to an alternative future today. -- Stella Tillyard, author of Aristocrats and The Great LevelCan we ever transform ourselves and our divided societies? Deeply interesting and a pleasure to read, The Utopians illuminates the history of “social dreaming” at a time when it has never been more needed. This is a lovely book. -- Alison Light, author of A Radical Romance, Common People and Mrs. Woolf and the ServantsNeima is a historian of rare and wonderful powers. She writes with utter lucidity, bringing great swathes of thinking into focus, uncovering deep connections between experimental communities across the world. Considering her chosen utopians with a precious mix of shrewd realism and questing open-mindedness, she honours both practicalities and dreams. I finished this book newly persuaded of what the interwar years can teach us about the future. I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know, and looking to Neima as an inspiring new voice in non-fiction. -- Alexandra Harris, acclaimed author of Weatherland and Romantic ModernsBy highlighting the wide-spread, magnetic attraction of ramshackle and often spartan utopias, Neima's meticulously researched and measured study underscores the collective trauma of the First World War, and people's fervent attempts never to see those horrors repeated. -- Susan Gray * Church Times *A book that carefully recuperates the wild desires of a diverse group of dreamers who founded new societies between the 1920s and the 1940s . . . One of the great joys of the book is the kookiness of the projects [Neima] highlights. -- Joe P. L. Davidson * Tribune *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Astonishing... In the American journalist Andrew Nagorski this tale has found its ideal narrator'SEBASTIAN FAULKS, Sunday Times'[A] thrilling book, as edge-of-your-seat gripping as any heist movie'Kathryn Hughes, Guardian Book of the Day'A gripping masterpiece'BRETT KAHR, Freud Museum LondonMarch 1938: German soldiers are massing on the Austrian border, on the cusp of fulfilling Hitler's dream of absorbing the country into the Third Reich. Many Jews make frantic plans to flee to safety. But one of the most famous men in the world, unable to contemplate leaving his beloved Vienna, is not among them. His name is Sigmund Freud.Saving Freud is the story of a great man's life, and of the extraordinary people who managed to prolong it, by convincing him to escape to London: the Welsh physician who brought psychoanalysis to Britain; Napoleon's great-grandniece; an American ambassador; Freud's devoted daughter, Anna; and the doctor who risked his own life by staying at Freud's side.In examining the histories of both Freud and his closest circle, Andrew Nagorski brilliantly evokes the story of Europe in the first half of the Twentieth Century. This is a tale of a great city, a collapsing empire, a rising terror -and of a man who would change the way we think.Trade ReviewThe astonishing story of Sigmund Freud's last-minute escape from Vienna... In the American journalist Andrew Nagorski this tale has found its ideal narrator: clear, objective and keen to keep things moving. -- Sebastian Faulks * Sunday Times *Andrew Nagorski has written a gripping masterpiece about one of the greatest figures in history, whose insights about human beings as "savage beasts" could not be more timely -- Professor Brett Kahr, Honorary Director of Research, Freud Museum London, and author of FREUD'S PANDEMICS[A] thrilling book, as edge-of-your-seat gripping as any heist movie, tells the story of how a "rescue squad" was marshalled to get Freud out of danger before it was too late -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian Book of the Day *Unabashedly gripping and enjoyable, taking on the characteristics of a thriller as it builds to its denouement... Nagorski vividly evokes the atmosphere of [Vienna] in the 1930s, and especially the sudden and violent transition, after decades of resentful tolerance towards its Jewish citizens, to a mood of genocidal hostility. He also offers a tightly controlled, tension-filled account of the inexorable fall of Austria into the abyss of Nazi control -- Josh Cohen * Times Literary Supplement *Nagorski tells a riveting new story, one that shows just how narrow Freud's escape from the Nazi genocide was... The narrative pace and Nagorski's fluid writing give this book the character of an adventure story. It is an engrossing but sobering read that reminds us how many others without the resources of the Freud family had no similar options to make an exodus -- Rachel Newcomb * Washington Post *Fascinating... As Nagorski illustrates with cultural insight and a careful pacing of events, his flight to safety in order to 'die in freedom' amounts to a tale of unlikely resistance at a time of appalling tragedy. -- Simeon House * Mail on Sunday **** *In his fascinating new book Saving Freud, American author Andrew Nagorski pieces together the story of an eccentric bunch of friends and admirers of Freud -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail, Book of the Day *An insight-filled group portrait of the founder of psychoanalysis and his followers. It is also a psychobiographical thriller about the limits of genius -- Diane Cole * Wall Street Journal *Nagorski mixes the pacing of a historical thriller (think Alan Furst, but nonfiction, and starring therapists instead of spies) with a meditation on the limits of insight and what it means to be attached to a specific place and to live in a given moment in time...The result is hard to put down, poignant, and distressingly timely -- Patrick Blanchfield * New Republic *In a time in which the standing and integrity of psychoanalysis continues to be questioned, [Saving Freud] manages to show the extent to which people were entranced by Freud, how much this led some of them to love him, and how in doing so they revealed the deep ethical core of his person and his ideas -- Stephen Frosh * Jewish Chronicle *An intimate, touching portrait of a genius as an old man. Ill, myopic, in denial and terribly vulnerable, this Freud is more human than any I've encountered before. Andrew Nagorski has an artist's eye for revealing detail and a novelist's ability to bring to life a long lost world and its myriad denizens. -- Sylvia Nasar, author of A BEAUTIFUL MINDThis non-fiction work crackles like a novel... Saving Freud seems to have been written for the silver screen, and one can only hope that someone like Steven Spielberg finds his way to this book -- Kitty Kelley * Washington Independent Review of Books *Fascinating, eminently readable... A fresh look at Freud... Freud was magnetic, mythic, and Nagorski's lively and suspenseful biographical history will, it is hoped, recreate interest in this unique figure -- Joan Baum * NPR *Nagorski tells this little-known story in comprehensive and compassionate fashion. -- Sheldon Kirshner * Times of Israel *A richly contextual look at Freud's escape to London... Nagorski delivers a riveting page-turner... a fine biography * Kirkus starred review *Sigmund Freud's vibrant life in Vienna and narrow escape from the Gestapo are recounted in this entertaining history... The result is an invigorating look at a lesser-known chapter of Freud's well-documented life. * Publisher Weekly *As exciting and suspenseful as a spy novel, Andrew Nagorski's masterful narrative reveals how an eclectic group of Sigmund Freud's friends, ranging from an American ambassador to a French-born princess, came together to do the seemingly impossible: engineer his rescue from Nazi-controlled Austria as the Gestapo were closing in. Their successful efforts underscore how powerful love, loyalty, and friendship can be, even in the midst of overwhelming evil -- Lynne Olson, author of MADAME FOURCADE'S SECRET WARA riveting analysis of exile, old-age and friendship, Nagorski uses his characteristic clarity to tell an untold story about a well-known man. Highly exciting and no less historically ambitious for it; John Le Carré meets Ian Kershaw -- Emma Szewczak, author of THE OFFSETWith his characteristic clarity and meticulous research, Nagorski has once again produced a masterful work. Saving Freud is a page-turner, mixing biography and escape narrative, with a powerful reminder that historians need to pay attention not just to words, but to relationships -- Rebecca Erbelding, author of RESCUE BOARDPart engrossing biography of the father of psychoanalysis, part vivid group portrait of the circle of notables who rescued Sigmund Freud from the Nazis, Saving Freud ... captures the power of self-delusion and denial among even the most brilliant minds -- Kati Marton, author of THE CHANCELLOR

