Biography: writers Books

Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.In 1913, Rabindranath Tagore became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and he remains one of the most important voices of Bengali culture to this day. These short stories, written mostly in the 1890s, vividly portray Bengali life and culture. Tagore's treatment of caste culture, bureaucracy and poverty paint a vivid portrait of nineteenth-century India, and all are interwoven with Tagore's perceptive eye for detail, strong sense of humanity and deep affinity for the natural world. Tagore's stories continue to rise above geographic and cultural boundaries to capture the imaginations of readers around the world.

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Book SynopsisA luminous memoir of post-war childhood, adventure and loss on the banks of the Nile.Wonderful a brave, inventive, touching distillation of memory and imagination' JENNY UGLOWInventory of a Life Mislaid follows Marina Warner's beautiful, penniless young mother Ilia as she leaves southern Italy in 1945 to travel alone to London. Her husband, an English colonel, is still away in the war in the East as she begins to learn how to be Mrs Esmond Warner, an Englishwoman.With diamond rings on her fingers and brogues on her feet, Ilia steps fearlessly into the world of cricket and riding. But, without prospect of work in a bleak, war-ravaged England, Esmond remembers the glorious ease of Cairo during his periods of leave from the desert campaign. There, they start a bookshop, a branch of W. H. Smith's. But growing resistance to foreign interests, especially British, erupts in the 1952 uprising, and the Cairo Fire burns the city clean.Evocative and imaginative, at once historical and speculativTrade Review‘Wonderful – a brave, inventive, touching distillation of memory and imagination, shimmering with images, sounds and scents, conjuring a clash of lives, worlds and words’Jenny Uglow ‘A captivating re-creation of her childhood in a lost Cairo, so incomparably louche, sensuous and fragrant, and of her parents’ improbable marriage’Ferdinand Mount ‘An entrancing weave of memoir, history, autobiography and fiction, this adventurous book voyages through time and space to re-discover, re-imagine and reinvent a lost world. One of Marina Warner's most beautiful works’Michèle Roberts ‘Moving and original … Warner’s view of the past is always precise, at once generous and exacting. She has a gift for using objects to conjure up characters, feelings and atmospheres … Poignant and exquisitely crafted, Inventory of a Life Mislaid is bound to become a classic’Catriona Seth ‘A poignant and imaginatively transgressive exploration of her parents’ marriage, a war time love match between Southern Italy and upper class England … Evocative’Margaret Drabble ‘High-risk and multidimensional … Warner brings to these pages a lifetime of thinking about stories and the ways in which they shape our lives’Literary Review ‘This is a wonderful rich, partly mythical memoir that sifts through the past to connect a family’s secrets to the deep-rooted colonial assumptions that still resonate in a post-Brexit Britain … never dull … Eloquent and heartbreaking’TLS ‘Poignant and mythical’New Statesman ‘The most intriguing memoir … Marina Warner’s subtle, exotic and angry account of her parents’ marriage’Roy Foster, TLS, Books of the Year ‘Warner is such a skilful and imaginative writer that much of …the book reads like lived experience … the happiest of concoctions, a mix of fiction and fact, observation and speculation …This brave, painful, dazzling memoir is riveting’Spectator

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Book SynopsisThe Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin is the acclaimed story of Nelly Ternan and Charles DickensWinner of the NCR Book Award, the Hawthornden Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize''This is the story of someone who - almost - wasn''t there; who vanished into thin air. Her names, dates, family and experiences very nearly disappeared from the record for good ...''Claire Tomalin''s multi-award-winning story of the life of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens is a remarkable work of biography and historical revisionism that returns the neglected actress to her rightful place in history as well as providing a compelling and truthful portrait of the great Victorian novelist. For those who enjoyed Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self and Charles Dickens: A Life; The Invisible Woman is invaluable reading for lovers of Charles Dickens, and for readers of biography everywhere.''Will come to be seen as one of the cruciaTrade Review“Captivating. . . . An absorbing book about…a character who helps to illuminate the life of a great artist and the life of her times.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times“As social history, literary criticism, and, not least, an absorbing detective story, The Invisible Woman is a wonderful book.” —Newsday“Groundbreaking.” —The Guardian (UK) “This is feminist biography at its best.” —Leon Edel “Part social history, part detective story, wholly enthralling.” —John Carey, The Sunday Times (London)

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Book SynopsisJames Herriot grew up in Glasgow and qualified as a veterinary surgeon at Glasgow Veterinary College. Shortly afterwards he took up a position as an assistant in a North Yorkshire practice where he remained, with the exception of his wartime service in the RAF, until his death in 1995. He wrote many books about Yorkshire country life, including some for children, but he is best known for his memoirs, beginning with If Only They Could Talk. The books were televised in the enormously popular series All Creatures Great and Small.Trade ReviewI grew up reading James Herriot's books and I'm delighted that thirty years on, they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then. -- Kate HumbleHe can tell a good story against himself, and his pleasure in the beauty of the countryside in which he works is infectious. * Daily Telegraph *Full of warmth, wisdom and wit. * The Field *

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2023 LOCUS AWARD FOR NON-FICTIONWINNER OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTIONFINALIST FOR THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST RELATED WORKSHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION'Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry.' - Neil Gaiman'Sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life.' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Observer--------At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around the world for his hugely popular books, his smart satirical humour and the humanity of his campaign work. But that's only part of the picture.Before his untimely death, Terry was writing a memoir: the story of a boy who aged six was told by his teacher that he would never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For Terry lived a life full of astonishing achievements: becoming one of the UK's bestselling and most beloved writers, winning the prestigious Carnegie Medal and being awarded a knighthood.Now, the book Terry sadly couldn't finish has been written by Rob Wilkins, his former assistant, friend and now head of the Pratchett literary estate. Drawing on his own extensive memories, along with those of the author's family, friends and colleagues, Rob unveils the full picture of Terry's life - from childhood to his astonishing writing career, and how he met and coped with what he called the 'Embuggerance' of Alzheimer's disease.A deeply moving and personal portrait of the extraordinary life of Sir Terry Pratchett, written with unparalleled insight and filled with funny anecdotes, this is the only official biography of one of our finest authors.--------'Spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did.' - Telegraph'As frank, funny and unsentimental as anything its subject might have produced himself.' - Mail on SundayTrade ReviewAlways readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry. * Neil Gaiman *Heart breaking and funny . . . sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life. -- Frank Cottrell-Boyce * Observer *The joy of this biography . . . is that it spins magic from mundanity in precisely the way Pratchett himself did. * The Telegraph *No one, after Pratchett's wife, Lyn, and daughter, Rhianna, knew the author as well as Wilkins. I wept through the last 20 pages - beautifully done - charting Pratchett's decline in a way that is both sensitive and unsparing. * The Times *Fond, funny and conveys a pitch-perfect sense of how Pratchett managed to take the elements of his 1950s working-class childhood . . . and turn it into a universe of limitless richness and invention. * Mail on Sunday *The friendship and affection between the pair shines through every page . . . Of course, [Pratchett] fans will love the book . . . and even casual readers will delight in tales of his idiosyncratic passions. * Independent *A biography almost as funny and perceptive as one of Terry's novels . . . a rich, deeply affectionate portrait of a unique personality . . . it's a joy to see the much-missed author spring back into technicolour life in this fascinating and deeply moving tribute. * Daily Express *A moving and acutely observed account . . . Pratchett's magical mind, and dementia, by the man who knew him best. * The Sunday Times *Wilkins has many advantages over most biographers, having not only known his subject well, but taken down notes while he was alive for his projected memoir. The result, at times, is like a ventriloquist act, with Pratchett's voice and personality emerging loud and clear. * The Herald *Both more and less than a biography . . . full of insights and revelations, in many ways the sort of thing Prathett might have written about himself, proud of what has been done, honest about the process . . . written with intelligence and compassion. -- Christopher Priest * The Times Literary Supplement *Reduced me to tears of both laughter and heartbreak. -- Charlotte Heathcote * Daily Mirror *Lively and affectionate, this is not a critical biography, but nor is it sycophantic. It shows Pratchett as brilliant and generous, but also cantakerous, with a ruthless sense of the ridiculous. * i News *A fabulous addition to any Pratchett library. * SFX *It isn't surprising that what most recommends this book is the anecdotes, amusing or sombre or often a mix of the two . . . It captures the spirit of Pratchett's writing by telling hard truths through an enjoyable-to-read layer and inspires rage, laughter and sadness in turns. * The Sydney Morning Herald *A captivating and in-depth account . . . [the] use of first-hand source material is very effective in relaying Pratchett's own take on many aspects of his life and career and, with Wilkins' additions and occasional fact-checking, it makes for a highly readable and enjoyable biography. * The AU Review *Wilkins is a faithful and comprehensive documenter of Pratchett's life . . . moving and sensitive. * Canberra Times *

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Book SynopsisWITH A NEW FOREWORD AND REVISED INTRODUCTION'A superb biography ... full of compassion, perception' Roger Lewis, The Times 'I love this book. Douglas Murray is a genius' Rupert EverettLord Alfred Douglas, known as 'Bosie', son of the Marquess of Queensberry, was known as one of the most beautiful young men of his generation. Aged twenty-one he met and became the lover and subsequent obsession of Oscar Wilde.Their relationship caused a scandal in 1895 when Wilde took Queensberry, Douglas's aggressive father, to court for libel. When the details of their relationship were aired in court, Wilde was convicted of gross indecency and later imprisoned.Wilde's story is well known, but this is the first book to tell it fully from Douglas's perspective. Written, and originally published in 2000, with access to never-before-seen papers , Bosie explores the contradictions, tensions and turmoils of Douglas's life with Wilde and beyond as a poet, husband and father.This compelling biography uncovers the life of one of the most notorious figures in literary history, and its course from gilded beautiful youth to semi-reclusive outcast, at the time of Douglas's death in 1945.Trade Review'A superb biography ... full of compassion, perception' -- Roger Lewis * The Times *'An excellent piece of work, intelligent and well rounded' * Sunday Telegraph *'One of the most impressive biographical debuts for some time . . . It comes across as entirely fresh' -- Humphrey Carpenter * Sunday Times *'Douglas Murray is a remarkable young writer with a confident style' * Sunday Telegraph *'Murray's book does a fine job of putting an irksome and faded legendary boy to bed' * Observer *

