Biography Books

Book SynopsisThe shocking first-hand account of one man's remarkable fight for freedom; now an award-winning motion picture.Trade Review‘The most remarkable book ever issued from the American press.’ Detroit Tribune ‘For sheer drama, few accounts of slavery match Solomon Northup's tale of abduction from freedom and forcible enslavement.’ Ira Berlin

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow a major TV seriesA masterpiece that reads like a thriller' Time OutA gripping and probing account of the biggest criminal manhunt in British history.It is over 40 years since Peter Sutcliffe was convicted of murdering 13 women and attacking 7 more. Still, he remains a killer of almost mythical proportions; his surviving victims, and their families, forever attached to his infamy.Michael Bilton's acclaimed account is a powerful indictment of the calamitous investigation that logged over 2 million man-hours of police work the biggest criminal manhunt in British history. With exclusive access to the detectives involved, the pathologist's archives and declassified documents, this account reads like the most gripping of thrillers.Trade Review‘A masterpiece that reads like a thriller.’ Time Out ‘There is unlikely to be a more cmprehensive or carefully researched account of the case. To read ‘Wicked Beyond Belief’ is to have a sense of being physically present at the day-to-day investigation, experiencing the frustrations, the stress and the public outrage at its lack of success as the years passed and murder followed.’ P.D.James, Mail on Sunday ‘Bilton knows more about the Ripper case than anyone living.’ Blake Morrison, Guardian

Read more less

Book SynopsisDervla Murphy's first epic journey from Ireland to India by bicycle, "Full Tilt", is a complete adventure in itself. It is also the first volume of a trilogy of experience that continues with Tibetan Foothold. For the young Irish woman, once she had got herself to India by July 1963, immersed herself in the life of the sub-continent, working for six months in an orphanage for Tibetan children in the refugee camps of Northern India. Here, she fell in love with the 'Tiblets' - the cheerful, tough, uncomplaining, independent and affectionate children of the new Tibet-in-exile. Dervla vividly describes day-to-day life in the camps where hundreds of children are living in squalor while a handful of dedicated volunteers do their best to feed and care for them, attempting to keep disease at bay with limited resources. She pitches in with a helping hand wherever it is needed and finds time to visit the Dalai Lama and his entourage. Dervla's heart-rending account is interwoven with her own observations on the particular cultural and social problems associated with trying to help a people who have lived in isolation from the rest of the world and she becomes a perceptive witness to the inner realities and sometime inadequacies of aid-work. First published in 1966, "Tibetan Foothold" not only confirmed Dervla's status as a traveller, but also revealed her to be a truly independent voice and an acute observer of politics and society.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFully updated to include Sir Chris Hoy's incredible, record-breaking golds at London 2012 (making him his country's greatest ever Olympian), this is the story of a sporting legend in his own words.This 33-year-old cycling fanatic from Murrayfield in the suburbs of Edinburgh defied the doubters who thought he would struggle when his specialist discipline, the 1km time trial, was dropped from the Olympics, and went on to reinvent himself as a track cycling sprinter and triple Olympic gold medallist in Beijing. His return to these shores sparked unprecedented celebrations and real admiration that here was a role model who was the epitome of all things that are good in sport.What makes a champion in sport? In his autobiography, Hoy returns to his roots as a child fully engaged with the BMX craze of the Eighties; when, even as a seven year old his will to succeed allied to an unyielding mental strength set him apart from other youngsters of his age. A promising rower and rugby player in schTrade ReviewPraise for Chris Hoy: ‘It’s hard to think of a more deserving recipient of success than Chris Hoy’ Guardian ‘Who is my sporting hero?' It's Chris Hoy.' He's an inspiration…a real role model’ Team-mate Victoria Pendleton ‘To appreciate Hoy, you need to understand his exercise of self-control, plus those nagging doubts, for it is this potent combination that has driven him to such heights’ The Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis'I rang the bell, the door opened, and there stood Rudolf Steiner in person. I was so taken aback that I dropped the basket which burst open and all my clothes and underclothes, together with my other belongings, were lying at the feet of the Doctor. A ball of wool got away and rolled between Dr Steiner's feet into the long corridor. Somewhat surprised, but amused, he said: "I have never been greeted in this way."' Anna Samweber (1884-1969), an active coworker in Berlin with Rudolf Steiner and Marie Steiner-von Sivers, presents a lively, homely, and often moving collection of anecdotes and recollections. Recorded by Jacob Streit during an intensive two-day session, this short work offers a warm, illuminating and intimate picture of Rudolf Steiner, the man and his work, during a critical phase in the development of anthroposophy.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSusan Orlean first met John Laroche when visiting Florida to write for the New Yorker about his arrest for stealing rare ghost orchids from a nature reserve. Fascinated both by Laroche and the world she uncovered of orchid collectors and growers, she stayed on, to write this magical exploration of obsession and the strange world both of the orchid obsessives and of Florida, that haunting and weird ''debatable land'' of swamps and condos, retirement communities and real-estate scams. The world of the orchid hunters, breeders and showmen, their rivalries, vendettas and crimes, smuggling, thefts and worse provide the backdrop to a fascinating exploration of one of the byways of human nature, the obsessive world of the collector, and the haunting beauty of the flowers themselves.Trade ReviewLike the orchid, a small thing of grandeur, a passion with a pedigree... The Orchid Thief shows [Orlean's] gifts in full bloom * New York Times Book Review *A lesson in the dark, dangerous, sometimes hilarious nature of obsession...you sometimes don't want to read on, but find you can't help it * USA Today *Irresistable... A brilliantly reported account of an illicit scheme to housebreak Florida's wild and endangered ghost orchid. Its central figure is John Laroche, the 'oddball ultimate' of a subculture whose members are so enthralled by orchids they 'pursue them like lovers * Minneapolis Star Tribute *Fascinating... Tales of theft, hatred, greed, jealousy, madness, and back-stabbing... An engrossing journey * Los Angeles Times *Artful... In Ms. Orlean's skillful handling, her orchid story turns out to be distinctly 'something more.' Orchids, Seminole history, the ecology of the Fakahatchee Strand, the fascination of Florida to con men... All that she writes here fits together because it is grounded in her personal experience... [Her] portrait of her sometimes sad-making orchid thief allows the reader to discover acres of opportunity where intriguing things can be found * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA son's quest to avenge his mother's murder.In 1948, in a Greek mountain village, Eleni Gatzoyiannis was arrested, tortured and shot. She was one of the 158,000 victims of the Greek Civil War. Her crime had been to help her children escape from the Communist guerrillas who occupied their village. Her son, Nicholas Gage, was then eight years old. Eleni is the story of his obsessive and harrowing reconstruction of his mother's life and death and his pursuit of his mother's killer.Trade ReviewA devoted and brilliant achievement. One of the rare books in which the power of art recreates the historical truth * New York Review of Books *Exciting and harrowing... An amazing achievement -- Patrick Leigh FermorI cannot think of another book that so compellingly demonstrates the gradual deterioration of human values in the name of lofty goals. Minutely observed and eloquently rendered * New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough (1644-1722), was one of the greatest military commanders and statesmen in the history of England. His descendant, Sir Winston Churchill, wrote this work as both an act of homage, and as an historical insight into the man behind the statesman.Trade Review"The greatest historical work written in our century, an inexhaustible mine of political wisdom and understanding, which should be required reading for every student of political science." - Leo Strauss, University of Chicago "Rarely in the history of historical writing have author and subject seemed so made for each other." - Henry Steele Commager