Read more less

Book SynopsisAgainst the frightening backdrop of World War II, a young Scottish woman took ten children by ship through the waters of the Atlantic from Scotland to South Africa, where she set up a home for them called Bairnshaven. An unusual portrayal of motherhood, nuclear family and love, Marjorie's story comes to life through diary pages, letters, telegrams and photographs. This true story is a fresh take on the role that women played during the war, highlighting the strength and courage shown, and focusing on hope and unconditional kindness.Trade ReviewBook Review – Marjorie's Journey by Ailie Cleghorn In 1940 Britain was at war. Bombs were falling on major cities from Glasgow to Plymouth, coastal defences were in place, and the Atlantic was full of German U-boats. On 29 July Marjorie Anderson Marnoch boarded the Winchester Castle and sailed from Glasgow to Cape Town. With her travelled twelve children, the oldest aged ten, and the youngest just nine months. In South Africa Marjorie set up a home for them all in the small town of Robertson. The home was called Bairnshaven, and the ‘family’ lived there very happily for the duration of the war and beyond it. Now Ailie Cleghorn, Marjorie’s second cousin and a professor emerita at Concordia University in Montreal, has researched her story. Marjorie’s Journey: On A Mission of her Own is an immensely readable and very interesting account of the life of this remarkable woman. Marjorie was born in Ceylon in 1906; her parents George and Harriet had left Aberdeen 18 months earlier when George had taken up a position in the Colonial Service. Sadly Harriet died when Marjorie was just 3 years old; George left her in the care of Harriet’s sister Agnes and her husband John and departed for Canada, where he was to work until 1936. Marjorie grew up with her cousins Sheena (the author’s mother) and Agnes in the Marnoch home in Albyn Place, Aberdeen. The family was fairly affluent (John was a doctor) but Marjorie had a miserable childhood and was treated badly by her aunt. She was sent to boarding school at the age of four, and was happier there. "She was petted and cossetted by the older girls and had a happy life during term time. School was a safe haven….the holidays in the Marnoch home were the most difficult times for her." Ailie Cleghorn feels that Marjorie’s early experiences were what led her to train as a teacher and develop such empathy for other lonely or neglected children. Marjorie wanted to leave the Marnoch home as soon as possible, but was prevented by her aunt from doing so until 1936, when her father retired and returned to live at Parkstone in Dorset, where she joined him. It was at Parkstone that Marjorie, now a trained Montessori educator, set up her first preschool and home for the children of parents working abroad (mainly, like her own, in the colonies.) Three years later World War Two began. Marjorie tried in vain to find a suitable property to move the children to away from the endangered south coast. In 1940 one of the parents, a brigadier general, asked her to take his daughter – and the children of all the other parents who agreed – away from the war. A month later they were on a blacked-out night train travelling from London to Glasgow. Marjorie had decided to sail from Scotland because the docks of her first choice, Southampton, had just been bombed, and there were rumours that those at Liverpool were about to suffer the same fate. Just before the group left Parkstone the air and sea protection of Glasgow harbour was removed. Marjorie decided to go anyway. "…we all stood at the rail on deck for a few moments. Rob next to me was yelling ‘Goodbye, goodbye!’ to the little man from South Africa House…" On the first night of the voyage the Winchester Castle was chased by a submarine, which it finally shook off at 3am. Thereafter the ship had to zig zag all the way to try to avoid the enemy, but three weeks later she docked safely in Cape Town. The family’s new life had begun. "I was struck by how Marjorie’s children truly escaped the horrors of war, to have the horrors replaced by safety, companionship, love and a happy life at Bairnshaven." In 1980 Marjorie wrote a 28 page letter to that nine month old baby, Sandy, then 40 years old himself, in which she told him in detail about the journey to South Africa and their life in Robertson. Twenty years later Ailie Cleghorn came across it in her family’s files, and her curiosity was sparked. She began to investigate. Ailie’s research led her to visit Scotland, England, South Africa, Robertson and Bairnshaven, and she also tried to contact Marjorie’s surviving children, with some of whom she became good friends. The children had many happy memories of their time with Marjorie, of life in the small Afrikaans-speaking town (where they attended the local school and soon became bilingual) with their menagerie of pets, of summers spent outside enjoying picnics by the Breede river or riding ponies, and of holidays at Umhlanga Rocks. In 1947 the nearby town of Worcester received a royal visit from King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and the royal princesses. The children were presented to them, and this chapter of Marjorie’s Journey includes the thank you letter that Sandy wrote to the Queen and a collection of the children’s comments reproduced by Marjorie in her 1980 letter to Sandy; "Angela: please Aunty let’s cut off that bit of Malcolm’s hair and frame it, and say ‘This hair has been stroked by the Queen of England.'" Ailie Cleghorn quotes extensively from fascinating original sources, especially Marjorie’s long letter to Sandy, but also from her conversations with the ‘children’ she managed to track down. She also updates their stories, and again it is so interesting to find out what happened to them after the war, and where they ended up. Some returned to South Africa, the happy memories of their time there drawing them back. Some settled in other parts of Africa, in Canada and in the UK. "The testimonies of so many of them in the following years, even to this day, confirm that she gave them the best possible childhood." Marjorie’s own story is also completed; she returned to the UK in 1951 and soon started Fledglings, a new early years school at Richmond, near London, Ailie Cleghorn visited Marjorie several times after the war so is able to give a first-hand account of her memories. She also met with Marjorie’s fellow teacher Anne Maconochie and quotes from Anne’s spoken and written accounts of life at Fledglings. And it is these personal, intimate moments, together with the many touching photos of Marjorie’s own childhood, and of the Bairnshaven children then and now, that bring this wonderful book to life. As an academic, Ailie speaks of her own initial dilemma as to how to approach telling Marjorie’s story. As part of the same family, she felt she was an outsider looking in but also an insider, both distant and familiar, observer and participant. Whatever her own worries may have been she need not have had them, for her well researched and deeply absorbing book is an excellent testament to the life of a courageous, caring Scottish woman, one for whom kindness and compassion were all. In Ailie’s own words; "With her