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Book Synopsis''These journals are a revelation, a road map and a gift to us all'' TAYARI JONES, author of An American Marriage''Walker writes beautifully about the push and pull of intimacy . . . You find yourself admiring her idealism, her gift as a writer and her abundant appetite for life'' THE TELEGRAPHFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Color Purple, Gathering Blossoms Under Fire presents four decades'' worth of personal journals to offer a passionate, intimate record of Alice Walker''s intellectual, artistic and political development. Walker writes in an unvarnished and singular voice about an astonishing array of events: marching in Mississippi with civil rights foot soldiers, marrying a Jewish lawyer and defying 1960s anti-interracial marriage laws, writing her first novel, experiencing the trials and triumphs of the women''s movement, being both admired and maligned for her work and activism, burying her mother and estrangement from her daughter. Her journals reveal an inextricable intertwining of the personal and political, exploring her thoughts and feelings in real time as a woman, writer, African American, wife, daughter, mother, lover, sister, friend and citizen of the world.

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Book SynopsisThe acclaimed first English-language biography of the great European novelist and journalist, Joseph Roth, author of The Radetzky March, a writer who captured life in Europe between the wars like no other. The mercurial, self-mythologising novelist and journalist Joseph Roth, author of the 20th-century masterpiece The Radetzky March, was the finest observer and chronicler of his age. Endless Flight travels with Roth from his childhood in the town of Brody on the eastern edge of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to an unsettled life spent roaming Europe between the wars, including spells in Vienna, Paris and Berlin. His decline mirrored the collapse of civilised Europe: in his last peripatetic decade, he opposed Nazism in exile from Germany, his wife succumbed to schizophrenia and he died an alcoholic on the eve of WWII. Exploring the role of Roth's absent father in his imaginings, his attitude to his Jewishness and his restless search for home, Keiron Pim's gripping account of Roth's chaotic life speaks powerfully to us in our era of uncertainty, refugee crises and rising ethno-nationalism. Published as Roth's works rapidly gain new readers and recognition, Endless Flight delivers a visceral yet sensitive portrait of his quest for belonging, and a riveting understanding of the brilliance and beauty of his work.Trade ReviewFascinating, sophisticated, meticulous: this biography of Joseph Roth catches his cosmopolitan spirit, turbulent nature and literary genius amidst the melancholy of a darkening age -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Stalin the court of the red tsarUtterly engrossing. Endless Flight is a biography of deep humanity, one that captures the individual, the place and the times with acute and affecting brilliance. I loved it -- Philippe SandsA novelist of genius, an anti-nationalist prophet in the wilderness, a human being capable of the monstrous: Endless Flight does humane and painstaking justice to all these aspects, and more, of Joseph Roth's short, utterly compelling life. Anyone who reckons The Radetzky March one of the supreme twentieth-century novels will devour Keiron Pim's biography avariciously -- David KynastonA superb biography - fascinating, shrewd, insightful. Finally, Joseph Roth's extraordinary life is recounted for his multitude of English readers in compelling detail... Enthralling -- William BoydIt's incredible that it's taken this long for an English-language biography of Joseph Roth to appear-and incredibly fortunate that Keiron Pim has been the one to do it, evoking with compassion and depth the work and the world of one of the greatest of modern writers -- Benjamin MoserA remarkable and penetrating study of Roth's life and times. Today, even more of the world finds itself in endless flight. As such, this beautiful, timely and critically important book introduces English readers to an indispensable guide both to Roth's past and to our present -- Devorah BaumPim has told this vital and singular story with the deft tenacity and the passionate flexibility of attitude and tone that it requires, and his book is a mighty achievement -- Patrick MackieKieron Pim combines admirably lucid prose with exhaustive research and a great affection for his subject... A thoughtful, absorbing and assured account of a great author's complex, rootless and ultimately tragic life... [Endless Flight is] an indispensable guide to [Roth's] life and work, and essential reading for admirers and newcomers. -- David CollardAlmost unbearably affecting. Make no mistake, this biography is a masterpiece -- Neel MukherjeeThis wonderful biography is a major contribution to the appreciation of Joseph Roth in the English-speaking world. Roth's unique genius is richly portrayed, as are the turbulent times that formed him. A propulsive journey through European, Jewish, and literary life between the wars -- Adam FouldsThis resplendent biography not only opens for us a window into a life unknown, but serves up a mirror inviting us to take a look at our own lives. We are left in no doubt that the forces that rended Roth's world are still active in ours * The Times *Absorbing... This is a thoughtful, thorough, and sympathetic book, and a necessary one... Endless Flight is a welcome aid for people like me who can't read Roth, or his critics and biographers, in German, and for any English-language readers who might want an introduction to his work. And now, more than ever, is the time to read him -- Hermione Lee * NYRB *[Roth's] fiction may rob us of our illusions, but he singlehandedly, and with an extraordinary story-teller's gift of elegance and wit, cleared Europe's literary decks of their 19th-century hangovers and readied it for modernity. This fine biography, with its spirited, shrewd, thorough understanding of its times, shows us exactly what that cost its subject -- Julian Evans * Telegraph *Thrilling... Pim's detective work, untangling Roth's tortured (sometimes maddening) contradictions, is enormously impressive, and his analysis of Roth's work is incisive and sometimes revelatory. But what really drives this biography is Pim's deep sympathy for Roth, which he sustains without ever glamorising or sentimentalising his subject * Literary Review *Thankfully, with Endless Flight, we finally have an English language biography of Roth. And biographer Pim is worthy of the mammoth task at hand, chronicling the complex story of Roth's ultimately tragic life with sensitivity, intelligence, and some serious and revelatory research... an important biography * Big Issue *Pim's... effort to understand the man in full is profound and the result feels definitive. His research empowers him to be rigorously sceptical... Pim steadily builds the case that Roth's vagabond life - he lived out of three suitcases and was happiest in hotels - was his animating paradox -- Dorian Lynskey * The Guardian *Keiron Pim... brings all the details of this consistently creative but wretched life together in an engrossing fashion, giving all the historical context we might need... His analysis of Roth's novels is clear and convincing, clear of any fanciful conjecture * The Irish Times *Deeply considered, rigorously researched and brimming with fascinating details and insights, it situates the man and his work in their wider political and social context, ably showing how Roth "drew from his multiple traumas to create works that endure owing to their conscience, percipience [and] ironic humour" * Financial Times *Pim's masterstoke is to view Roth first and foremost as a writer... Pim is scrupulous in his research and fair in his assessments, but he goes beyond observing such biographer's duties... The further Pim delves, the richer the picture becomes -- Rachel Seiffert * Prospect *Vivid... convincing... It is Keiron Pim's substantial achievement in Endless Flight to have shown us the magnitude of Roth's struggle in a turbulent era that has alarming parallels with our own -- George Prochnik * TLS *Really sympathetic and gets [Roth's] contradictions... Couldn't be more relevant -- Samantha Ellis * BBC Radio 4 Front Row *Pim is particularly good on Roth's Jewishness... A dark story, movingly told * Jewish Chronicle *Timely... Keiron Pim's is the first English-language biography of Roth, and what a superb book it is - impeccably researched, extremely readable and, it must be said, grimly relevant... Unfailingly well-written and informative, Endless Flight is a grand tribute to one of the most discomfiting literary geniuses of the 20th century -- Ian Thompson * Observer *With the publication of Keiron Pim's Endless Flight, it's as if the shutters have been flung open and the lights switched on. English readers finally have a comprehensive, detailed and supremely empathetic account of Roth's whole life, researched with breathtaking thoroughness and told with a transparency and a compassion worthy of Roth's own writing... A masterly and moving biography, and anyone interested in the fate of European culture in the 20th century will want to read it. And then, as with Roth's own work, to return and re-read it in mounting gratitude, pity and wonder * The Critic *Capably carried out -- Philip Hensher * Spectator *A fitting account of one of Europe's great, troubled literary geniuses * New European *Richly detailed, insightful and compendious, this biography supplies all the information on Roth's tormented, rootless, inebriated life: good and bad, noble and shameful. We have the work - now we have the man. A great deal is explained and clarified as a result -- William Boyd * TLS *Reading Pim's sparkling, effervescent study of Roth's life, it seems his gifts flourished not in spite of his suffering but because of it -- Madoc Cairns * Oldie *Keiron Pim is a determined, persistent biographer. There are no easy subjects in his eye; instead, he focuses on figures we know little about, who we want to know more about, and then, in a meticulous, no-stone-unturned pursuit of their lives, tells us a fascinating story about even more fascinating characters * Eastern Daily Press *Keiron Pim joins Roth on his rackety grand European tour and with him recaptures that age -- Laura Freeman * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR The year is 1851. It's a time of radical change in Britain, when industrial miracles and artistic innovations rub shoulders with political unrest, poverty and disease. It's also a turbulent time in the life of Charles Dickens, as he copes with a double bereavement and early signs that his marriage is falling apart. But this year will become the turning point in Dickens's career, as he embraces his calling as a chronicler of ordinary people's lives. The Turning Point transports us into the foggy streets of Dickens's London, closely following the twists and turns of a year that would come to define him, and forever alter Britain's relationship with the world.'Sparklingly informative' Guardian'Wonderfully entertaining' Observer'It is hard to imagine a better book on Dickens' New StatesmanTrade ReviewThis tremendous book dazzles and delights... it's full of discoveries. A glorious book; revealing and unravelling Charles Dickens before our very eyes, melding his life and his work, using scholarship, wit and passion - a triumph. * Miriam Margolyes *This immersive biography, by the author of the Costa-shortlisted The Story of Alice, had me hooked... published in a sumptuous package, with illustrations throughout. * The Bookseller, Editor’s Choice *Clever and witty, packed with fiercely academic research and erudite analysis, but written in featherlight, elegant prose. -- Natalie HaynesThe Turning Point...builds incrementally towards Bleak House...[and] makes for a very satisfying finale... Robert Douglas-Fairhurst has taken pains of his own and this wonderfully entertaining book is the result. -- Anthony Quinn * Observer *Douglas-Fairhurst is a shrewd, amusing and original guide... [he] gives you fascinating facts... [and] a brisk and brilliant analysis of Bleak House. -- Laura Freeman * The Times *