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery living thing has two bodies. To be an animal is to be in possession of a physical body, a body which can eat, drink and sleep; it is also to be embedded in a worldwide network of ecosystems. When every human body has an uncanny global presence, how do we live with ourselves? In this timely and elegant essay, Daisy Hildyard captures the second body by exploring how the human is a part of animal life. She meets Richard, a butcher in Yorkshire, and sees pigs turned into boiled ham; and Gina, an environmental criminologist, who tells her about leopards and silver foxes kept as pets in luxury apartments. She speaks to Luis, a biologist, about the origins of life; and talks to Nadezhda about fungi in an effort to understand how we define animal life. Eventually, her second body comes to visit her first body when the river flooded her home last year. The Second Body is a brilliantly lucid account of the dissolving boundaries between all life on earth.Trade Review‘With a voice that is both intimate and richly imaginative, [Hildyard] draws on sources spanning biology, ecology, literature, and sociology to illustrate the seeming paradox of human existence: that humans act individually and globally at once – that we act both in and on the world around us. ... Hildyard’s book is a powerful exploration of how every human is both a singular being as well as one of many in the world.’ — Publishers' Weekly‘“Another creature’s experience is different, and we do not know how it is different”, writes Daisy Hildyard in The Second Body. This playful and original essay touches on the limits of our ability to imagine that experience. Hildyard, a novelist who was trained as a historian of science, tries to find the ways we intuit boundaries between our bodies and our ecosystems, between ourselves and other animals.’ — Jennie Erin Smith, Times Literary Supplement‘These are fretful, questioning essays with occasional flashes of beauty, demanding of readers that they think about anthropogenic disruption of climate and ecology.’ — Gavin Francis, Guardian‘Part amateur detective, part visionary, Hildyard’s voice is so intelligent, beguiling and important. Like Sir Thomas Browne or even Annie Dillard, her sly variety of scientific inquiry is incandescent.’ — Rivka Galchen, author of Little Labors

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs heard on BBC 6 Music with Shaun Keveny, BBC Radio 5 Live and Talk Radio with Eamonn HolmesThe age of the rock star, like the age of the cowboy, has passed. Like the cowboy, the idea of the rock star lives on in our imaginations.What did we see in them? Swagger. Recklessness. Sexual charisma. Damn-the-torpedoes self-belief. A certain way of carrying themselves. Good hair. Interesting shoes. Talent we wished we had.What did we want of them? To be larger than life but also like us. To live out their songs. To stay young forever. No wonder many didn’t stay the course.In Uncommon People, David Hepworth zeroes in on defining moments and turning points in the lives of forty rock stars from 1955 to 1995, taking us on a journey to burst a hundred myths and create a hundred more. As this tribe of uniquely motivated nobodies went about turning themselves into the ultimate somebodies, they also shaped us, our real lives and our fantasies. Uncommon People isn’t just their story. It’s ours as well.Trade ReviewMarvellous . . . The age of the rock star is over, and Hepworth’s never-less-than fascinating book is a more than fitting farewell -- Dylan Jones * GQ *David Hepworth is such a clever writer . . . Uncommon People is a gorgeous read, celebratory and bittersweet, both pep rally and memorial, throbbing with insight and incident -- Julie Burchill * Spectator *This book is a kind of elegy for a glorious but passing phase in entertainment history . . . brim[s] with insight, humour and a certain genial astringency -- Stuart Maconie * Mail on Sunday *[A] wonderful portrait of rock stardom . . . Hepworth’s writing is sublime * Daily Mail *The effect is that of faded, evocative, partisan Polaroids scattered from the memory of one obsessive music fan . . . Uncommon People emerges as part of the drive to capture, analyse and archive key moments in musical history that might otherwise vanish from popular memory before we know it * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year!Will snare you in its web of deceit ... A brilliant investigative exposé' - Harlan Coben, bestselling thriller author Reads like a fast-paced John le Carré thriller, and never lets up' - New York Times book review The Spider Network is the almost-unbelievable and darkly entertaining inside account of the Libor scandal one of the biggest, farthest-reaching financial scams since the global financial crisis written by the only journalist with access to Tom Hayes before he was sentenced to fourteen years in prison. Full of exclusive details, and with ramifications that stretch right across the British establishment, this is a gripping, real-life story of outlandish characters and reckless greed in the City of London. By turns a rollicking account of the scandal and also a provocative examination of a financial system that was crooked throughTrade ReviewAnyone with an interest in financial services and in what has gone wrong will find The Spider Network compelling. -- Daniel Finkelstein * The Times *a surprisingly human narrative … truly memorable … a vivid depiction of the ethos of the core financial institutions upon which the global economy depends * New York Times *a model of investigative financial writing... a more satisfying read than THE BIG SHORT by Michael Lewis * Literary Review *will snare you in its web of deceit, lies, corruption, manipulation and colourful characters. [a] brilliant investigative exposé * Harlan Coben, bestselling thriller author *supremely gripping ... a thrilling tour de force of reporting, revelation and reasoning ... unmissable * Iain Martin, bestselling author of MAKING IT HAPPEN: FRED GOODWIN, RBS AND THE MEN WHO BLEW UP THE BRITISH ECONOMY *An incredibly entertaining, globe-straddling inside account of how one trader turbocharged a greedy cabal that scammed savers and borrowers everywhere. A must read if you want to understand how big banks and traders really work * Marcus Brauchli, former Executive Editor of the Washington Post and Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal *Equally entertaining and illuminating … Enrich’s brilliant depiction … owes to deep reporting, deft writing, and a nuanced approach that characterizes the entire book… First-rate. * John Helyar, bestselling author of BARBARIANS AT THE GATE *how did a socially awkward English math whiz mastermind manipulation of lending rates on a global scale? And was Tom Hayes truly the mastermind, or just a cog in a corrupt banking system? In David Enrich’s gripping tale, the characters have nicknames worthy of the Mafia, and their ethical compasses aren't much better * Paul Ingrassia, Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author of CRASH COURSE *gripping and disturbing ... It reads like a thriller and has some hilarious moments, whilst raising important questions about the nature of our financial and judicial systems * Ian Fraser, journalist and author of SHREDDED: INSIDE RBS, THE BANK THAT BROKE BRITAIN *David Enrich is a masterful story teller ... Michael Lewis has a new rival * Sheila Bair, former chair of the FDIC and president of Washington College *An absorbing read that provides both a meticulous dissection of an immense scandal as well as a fascinating human story * Bethany McLean, bestselling author of THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM: THE AMAZING RISE AND SCANDALOUS FALL OF ENRON *For years, David Enrich has chased down the inside story of one the biggest financial frauds in history and was even threatened with jail by a British court if he printed what he knew. Now, in his blockbuster book The Spider Network, all of the secrets come spilling out…With an unerring eye for detail, Enrich shows in this masterful work how a toxic stew of greed, arrogance and a lust for power led to a criminal scheme of unparalleled dimensions. It should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the dirty underbelly of the financial world. * Kurt Eichenwald, Pulitzer Prize winning author of THE INFORMANT *This dwarfs by orders of magnitude any financial scams in the history of markets. * Andrew Lo, Professor of Finance at MIT *In the hands of journalist David Enrich, the true tale of former UBS and Citigroup trader Tom Hayes becomes a page-turning crime drama that engages – and educates – readers from beginning to end. * The Charlotte Observer *A gripping narrative ... impressive reporting and writing chops are on full display ... reads like a fast-paced John le Carré thriller, and never lets up * New York Times book review *a feat of reporting, and much of it reads like a novel -- Leigh Gallagher * Washington Post *a remarkable read -- John Arlidge * Sunday Times *jaw-dropping * Financial Times *a gripping financial thriller * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe impassioned abolitionist and eloquent orator provides graphic descriptions of his childhood and horrifying experiences as a slave as well as a harrowing record of his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom. Published in 1845 to quell doubts about his origins, the Narrative is admired today for its extraordinary passion, sensitive descriptions, and storytelling power.