roots in Scotland, Marjorie deserves a place in that country’s history, adding to the all too few accounts of Scottish women and war." -- Rosemary Kaye * The Edinburgh Reporter *In Ailie's own words; "With her roots in Scotland, Marjorie deserves a place in that country’s history, adding to the all too few accounts of Scottish women and war." -- Rosemary Kaye * The Edinburgh Reporter *Professor David McCrone writes of Marjorie’s Journey that “It is testament to the triumph of the human spirit; that one woman could have achieved so much simply by force of will, in the context of a fairly miserable childhood, and against all the odds” – Scottish Affairs -- David McCrone * The life of Marjorie *Carol Rowan writes for the Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth that, “Cleghorn’s text provides the contemporary reader, student, and scholar insights into the construction of white privilege and at the same time opportunities to reconceptualize notions of ‘family’.” -- Carol Rowan * Marjorie’s Journey: On a mission of her own. *"I marvel at how one, single woman could offer so many children hope, and unconditional kindness. Her physical strength, fortitude, and ability to adjust and surmount challenges are the hallmarks of a true teacher whose passion is her calling." -- Rinelle Evans * University of Pretoria, South Africa *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter WWII, Ilse Koch became known worldwide as the “Bitch of Buchenwald.” She was assuredly guilty of atrocities, but the most sensational crimes ascribed to her by prosecutors and newspapers went unproven. Tomaz Jardim reveals how Koch’s perceived betrayal of womanhood sealed her fate as a scapegoat for a society seeking absolution.Trade ReviewScrupulous and unsettling, this is a vital reconsideration of a notorious figure from history. * Publishers Weekly *[Jardim] argues that Koch, convicted for her moral and ideological culpability in assaulting prisoners…received a gendered treatment by the American and German presses…This focus on the salacious, sensational, and extraordinary hindered an honest examination of the routinized and bureaucratized slaughter by a regime based on the popular support and participation of many ordinary people. * Choice *The definitive portrait of Ilse Koch, whose caricature as a sadistic nymphomaniac has for too long dominated representations of Nazi female perpetrators. In Jardim’s judicious hands, Koch’s story reveals much about the Nazi system, postwar justice, and the sexism that permeated both, while firmly establishing Koch’s guilt and paranoid antisemitism. -- Wendy Lower, author of Hitler’s Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing FieldsAn indispensable, superbly researched contribution to the literature on postwar trials of Nazi crimes. Caught between her own obvious prevarications and lack of remorse, the US public’s thirst for sensationalism, and Germany’s need for a spectacular symbol of gender-violating deviance to serve as a convenient scapegoat, Ilse Koch was the rare case of a Nazi perpetrator who was over-prosecuted and over-punished. -- Christopher R. Browning, author of Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in PolandFascinating and highly original. Deploying a number of previously neglected sources, Jardim not only explores Koch’s life and trials, but also raises intriguing questions about how guilt can ever be established when all but the most circumstantial evidence is absent. A high-caliber contribution. -- Elizabeth Borgwardt, author of A New Deal for the World: America’s Vision for Human RightsA gripping account of a Nazi placed on trial after the war, both in court and in the press, for her gruesome acts at Buchenwald concentration camp. Looking closely at Koch’s life and motivations, Jardim offers a brilliant study of postwar Germany and America trying to come to grips with the barbarity of the Nazis, human wickedness, and the role of women perpetrators. -- Susannah Heschel, author of The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi GermanyIn a stroke of genius, Jardim shows how the figure of Ilse Koch—popularly depicted as a bad wife, a worse mother, and a sexually threatening woman—helped frame the Holocaust as being, fundamentally, about psychological perversion and deviation from the gendered norms of civilization. In so doing, he makes the role of gender in postwar Nazi trials not only legible, but inescapable. -- Devin O. Pendas, author of Democracy, Nazi Trials, and Transitional Justice in Germany, 1945–1950A fascinating, revelatory book. Jardim’s deft account of the trials of one of the most infamous Nazi defendants serves as a prism through which he examines such big themes as the postwar reckoning with the camps, the popular (mis)understanding of Nazi crimes, and the politics of memory. -- Nikolaus Wachsmann, author of KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the playgrounds of Glasgow to the villages of Bangladesh; from religious rites to ancient superstitions; from the world's richest people to its powerless and enslaved, Lorna Gibb's masterful Childless Voices paints a global portrait of people without children. Brilliantly grouped by thematic commonality (Those who long, Those who were denied, Those who Choose, etc) the book is a testament to the power of listening, and the power of sharing stories. It is an essential, moving and surprising book on a subject which touches everyone.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA collection of 20 profiles of fascinating men by author and magazine writer Steve Oney. Written over a 40-year period, many are prize-winning essays.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE A page-turner with the authority of history' PHILIPPA GREGORYAs gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read' SARAH WATERSLondon, 1938. Alma Fielding, an ordinary young woman, begins to experience supernatural events in her suburban home. Nandor Fodor a Jewish-Hungarian refugee and chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical research begins to investigate. In doing so he discovers a different and darker type of haunting: trauma, alienation, loss and the foreshadowing of a nation's worst fears. As the spectre of Fascism lengthens over Europe, and as Fodor's obsession with the case deepens, Alma becomes ever more disturbed. With rigour, daring and insight, the award-winning pioneer of historical narrative non-fiction Kate Summerscale shadows Fodor's enquiry, delving into long-hidden archives to find the human story behind a very modern haunting.An empathetic, meticulous Trade ReviewHidden realities of a different kind lie beneath the story of Kate Summerscale’s The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story, which delves into the 1930s case of the “Croydon Poltergeist”, investigated by Nandor Fodor, chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical Research * Guardian, Autumn highlights *Gothic, dark and scandalous ... A gripping account * Sunday Times *A chilling real life ghost story ... This book scared me witless * Red *Expertly told, with all the twists and turns of a chilly novel by Wilkie Collins or Barbara Vine ... The more Summerscale delves, the more she finds out about the hidden compartments of the human mind -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *A terrific true ghost story ... her best book since The Suspicions of Mr Whicher ... She has achieved the perfect balance between her central story and its cultural context. * Guardian *With The Haunting of Alma Fielding, Kate Summerscale does for ghosts what she did for a murder in her very successfulThe Suspicions of Mr Whicher * Times Literary Supplement *Riveting ... One of the many great pleasures of The Haunting of Alma Fielding, as in all of her work, is her knack of recreating the feverish atmosphere of the time -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *A detective novel, a ghost yarn and a historical record