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Book SynopsisPaul Foot was one of the most influential investigative reporters of his generation. For nearly fifty years, he was the scourge of corrupt politicians and dodgy businessmen, a champion of the underdog.In this, the first biography of Paul Foot, journalist Margaret Renn traces Foot’s personal, political and professional trajectories, placing his life and works within the long arc of postwar Britain. Drawing on extensive interviews with those close to him, and utilizing her unparalleled knowledge of his prodigious output, the book brings the many different faces of Paul Foot together into a single portrait.A prolific writer for the Daily Mirror, Private Eye, the Guardian and Socialist Worker, Foot’s investigations broke numerous major stories. He wrote about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary events, and the issues in some of his campaigns maintained their prominence long after his death in 2004: police corruption in the Step

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Book SynopsisAims to unearth the life story of the creator of The Leopard, one of the novels of the twentieth century. This book stands as a meditation on what it is that makes a writer.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the PEN/Ackerley Prize 2014The book opens and we are inside the wave: thirty feet high, moving at twenty-five mph, racing two miles inland. And from there into the depths of the author's despair: how to live now that her life has been undone? Sonali Deraniyagala tells her story - the loss of her two boys, her husband, and her parents - without artifice or sentimentality. In the stark language of unfathomable sorrow, anger, and guilt: she struggles through the first months following the tragedy -- someone always at her side to prevent her from harming herself, her whole being furiously clenched against the reality she can't face; and then reluctantly emerging and, over the ensuing years, slowly allowing her memory to function again. Then she goes back through the rich and joyous life she's mourning, from her family's home in London, to the birth of her children, to the year she met her English husband at Cambridge, to her childhood in Colombo while learning the balance between the almost unbearable reminders of her loss and her fundamental need to keep her family, somehow, still with her.Trade ReviewIn her unflinching writing you live through the horror and despair, but also feel her self-generated repair and the promise of survival -- Harriet Walter * The Week *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER It is good to meet the real Jane Austen at last' Independent on Sunday''Brilliantly illuminating by focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life' GuardianWho was the real Jane Austen? A retiring spinster content with quiet village life? Or a strong-minded woman who chose to remain unmarried and to fashion herself as a professional writer?Bestselling biographer Paula Byrne uses objects that conjure up a key moment in Austen's life and work a vellum notebook, a topaz cross, a writing box and a bathing machine to reveal the true self of this most beloved author.''Sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways Byrne's Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion'' Mail on SundayTrade Review‘The perfect companion to the novels … Tremendous’ Joanna Trollope, Sunday Telegraph ‘Brilliantly illuminating … Its great merit is [that] by focusing on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allow us to grasp the richness of Austen's inner life’ Guardian ‘A neat approach to biography, allowing Byrne to burrow deep beneath the surface of Austen’s existence. The result is a delightful and engrossing portrait’ Sunday Times ‘Byrne's essays add up to a fine appraisal of the novelist's environment, truly Austenish in the way they burrow into a sequestered and often secretive private world’ Observer ‘A perceptive and energetic guide to Austen and her surroundings … Byrne’s critical study consists of a series of beautifully written, interrelated essays … [her] style gives fresh charms to her subject matter. “The Real Jane Austen” is bold, fast-moving and accessible’ Daily Telegraph ‘Engaging, compelling, a delightful and engrossing book. Of course we all know that the "real" Jane Austen will forever be a mystery, but most 21st century Janeites will adore this one. Byrne's passion is nothing if not persuasive’ Sunday Times ‘What is fresh in Byrne's biographical approach is her use of a succession of contemporary objects that Austen owned, or that might be seen in intimate connection with her interests … this adds an attractive immediacy to a well-known story … Byrne's affectionate study paints a pleasingly lively picture of Austen's life’ Independent ‘Brilliantly illuminating … riveting. By focusing, chapter by chapter, on one thread or another of Austen's experience, Byrne allows us to grasp the richness of her inner life’ Simon Callow, Guardian ‘The portrait of Austen that emerges is sparklingly multi-faceted, catching the light in intriguing ways … her Jane is far less likely to go for a quiet walk in the garden than she is to be whisked into town in search of a velvet cushion, a necklace or a smart new dress’ Irish Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive, authoritative and highly original portrait of one of history's most unjustly infamous characters.Trade ReviewThe result is a life of Machiavelli that must surely be definitive in its faithfulness to the man and his experience of his time . . . Lee presents a novel interpretation of his subject's thinking. -- John Gray * New Statesman *Detailed, accessible and authoritative . . . an utterly absorbing month-by-month, often day-by-day account of Machiavelli's life and career. -- John Guy * Literary Review *A fine new biography. -- Simon Heffer * Telegraph *A superb work of scholarship, securely grounded in the turbulent Italy of Machiavelli's day, and unflinchingly truthful . . . Lee retells the stories of plagues and brush-offs, of brothels, betrayals and massacres, in a brisk and compelling style. -- Ferdinand Mount * Prospect *[A] weighty and impressively detailed biography -- Michael Prodger * The Times *[T]he definitive book on Machiavelli -- Christopher Hart * Sunday Times *A wonderfully assured and utterly riveting biography that captures not only the much-maligned Machiavelli, but also the spirit of his time and place. A monumental achievement. -- Jessie Childs, author of God's TraitorsAlexander Lee’s Machiavelli: His Life and Times sets a wholly new standard for English-language biographies of the Florentine thinker, synthesising recent academic research and placing his subject in a vividly described context of Renaissance society and everyday life -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *His life and times are presented in their complex, contradictory fullness, as is Machiavelli himself . . . Lee is to be especially applauded for his even-handed treatment of a controversial historical figure. -- Joanne Paul * BBC History Magazine *From Lee's magisterial biography, rich in detail and light on speculation, the writer emerges as a flawed but markedly fascinating individual -- Nicholas Cranfield * Church Times *[A] fine new biography ... Lee tells his story with verve. -- Lauro Martines * Times Literary Supplement *Immensely readable . . . Machiavelli emerges from Lee’s account as one of the Italian Renaissance’s greatest figures. * Financial Times 'Books of the Summer' *Such is its hefty size that I set out to read Alexander Lee’s Machiavelli at a lick. However, it is so rich in granular detail – not just about the surprisingly hapless man himself, but about Florentine society and the wars that scudded across Renaissance Italy – that I was forced to take it slowly, and was rewarded handsomely. -- Michael Prodger * New Statesman 'Books of the Year' *Lee’s exhaustive, balanced and immensely readable work, sets a wholly new standard for English-language biographies of Machiavelli. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times 'Books of the Year' *

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of the visual corollary to Didion’s life and work and the feeling that each generates in her admirers, detractors and critics—including artists from Helen Lundeberg to Diane Arbus, Betye Saar to Maren Hassinger, Vija Celmins and Andy Warhol In Joan Didion: What She Means, the writer and curator Hilton Als creates a mosaic that explores Didion's life and work and the feeling each generates in her admirers, detractors and critics. Arranged chronologically, the book highlights Didion's fascination with the two coasts that made her. As a Westerner transplanted to New York, Didion was able to look at her native land, its mores and fixed rules of behavior, with the loving and critical eyes of a daughter who got out and went back. (Didion and her late husband moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1964, where they worked as highly successful screenwriters, producing scripts for 1971's The Panic in Needle Park and 1976's A Star Is Born, among other works, before returning to New York 20 years later.) And from her New York perch, Didion was able to observe the political scene more closely, writing trenchant pieces about Clinton, El Salvador and most searingly the Central Park Five. The book includes more than 50 artists ranging from Brice Marden and Ed Ruscha to Betye Saar, Vija Clemins and many others, with works in all mediums including painting, ephemera, photography, sculpture, video and film. Also included are three previously uncollected texts by Didion: “In Praise of Unhung Wreaths and Love” (1969); a much-excerpted 1975 commencement address at UC Riverside; and “The Year of Hoping for Stage Magic” (2007).Trade ReviewA cross dialogue between Didion’s ephemera and the artworks to create a syncopated cacophony of voices that attempt to get at the complex web of culture and politics that the author sought to distill throughout her work. -- Olivia Gauthier * Brooklyn Rail *This chronologically arranged visual exploration of the late author’s origins, writing and cultural impact includes work from more than 50 artists as well as three previously uncollected texts. * The New York Times Book Review *Part of what made Didion extraordinary is how she appealed to so many different audiences, and that extended beyond geography. -- Adam Nagourney * New York Times: Arts *The range of artworks presented here is impressive, and the depth of Als’s friendship with Didion is evident in his curation and in his introductory essay, in which he writes, “Didion always admired those artists who representedor tried to understand that which could not be understood.” -- Fran Bigman * Bookforum *