Read more less

Book SynopsisArtaud remains one of the significant and influential theorists of modern theatre.--Gerald Rabkin, Rutgers University

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe amazing story of a woman who risked her life to get herself and her two little girls out of Cairo and away from an abusive husband. Now living in the shadow of a Fatwa, a Muslim death threat, this memoir will ensure that her story is never forgotten...

Read more less

Book SynopsisMary Soames (1922-2014) was the youngest child of Winston and Clementine Churchill. She was brought up at Chartwell in Kent and, aged eighteen, joined the ATS and served in mixed anti-aircraft batteries in England and Europe. She accompanied her father as his ADC on several of his wartime overseas journeys. In 1945 she was awarded the MBE (military). In 1947, she married Captain Christopher Soames, Coldstream Guards, later Lord Soames, PC, GCMG, CH. In 1998 she edited the private correspondence between her parents, Speaking for Themselves, completely revised and updated the celebrated biography of her mother, Clementine Churchill, in 2002 and completed her own autobiography, A Daughter's Tale, in 2011.Trade ReviewThere can surely be no more difficult task than to write a biography of one's own mother; but Mary Soames has been brilliantly successful. * Daily Telegraph *A delightful book...affectionate and also frank. -- A.J.P. Taylor * Observer *Lady Soames has carried out the extremely delicate and difficult task of writing the real story of her mother. I found it particularly moving because I had a deep affection for her father and mother. -- Harold MacmillanThe finest biography for a decade -- Lynda Lee Potter

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlutarch (ca. AD 45–120) wrote on many subjects. His extant works other than the Parallel Lives are varied, about sixty in number, and known as the Moralia (Moral Essays). They reflect his philosophy about living a good life, and provide a treasury of information concerning Greco-Roman society, traditions, ideals, ethics, and religion.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis unique collection brings together the finest poetry and prose on the Nakba by Palestinian writers over the last seventy years.Trade Review`In this crucial anthology, Palestine's greatest classic and contemporary writers use the poetry and rigour of their words to delineate both the trauma of the past and the continuities of exile, oppression and resistance.' Molly Crabapple; `An essential collection of vital voices ... Palestinian literature and thought are defiantly alive and pushing boundaries in fiction, poetry, memoir and reportage.' Bidisha; `This anthology brilliantly brings together seminal writings on the Nakba. It will be of interest to students of literature as well as those wishing to learn about Palestine for a long time to come.' Yasir Suleiman, University of Cambridge and the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies; `This collection sings of more than just suffering - remembrance and beauty, too.' Fatima Bhutto;`A Map of Absence is a remarkable collection of some of the finest examples of [Palestinian] literature ... It is the details hidden in each piece of writing - occasionally hopeful, often heartbreaking - that lend this collection its personality.' The National; `Core questions are addressed throughout: injustice, memory, resistance, longing for peace and a normal life, and especially return to the homeland ... A Map of Absence has the makings of becoming a classic, due to its documentation of a seminal event and the beauty and intensity of the writing. In the words of Atef Alshaer, "Nowhere has the voice of Palestine resonated more powerfully than in the literature of Palestinians".' The Jordan Times; `A Map of Absence< is a tribute to the power and elegance of the Arabic language and to the sensitivity of the editor. Some of the contributors write in English but most are beautifully translated from the original Arabic. Above all, the book is a reminder of the suffering and bravery of many of today's refugees in their fight to find a new identity and deal with the fact that they can never forget their home, their land and the identity they have lost.' 7D News; `Throughout this book, it is the human experience that stands out, elsewhere discarded to make space for the politics that have disrupted and ruptured Palestinian lives.' Middle East Monitor