rolled into one. Blending fact and fiction, it is an electrifying reconstruction * i paper *Summerscale revisits these strange events with her customary wide research and in lucid and unadorned prose…she draws a convincing and compelling portrait of a moment of mass anxiety in which so deep was the longing to believe that anything could become believable * Literary Review *London, 1938, and a young woman begins to experience supernatural events. Is she really haunted, or is something else going on? The author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher investigates * Observer, Autumn highlights *With her eye for evocative period detail, her sensitivity to the quirks and poignancies of human motivation, and her brilliant storytelling skills, Summerscale has taken this corker of a case and made it as gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read -- SARAH WATERSAn engrossing, weirdly timely book about the relationship between the bodily self and the trauma of a haunted mind * Metro *Prepare not to see much broad daylight, literal or metaphorical, for days if you read this ... the atmosphere evoked is something I will never forget * The Times *Astonishingly gripping. As ever, she offers fascinating insights into what the story tells you about the era in which it unfolded and spotting ingenious parallels in contemporary art and literature, but without ever allowing the narrative pace to slow up * Sunday Express *As with her previous books, Summerscale weaves personal records with meticulous research carried out over three years, to not just resurrect the people involved, but the world in which they live. We are walking with the dead, but the author is conjuring something more believable, more unsettling, than anything you will find in a dodgy seance hall * Evening Standard *Summerscale’s account of their strange relationship is astonishingly gripping, with the bonus of a pleasingly chilling spookiness * Daily Mirror *Summerscale's unsettling story offers her most nuanced, empathetic work to date - a bright and engrossing tale of the grey space between hoax and haunting * Prospect *The uncanny underscores everything in this based-on-history ghost story from the author of The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher. Alma Fielding, a woman living in Croydon in the 1930s, appears to be haunted by a poltergeist intent on destroying her home. Is it genuine, is it coming from her own state of mind, or is it seeping in from the real spectres of the pre-war world? * Sainsbury's Magazine *The Suspicions of Mr Whicher author returns with another intriguing nonfiction story. It is 1938 and poor old Alma Fielding’s home is being disturbed by the Croydon Poltergeist * The Times, Autumn highlights *A page-turner with the authority of history - The Haunting of Alma Fielding will stay with the reader as powerfully as the mystery at the heart of the story. Why should a woman - happily married and moderately well off, smash up her own home blaming a poltergeist. Or, if she was in the grip of another will - who was it? An unvarnished account of unknowable things at a time of deep unease -- PHILIPPA GREGORYAnother true-life mystery from the author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher * Sunday Times, Autumn Highlights *This spooky narrative non-fiction is as gripping as any thriller and the perfect read for winter nights. Summerscale delves deep into historical archives to bring to life the strange story of a woman whose home appears to be haunted by what becomes known as the Croydon Poltergeist * Good Housekeeping *An empathetic, meticulous account of a spiritual unravelling; a tribute to the astonishing power of the human mind - but also a properly absorbing, baffling, satisfying detective story -- AIDA EDEMARIAMSuperb ... The Haunting of Alma Fielding will have you up all night and grip you to your bones ... An extraordinary feat of historical research and imaginative sympathy. Alma emerges from the pages a living, breathing woman - and one you can't forget. Kate Summerscale has another smash hit on her hands -- KATE WILLIAMSThis real-life mystery is riveting and recreates the feverish atmosphere of the time * The Times, The best paperbacks of 2021 *Praise for Kate Summerscale: She has turned a sepia photograph into a film that runs through the mind in glorious and unimpeachable Technicolor -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *Summerscale's brilliance lies in charting, with beautiful precision, a story's strange echoes and reverberations -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *No other writer could have made the case so fascinating and so vivid ... It would be impossible to read this dry-eyed -- Cressida Connolly * Spectator *An extraordinary book which will stay with you * Daily Express *Gripping... Summerscale is an exquisite storyteller. She is judicious in her use of detail, subtle in her unspoken connections between the past and the present -- Daisy Goodwin * The Times *The finest documentary writing -- John le CarréAbsolutely riveting -- Sarah Waters * Guardian *As Kate Summerscale has proved before, she has a wonderfully sharp eye for stories which turn out not to be quite what they seem... a remarkably heartening story * Daily Mail *Scrupulous and occasionally startling -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *Simply superb -- Alexandra Harris * Guardian *Extraordinary -- Philippa Gregory * Daily Telegraph *I was hooked after the first few pages. It's as good as non-fiction could possibly get -- Victoria Hislop * Daily Mail *A scalpel-sharp investigative mind -- John Carey * Sunday Times *I can't think of another book which takes you so fast into the smells, tastes and atmosphere of that time -- Doris LessingNothing less than a masterpiece -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis candid autobiography, the last work by renowned psychologist Albert Ellis, is a tour de force of stimulating ideas, colorful descriptions of memorable people and events, and straightforward, no-nonsense talk. Ellis, the creator of one of the most successful forms of psychotherapy—Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)—recounts the memorable episodes of his life; discusses how he coped with emotional problems at different stages of life; describes his love life; and subjects his own self-description to a ruthlessly honest critique. The heart of Ellis's book is his analysis of the psychological leitmotifs that have appeared again and again throughout his life. He describes the aim of this autobiography as follows: "As far as I can, I shall present my bad and good, stupid and intelligent, weak and strong points. Why? Because, following H. G. Wells's recommendation, I want to go as all-out as I can. I want to acknowledge my idiocies—and use REBT to feel sorry about but unashamed of them. I want to make the point—again a central tenet of REBT—that all humans are fabulously fallible—including, of course, me. We have no real choice about this, but we can unconditionally accept ourselves—our so-called essence or being—with our fallibility. That will momentously help us, probably encourage us to acquire unconditional self-acceptance (USA) and possibly inspire other people to give it to themselves, too." With a concluding chapter by Ellis's widow, Debbie Joffe Ellis, describing the final years of his life, this is the definitive summation of the life and work of one of psychology's most successful thinkers and practitioners.