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Book SynopsisSarah Bakewell had a wandering childhood, growing up on the "hippie trail" through Asia and in Australia. She studied philosophy at the University of Essex, and worked for many years as a curator of early printed books at the Wellcome Library, London, before becoming a full-time writer. Her books include How to Live: a life of Montaigne, which won the Duff Cooper Prize and the US National Book Critics Circle Prize, and At the Existentialist Café, a New York Times Ten Best Books of 2016. She was also among the winners of the 2018 Windham-Campbell Literature Prize. She still has a tendency to wander, but is mostly to be found either in London or in Italy with her wife and their family of dogs and chickens.www.sarahbakewell.comTrade ReviewWith this splendidly conceived and exquisitely written double biography - of both Montaigne the man and Montaigne the book - Sarah Bakewell should persuade another generation to fall in love with Montaigne * Sunday Times *How to live is a superb, spirited introduction to the master, and should have its readers rushing straight to the essays themselves -- Adam Thorpe * Guardian *Sarah Bakewell has written a marvellously confident and clear introduction to Montaigne...a rare achievement. Sarah Bakewell deserves congratulations for opening Montaigne to new readers so very appealingly * Evening Standard *Illuminating and humane book... It's rare to come across a biographer who remains so deliciously fond of her subject... How to Live will delight and illuminate * Independent *Bakewell writes with verve. This is an intellectually lively treatment of a Renaissance giant and his world * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisCharles Dickens is the acclaimed definitive biography by bestselling author Claire Tomalin Charles Dickens was a phenomenon: a demonicly hardworking journalist, the father of ten children, a tireless walker and traveller, a supporter of liberal social causes, but most of all a great novelist - the creator of characters who live immortally in the English imagination: the Artful Dodger, Mr Pickwick, Pip, David Copperfield, Little Nell, Lady Dedlock, and many more.At the age of twelve he was sent to work in a blacking factory by his affectionate but feckless parents. From these unpromising beginnings, he rose to scale all the social and literary heights, entirely through his own efforts. When he died, the world mourned, and he was buried - against his wishes - in Westminster Abbey.Yet the brilliance concealed a divided character: a republican, he disliked America; sentimental about the family in his writings, he took up passionately with a young actress; usually generous, he cut off his impecunious children. From the award-winning author of Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens: A Life paints an unforgettable portrait of Dickens, capturing brilliantly the complex character of this great genius. If you loved Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, this book is invaluable reading.''By far the most humane and imaginatively sympathetic account yet for the general reader'' Amanda Craig, New Statesman

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Book SynopsisRich girl, street punk, lost girl and icon ... scholar, stripper, victim and media-whore: The late Kathy Acker''s legend and writings are wrapped in mythologies, created mostly by Acker herself. In this first, fully authorized biography, Kraus approaches Acker both as a writer, and as a member of the artistic communities from which she emerged. At once forensic and intimate, After Kathy Acker traces the extreme discipline and literary strategies Acker used to develop her work, and the contradictions she longed to embody. Using exhaustive archival research and ongoing conversations with mutual colleagues and friends, Kraus charts Acker''s movement through some of the late 20th century''s most significant artistic enterprises.Trade ReviewThis is a gossipy, anti-mythic artist biography which feels like it's being told in one long rush of a monologue over late-night drinks by someone who was there. Acker emerges as an unlikely literary hero, but an utterly convincing one. -- Sheila Heti, author of How Should A Person BeThe path of the female artist. Is hell. Chris Kraus's veracious and intricately structured portrait rouses and stirs as it documents in meticulous and fascinating detail the life, work and body of Kathy Acker and what it takes to a become a 'great writer as countercultural hero.' -- Viv AlbertineKraus reconstitutes Acker's wanderings with real wit and beauty, understanding without pandering to the painfully high stakes of her identity games -- Olivia Laing * Guardian *To pin down the real Kathy Acker then is a self-defeating task but Chris Kraus's biography of her is a brilliant and necessary thing. Kraus pushes Acker's writing to the foreground making us understand how difficult a territory the so-called avant-garde was, and is, for a woman. -- Suzanne Moore * New Statesman *'To lie is to try,' Chris Kraus writes in this examination of the various personae of Kathy Acker, the fucked-up girl from high school who, through lying and trying, became an experimental writer of rare courage and vision. In some ways a contemporary and in some ways as far off as the days when people moved to New York and San Francisco for the cheap rent, Acker needed a key, and Chris Kraus provides it. -- Ben MoserChris Kraus's After Acker sets the bar for what will surely be a new era of critical and biographical reckoning with the life and work of Kathy Acker. Kraus had a ringside seat, has done her homework, and here provides a substantive effort to pay homage not only to the complex, singular, raucous, and crucial writer and human that Acker was, but also to the constellation of artists, musicians, writers, and thinkers who were her friends, lovers, inspirations, and fellow makers of history. -- Maggie NelsonHardly anyone writes better or more insightfully than Chris Kraus about the lives of women and artists. After Kathy Acker is an intense, riveting portrait of a writer who was raw and savvy, fragile and brilliant, whose self-deceptions were inseparable from her greatness. Quotes from her profane and passionate journals reveal Kathy the crazy poet, the bad girlfriend, the Upper East Side schoolgirl, the downtown writer, Kathy in love and in denial. Gossipy, sexy, tragic, terrific. -- Julie Phillips, author of The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon

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Book Synopsis*A Times, Telegraph, TLS and Prospect Book of the Year*The best book I''ve read on George Eliot' John Carey, Sunday TimesAn exceptional new biography that shows how George Eliot wrestled with the question of marriage, in art and lifeWhen she was in her mid-thirties, Marian Evans transformed herself into George Eliot - an author celebrated for her genius as soon as she published her debut novel. During those years she also found her life partner, George Lewes - writer, philosopher and married father of three. After ''eloping'' to Berlin in 1854 they lived together for twenty-four years: Eliot asked people to call her ''Mrs Lewes'' and dedicated each novel to her ''Husband''. Though they could not legally marry, she felt herself initiated into the ''great experience'' of marriage - ''this double life, which helps me to feel and think with double strength''. The relationship scandalized her contemporaries yet she grew immeas

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES LITERARY NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA GUARDIAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR (AS CHOSEN BY AUTHORS)**LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE****SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE**''Outstanding. I''ll be recommending this all year.'' SARAH BAKEWELL''A beautiful and deeply moving book.'' SALLY ROONEYI like this London life . . . the street-sauntering and square-haunting.' Virginia Woolf, diary, 1925Mecklenburgh Square, on the radical fringes of interwar Bloomsbury, was home to activists, experimenters and revolutionaries; among them were the modernist poet H. D., detective novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, classicist Jane Harrison, economic historian Eileen Power, and writer and publisher Virginia Woolf. They each alighted there seeking a space where they could live, love and, above all, work independently.Francesca Wade's<