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter personal inquiry and study of hearsay and other evidence, Herodotus (born ca. 484 BC) gives us in his famous history of warfare between the Greeks and the Persians a not uncritical estimate of the best that he could find.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis first volume shows that even as a young man Walter Benjamin possessed astonishing intellectual range and depth. His topics here include poetry and fiction, drama, philosophy, history, religion, love, violence, morality, mythology, painting, and much more.Trade ReviewFor many readers, [Benjamin's]…scrupulous attention to detail, this sense that everything can be made to speak, explains [his] force as a writer. His hermeneutic skill is nowhere more evident than in his essay on Goethe's Elective Affinities, the most important previously untranslated article included here. He confronts the novel from several perspectives, using it to illuminate the institution of marriage, the morality of love, and the project of artistic creation. At the same time, the essay offers a powerful—and frankly mystical—image of criticism itself… Esoteric much of the work is, but its originality inspires. If cultural studies is headed back to basics, Benjamin's luminous musings are a rewarding place to start. -- James Surowiecki * Lingua Franca *To encounter Benjamin's piece ['The Life of Students'] is like overhearing the opening notes of one of the most intellectually compelling friendships of our century. It is greatly to the credit of Harvard University Press to have made the text finally available to English-speaking readers. In general, the editors of this volume have made an exemplary choice of what to include, and when their projected multi-volume section is complete, it will constitute the most important compilation of Benjamin's writings outside the mammoth German Collected Works. -- Michael André Bernstein * New Republic *[A] splendid new edition of Benjamin's own Selected Writings. * Times Higher Education Supplement *[T]he publication of an ambitious new edition of Benjamin's selected writings [is] a genuinely exciting event. In place of a limited selection of Benjamin's more immediately accessible pieces, American readers now have the chance to wander the full range of his work, and to gain a real sense of the often contradictory but always provocative combination of philosophy, criticism, and cultural history that it offers. -- James Surowiecki * Boston Phoenix *Benjamin has gradually emerged as a major presence in 20th-century letters. This reputation rests on his extraordinary and highly idiosyncratic gift for original and far-reaching insights. It was his ambition to become Germany's leading literary critic, a status that many no doubt would be inclined to award him posthumously… Benjamin is sometimes misunderstood, since only certain parts of his overall output have come into view here. The 65 pieces collected in this excellent first volume of the new Harvard Benjamin should help clarify the larger picture as well as deepen and enliven the discussion. -- Steve Dowden * Washington Times *A glance at the Table of Contents of Selected Writings—he writes on language, time, colors, children's books, love, violence, messianism—shows us at once Benjamin's provocativeness and his infinite variety. The two longest pieces, both from the early twenties and neither translated till now, are his doctoral thesis, 'The Concept of Criticism in German Romanticism,' and his long essay on Goethe's late novel, Elective Affinities… [The latter] is an exemplary piece of lit crit, brilliantly analyzing the book's layers, motifs, symbols and subtexts…Benjamin's reverent feeling for tradition gives weight to his radical readings of tradition. Both essays could be an inspiration to people doing cultural studies today. -- Marshall Berman * The Nation *[Walter Benjamin] is no less than a major enrichment and revision of the image of Walter Benjamin's criticism in the English-speaking world. -- Tyrus Miller * American Book Review *Today, the presence of Walter Benjamin is invoked in aesthetics, in political philosophy, in the theory of literature and of film, in linguistics and theology… [T]his [is a] sumptuous first volume of [his] Selected Writings… [T]here is more to this feast of a book than demanding gravity. The look at 'Old Forgotten Children's Books' is an arch delight. The sketch of 'Naples' (1925) anticipates the vital part the Mediterranean was to play in Benjamin's search for inexpensive nirvanas. The brief entry on 'Love and Related Matters' of 1920 speculates on the coming sexual revolution… Throughout Walter Benjamin, the prodigality of suggestion haunts one. -- George Steiner * The Observer *Selected Writings, Volume I increases our understanding of this most important of writers exponentially. There is nothing like Benjamin, and I can hardly imagine a more rewarding book being published this year. -- David Wheatley * The Irish Times *The appeal of Benjamin's writing, according to Terry Eagleton, lies in the way it 'manages marvellously to combine…[Marxist] 'aesthetics' with the entrancing esotericism of the Kabbala.'… Benjamin is admired not in spite of but because of his arcane syntax, murky vocabulary, and buried meanings… You have to seek the truth in Benjamin's writings, if you have the patience, and not treat them as conveying knowledge. There is an awful lot of husk to burn in the process, but the theory of truth, if true, explains the obscurity. -- Arthur C. Danto * Artforum *Bullock and Jennings's Selected Writings series offers and opportunity to reevaluate Benjamin within the context of rhetoric, from a wider body of documents than previously available… This first volume of the Selected Writings gives scholars of rhetoric a critical mass of text (from notebook jottings, to student writings and early published works, to Benjamin's dissertation) from which to evaluate Benjamin's work. From this new vantage point, we might identify his potential contribution to rhetorical theory through his writing on communication, the philosophy of language, aesthetics and the political. In some cases, Bullock and Jennings's new edition resonates with and reiterates themes found in the canonical anthologies. In other cases, we are exposed to a Benjamin not previously seen in English… There are key insights here, especially in these times when the Critical Theory project which has driven the study of mass communication comes into rhetorical studies… Benjamin reminds us that to embrace and preserve the true fragment exceeds the condemnation of the system, of the whole. -- David Beard * Quarterly Journal of Speech *A cause for excitement among literary essayists and critics: Walter Benjamin's scattered works are at last being translated and collected in a carefully edited edition… Most of his writings—including some of his most extraordinary accomplishments—have never been translated. The loss for American readers is substantial. At long last…a three-volume, chronologically organized edition of the essays, memoirs, reviews, aphorisms, fragments, and other short forms is being issued… The overall quality of the translations is high… And in Benjamin's case, this is no mean accomplishment… His peculiar gift was…for lightning flashes of sudden, precise, and idiosyncratic illumination. The translators have supplied useful (though relatively sparing) explanatory notes, and the editors have appended a narrative chronology of Benjamin's life through 1926… This new Benjamin set will be the standard work. * Kirkus Reviews *Readers new to Benjamin will find this a welcome introduction to a challenging but rewarding writer. Those already familiar with his work will be grateful to be reminded, once again, of the wisdom of his maxim, 'all the decisive blows are struck left-handed.' -- Graham McCann * Financial Times *[W]ith the advent of this volume…Benjamin's bold and invigorating philosophy of literature will reach a broader audience and truly make its power felt. Here are Benjamin's earliest writings, the youthful efforts of an emerging aesthetic theorist already in command of a vast wealth of material and unafraid to voice strong and controversial opinions about everything from children's books to Goethe, Dostoevsky, Baudelaire, and such concepts as perception, the philosophy of history, and theories of knowledge and the imagination. * Booklist *Harvard's systematic presentation of the work of German cultural critic Benjamin has proved a revelation. * Publishers Weekly *Wherever [Benjamin] turned his incisive gaze…the clarity of morning's first light shines forth. -- Haim Chertok * Jerusalem Post *Table of ContentsMetaphysics of Youth, 1913-1919 "Experience" The Metaphysics of Youth Two Poems by Friedrich Holderlin The Life of Students Aphorisms on Imagination and Color A Child's View of Color Socrates Trauerspiel and Tragedy The Role of Language in Traucrspiel and Tragedy On Language as Such and on the Language of Man Theses on the Problem of Identity Dostoevsky's The Idiot Painting and the Graphic Arts Painting, or Signs and Marks The Ground of Intentional Immediacy The Object: Triangle Perception Is Reading On Perception Comments on Gundolf's Goethe On the Program of the Coming Philosophy Stifter Every Unlimited Condition of the Will Types of History The Concept of Criticism in German Romanticism Fate and Character Analogy and Relationship The Paradox of the Cretan The Currently Effective Messianic Elements Angelus Novus, 1920-1926 The Theory of Criticism Categories of Aesthetics On Semblance World and Time According to the Theory of Duns Scotus On Love and Related Matters The Right to Use Force The Medium through Which Works of Art Continue to Influence Later Ages Critique of Violence The Task of the Translator Notes for a Study of the Beauty of Colored Illustrations in Children's Books Riddle and Mystery Outline for a Habilitation Thesis Language and Logic (I-III) Theory of Knowledge Truth and Truths / Knowledge and Elements of Knowledge Imagination Beauty and Semblance The Philosophy of History of the Late Romantics and the Historical School The Meaning of Time in the Moral Universe Capitalism as Religion Announcement of the Journal Angelus Novus Goethe's Elective Affinities Baudelaire (II, III) Calderon's El Mayor Monstruo, Los Celos and Hebbel's Herades und Mariamne Letter to Florens Christian Rang Stages of Intention Outline of the Psychophysical Problem Even the Sacramental Migrates into Myth On the Topic of Individual Disciplines and Philosophy "Old Forgotten Children's Books" Naples Curriculum Vitae (I) Reflections on Humboldt Review of Bernoulli's Bachofen Johann Peter Hehel (I): On the Centenary of His Death Johann Peter Hebel (II): A Picture Puzzle for the Centenary of His Death A Glimpse into the World of Children's Books One-Way Street A Note on the Texts Chronology, 1892-1926 Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book charts the author's long journey of healing from the trauma caused by having to go into hiding as a child and having to deny that she was Jewish. Marika Henriques records in words and images how she was shaped and her profession determined by historical events.Trade Review“Marika Henriques weaves word, poetry, drawing and tapestry to explore and make sense of her dark past as a Holocaust child survivor. The Hidden Girl is a beautiful book. Dreamlike and nuanced it celebrates the redemptive power of creativity and Judaism. It is a moving testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit.” Charlotte Bogard, Playwright // “Marika Henriques’s book made a lasting impact on me. I thought I knew all there is to know about the horrors of the Holocaust until I read it. It is a unique rendering which reaches one’s deepest self, the dimension of emotions we all share. Marika shows through her own experience the lasting damage that trauma inflicts on children - the difficulties they have as a consequence to become emotionally independent from their past and to regain their true identity. In her analytic way she demonstrates her struggles and her courage, and above all her determination to be herself. It is a great book.” Colette Littman, Director of The Littman Library of Jewish Civilisation // “A powerful and moving story unlike any other Holocaust story I have read or seen, because it expresses deeply buried feelings not only in words but in extraordinary drawings, tapestries and poems. The combination is unique. This story will help many others who had traumatic beginnings.” Lenka Murphy, formerly with The Prince’s Charities // “This is a book which has the ability to give hope and inspiration to anyone who has suffered. It is moving, written with courageous honesty, about profound experiences. It is a living example of the beneficial power of the psyche and our souls, if we follow and trust them, to lead us to a deep understanding of our personal selves and the collective world around us, accepting both the good and the evil, life and death. It is a remarkable book.” Maggie Stanway, Chair of C. G. Jung Club London