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur political leaders spend their careers spinning their images and polishing their achievements; Michael Cockerell has spent his professional life stripping off the gloss. Over fifty years, he has gained unrivalled access to the secret chambers of Westminster and Whitehall. Here, he reveals in illuminating and often hilarious stories what our top politicians are really like behind the mask. Drawing on his unique experience of having filmed all the past ten Prime Ministers, Cockerell tells how he manages to lull some of the most wary people in the land into candour, and shows how questions of sex are never far from the surface in Westminster. Amongst much else, he recounts: how Margaret Thatcher flirted with him on screen but attacked him by name in the Commons; how Tony Blair said he would willingly 'pay the blood price' in Iraq; how David Cameron learned from Enoch Powell always to make a big speech on a full bladder - and how Boris Johnson admitted to doubts about his ability to be Prime Minister. Revealing how our politicians have reacted during some of the most pivotal events in our recent history, Unmasking Our Leaders also provides a compelling insight into a career working in political television and foreign reporting, where tensions, rivalries and life-threatening danger are all part of the package.Trade Review"I am hugely excited by Michael Cockerell's book. His remarkable access to the great and the good gives him endlessly compelling insights into our leaders and what it is to wield power." - Emily Maitlis "From the man whose camera captured them, and whose questions revealed them, comes the compelling tale of politicians' relationship with television, from Churchill's secret screen test to this day. Stuffed with intimate anecdotes and scattered with decades of his own scoops, Michael Cockerell reminds us why he is the master." - Laura Kuenssberg "The most delightful, absorbing and thoroughly entertaining book about politics you will ever read. A triumph." - Alan Johnson "Hugely entertaining and revealing - my political book of the year." - Iain Dale "Michael Cockerell is the David Attenborough of the political animal kingdom - endlessly fascinated and fascinating." - Rory Bremner "From Heath to Johnson, Michael Cockerell has known them all, and done more than any political journalist to go beyond the caricatures. This richly entertaining memoir casts fresh light on what he made of them ... and what they made of him." - Steve Richards "The master chronicler of our political age tells the story behind the stories of those who've held power in Britain." - Nick Robinson "Michael Cockerell is the Holbein of the televisual political portrait. I have been nagging him for years to write this book. It was worth the wait - and how." - Professor Peter Hennessy "From Heath to Johnson, Michael Cockerell has known them all, and done more than any political journalist to go beyond the caricatures. This richly entertaining memoir casts fresh light on what he made of them ... and what they made of him." - Steve Richards “As enthralling a history of modern British politics as you will find anywhere… it is richly stuffed with anecdotes and gags and as compelling as a Jack Reacher thriller, though with fewer dead bodies.” - Roger Alton, Daily Mail

Read more less

Book Synopsis“For God’s sake, bring me a large Scotch. What a bloody awful country!” Home Secretary Reginald Maudling, returning from his first visit to Northern Ireland in 1970 As a long and bloody guerrilla war staggered to a close on the island of Ireland, Britain beat a retreat from all but a small portion of the country – and thus, in 1921, Northern Ireland was born. That partition, says Kevin Meagher, has been an unmitigated disaster for Nationalists and Unionists alike. Following the fraught history of British rule in Ireland, a better future was there for the taking but was lost amid political paralysis, while the resulting fifty years of devolution succeeded only in creating a brooding sectarian stalemate that exploded into the Troubles. In a stark but reasoned critique, Meagher traces the landmark events in Northern Ireland’s century of existence, exploring the missed signals, the turning points, the principled decisions that should have been taken, as well as the raw realpolitik of how Northern Ireland has been governed over the past 100 years. Thoughtful and sometimes provocative, What a Bloody Awful Country reflects on how both Loyalists and Republicans might have played their cards differently and, ultimately, how the actions of successive British governments have amounted to a masterclass in failed statecraft.Trade Review"A timely and lucid analysis of the Troubles that asks hard questions of successive British governments. The good news for the current government is that it also offers some answers." Rory Carroll, The Guardian

Read more less

Book Synopsis'In clear and utterly compelling English, this moving memoir tells the story of the agony, and the ecstasy, of one refugee - and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistan's spirit over its seemingly endless suffering'. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, British Ambassador to Afghanistan, 2007-2010 Flight From Afghanistan is a harrowing account of what drives a man to flee his home country in fear of his life, the trauma of refugee camps and the dangers he faces even when he reaches the sanctuary of the West. Afghans are the second largest refugee group in the world. When confronted by certain death at the point of a gun, Tella Omeri, an uneducated boy from a peasant family knew he had no alternative but to put his life in the hands of ruthless human traffickers, living on his wits and instincts. His 11-year flight, which began as a six-year- old child, is a story combining brutality with courage, hopelessness with resilience. The author asks for no pity, but in his short story he seeks to explain the motivation behind his decisions and paints a radically different picture of life in a troubled region, challenging world leaders and domestic warring factions to find a solution to the endless conflict. While thousands of refugees flee conflict and danger every day, Flight from Afghanistan shines a powerful light on what it actually means to undertake such a journey, and gives a voice to the often forgotten silent victims of the long running wars in the author's home country. * 'Afghan refugees represent one of the world's largest protracted refugee populations. Over the past four decades, many have been forced from their homes to never see them again. Some were able to return, for a while, but had their lives upended by a fresh eruption of conflict and violence - either to be displaced elsewhere in the country, or to become refugees yet again'. Amnesty International * 'Afghanistan is the world's least peaceful country'. Institute for Peace and Economics, June 2019 Tella Omeri now lives in the UK as a British Citizen with his wife and children.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlutarch's Lives Vol 2, written by the ancient Greek historian and biographer Plutarch, is a captivating collection of biographies that offers deep insights into the lives of prominent figures from Greek and Roman history. This second volume serves as a continuation of Plutarch's comprehensive examination of notable individuals and explores the parallel lives of influential personalities. The biographies in Plutarch's Lives Vol 2 go beyond mere historical accounts, as Plutarch employs a blend of factual information and insightful anecdotes to paint vivid portraits of these illustrious individuals. With its rich historical context, engaging storytelling, and philosophical underpinnings, Plutarch's Lives Vol 2 stands as a timeless work that continues to captivate readers, offering profound wisdom and a window into the lives of extraordinary men.