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis**LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2021****SHORTLISTED FOR THE DUFF COOPER PRIZE 2021** **SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES TAIT BLACK PRIZE****FINALIST FOR THE 2022 PLUTARCH AWARD**D. H. Lawrence is no longer censored, but he is still on trial and the jury is still out on the verdict. Delving into the memoirs of those who both loved and loathed him, Burning Man follows Lawrence from the peninsular underworld of Cornwall in 1915 to post-war Italy to the mountains of New Mexico, and traces the author's footsteps through the pages of his lesser-known work. Wilson presents a complex, courageous and often comic fugitive, careering around a world in the grip of apocalypse, in search of utopia; and, in bringing the true Lawrence into sharp focus, shows how he speaks to us now more than ever. ''A work of art in its own right'' OBSERVER ''Utterly enthralling'' GEOFF DYER ''Brilliantly unconventional'' RICHARD HOLMES ''A red-hot, pTrade ReviewWilson’s Dantesque excursion detracts only marginally from the brilliance of her book. Her great strength is the aliveness of her writing, which constantly interweaves glowing phrases from Lawrence into its fabric -- JOHN CAREY * SUNDAY TIMES *D. H. Lawrence’s reputation has plummeted in recent decades. This defiantly positive biography sets out to rescue him from his critics and place him back on a literary pedestal * THE TIMES, 100 Best Books for Summer 2022 *[A] brilliant biography * THE TIMES, Best Paperbacks of 2022 *I cannot remember the last time one left me feeling so exhilarated, so challenged and absorbed ... Burning Man is a work of art in its own right, as wanton and as magnificently flawed as anything Lawrence ever wrote … The chorus of voices builds and builds. Sometimes ecstatic and sometimes shrill, it brings Lawrence alive in all his derangement: his ridiculousness as well as his glory; his perspicacity and his blindness … Wilson writes so brilliantly, and with such conviction. If you believe, as I do, that to live life well is to fail in ways that may be unimaginably huge, this strange and confounding book is for you -- RACHEL COOKE * OBSERVER *Not only does Frances Wilson revive her subject, she lifts the whole genre. Biography of this calibre is rare ... Our most original biographer * NEW STATESMAN *[Wilson] gives it to you straight … and leaves you to decide for yourself … This is a red-hot, propulsive book. The impression it leaves is of Lawrence not so much as a phoenix (his chosen personal emblem) rising from the flames, but of a moth coming too close to a candle and, singed and frantic, flying into and into and into the wick * THE TIMES *DH Lawrence’s reputation has plummeted in recent decades. This defiantly positive biography sets out to rescue him from his critics and place him back on a literary pedestal. “Her great strength,” John Carey said in his review of Wilson’s book, “is the aliveness of her writing" * THE TIMES, 100 Best Books for Summer 2022 *The challenge for any biographer of one Lawrence is to come to terms with his many contradictions - his rage, impotence, silliness and genius. This elegantly written, intelligent and witty account lays them all bare with admirable skill * EVENING STANDARD *Wilson tells the story well. It was a period of uncertainty, of bonds being shed and reforged; of the immense growth of Lawrence’s reputation -- PHILIP HENSHER * SPECTATOR *Wilson’s Guilty Thing, her life of Thomas De Quincey, is one of the finest recent literary biographies ... Burning Man is in the same league. … This is a book that performs a rare and laudable task: of saving a writer, posthumously, from himself. We are all beneficiaries of Wilson’s articulate and persuasive advocacy -- David Wheatley * Literary Review *Heady, entrancing, comedic… Outstanding … Without condoning Lawrence’s temper at all – quite the opposite, indeed – Wilson reveals an achingly flawed, ultimately sympathetic human being, who wrote mostly imperfect novels, but whose immense contribution to the twentieth-century literary scene is worth both acknowledging and commemorating. And whatever you have thought of Lawrence, or will think after reading this book, Frances Wilson’s Burning Man is a virtuoso performance in the art of biography-writing -- Gerri Kimber * TLS *A brilliantly unconventional biography, passionately researched and written with a wild, playful energy. Above all Frances Wilson’s great achievement is to liberate Lawrence from the old, heavy, moth-eaten “priest of love” mythology, instead breathing new life into his big novels as contemporary “autofiction”, and lovingly stoking the furious fires in his letters, poetry and short stories. A new Lawrence emerges: a thinker, travel writer and essayist of strange, absurd, irrepressible genius -- RICHARD HOLMES‘"How can biography do justice to Lawrence's complexities?" asks this book. Frances Wilson shows us exactly how. Hers is the most original voice in life-writing today -- LUCASTA MILLER, author of KeatsNo biography of Lawrence that I have read comes close to Burning Man in getting across both his unquenchable fire and his appalling ruthlessness. After reading almost every page, you think "what a monster!" but then at the same time "what an eye!" - for people, landscape, birds, the whole world really. It’s a wonderful book -- FERDINAND MOUNT, author of Kiss Myself GoodbyeDare we hope that Lawrence might soon assume his rightful place – neither messiah nor pariah – as a writer of boundless freshness, originality and breadth? If so Frances Wilson’s stimulating and utterly enthralling book will be seen to play a vital role in the long-awaited rehabilitation of the man who, in the words of poet Tony Hoagland, “burned like an acetylene torch/ from one end to the other of his life” -- GEOFF DYER[An] engrossing, entertaining and illuminating biography … Wilson, whose previous books include a compelling life of Thomas de Quincey, eloquently makes the case for Lawrence’s genius and the need for his revaluation -- Rosemary Goring * HERALD *This is in many ways a superb biography … Her writing about him is gloriously vivid * THE WEEK, Book of the Week *Meticulously researched and energetic … She converts this seemingly incendiary and unapologetic radical into a patron saint of passionate intensity … It is a job well done in illuminating Lawrence’s many complexities -- Nicholas Opfermann * REACTION, Books Digest *Wilson captures the ferocity and aggression of this driven author … Burning Man presents a rounded, empathetic portrait of Lawrence -- Martin Chilton * INDEPENDENT, Books of the Month *Beautifully written * THE TIMES *A vivid picture of a complex, difficult, haunted man whose art was driven by conflict * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *Thrillingly unusual ... If you want a cool, dispassionate biography, this is not it ... At times she seems to be almost channelling Lawrence, especially in her landscape descriptions, which are as good as Lawrence’s own. * DAILY TELEGRAPH *[A] witty and rigorous reappraisal of this divisive, divided figure * STANDPOINT *Frances Wilson's spirited defence of D. H. Lawrence is a work of art in its own right ... Burning Man is a work of both non-fiction and imagination, impeccably handled by a writer in command of her craft * NEW ZEALAND LISTENER *

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Book SynopsisDefinitive new biography of C. S. Lewis, author of the ever-popular Narnia booksTrade ReviewTo the question of whether the world really needs another biography of C. S. Lewis, McGrath's lucid and unsentimental portrait of the Christian champion responds with a resounding "yes." The year 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of Lewis's death, and times have changed and evangelical sentiments have matured. McGrath offers a new and at times shocking look into the complicated life of this complex figure, in a deeply researched biography. The author takes us headlong into the heart of a Lewis we've known little about: his unconventional affair with Mrs. Jane Moore; his hostile and deceptive relationship with his father; his curiosity about the sensuality of cruelty. McGrath navigates the reader through these messy themes, ultimately landing us onto the solid ground of Lewis's postconversion legacy. He shows with skill, sympathy, dispassion, and engaging prose that Lewis, like the rest of us, did the best he could with the hand he was dealt. But he got over it, as must all those who would prefer a Lewis without shadows. * Publishers Weekly, starred review *Many of us thought we knew most of what there was to know about C. S. Lewis. Alister McGrath's new biography makes use of archives and other material that clarify, deepen and further explain the many sides of one of Christianity's most remarkable apologists. This is a penetrating and illuminating study. * N. T. Wright *Alister McGrath's new biography of C. S. Lewis is excellent. It's filled with information based on extensive scholarship but is nonetheless extremely readable. It not only devotes great attention to the formation and character of Lewis the man, it offers incisive and balanced analyses of all his main literary works. Lewis's impact on me was profound and lasting, and Dr McGrath clearly explains why so many believers and Christians leaders today would say the same thing. * Timothy Keller *A welcome addition to the biographical literature on C. S. Lewis, which includes several valuable new perspectives. McGrath's book will gain a permanent position in Lewis scholarship for his brilliant and, to my mind, undeniable re-dating of Lewis's conversion to Theism. How we all missed this for so long is astonishing! * Michael Ward, author of Planet Narnia *Alister McGrath sheds new light on the incomparable C. S. Lewis. This is an important book. * Eric Metaxas, author of Bonhoeffer *This biography is the one Lewis's admirers - especially those who, like him, believe that books are to be read and enjoyed - should prefer to all others. * Booklist, starred review *McGrath's account of Lewis offers much that is fresh and new. It captures his eccentricities, abilities, strengths and perplexities! There is meaning, wisdom, beauty and much understanding made possible throughout. There is a wholeness, complexity and delight to the Lewis that we meet in this majestic work. Language, detail and new territory are well covered in McGrath's work. Fresh insight and new imaginations emerge. The analysis is searing and reflects a close reading of Lewis's work and a maverick, gutsy talent oozes from this title. If you love Lewis and want to know what was really going on, read McGrath first. This is one of the most beautiful volumes ever held. Photos, research, insight and challenge are all powerfully combined. Hodder are to be congratulated on this. * Johnny Douglas - Together *Alister McGrath writes on The religious symbolism behind the Chronicles of Narnia for the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/0/24865379 * BBC Website *Alister McGrath appearance on Songs of Praise to speak about C. S. Lewis: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ttc5 * BBC 1 *Spent a number of weeks in the Church Times' Top Books feature * The Church Times *McGarth has written a key book on Lewis... an excellent job explaining some of Lewis ideas. -- Paul Richardson * Church of England Newspaper *This work ticks all the boxes by being beautifully written, meticulously researched as well as illuminating and thought-provoking. -- Peter Francis * The Newspaper Summer *McGarth is a clear-eyed, learned companion. His analysis of the Narnia books is illuminating. -- Philip Womach * Telegraph *Alister gives us much food for thought in the dutiful, sound and worthy book.' - Paul Johnson * The Spectator *McGarth's illuminating book has benefited from access to recently released archive of material that throws new light of Lewis's unconventional affair with the Irish divorcee Jane Moore, his life at Oxford and his conversion to Christianity. * The Lady *McGrath has certainly done as good a job as anyone, and a lot better than many. * The Glass *