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Highly readable, exciting and thought-provoking'' - Hilary Mantel''A gem of blood-and-thunder storytelling'' - Dominic SandbrookIn medieval England, man was the ruler of woman, and the King was the ruler of all. How, then, could royal power lie in female hands?In She-Wolves, celebrated historian, Helen Castor, tells the dramatic and fascinating stories of four exceptional women who, while never reigning queens, held great power: Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France and Margaret of Anjou. These were women who paved the way for Jane Grey, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I - the Tudor queens who finally confronted what it meant to be a female monarch.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThese lectures were delivered by Seamus Heaney while he was Professor of Poetry at Oxford University. In the first of them, Heaney discusses and celebrates poetry''s special ability to redress spiritual balance and to function as a counterweight to hostile and oppressive forces in the world. He proceeds to explore how this ''redress'' manifests itself in a diverse range of poems and poets, including Christopher Marlowe''s ''Hero and Leander'', ''The Midnight Court'' by the eighteenth-century Irish poet Brian Merriman, John Clare''s vernacular writing and Oscar Wilde''s ''The Ballad of Reading Gaol''. Several twentieth-century poets are also discussed - W. B. Yeats, Dylan Thomas, Elizabeth Bishop and others - and the whole book constitutes a vivid proof of the claim that ''poetry is strong enough to help''.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHenry Morton Stanley was a cruel imperialist - a bad man of Africa. Or so we think: but as Tim Jeal brilliantly shows, the reality of Stanley''s life is yet more extraordinary. Few people know of his dazzling trans-Africa journey, a heart-breaking epic of human endurance which solved virtually every one of the continent''s remaining geographical puzzles. With new documentary evidence, Jeal explores the very nature of exploration and reappraises a reputation, in a way that is both moving and truly majestic.Trade Review"'Superb... Tim Jeal's absorbing biography will surely be definitive.' Sunday Telegraph"

Read more less

Book SynopsisVolume Two covers the early years of his editorship of The Criterion (the periodical that Eliot launched with Lady Rothermere''s backing in 1922), publication of The Hollow Men and the course of Eliot''s thinking about poetry and poetics after The Waste Land. The correspondence charts Eliot''s intellectual journey towards conversion to the Anglican faith in 1927, as well as his transformation from banker to publisher, ending with his appointment as a director of the new publishing house of Faber & Gwyer, in late 1925, and the appearance of Poems 1909-1925, Eliot''s first publication with the house with which he would be associated for the rest of his life. It was partly because of Eliot''s profoundly influential work as cultural commentator and editor that the correspondence is so prolific and so various, and Volume Two of the Letters fully demonstrates the emerging continuities between poet, essayist, editor and letter-writer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTranslation of: Kafka, die Jahre der Erkenntnis.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2014 Helen and Kurt Wolff Translator's Prize Finalist for the 2013 National Jewish Book Award in History, Jewish Book Council One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 One of The Guardian Best Books of 2013, chosen by Colm Toibin Longlisted for the 2014 PEN Translation Award, Pen American Center "[S]cholars and specialists lost and absorbed in the many rooms of the Kafka factory will find much to discuss in the labors of Reiner Stach."--Joy Williams, New York Times Book Review "[Stach's] resplendent Kafka: The Years of Insight, tracking Kafka's final eight years, meditates on the limits of the knowable even as it exhibits unparalleled dedication to the Kafka's life and work."--Gary Giddins, Wall Street Journal "This well-researched new biography details the last nine years of Franz Kafka's life and explores the personal, social, and political events that shaped his writing... Despite the narrow time frame, this insightful book is likely to become a standard by which future biographies are measured."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "[S]uperbly tempered... [T]hrough this robustly determined unearthing he rescues Kafka from the unearthliness of his repute... Shelley Frisch, Stach's heroic American translator, movingly reproduces his intended breadth and pace and tone... In this honest and honorable biography there is no trace of the Kafkaesque; but in it you may find a crystal granule of the Kafka who was."--Cynthia Ozick, New Republic "Stach's book succeeds brilliantly at clearing a path through the thick metaphysical fog that has hung about Kafka's work almost since his death... [I]lluminating... It is common to say of biography that it sends you back to the work. Stach's book does this in spades, but, importantly for English readers, it also presents new aspects of the work in Shelley Frisch's superb and lucid translations... Between them, she and Stach have produced a superbly fresh imaginative guide to the strange, clear, metaphor-free world of Kafka's prose."--Tim Martin, Telegraph "Stach reads the work and the life with minute care and sympathy. He has a deep understanding of the world that Kafka came from and this is matched by an intelligence and tact about the impulse behind the work itself."--Colm Toibin, Irish Independent "This work is a monumental accomplishment with a first-rate translation by scholar Frisch."--Library Journal (Starred Review) "Conclusion of a massive, comprehensive life of the famed Czech/German/Jewish writer, chockablock with neuroses, failures and moments of brilliance... An illuminating book built, like its subject's life, on small episodes rather than great, dramatic turning points. Essential for students and serious readers of Kafka."--Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) "With impressive insight into imaginative artistry, Stach illuminates the way Kafka responds to personal trauma and global firestorm, sometimes incorporating his negative circumstances into his fiction, but sometimes transcending those circumstances in metaphysical creations informed by a profoundly personal myth. This literary-biographical analysis will help scholars penetrate major Kafka works, including The Castle and The Trial, The Hunger Artist and The Burrow. Thanks to a lucid translation, English-speaking readers can now share the German enthusiasm for this masterful portrait."--Bryce Christensen, Booklist (Starred Review) "[T]he definitive biography of Kafka... [A] supple and accurate English translation by Shelley Frisch... Stach presents a full, nuanced treatment of Kafka's feelings about Jewishness. He is particularly adept in his depiction of Kafka's relationships with the women he loved."--David Mikics, Forward.com "[M]agnificent."--John Carey, Sunday Times "[S]uperlative, readable and ... genuinely gripping... Stach manages to recreate the worlds through which Kafka moved and in which he suffered in a manner that reads ... like high-quality fiction... Stach on Kafka is more than worthy to be put on a shelf of the magisterial literary biographies of the last few decades... It is quite splendid."--Kevin Jackson, Literary Review "No one will ever be able to write Kafka's story as well as he could, but Reiner Stach, a first-class German scholar, does remarkably well in Kafka: The Years of Insight."