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Vol-1' is an enlightening collection of writings by the renowned polymath Leonardo da Vinci. In this volume, readers are granted a glimpse into the mind of one of history's greatest geniuses as they explore da Vinci's personal notebooks. The book presents a compilation of da Vinci's observations, ideas, sketches, and reflections on a wide range of subjects. From anatomy and engineering to art and philosophy, da Vinci's writings cover an astounding breadth of knowledge and curiosity. Readers are treated to da Vinci's meticulous studies of the human body, his inventive engineering designs, and his musings on the nature of light, perspective, and aesthetics. The volume provides a fascinating window into da Vinci's creative process and the depth of his intellectual pursuits. It is a treasure trove of insights and inspiration for art enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone intrigued by the boundless curiosity and brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci Vol-2' is an enlightening collection of writings by the renowned polymath Leonardo da Vinci. The second volume of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks contains a wide range of writings on a variety of topics, including sculpture, architecture, zoology, physiology, medicine, astronomy, geography, naval warfare, swimming, flying machines, mining, music, and more. Leonardo's writings are often accompanied by detailed drawings and diagrams, which provide a fascinating glimpse into his mind and his work. The volume begins with a section on sculpture, in which Leonardo discusses the principles of design and proportion. He also provides detailed instructions on how to create sculptures, including how to model clay, cast bronze, and carve marble. The next section of the volume is devoted to architecture. Leonardo discusses the design of buildings, including churches, palaces, and fortifications. He also provides insights into the principles of engineering and construction.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A fascinating and poignant story. . . . Revealing, humorous, and provocative."--Library Journal "A searing tale of the traumas and rewards of gender change. . . . A powerful indictment of legal, medical, and institutional obstruction."--Foreword Reviews "A tautly crafted memoir of her transition from Don McCloskey, conservative Chicago school economist, to Deirdre McCloskey, power shopper, domestic superachiever, and campy doyenne of difference feminism." --Ruth Shalit "Lingua Franca " "The very courageous story of someone trying to live an honest life, whatever the consequences."--Jeannie Marshall "National Post " "That an affluent, upper-middle-class person should be so powerless against a mental-health bureaucracy still subscribing to its offical pronouncement that transsexualism is a 'gender identity disorder' makes for gripping reading."--Booklist "This is a woman worth knowing. She has given us a highly readable, dramatic account of her crossing."--Maxine Kumin "New York Times Book Review " "A testimony to her struggles and courage, Crossing invites the reader to enter Deirdre (formerly Donald) McCloskey's mind as she decides to become a woman after a lifetime as a man, husband, and father." --Kirkus Reviews

Read more less

Book SynopsisWho was Jacques Derrida? For some, he is responsible, at least in part, for the contemporary crisis of truth. For the far right, he is one of the architects of Cultural Marxism. To his academic critics, he reduced French philosophy to 'little more than an object of ridicule'. For his fans, he is an intellectual rock star who ranged across literature, politics, and linguistics. In An Event Perhaps, Peter Salmon presents this misunderstood and misappropriated figure as a deeply humane and urgent thinker for our times. Accessible, provocative and beautifully written, this biography will introduce to a new readership to the life and work of a philosopher whose influence over the way we think will continue long into the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewThis is a compulsively readable intellectual biography of Derrida that teases out his endlessly fascinating thought, even when it is at its knottiest, with admirable patience and lucidity. Salmon's book, in vividly transmitting the intellectual excitement of Derrida's times, reminds the reader that, especially in his thinking about ethics, he remains a philosopher who is urgently, politically relevant to our times too. -- Matthew Beaumont, Professor at English at University College, LondonThe life of Jacques Derrida has never been told as elegantly or engagingly as it is in Peter Salmon's new book. In delightfully readable, often laconic prose, Salmon helped me to understand Derrida as never before and demonstrated why he is not, as some detractors called him, the Devil but much more cherishable. A wonderful book. -- Stuart Jeffries, author of Grand Hotel AbyssA precise intellectual biography ... Salmon's ability to render the man and the mind behind Derrida's "notoriously difficult" style accessible make this volume a rich resource for both newcomers to, and fans of, "one of the great philosophers of this or any age. * Publishers Weekly *Peter Salmon's clear-sighted, engaging guide to Derrida's life and ideas is an excellent way to learn about how one of the twentieth century's most complex thinkers continues to influence our world -- Daniel Trilling, author of Lights in the DistanceA scintillating new biography . . . Derrida's life story provides a frame and background for an intellectual biography of his ideas and their development. In the process it also serves as one of the clearest introductions to 20th-century continental philosophy available. -- Julian Baggini * Prospect Magazine *[An Event, Perhaps] comes as manna from heaven ... It's dizzyingly good. * Expressen *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPrivate Eye: The 60 Yearbook is a history of the last 60 years, as seen by Britain's first, most successful and indeed only fortnightly satirical magazine. From the Beatles to Brexit, JFK to Trump, the Moon landings to the Mars landings, it tells the story of the past six decades as they were recorded in the Eye's pages. The news stories you remember - and plenty you may have forgotten - are retold in cartoons, covers and the magazine's legendary spoofs as well as extensive extracts from some of its best-loved features like Mrs Wilson's Diary, Dear Bill and The Secret Diary of John Major. It is also the story of the headlines Private Eye made itself, from the earliest stirrings of investigative journalism exposing the Poulson Scandal and Ronan Point, through major miscarriages of justice like the Stephen Lawrence case and the Lockerbie cover-up and national scandals that have cost the country billions in dodgy PFI contracts, government cock-ups and secret sweetheart tax deals. Inside are the stories that led to the fall of two cabinet ministers, countless corrupt business figures and even the official in charge of making sure everyone else in Whitehall's behaviour was above board. It includes writing by such satirical giants as Peter Cook, Richard Ingrams, Craig Brown, Auberon Waugh and Ian Hislop, and pictures by some of the world's best cartoonists including Michael Heath, Gerald Scarfe, Nick Newman, Willie Rushton, Robert Thompson and Ken Pyne.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA major biography of the man who, more than any other, made the twentieth century. Written by an author of great repute. The history of the 20th century is Marx's legacy. Not since Jesus Christ has an obscure pauper inspired such global devotion – or been so calamitously misinterpreted. The end of the century is a good moment to strip away the mythology and try to rediscover Marx the man. There have been many thousands of books on Marxism, but almost all are written by academics and zealots for whom it is a near blaspemy to treat him as a figure of flesh and blood. In the past few years there have been excellent and successful biographies of many eminent Victorians and yet the most influential of them has remained untouched. In this book Francis Wheen, for the first time, presens Marx the man in all his brilliance and frailty – as a poverty-stricken Prussian emigre who became a middle-class English gentleman; as an angry agitator who spent much of his adult life in scholarly silence in the British Museum Reading Room; as a gregarious and convivial host who fell out with almost all his friends; as a devoted family man who impregnated his housemaid; as a deeply earnest philosopher who loved drink, cigars and jokes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA portrait of Martin Heidegger as a man and a philosopherTrade Review“In this engaging, lively narrative, Payen masterfully presents the vast trajectory of Heidegger’s intellectual and personal life without flinching from disturbing elements but also without deciding for the reader what the most shocking of these might mean for an assessment of the philosophy, the man, or the intersections of the man and the thinking. What emerges is an intimate and provocative portrait of Heidegger’s life and legacy.”—Gregory Fried, Boston College“Payen’s volume ranks as one of the best biographies of Heidegger in any language. Among its many strengths, his reading of Heidegger’s anti-Semitism is thorough, judicious, and painstakingly grounded in all the available texts.”—Thomas Sheehan, Stanford University