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Book Synopsis** The Sunday Times Best Literary Book of 2023**** A Waterstones Best Book of 2023**'All Sorts of Lives is a beautiful, fastidiously researched and fascinating exploration of Mansfield's life and work' A.L. KENNEDYRestless outsider, masher-up of form and convention, Katherine Mansfield’s career was short but dazzling. She was the only writer Virginia Woolf admitted being jealous of, yet by the 1950s was so undervalued that Elizabeth Bowen was moved to ask, 'Where is she – our missing contemporary?'In this inventive and intimate study, Claire Harman takes a fresh look at Mansfield’s life and achievements, through the form she did so much to revolutionise: the short story. Exploring ten pivotal works, we watch how Mansfield’s desire to grow as a writer pushed her art into unknown territory, and how illness sharpened her extraordinary vitality: ‘Would you not like to try all sorts of lives – one is so very small.’‘What a gift to the biographer, this life of adventure and sickness and sex and celebrity… Brilliant’ Sunday Times‘A searching, incisive and compulsive book. A lesson in how to read and connect and understand’ Sunjeev SahotaTrade ReviewAll Sorts of Lives is a beautiful, fastidiously researched and fascinating exploration of Mansfield's life and work. This is great as an introduction to an unjustly neglected author and a joy for those of us who already love her writingIn this sensitive and comprehensive biography, Claire Harman uncovers some steamy new details about Mansfield’s bisexuality, but doesn’t let the life distract from the blisteringly intense stories * The Times, *Books of the Year* *What a gift to the biographer, this life of adventure and sickness and sex and celebrity - and that's before you start on Mansfield as a leading modernist . . . It's hard to imagine a more compelling advocate for Mansfield's fiction, or a better introduction to it . . . brilliant -- Claire Lowdon * Sunday Times *A wonderful book to mark the centenary of Mansfield's death . . . [her] clever insistence on placing the life and work side by side allows her to give brief but powerful accounts of Mansfield's relations with other writers -- Ruth Scurr * Spectator *Harman combines literary criticism with uncovering the life of the influential modernist writer, via chapters linked to individual short stories. The best literary biographies make you want to go back to the subject’s work with renewed passion, and Harman more than succeeds. In fact, her enthusiasm goes some way into bringing Mansfield’s own vitality to the page * Independent, Books of the Year *A kind of masterclass on the short story, taking the ideal practitioner as its focus . . . a valuable reminder of why - a hundred years after her death - we should still be reading and marvelling at Katherine Mansfield's stories -- Sarah Watling * Daily Telegraph *A worthy addition to the corpus of Mansfield interpretation . . . Like all the best writer biographies, All Sorts of Lives makes you reach again for the works -- Catherine Taylor * Financial Times *Step aside, Virginia Woolf - it was Katherine Mansfield who ushered in the modern age -- Frances Wilson * Daily Telegraph *An excellent, sensitively written introduction -- Miranda Seymour * The Times *An engaging, perceptive critical work, that is inseparable from the rich expanse of Mansfield biography. What the book so insists on, and so compellingly brings home, is Mansfield's utter commitment to the demands of writing -- Vincent O'Sullivan * Newsroom *What a searching, incisive and compulsive book. A lesson in how to read and connect and understand, it achieves a beautiful synthesis between Mansfield's stories, her life and our apprehension of both these things -- Sunjeev SahotaSensitive and comprehensive -- Susie Goldsbrough * The Times *Harman's book does that thing that all good literary biographies do. It sends us straight back into the delicate, exhilarating, risking world of Mansfield's fiction -- Kirsty Gunn * The Times Literary Supplement *[A] lucent biography * Tablet *This biography, graced by Harman's deep understanding as a reader, allows the work and the life to unfold side by side, a pairing designed for maximum impact... puts art - the beating heart of a writer's life - centre stage -- Lyndall Gordon * New Statesman *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY AWARD 2018 'If we get another literary biography in 2018 as astute and feelingful as this one, we shall be lucky.' - John Carey, Sunday Times Mary Shelley was brought up by her father in a house filled with radical thinkers, poets, philosophers and writers of the day. Aged sixteen, she eloped with Percy Bysshe Shelley, embarking on a relationship that was lived on the move across Britain and Europe, as she coped with debt, infidelity and the deaths of three children, before early widowhood changed her life forever. Most astonishingly, it was while she was still a teenager that Mary composed her canonical novel Frankenstein, creating two of our most enduring archetypes today. The life story is well-known. But who was the woman who lived it? She's left plenty of evidence, and in this fascinating dialogue with the past, Fiona Sampson sifts through letters, diaries and records to find the real woman behind the story. She uncovers a complex, generous character - friend, intellectual, lover and mother - trying to fulfil her own passionate commitment to writing at a time when to be a woman writer was an extraordinary and costly anomaly. Published for the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein, this is a major new work of biography by a prize-winning writer and poet.Trade ReviewIf we get another literary biography in 2018 as astute and feelingful as this one, we shall be lucky. -- John Carey * Sunday Times *Gripping, vivid ... a fascinating book * The Times *Daringly swift and enjoyably irreverent * Observer *Sampson is as adept as Frankenstein himself, giving life to a figure who convincingly aches and bleeds ... the landscapes and interiors within which Sampson's subject moves are as crisply rendered as Frankenstein's own plane of Arctic ice. * Guardian *Fiona Sampson is a sleuth of a biographer ... rarely has my jaw dropped on so many occasions while reading a biography. * Daily Mail *Astonishing scenes are laid before the reader in the manner of vivid tableaux ... fascinating and ambitious. * Irish Times *[Gives] very real and valuable and sharp insights into the creative process of a work of genius. * Herald *It is a passionate demonstration of the elements that have kept her story vibrant for 200 years. It is moving, it is alive, it is a success. -- Elaine Showalter * Spectator *Fiona Sampson's study manages to illuminate her subject in prose that is both insightful and elegant. * The i *Powerful and contentious, waspish and insightful, this new account imbues both [Percy and Mary Shelley] with startling new life * Catholic Herald *

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Book SynopsisThe international sensation, a charming and moving memoir of a dog's transformative love, and an intimate journey into what heals us after loss.Having a dog as company makes nothing feel excessive not time or space. It''s not even about passing time, but being of it.A tiny ad in a local newspaper catches Cédric Sapin-Defour's eye: a litter of Bernese Mountain Dog puppies need homes. A lonely, single, gym teacher and mountain climber in the French Alps, Cédric visits the dogs and immediately falls for a puppy with a blue collar who steps over his siblings to get to him.Named Ubac, French for the north side of the mountain the rainy, cloudy slope the puppy quickly upends Cédric's life. They go on hikes together, taking to the hills and exploring, forging a bond that brings joy and a sense of fulfillment and adventure. They brave the world together, hate to be apart, crave the mountains and the natural world; they protect each other.Over the course of thirteen years, their pack expands to include Mathilde, Cédric's wife, and more dogs. Ubac and Me is an intimate meditation on a joyous life lived too fast, the aching pain of separation, and the transformative effect of unconditional love. A dog named for the rainy side of the mountain is an inspiring lesson in how walking the rocky, cloudy hills together can bring the greatest light, the sunniest joys, even if the shared journey is unbearably short.Not just a tribute to the love humans feel for their pets but also a means of voicing the deep grief that can be felt after a dog's death, when all that is left is a collar and hairs, and the house seems too big without them.' Guardian Ubac and Me has been a surprise bestseller and word-of-mouth sensation in France, championed by indie booksellers, selling more than 350,000 copies.Translated by Adriana Hunter.

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Book SynopsisIn this personal portrait of Edward Said written by a close friend, Dominique Eddé offers a fascinating and fresh presentation of his oeuvre from his earliest writings on Joseph Conrad to his most famous texts, Orientalism and Culture and Imperialism. Eddé weaves together accounts of the genesis and content of Said's work, his intellectual development, and her own reflections and personal recollections of their friendship, which began in 1979 and lasted until Said's death in 2003. Throughout, she traces the connection between personal history and theoretical options, illuminating the evolution of Said's thought. Both specialists of Said's work and newcomers will find much to learn in this rich portrait of one of the twentieth century's most important intellectuals.Trade ReviewPraise for Kamal Jann:A beautiful book, beautifully written with a pen dipped in line accuracy, the accuracy of the look, the talent of the sketch, without sacrificing the complexity of thought that underlies. This powerful fresco exposes the relationship between power and family, corruption and repression, sheds new light on what was believed to [be known of] Syria and the Middle East. * Huffington Post *Praise for Kamal Jann:This novel is masterfully impressive. * Marie-Claire *Praise for Kamal Jann:Beautifully written. * Times Literary Supplement *Praise for The Crime of Jean Genet:Eddé's book is an intelligent but not reverential account of the way in which Jean Genet fascinated and intimidated her. * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisA new look at a revolutionary writer, a diverse imperial city, and a controversial trick on the Royal Navy. In February 1910, the future Virginia Woolf played the most famous practical joke in British military history. Blackening her face and masquerading as an Abyssinian prince, the young writer and her friends conned their way onto HMS Dreadnought, the Empire’s most powerful battleship. The stunt made headlines around the world, embarrassed the Admiralty, and provoked debate in Parliament. But who was the ‘girl prince’ unidentified at the time, and what was she doing there? The Girl Prince intertwines three fascinating stories: a scandalous prank and its afterlife; Woolf’s ideas about race and empire; and the actual lived experience of Black people in Edwardian Britain, from real princes to Caribbean writers and South African activists. Using letters, diaries, reporting and newly discovered archives, Danell Jones describes an extraordinary chain of events, exploring why a boundary-pushing novelist once pulled a bigoted blackface prank, and what it tells us—about Woolf’s Britain and Woolf’s work. This is a tantalisingly fresh take on an iconic writer and her deeply problematic stunt.Trade Review'[A] kaleidoscopic study … [Jones’s] thorough overview of the hoax and its afterlives presents a unique window onto the early 20th-century British empire.' -- Publishers Weekly‘Jones introduces many of the extraordinary Black individuals’ resident in the U.K. at the time, including in Woolf’s Bloomsbury, some of whom would go on to play crucial roles in the dismantling of Empire (arguably still ongoing).’ -- The New York Journal Review of Books‘A fascinating, unnerving, and enlightening perspective on a transformative writer and the society that forged her sensibility, radical creativity, and despair.’ -- Booklist‘The Girl Prince is at its most interesting when Jones draws in the contemporary experiences of black people in Britain.’ -- Literary Review'Deeply researched and marvellously written, this is the book about Bloomsbury and the Dreadnought Hoax that we've been waiting for. Jones gives an essential racial and historical context for the event and its aftermath, which continues to this day.' -- Gretchen Gerzina, author of 'Black England: A Forgotten Georgian History''An enlightening and insightful book that keeps you reading.' -- Remi Adekoya, author of 'Biracial Britain''An enthralling book. Danell Jones at last provides the nuanced context and deep historical research so often lacking in commentary on this infamous incident.' -- Mark Hussey, author of 'Virginia Woolf A–Z' and 'Clive Bell and the Making of Modernism'

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Book Synopsis The moving story of the life and work of novelist Virginia Woolf, revealed through her own letters to those closest to her. Virginia Woolf is considered by many to be one of the greatest British writers and one of the foremost modernists of the twentieth century. As well as writing her novels, Woolf was a tireless correspondent, penning as many as six letters a day. This collection of Virginia Woolf''s letters offers a fascinating insight into her life, illuminating the complex personality of the novelist herself. The letters range from witty and irreverent to melancholy and introspective, with intimations of the bouts of mental illness that were to lead her to take her own life. She was a writer of genius; and through her correspondence we come close to one of the most brilliant and high-spirited minds of the twentieth century. A true letter', she insisted, should be like a film of wax pressed close to the graving of the mind'. The book containsbackground information on Virginia Woolf's life along with real samples of her handwriting. There are also biographical notes on the main recipients of the letters, together with a family tree for keeping track of names. The letters are beautifully illustrated throughout with photographs, paintings and sketches of the people and places with which Virginia Woolf was most closely connected many by members of the Bloomsbury Group, such as Woolf''s sister Vanessa Bell, Roger Fry and Duncan Grant.