--Robert Fulford, National Post "The second volume of Reiner Stach's epic biography of Franz Kafka ... [is] a tangle of counter-grained and often under-sourced life stories, but reading Stach's magnificent narrative (wonderfully translated by Shelley Frisch) straight through brings death, not life, to the forefront. Stach is a compulsively readable writer... [A]s in the previous volume, the prose in The Years of Insight is supple and very appealingly complex--all of which, once again, is perfectly rendered by Frisch."--Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly "[H]ighly readable."--Ian Thomson, Financial Times "[M]onumental... [A] superb English-language translation by Shelly Frisch ... now reprinted in a handsome paperback by Princeton... In this first volume, Stach sifts through that rubble with huge amounts of energy and discretion (and Frisch follows him without a misstep; it feels like exactly the book I read ten years ago in its original language)... His letters and journals are marshaled with sometimes breathtaking ingenuity, and the sheer scope of the work allows Stach to be expansive when painting his backgrounds... Always in these recountings, Stach is searching for his elusive subject, trying--as all previous biographers have tried, though none so well--to hear Kafka's strange, singular voice in the noise... Kafka: The Decisive Years was greeted with a loud chorus of praise when it first appeared in English, and the passage of almost a decade has cast no doubt on that verdict. Princeton has re-issued this classic so that it can stand next to the following volume, Kafka: The Years of Insight, newly published in hardcover. No one interested in Kafka (or, by almost inevitable extension, 20th century literature) should miss either."--Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly "A definitive biography of a rare writer... [M]asterful... [T]his biography makes for an excellent read. Mr Stach, a German academic, expertly presents Kafka's struggles with his work and health against a wider background of the first world war, the birth of Czechoslovakia and the hyperinflation of the 1920s."--The Economist "A definitive biography of a writer as transcendent as Franz Kafka might be unattainable, but in his massive trilogy, Stach comes as close as one can."--Robert Legvold, Foreign Affairs "[A] further passionate attempt to reinscribe works such as Metamorphosis, A Report To An Academy, and The Castle on 21st century readers... Stach does us a great service... By dint of a rhythmic sequencing of narration and discussion, Stach illuminates the symbiosis of Kafka's inner catastrophes and vocational ardour with the violent military devastation of Europe, the birth of the Czech Republic and his frail body's tortuous decline."--Gregory Day, The Age Praise for Kafka: The Years of Insight: "It would be impossible to describe the work and essence of this key artist of the twentieth century in a livelier and more vibrant style... A masterpiece of the art of interpretation and of empathy."--Der Tagesspiegel Praise for Kafka: The Years of Insight: "Reiner Stach has recounted Kafka's life more vividly than any other biographer. The reader moves through his Kafka biography, which reads like a novel, in breathless anticipation... No one has written about Kafka as suggestively and insightfully, and in such a beautiful and clear language, as Reiner Stach."--Ulrich Greiner, Die Zeit "[E]xtensive ... impeccably translated... Each volume is crafted such that one simply must read the other two: Stach peppers his writing with tantalizingly vague references and foreshadowings to elsewhere in the series, and his allusions compel the reader to absorb Kafka's complete biography from start to finish... The author's meticulous chronicle of Kafka's life by no means precludes examination of the literary legacy that it produced; rather, it sharpens our understanding of some of Kafka's most obscure and abstract works... An utterly thorough biography, the three-volume set will prove a treasure to any admirer of Franz Kafka--or good research."--Nat Bernstein, Jewish Book Council "Kafka: The Years of Insight ... wonderfully translated ... is Volume III of what will surely be the definitive biography. Kafka is brought to vivid life by an author at once scholarly and entertaining."--John Banville, New Statesman "Stach's declared aim is to find out what it felt like to be Kafka, and he succeeds."--John Banville, Irish Times "Countering the prevailing notion that Kafka was out of touch with reality, Stach details how this quixotic modernist was actually well informed about the crisis and how this knowledge altered the course of his writing. In addition to being a skillful biographer, Stach is an authority on Kafka, having worked for more than a decade on the definitive critical edition of Kafka's writings... [T]his biography is an extraordinary accomplishment."--Choice "Stach's riveting narrative, which reflects the latest findings about Kafka's life and works, draws readers in with a nearly cinematic power, zooming in for extreme close-ups of Kafka's personal life, then pulling back for panoramic shots of a wider world."--World Book Industry "Reiner Stach's biography of Franz Kafka, planned for three volumes, has assumed a commanding position in a crowded field: this is a work that simply must be studied by anyone with a serious interest in Kafka... The appearance in English of this groundbreaking work is a publishing event of major importance."--Peter Zusi, Slavic Review "Stach pursues what can be known of Kafka so far and so exhaustively... Sometimes I thought of Stach as the captive and Kafka as the captor... Vivid and valuable."--Rivka Galchen "Masterly ... Stach's great achievement is to place the literary work into a biographical context that emphasises the interplay of memory, experience and symbolism in the writing... A triumph of biography and literary scholarship."--PD Smith, Guardian "[A] brilliant, authoritative portrait."--John Yargo, The Millions "Superbly translated from German by Shelley Frisch... Illuminating facts and intelligent commentary... The three volumes are so carefully composed and densely woven--blending history, literary analysis, psychological insights, quotes and commentary from others--that it would be practically impossible to produce an abridged version in a single volume."--Alexander Adams, Spiked ReviewTable of ContentsPROLOGUE The Ants of Prague 1 CHAPTER ONE Stepping Outside the Self 8 CHAPTER TWO No Literary Prize for Kafka 31 CHAPTER THREE "Civilian Kavka": The Work of War 46 CHAPTER FOUR The Marvel of Marienbad 83 CHAPTER FIVE What Do I Have in Common with Jews? 105 CHAPTER SIX Kafka Encounters His Readers 129 CHAPTER SEVEN The Alchemist 141 CHAPTER EIGHT Ottla and Felice 157 CHAPTER NINE The Country Doctor Ventures Out 170 CHAPTER TEN Mycobacterium tuberculosis 186 CHAPTER ELEVEN Zurau's Ark 201 CHAPTER TWELVE Meditations 222 CHAPTER THIRTEEN Spanish Influenza, Czech Revolt, Jewish Angst 244 CHAPTER FOURTEEN The Pariah Girl 266 CHAPTER FIFTEEN The Unposted Letter to Hermann Kafka 287 CHAPTER SIXTEEN Merano, Second Class 311 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Milena 319 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Living Fires 332 CHAPTER NINETEEN The Big Nevertheless 353 CHAPTER TWENTY Escape to the Mountains 380 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Fever and Snow: Tatranske Matliary 387 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO The Internal and the External Clock 404 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE The Personal Myth: The Castle 423 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Retiree and Hunger Artist 451 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE The Palestinian 475 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX Dora 497 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN The Edge of Berlin 512 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT Last Sorrow 546 EPILOGUE 573 Acknowledgments 577 Translator's Note 579 Key to Abbreviations 581 Notes 583 Bibliography 647 Photo Credits 665 Index 667