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first ever biography of the founder of Western philosophy Considered by many to be the most important philosopher ever, Plato was born into a well-to-do family in wartime Athens at the end of the fifth century BCE. In his teens, he honed his intellect by attending lectures from the many thinkers who passed through Athens and toyed with the idea of writing poetry. He finally decided to go into politics, but became disillusioned, especially after the Athenians condemned his teacher, Socrates, to death. Instead, Plato turned to writing and teaching. He began teaching in his twenties and later founded the Academy, the world''s first higher-educational research and teaching establishment. Eventually, he returned to practical politics and spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to create a constitution for Syracuse in Sicily that would reflect and perpetuate some of his political ideals. The attempts failed, and Plato''s disappointment can be traced in some of his later polTrade ReviewPlato of Athens is erudite and fascinating, and realises its aim of showing that his works were magnificent, that "Plato invented philosophy" not as a body of doctrine but an open-ended and insatiable quest. * Jane O'Grady, The Telegraph *If all Western philosophy is as has been claimed a series of footnotes to Plato of Athens, it's fortunate indeed that all his dialogues have survived and attracted translators and interpreters of the caliber of Robin Waterfield. Brilliant, witty, profound--and perplexing: Plato's all those and more (a uniquely resonant stylist too), and it's no mean tribute both to him and to the author to say that Robin Waterfield has done him justice. * Paul Cartledge, author of Thebes: The Forgotten City of Ancient Greece *Whitehead once characterized the history of Western philosophy as a series of footnotes to Plato. Here, at last, we have an authoritative body text for the man himself. 'No philosopher,' Waterfield writes, 'is as accessible to non-specialists as Plato.' The same can be said for this remarkable, impeccably researched biography * M. D. Usher, author of Plato's Pigs and Other Ruminations *Writing a biography of Plato is a tricky endeavor, to say the least. Robin Waterfield nonetheless succeeds in delivering a gripping, plausible, and enlightening portrait. Those new to Plato as well as seasoned scholars will come away from Plato of Athens not only with as rounded a picture of Plato the man as may be possible, but also with an excellent sense of his philosophy and the historical times in which he lived and with which he engaged. * Iakovos Vasiliou, author of Aiming at Virtue in Plato *Waterfield evokes [the Academy's] atmosphere superbly. Indeed, the passages on Plato's teachings, his dialogues and his contribution to the field of philosophy are a particular strength of the book...His account of Plato's failure to reform the tyrant [Dionysius II] and establish a new constitution for him is particularly well done. * Daisy Dunn, Literary Review *Waterfield's narrative is compelling. * The Atlantic *Well-researched and attractively written. * Armand D'Angour, History Today *An admirably solid overview of Platoâs life and works. * David Stuttard, British Museum Magazine *[A] readable and wonderfully enlightening book...a remarkably successful attempt to paint a believable picture of the intellectual journey of someone who is unquestionably one of the great landmarks of European thinking... Plato would have liked that, and that is the highest praise. * John Muir, Classics for All *Learned and highly readable. * Malcom Schofield, Society *Well-researched and attractively written. * Armand D'Angour, History Today *Engaging and accessible...one of the best books available for those who are new to Plato...always looks at the evidence with fresh eyes...a marvelous introductory overview of Plato's philosophy, as it emerged from his intellectual and political milieu. Furthermore, there is no better way than the one provided by Waterfield for beginners to learn about the Academy. * Richard Kraut, Society *Well-researched and attractively written. * Armand D'Angour, History Today *Nobody is better qualified to write this book than Robin Waterfield... He does not talk down to the reader, but neither does he assume any prior knowledge... [a] timely and eloquent book. It encourages the reader to go back to Plato himself and (re)read those texts where the dialogue form is so skilfully used to explore issues which could be a matter of life and death rather than airy philosophy. * John Godwin, Journal of Classics Teaching *Plato of Athens is much to be commended for its discussion resulting in a comprehensive chronology of Plato's life and dialogues. * Andrew David Irvin, TLS *A full, very readable biography...Give[s] a remarkably full picture of the man, his ideas and his influence. * Times Literary Supplement *A thorough and well-structured account of the events of Plato's life whilst placing his many dialogues into a clear chronology. * Sebastian Milbank, The Critic *A highly accessible and significant contribution. * Paradigm Explorer *Attractively fulfils its aim of introducing Platonic philosophy to a general readership by combining elements of historical reconstruction with key values extracted from the written work, the two things synthesised into an imagined portrait of a life.... One can confidently expect that if indeed some of Waterfield's readers may never have tackled any of the dialogues for themselves, they will be stimulated to do so (and in Waterfield's own fine translations) by his eloquent passion for a 'super-important' thinker who is now 'read and studied in, I dare say, every country in the world.' * Stephen Halliwell, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *Fascinating and well-written ... a vivid account of Plato's intellectual background. * Paradigm Explorer *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Maps List of Illustrations and Tables List of Plato's Dialogues Timeline Introduction The Sources 1. Growing Up in Wartime Athens 2. The Intellectual Environment 3. From Politics to Philosophy 4. Southern Italy and Sicily 5. The Academy 6. The Second and Third Visits to Syracuse 7. Last Years Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Deeply researched and profoundly absorbing . . . Matthew Stanley traces one of the greatest epics of scientific history . . . An amazing story'' Michael Frayn, author of Tony Award-winning CopenhagenIn 1916, Arthur Eddington, a war-weary British astronomer, opened a letter written by an obscure German professor named Einstein. The neatly printed equations on the scrap of paper outlined his world-changing theory of general relativity. Until then Einstein''s masterpiece of time and space had been trapped behind the physical and ideological lines of battle, unknown. Einstein''s