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Book SynopsisFlamboyant and witty, Oscar Wilde was famous for being famous. The toast of late-nineteenth London society, he once boasted he could speak spontaneously on any subject, and his writings were as varied as his captivating conversation. One of the leading playwrights of his age, he also found fame as a poet, novelist and essayist. Of course, Wilde's literary success is bound up with the tragedy of his private life, and his very name evokes fascination. Including Wilde's funniest remarks and ripostes as well as deeper reflections, this collection of wit and wisdom will amuse, provoke and delight. 'There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.' Lord Henry in The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1890. 'Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.' Intentions, 'The Critic as Artist', 1891. Table of ContentsThe Arts • Insights • America • Society • Love and Relationships • Wit • Wisdom.

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Book SynopsisThe first biography of the bestselling author and journalist Marguerite Jervis.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis* TOLKIEN * Now a major motion pictureAcclaimed as the best book about Tolkien', this award-winning biography explores J.R.R. Tolkien's wartime experiences and their impact on his life and his writing of The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings.To be caught in youth by 1914 was no less hideous an experience than in 1939 by 1918 all but one of my close friends were dead.So J.R.R. Tolkien responded to critics who saw The Lord of the Rings as a reaction to the Second World War. Tolkien and the Great War tells for the first time the full story of how he embarked on the creation of Middle-earth in his youth as the world around him was plunged into catastrophe. This biography reveals the horror and heroism that he experienced as a signals officer in the Battle of the Somme and introduces the circle of friends who spurred his mythology to life. It shows how, after two of these brilliant young men were killed, Tolkien pursued the dream they had all shared by launching his epic of good and evil.JoTrade Review"Very much the best book about JRR Tolkien that has yet been written. Even if you are not a Lord of the Rings fan, I commend this book to you. It is all so interesting in itself, and I have rarely read a book which so intelligently graphed the relation between a writer's inner life and his outward circumstances."A.N.Wilson, Evening Standard “A highly intelligent book exploring Tolkien’s personal experience of the First World War… Garth displays impressive skills both as a researcher and writer.” Max Hastings “Garth’s brilliantly argued study convincinly portrays Tolkien in an entirely different leagues from other, more familiar writers on war.” Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisA highly-illustrated retelling of the Brontë sisters life in Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales told from Charlotte Brontë''s point of view.Produced to coincide with 200th anniversary of the birth of Charlotte Brontë, this book introduces the three extraordinary Brontë sisters: Charlotte, Emily and Anne. We also meet their brother Branwell. With a mix of strong story-telling and wonderful illustration, Mick Manning and Brita Granström relate the sister''s tragically short lives in the remote village of Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales. They explore how the girls were inspired to become writers and the sensation their books caused when people realised they had been written by women. Each of the sister''s greatest novels, Jane Eyre (Charlotte), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Anne) and Wuthering Heights (Emily), are simply retold in engaging comic-strip form.The illustrations and text of this book really capture the life of the children of the moors and how the Trade ReviewThis awesome book tells us the story of Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne's life, through simple words and lovely images ... None of the most important events in the Brontës' lives is missing. * The Sisters Room *THE BRONTËS: CHILDREN OF THE MOORS is fun and beautifully illustrated. * Daily Express *There is a lot of information packed into this picture book * School Librarian *Text and pictures combine together to perfection to give us a real picture of famous people and their lives ... Told through the eyes of Charlotte Bronte, the powerful story-telling and wonderful illustrations recreate the sisters' tragically short lives in the remote village of Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales ... Each of the sisters' greatest novels, Jane Eyre (Charlotte), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Anne) and Wuthering Heights (Emily) are simply retold in engaging comic-strip form * Parents In Touch *

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Book SynopsisA TOP BOOK FOR 2024 IN: THE OBSERVER, INDEPENDENT, SUNDAY TIMES AND BOOKSELLER''He understands only the women he invents the others not at all''Thomas Hardy is one of the most beloved and most-read British authors. His influence on literature and the minds of his readers is singular. But how is it that the novelist who created some of the most memorable and modern female characters in literature had such troubled relationships with real women?In this highly innovative book, acclaimed biographer Paula Byrne re-examines Hardy's life through the eyes of the women who made him mother, sisters, girlfriends, wives, muses. The story veers from shocking scenes such as his obsession with the sight of a woman hanged, to poignant vignettes of unfulfilled passion, to fascinating details of working women's lives in the nineteenth century.Hardy Women is the story of how the magnificent fictional women he invented would not have been possible without the hardship and hardiness of the real ones who Trade Review EARLY PRAISE FOR HARDY WOMEN ‘Absorbing… a treat for Hardy fans and unhappy wives’ The Times ‘Novelist and poet Thomas Hardy created some of literature’s most enduring female characters . . . but it is the real women who shaped the life of the tortured genius that a book vividly reanimates’ Independent 'By turns infuriating and inspiring, but always fascinating, this page-turner of a book offers a genuinely fresh perspective on one of Victorian Britain’s most famous writers' Gareth Russell, author of The Palace ‘A fascinating re-examination of the life of Thomas Hardy through the eyes of the women who profoundly influenced him-his mother, his sisters, girlfriends, wives and muses. Drawing on access to some neverbefore-seen passages in Hardy's journals, she shows that it is through these hardy women that we can truly appreciate his much-loved works’ The Bookseller, Editor’s Choice

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Book SynopsisBestselling novelist Tatiana de Rosnay pays homage to Daphne du Maurier, the writer who influenced her deeply, in this startling and immersive new biography. A portrait of one writer by another, Manderley Forever meticulously recounts a life as mysterious and dramatic as the work it produced, and highlights du Maurier's consuming passion for Cornwall.De Rosnay seamlessly recreates Daphne's childhood, rebellious teens and early years as a writer before exploring the complexities of her marriage and, finally, her cantankerous old age. With a rhythm and intimacy to its prose characteristic of all de Rosnay's works, Manderley Forever is a vividly compelling portrait and celebration of an intriguing, hugely popular and (in her time) critically underrated writer.Trade ReviewVivid, dreamlike...the strength of de Rosnay's biography is that it makes me want to visit (or revisit) her subject's books. * Daily Mail *Ms. de Rosnay has written a biography that does justice to its heroine. * Wall Street Journal *immersive, as thrilling as any of du Maurier's plots...brilliant * Irish Independent *Clever and highly original...insightful and endearing * The Lady *It's impressive how Tatiana was able to recreate the personality of my mother, including her sense of humour. It is very well written and very moving. I'm sure my mother would have loved this book. * Tessa Montgomery d’Alamein, daughter of Daphne du Maurier *A fascinating, in-depth portrait...Through de Rosnay's novel-like narrative, exhaustive research and unbridled imagination, du Maurier's spirit comes alive on the page. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisPocket Maya Angelou Wisdom is a collection of some of her best and most empowering quotes. This is the ultimate keepsake for fans of Maya Angelou’s beautiful poetry, as well as for anyone looking for a bit of in-the-moment inspiration to have in their back pocket. Some quotes from Maya Angelou: ‘If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.’ ‘You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.’ ‘When we unite in purpose, we are greater than the sum of our parts’ ‘Love recognises no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive as its destination full of hope.’ ‘Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.’

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Book SynopsisSeason two of the hit TV adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small is now showing on Channel 5, featuring Sam West as Siegfried Farnon.'James Herriot's books have had a lasting and profound effect on my life' Amanda OwenThis beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of the second volume in James Herriot's memoirs, It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet, features an afterword by actress Carol Drinkwater, who starred as Helen Herriot in the BBC's All Creatures Great and Small.It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet sees recently qualified vet James Herriot firmly ensconced in the sleepy Yorkshire village of Darrowby, and acclimatized to life with his unpredictable colleagues, brothers Siegfried and Tristan Farnon. But veterinary practice in the 1930s was never going to be easy, and there are challenges on the horizon, from persuading his clients to let him use his 'modern' equipment, to becoming an uncle to a pig called Nugent. Throw in his first encounters with Helen, the beautiful daughter of a local farmer, and this year looks to be as eventful as the last . . .This beautiful Macmillan Collector's Library edition of the second volume in James Herriot's memoirs, It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet, features an afterword by actress Carol Drinkwater, who starred as Helen Herriot in the BBC's All Creatures Great and Small.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