Read more less

Book Synopsis Go on the ride of your life with the racing legend himself**with a thrilling NEW CHAPTER on John’s dramatic 2017 crash**‘Then I was there myself, just another face in the crowd, watching the bikes fly by. The smells, the noise and the speed were all there for me to experience. It was like a massive injection in my head and it just blew my mind. I knew within seconds that I was going to be a TT racer. I didn’t know how or what I was going to have to do to achieve this, and my dad wasn’t going to be keen. Everyone around me was aware of the dangers, but from that moment I knew I had to do it.’John McGuinness is one of the all-time giants of road racing, with a huge host of victories to his name. But his easy humour and down-to-earth attitude off the bike have always kept people guessing: what’s the truth about the man inside the helmet, that has kept him at the top of such a sport for over 20 years?His autobiography tells the whole story, from his humble beginnings in Morecambe and getting his first bike at the age of 3, to working as a bricklayer and cockle fisherman before deciding to follow his dream, and finally to his many victories in the most dangerous sporting event on the planet. He tells of what it takes to be a champion in such an exacting sport, and to keep winning even though all logic tells you to stop – and when so many of your fellow racers are paying the ultimate price for doing it. This thrilling autobiography gets into the head of the man who stares death in the face, and doesn’t even flinch.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Time Traveller's Almanac is the largest, most definitive collection of time travel stories ever assembled. Gathered into one volume by intrepid chrononauts and world-renowned anthologists Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, here is over a century's worth of literary travels into past and the future. The anthology covers millions of years of Earth's history – from the age of the dinosaurs to strange and fascinating futures, through to the end of Time itself. The Time Traveller's Almanac will reacquaint readers with beloved classics and introduce them to thrilling contemporary examples of the time travel genre. The Time Traveller's Almanac includes stories from Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, William Gibson, George R.R. Martin, Ursula K. Le Guin, Michael Moorcock and, of course, H.G. Wells.Trade ReviewPlayful, richly imaginative and vast... A fabulous collection' * Metro *This kind of SF has an irresistible, eternal appeal * Guardian *Across nearly 1,000 pages it collects tales of chrononautical adventure... A compilation worth your time' * Financial Times *Something of a dream come true... Exemplary' * Morning Star *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDaily Mail Showbiz Memoir of the Year''A beautiful book'' Chris Evans''Terrifically entertaining'' Mail on Sunday''An arresting photographic voyage through the life and loves of this enigmatic English star'' S magazine''Though not a conventional autobiography, we learn what makes the national treasure tick'' Daily ExpressIn the early days of my career, I didn''t think I stood a hope in hell. Look at me: I''m short, stocky, slightly overweight, deep of voice, passionate, dark haired, olive skinned, hardly your typical Englishman. What chance did I have, going into the world of British theatre?David Suchet has been a stalwart of British stage and screen for fifty years. From Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, Freud to Poirot, Edward Teller to Doctor Who, Harold Pinter to Terence Rattigan, Questions of Faith to Decline and Fall, right up to 2Trade ReviewTerrifically entertaining . . . Behind the Lens sees the real David Suchet step forward at last -- Cole Moreton * Mail on Sunday *His career is fascinating, with tales of mortifying sex scenes and obsessive perfectionism. This unconventional book still shows us what makes this national treasure tick -- Sharon Wright * Daily Mirror *A clear impression of a man who knows exactly who he is . . . Suchet proves charming company . . . his reflections on life are gentle, good-natured and generous * TLS *Most fascinating is his relationship with the Poirot role. This is a series of intense scenes from an extraordinarycareer. Though not a conventional autobiography, we learn what makes the national treasure tick * Daily Express *A very unique autobiography . . . stunning . . . a beautiful book -- Chris Evans * Virgin Radio *An arresting photographic voyage through the life and loves of this enigmatic English star -- Sharon Wright * S magazine *Bursts with images . . . with which any working photographer would be delighted . . . the book offers more insight into the mind and philosophy of this remarkable man than a more conventional biographical approach could have achieved -- Jack Watkins * Country Life *Beautifully packaged memoir -- Hannah Stephenson * Press Association *A beautiful and engaging read * Woman's Way *Beautiful . . . revealing * Radio Times *A series of autobiographical sketches, written in an amiably informal style . . . generously illustrated * Spectator *David Suchet's book Behind the Lens reveals his considerable talent as a photographer and takes an interesting path, seeking to show us his life and experience through his eyes. The correspondence between his words and his pictures (the book is lavishly illustrated) is never less than interesting and often revealing. He has a seriously good eye for an image, which reflects back on his feeling for character and situation. He takes us through his career and life and world view * Graham Cowley *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the private papers of Mark Twain and Mozart to those of Robert Browning and Nelson, Love Letters of Great Men collects together some of the most romantic letters in history.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited and introduced by publisher Ursula Doyle.For some of these great men, love is a ‘delicious poison’ (William Congreve); for others, love can scorch like the heat of the sun (Henry VIII), or penetrate the depths of one’s heart like a cooling rain (Flaubert). Every shade of love is here, from the exquisite eloquence of Oscar Wilde and the simple devotion of Robert Browning, to the wonderfully modern misery of the Roman Pliny the Younger. Taken together, these Love Letters of Great Men show that perhaps men haven’t changed so very much over the last 2,000 years; passion, jealousy, hope and longing are all represented described here – as is the simple pleasure of sending a letter to, and receiving one from, the person you love most.Trade ReviewThe most romantic book ever * Daily Mail *Pan has pioneered the art of product placement in reverse * Observer *Love Letters will sell boatloads of books * Entertainment Weekly *Inspired by the Sex and the City movie . . . Famous men caught with pen in hand and heart in mouth * The Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction - i: Introduction Chapter - 1: Pliny the Younger to his wife, Calpurnia Chapter - 2: King Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn Chapter - 3: William Congreve to Mrs Arabella Hunt Chapter - 4: Richard Steele to Miss Mary Scurlock Chapter - 5: George Farquhar to Anne Oldfield Chapter - 6: Alexander Pope to Martha Blount Chapter - 7: Alexander Pope to Teresa Blount Chapter - 8: Alexander Pope to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu Chapter - 9: David Hume to Madame de Boufflers Chapter - 10: Laurence Sterne to Catherine Fourmantel Chapter - 11: Laurence Sterne to Lady Percy Chapter - 12: Denis Diderot to Sophie Volland Chapter - 13: Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, to Lady Grosvenor Chapter - 14: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to his wife, Constanze Chapter - 15: Lord Nelson to Lady Emma Hamilton Chapter - 16: Robert Burns to Mrs Agnes Maclehose Chapter - 17: Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller to Charlotte von Lengefeld Chapter - 18: Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Josephine Chapter - 19: Daniel Webster to Josephine Seaton Chapter - 20: Ludwig van Beethoven to his ‘Immortal Beloved’ Chapter - 21: William Hazlitt to Sarah Walker Chapter - 22: Lord Byron to Lady Caroline Lamb Chapter - 23: Lord Byron to the Countess Guiccioli Chapter - 24: John Keats to Fanny Brawne Chapter - 25: Honorè de Balzac to the Countess Ewelina Hanska Chapter - 26: Victor Hugo to Adèle Foucher Chapter - 27: Nathaniel Hawthorne to his wife, Sophia Chapter - 28: Benjamin Disraeli to Mary Ann Wyndham Lewis Chapter - 29: Charles Darwin to Emma Wedgwood Chapter - 30: Alfred de Musset to George Sand Chapter - 31: Robert Schumann to Clara Wieck Chapter - 32: Robert Browning to Elizabeth Barrett Chapter - 33: Gustave Flaubert to Louise Colet Chapter - 34: Gustave Flaubert to George Sand Chapter - 35: Walter Bagehot to Elizabeth Wilson Chapter - 36: Mark Twain to Olivia Langdon Chapter - 37: William F. Testerman to Miss Jane Davis Chapter - 38: Charles Stewart Parnell to Katherine O’Shea Chapter - 39: Oscar Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas Chapter - 40: Pierre Curie to Marie Sklodovska (Marie Curie) Chapter - 41: G. K. Chesterton to Frances Blogg Chapter - 42: Captain Alfred Bland to his wife, Violet Chapter - 43: Regimental Sergeant-Major James Milne to his wife, Meg Chapter - 44: Second Lieutenant John Lindsay Rapoport to his fiancée Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Battle of the Somme, which lasted from 1 July to 18 November 1916, is remembered as one of the most horrific and tragic battles of the First World War. On the first day alone nearly 19,000 British troops were killed the greatest one-day loss in the history of the British Army. By November the death toll from the armies of Britain, France and Germany had risen to over a million. This book tells the stories of fifty-one soldiers from the Commonwealth and Empire armies whose bravery on the battlefield was rewarded by the Victoria Cross, the highest military honour men like Private Billy McFadzean, who was blown up by two grenades which he smothered in order to save the lives of his comrades, and Private Todger' Jones, who single-handedly rounded up 102 German soldiers. Not only do we learn of heroic endeavours of these men at the height of battle, but we also read of their lives before 1914, ranging from the backstreets of Glasgow to a country house in Cheshire, and of what life was