name is now synonymous with ''genius'', but it was not an easy road. He spent a decade creating relativity and his ascent to global celebrity owed much to against-the-odds international collaboration, including Eddington''s globe-spanning expedition of 1919 - two years before they finally met. We usually think of scientific discovery as a flash of individual inspiration, but here we see Trade ReviewRiveting . . . Stanley lets us share the excitement a hundred years later in this entertaining and gripping book. It's a must read if you ever wondered how Einstein became 'Einstein' -- Manjit Kumar, author of 'Quantum'Deeply researched and profoundly absorbing . . . Matthew Stanley traces one of the greatest epics of scientific history . . . An amazing story -- Michael Frayn, author of Tony Award-winning 'Copenhagen'For a century, Einstein's relativity has inspired otherworldly thoughts. Yet as Matthew Stanley demonstrates, Einstein's efforts were deeply enmeshed within our own world - a world riven by the drama and disruption of the First World War. This beautifully written, moving account captures the heady thrills and crushing setbacks of one of the great intellectual adventures of modern times -- David Kaiser, Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and Professor of Physics, MIT, author of 'How the Hippies Saved Physics'Even if you know a lot about the history of relativity - even if you know the old stories about Sir Arthur Eddington's voyage in 1919 to try to prove Albert Einstein's theories correct - you probably haven't pondered just how unlikely the Einstein/Eddington pairing really was. At a time where the mere hint of fraternization with the enemy could land you in jail as a spy, a Briton embraced the ideas of an enemy scientist, and helped launch the legend of arguably the greatest physicist of modern times. A fascinating story -- Charles Seife, author of Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous IdeaDetailed and readable . . . It is especially revealing about Einstein's scientific work and private life leading up to the momentous events of 1919 -- Peter Coles * Nature *A thrilling history of the development of the theory of relativity . . . a superb account of Einstein's and Eddington's spectacularly successful struggles to work and survive under miserable wartime conditions * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *Impressive . . . Stanley's well-told and impressively readable chronicle delivers a wider, and still relevant, message that how science is performed is inextricable from other aspects of people's lives * Publishers Weekly *He succeeds in wrapping up the global, national and scientific politics of an era in a compelling story of one man's wild theory, lucidly sketched, and its experimental confirmation in the unlikeliest and most exotic circumstances -- Simon Ings * Spectator *Few books about events a century ago carry as relevant a message for today's world of resurgent nationalism as does Matthew Stanley's Einstein's War . . . Stanley is a storyteller par excellence...[his] riveting, blow-by-blow account of Einstein's struggle...is an unusually reader-friendly journey into relativity theory . . . Einstein and Eddington would have liked it * Washington Post *An insightful and elegantly written exploration of the impact of war on science in both Britain and Germany -- PD Smith * TLS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPaulo Freire (1921-1997) is one of the most widely read and studied educational thinkers of our time. His seminal works, including Pedagogy of the Oppressed, sparked the global social and philosophical movement of critical pedagogy and his ideas about the close ties between education and social justice and politics are as relevant today as they ever were. In this book, Walter Omar Kohan interweaves philosophical, educational, and biographical elements of Freire's life which prompt us to reflect on what we thought we knew about Freire, and also on the relationship between education and politics more broadly. It offers a new and timely reading of Freire's work and life. The book is structured around five key themes that provide a new perspective on Freire's work: life, equality, love, errantry and childhood. It includes a contextualization of Freire's work within the past and current political terrain in Brazil, and encourages educators to put themselves and their educational worTrade ReviewKohan has succeeded in the task of presenting very original ideas about the often taken-for-granted Freirean repertoire ... [He] concludes his book with examples and practical suggestions for experimenting with his five Freirean philosophical principles that every educator with enough courage to re-invent their pedagogical model could implement. * International Review of Education *This is not another book about Freire, but a thoughtful thinking from and with Paulo’s intensely lived philosophy-as-education-as-life in which uncertainties -not certainty-, and the political-pedagogical imperatives of questioning and humanity reigned. Necessary reading, without a doubt, for these present times. * Catherine E. Walsh, Distinguished Professor in Latin American Cultural Studies, Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Ecuador *Offers a fresh an innovative analysis of key postulates in Freire's work, such as Love or Equality, central components of the emancipation logic in Freire's epistemology. Relating them to gnoseological educative principles, this book traces some of Freire's philosophical propaedeutical roots and underscores his relevance today. A tour de force, philosophically confronting how the shadow of dominant educational neoliberal regimes, such as testing and accountability or the logic of possessive individualism as the main aim of education, have failed to emancipate individuals and societies, while also undermining the foundations of the scientific humanism represented in Freire's oeuvre. * Carlos Alberto Torres, Distinguished Professor of Education, UNESCO Chair in Global Learning and Global Citizenship Education, and Director of the Paulo Freire Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), USA *I cannot think of a better book to assist the many educators and scholars seeking inspiration to create pedagogies of freedom. Kohan generously presents paths to move beyond simplistic readings of ineffective, yet, radical-sounding educational models, while beautifully providing a bold and much needed 're-invention' of Freire’s ideas. * Gustavo E. Fischman, Professor of Comparative and International Education, Arizona State University, USA *A major contribution to the voluminous literature on Freire, a magisterial chronicle of Kohan's profound and extensive encounter with life, work and ideas of the 'great educator from Pernumbuco.' It is a work that promises to resonate with readers for years to come. * David Kennedy, Professor of Educational Foundations, Montclair State University, USA *Paulo Freire: A Philosophical Biography is a necessary read. The writing approach is accessible, graced with passion, conviction, wisdom, and a humble intellect. -- James D. Kirylo * Journal of Critical Education Policy Studies *Original and imaginative in the way the discussion around Freire's own ideas are organised thematically ... [A] compelling and lucid book, a fitting monument to Freire on his birth centenary year. -- Peter Mayo * Journal of Critical Education Policy Studies *A sincere work, filled with love and admiration for the greatest educator of our time. -- Peter McLaren * Journal of Critical Education Policy Studies *Table of ContentsForeword, Antonia Darder Acknowledgments A Note on the English Translation, Jason Wozniak, Samuel D. Rocha and Walter Omar Kohan Introduction: Beginnings and Senses of a Reading 1. Life 2. Equality 3. Love 4. Errantry 5. Childhood Epilogue Appendix References

Read more less

Book SynopsisFirst biography of Epicurus in 60 years.

Read more less