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Book SynopsisA unique chronicle of the hundred-year period when the Jewish people changed the world – and it changed them Marx, Freud, Proust, Einstein, Bernhardt and Kafka. Between the middle of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries a few dozen men and women changed the way we see the world. But many have vanished from our collective memory despite their enduring importance in our daily lives. Without Karl Landsteiner, for instance, there would be no blood transfusions or major surgery. Without Paul Ehrlich no chemotherapy. Without Siegfried Marcus no motor car. Without Rosalind Franklin genetic science would look very different. Without Fritz Haber there would not be enough food to sustain life on earth. These visionaries all have something in common – their Jewish origins and a gift for thinking outside the box. In 1847 the Jewish people made up less than 0.25% of the world’s population, and yet they saw what others could not. How?Trade Review‘[Lebrecht] guides us through his chosen period… in a breathless present continuous, with an enthusiasm that holds the reader’s attention… Lebrecht’s passion is persuasive, while the depth and variety of his reading and the sweep of his writing consistently engage.’ -- TLS‘Claims to have “changed the world” tend to be exaggerations, but Lebrecht’s subtitle…seems understated. The world wasn’t changed, it was remade, by the emancipation of Jews into public life that began in the 1840s…Narrated not by a straight-faced professional historian, but by a sprightly raconteur, with anecdotes and jokes, digressions and embellishments. Lebrecht piles them high in a ziggurat of enthusiasm for those “who changed the way we see the world”’. * The Times *‘A riveting, gossipy, action-packed, seam-bursting blast through 100 years of (mainly) European history…Lebrecht is an exuberant storyteller who ably brings these personalities to life…Impressively wide-ranging in scope and unflaggingly fascinating in detail.’ * Financial Times *'[An] urgent and moving history.’ * The Spectator *‘Norman Lebrecht has a rare ability to evoke the past with the immediacy of a good journalist, broadcaster, novelist or blogger… In his new book, a magnum opus of well over 400 pages, he brings his lifelong interests together.’ * Jewish Chronicle *‘This is unapologetically a book about Jews – scores of Jews whose lives and achievements made a significant difference to the world. In themselves, their histories make for fascinating reading, but a deeper theme informs these absorbing biographical sketches… Fascinating’. * Jerusalem Post *‘An exercise in boosterism… While Genius and Anxiety presents itself as a work of serious historical research, it is also laced with journalistic pizzazz.’ * Guardian *‘This book unapologetically celebrates Jewish genius by asking some piercing questions… the book is also a reminder that the unremitting antisemitism that contextualises Jewish genius has not disappeared.’ -- Jewish Renaissance‘… the book features dozens of remarkable scientists, artists and politicians of Jewish descent. Lebrecht’s wide net captures the usual suspects — Marx, Freud, Kafka, Einstein — but also many lesser-known, and equally fascinating, individuals.’ -- New York Times‘This book is a joy. Concise, vivid, well-written, in clear antithesis to banality… One not only enjoys the wealth of interesting facts and people, but is also delighted to be treated with many of [Lebrecht’s] aphoristic pearls… A vivid psychological study of Jewishness.' -- The Times of Israel‘A dazzling masterpiece depicting the glory and tragedy of Europe’s most persecuted people.’ -- Tom Bower‘Lebrecht vividly portrays the tensions between success and discrimination, offering a timely reminder of what western civilisation owes to the Jews.’ -- David Abulafia, Emeritus Professor of Mediterranean History, University of Cambridge, and author of The Great Sea

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Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated collection of haiku poetry from the 100 most famous Japanese poets.

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Book SynopsisADAPTED INTO A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE, STARRING JIM BROADBENT "A painful, funny, frightening, moving, marvellous book ... everybody should read it" - Nick Hornby And when did you last see your father? Was it when they burnt the coffin? Put the lid on it? When he exhaled his last breath? When he last sat up and said something? When he last recognized me? When he last smiled? Blake Morrison's memoir is a candid, profoundly moving reflection on his relationship with his father, Arthur. Following Arthur's cancer diagnosis, Blake witnesses the slow erosion of the man he once knew. As his father's battle with the disease unfurls, Blake reflects on growing up with Arthur in Yorkshire and their relationship in the years since he left home. From Arthur's penchant for saving money - and the lengths he'd go to do so - to his wayward behavior on family holidays, Blake's fearless account resists an unwavering celebration of his father, showing him to be outlandish and recalcitrant, as well as capturing his humorous and caring qualities. The result is a rich, nuanced portrait of their relationship, capturing the accommodations and resentments that lie cloistered within familial love. And When Did You Last See Your Father? is a classic of the confessional memoir genre; a raw and shimmering interrogation of father-son relationships, masculinity, selfhood and pride. "This luminous tribute to a beloved dad made me laugh until I cried and cry till my nostrils were raw. A masterpiece - one of those books that you treasure forever" - Val HennessyTrade ReviewA painful, funny, frightening, moving, marvellous book ... everybody should read it -- Nick HornbyTender, honest, angry, loyal, this extraordinary book balances the life, illness and death of a forceful father with the feelings of his independent son * The Times *This luminous tribute to a beloved dad made me laugh until I cried and cry till my nostrils were raw. A masterpiece - one of those books that you treasure forever -- Val HennessyA marvellous piece of family literature. He says much about death and dying and more about life and living. Sometimes harrowing, sometimes funny, above all, unforgettably humane * Sydney Morning Herald *A splendid book ... it leaps with life * Irish Times *More than any novel could be, And when did you last see your father? is the once-only, all-or-nothing book of a poet: the life held up so close to one's face that one can smell it, touch it, marvel at the power of words to unlock and unravel, then pour helter-skelter over our heads this magical brainstorm of memories * Spectator *Joy and pain are both imminent and distant as the book rocks back and forth between life and death and, while it lasts, it is visceral and real * Observer *Wonderful, eternally moving... I don't think anyone has ever written better about the relationship between fathers and sons -- Tony Parsons * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisFew would question that Albert Camus (1913-1960), novelist, playwright, philosopher and journalist, is a major cultural icon. His widely quoted works have led to countless movie adaptions, graphic novels, pop songs, and even t-shirts.In this Very Short Introduction, Oliver Gloag chronicles the inspiring story of Camus'' life. From a poor fatherless settler in French-Algeria to the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Gloag offers a comprehensive view of Camus'' major works and interventions, including his notion of the absurd and revolt, as well as his highly original concept of pure happiness through unity with nature called bonheur. This original introduction also addresses debates on coloniality, which have arisen around Camus'' work.Gloag presents Camus in all his complexity a staunch defender of many progressive causes, fiercely attached to his French-Algerian roots, a writer of enormous talent and social awareness plagued by self-doubt, and a crucially relevant author whose Trade ReviewOliver Gloag presents Camus without apologies. The reader must come to terms with the paradox of the colonizer's unreasonable love of "home", his controversial sexual politics, and his luminous prose of anguish and integrity. * Professor Gayatri Spivak, author of A Critique of Postcolonial Reason *An admirably concise but penetrating analysis of unresolved conflicts between Camus' humanism and his attachment to French Algeria as the key to his writing. * Robert O. Paxton, Emeritus Professor at Columbia University *Table of ContentsPreface 1: Camus, son of France in Algeria 2: Camus, from reporter to editorialist 3: Camus and the absurd 4: Rebel without a cause 5: Camus and Sartre -- the breaks that made them inseparable 6: Camus and Algeria 7: Camus' legacies Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONA book like no other the tale of a gripping quest to discover the identity of history's most notorious murderer and a literary high-wire act from the legendary writer and director of Withnail and I.For over a hundred years, the mystery of Jack the Ripper' has been a source of unparalleled fascination and horror, spawning an army of obsessive theorists, and endless volumes purporting finally to reveal the identity of the brutal murderer who terrorised Victorian England.But what if there was never really any mystery' at all? What if the Ripper was always hiding in plain sight, deliberately leaving a trail of clues to his identity for anyone who cared to look, while cynically mocking those who were supposedly attempting to bring him to justice?In THEY ALL LOVE JACK, the award-winning film director and screenwriter Bruce Robinson exposes the cover-up that enabled one of history's most notorious serial killers to remain at large. More Trade Review‘Rarely has a book on Jack the Ripper been written with such visceral anger: anger at Jack, at “Ripperology”, at the establishment, and anger at the police cover-up that allowed one of the world’s most infamous serial killers to remain free … One has to admire Robinson’s chutzpah. Most academic historians would break into a cold sweat at the very idea of publishing such an outrageous claim. But his research is undoubtedly impressive and has taken some 15 years … A bloody good read’ Guardian ‘Robinson’s achievement isn’t in revealing the Ripper but in writing the most involving, audacious and wonderfully bonkers book of the year’ Irish Times ‘A strange, mind-boggling mixture … Anyone coming blind to the book might think it a collaboration between Dr David Starkey and Johnny Rotten’ Mail on Sunday ‘Over the years, the figure of the Ripper has become commodified: a cartoon-like Victorian cheeky chappy who kills with a twinkle in his eye. Robinson reclaims the identity and humanity of the victims, and ensures that nobody who reads this remarkable book will ever forget the true circumstances of these crimes. Whether the Ripper was or was not Michael Maybrick, They All Love Jack performs a most valuable moral service’ Daily Telegraph ‘Robinson emerges with his conspiracy – and how he runs with it, with glee, with humour, with disgust and with a weight of research his own. Nobody has written this well on Jack the Ripper before’ Gavin Corbett, Irish Times ‘A painstaking yet visceral account of Jack the Ripper’s life, murders and legend that reads like a reaction from a recently aggrieved party rather than a work of history. Robinson’s line is unswerving, amusing and potent’ Monocle

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Book SynopsisThe definitive biography of Daphne Du Maurier, one of history''s greatest psychological thriller novelistsRebecca, published in 1938, brought its author instant international acclaim, capturing the popular imagination with its haunting atmosphere of suspense and mystery. Du Maurier was immediately established as the queen of the psychological thriller. But the more fame this and her other books encouraged, the more reclusive Daphne du Maurier became.Margaret Forster''s award-winning biography could hardly be more worthy of its subject. Drawing on private letters and papers, and with the unflinching co-operation of Daphne du Maurier''s family, Margaret Forster explores the secret drama of her life - the stifling relationship with her father, actor-manager Gerald du Maurier; her troubled marriage to war hero and royal aide, ''Boy'' Browning; her wartime love affair; her passion for Cornwall and her deep friendships with the last of her father''s acTrade ReviewAltogether a model biography - human sympathy tempered with honesty and spiced with real intelligence -- Lorna Sage * Observer *A startlingly good biography * The Times *Convincing throughout ... Margaret Forster's interpretation of her subject is so complete and so persuasive that it leaves nothing for the reader to do except admire and enjoy * Independent on Sunday *Forster's acute and sensitive book succeeds on many levels ... Its most important achievement is to disprove the highbrow assumption that bestsellers are shallow ... and do not ... engage the depths of the psyche -- John Carey * Sunday Times *Margaret Forster can do no wrong ... The story is as gripping as Rebecca, as full of surprises as My Cousin Rachel ... affectionate, honest, unsentimental and perceptive * Daily Mail *

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