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe epic story of one of the most famous love affairs in history, by the bestselling author of Caesar.The love affair between Antony and Cleopatra is one of the most famous stories from the ancient world and has been depicted in countless novels, plays and films. As one of the three men in control of the Roman Empire, Antony was perhaps the most powerful man of his day. And Cleopatra, who had already been Julius Caesar''s lover, was the beautiful queen of Egypt, Rome''s most important province. The clash of cultures, the power politics, and the personal passion have proven irresistible to storytellers.But in the course of this storytelling dozens of myths have grown up. The popular image of Cleopatra in ancient Egyptian costume is a fallacy; she was actually Greek. Despite her local dominance in Egypt, her real power came from her ability to forge strong personal allegiances with the most important men in Rome. Likewise, Mark Antony was not the bluff soldier of legend, brought low by his love for an exotic woman - he was first and foremost a politician, and never allowed Cleopatra to dictate policy to him. In this history, based exclusively on ancient sources and archaeological evidence, Adrian Goldsworthy gives us the facts behind this famous couple and dispels many myths.Trade ReviewAfter providing a clear, succinct background to events, Goldsworthy's tactic is to weave the two stories into a single thread by moving seamlessly back and forth from Rome to Egypt. It works beautifully. His mastery of the sources is commendable, his historical judgement sure-footed and, as ever, he brings a winning lucidity to the description of often quite complex situations - the perfect accompaniment to any, especially Mediterranean, holiday -- Peter Jones * The Tablet *Goldsworthy is excellent at tracing the often-bewildering succession of Ptolemys and Cleopatras as they murder, marry and spawn one another. His talent for narrative is also showcased by the skill with which he handles the twin strands of his biography, coiling the lives of Antony and Cleopatra around one another, until finally they become fused -- Tom Holland * Mail on Sunday *Goldsworthy has a more constructive approach to the absence of evidence. He puts Cleopatra back together with Mark Antony, about whom we know more, from a wider range of ancient writing. This gives him a good starting point for some even more ambitious debunking. He is excellent in puncturing the myths of Antony as a great Roman military tactician and an experienced soldier ... He is also refreshingly frank about the unimportance of Cleopatra herself -- Mary Beard * Financial Times *Readers who recognize Goldsworthy as Britain's most prolific and perhaps finest popular historian of Roman times will find him once again at his best ... Unlike many competing authors, Goldsworthy never disguises the scanty evidence for many historical events. Some of his best passages review surviving documents, discuss their biases, draw parallels from his vast knowledge of Roman history, and recount what probably happened ... in this thoughtful, deeply satisfying work * Yale University Press *Goldsworthy tells this story of this dynasty with huge skill, successfully navigating the narratival rapids posed by the fact that almost every member of it was called Ptolemy, Cleopatra, or Arsinoe ... In all, it is an exotic family story of incest, greed and assassination, whose collective impact is to prompt further surprise: that Cleopatra was not only beautiful but obviously smart. Why, after 250 years of sustained in-breeding, she didn't dribble and have six fingers is completely beyond me -- Peter Heather * BBC History Magazine *He does a splendid job of putting their lives in context and forcefully reminding us of the most salient aspects of their story while dispersing the romantic fog that has clung to them -- Christopher Silvester * Daily Express *Goldsworthy's strengths as a military historian are on full display * Times Literary Supplement *From the outset he makes the point that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were neither particularly likeable nor particularly successful ... Yet together, as this well-written biography shows, the two failures have become more than a sum of their parts. They have been transformed into the world's most famous lovers * History Today *Plenty of intrigue * Catholic Herald *Marc Antony, the soldier and strategist, and Cleopatra, the Greek queen of Egypt, could not have wanted for a more capable biographer * Good Book Guide *Goldsworthy shows a real enthusiasm for making history accessible to all * Big Issue in the North *Mr Goldsworthy is a rising star on the historical scene * Washington Times *Above all Goldsworthy understands military matters -- Anthony Everitt * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo the outside world, Lizzie McGlynn''s father was a model citizen. To little Lizzie he was a violent and depraved monster.For years, Lizzie was raped and beaten by her father, whilst her alcoholic mother stood by, helpless. She eventually found the courage to report him and her father was imprisoned - but 12 weeks later he was allowed to return to the family home and continue his reign of terror. He seemed to be above the law.Battered and violated, Lizzie knew she had to stay alive to protect her two little brothers. She went on to escape her father''s evil clutches, but the physical and mental scars continued to haunt her. Then, as her father lay dying, she summoned the strength and courage to forgive the man who had caused her so much pain.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHe was a pillar of the community, serving on local committees, donating prizes to the rugby club, organising charity collections. His patients thought the world of him: he was attentive, kind, never too busy to chat. Yet Dr Harold Frederick Shipman was also the most prolific serial killer the world has ever known, with between 200 and 300 victims. Quietly, for many years, the small, bespectacled GP was making unexpected house calls - and walking out leaving a dead body behind.The murderous career of Dr Shipman only came to an end when police in Hyde, Greater Manchester, were called to investigate a forged will. Overnight, they found themselves embroiled in the biggest murder case in British history.Substantially revised and updated since Shipman''s suicide in prison, this is a compelling account of these monstrous crimes and of the man who committed them. The authors have had unparalleled access to friends, colleagues and patients. Their in-depth and authoritative investigaTrade ReviewRead this amazing review of systematic murder - and you'll never look at a doctor in quite the same way again * BIRMINGHAM Post *It takes a book like this to bring home how truly evil he [Dr Shipman] was * Northern ECHO *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE HERETIC''S APPRENTICE: In the summer of 1143 two visitors arrive at the Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul- one dead and two very much alive. But when a violent death ensues, Brother Cafael is called once more to turn detective and solve the murder- but matters are complicated still further by the marvellous treasure box in Elave''s care...THE POTTER''S FIELD: During the ploughing of the Potters Field in October 1143 the grisly remains of a woman''s body are unearthed. Abandoned by her husband, the tenant potter, rumour had it that the woman had returned to her homeland- perhaps with a lover. But the discovery of the corpse on Abbey land raises all sorts of questions.THE SUMMER OF THE DANES: In April 1144 Brother Cadfael leaves his monastery once more representing the bishop on a matter of church diplomacy. Cadfael does not forsee trouble on this errand, but then becomes entangled in the affairs of Heledd, a young woman desperate to escape an arranged marriage, and in c

Read more less

Book Synopsis* The sensational autobiography of Sharon Osbourne - the First Lady of Rock - an icon for our times with an amazing story to tell - from an often shocking childhood, through a rollercoaster marriage, and still hitting the headlines today.Trade ReviewI have been kept awake for the past two nights, utterly gripped by Sharon's story . . . She makes Keith Richards, Kurt Cobain et all look like kiddies at a tea party, overdosing on fizzy drinks . . . she is radiant, confident, assertive and glamorous. And enormously successful, having turned Ozzy's career into a multimillion-dollar global industry, having recovered from colon cancer herself, and having finally seen her husband do a year without a drink. She is totally phenomenal * SUNDAY INDEPENDENT (IRELAND) *An emotional roller-coaster read. If you thought you'd already had a warts-and-all look at the Osbournes, think again. Sharon's frank memoirs lift the lid on what really goes on in their crazy house. Her wickedly infectious sense of humour sparkles on ev * B MAGAZINE *Sharon has beaten cancer, starred in the X Factor, and been the steely heart of The Osbournes, that jaw-dropping real-life soap opera of a genuinely loving family . . . vividly captured here in this pungent and distinctive autobiography * SUNDAY TIMES *She is currently scaling the heights of a career that has now surpassed her famous husband, and this is Sharon's story. Explicit in detail with her characteristically fruitful turn of phrase, this book will have you laughing out loud * WOMAN’S WAY *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''For those who like their rock biogs thick with tales of heroic over-indulgence, OPEN UP AND BLEED is hard to beat'' - Irish Evening Herald Iggy Pop''s life has been one of extraordinary highs and terrifying lows. Infamous for his wild ways, he is also a towering figure of the rock scene - hugely influential, charismatic and provocative. Every ''mad, bad, dangerous to know'' rock star owes a debt to him, and the stories of his shocking behaviour are legendary. But Iggy Pop is also, to a large extent, a construct, the alter ego of the quietly spoken and intriguing Jim Osterberg: the kid voted ''Most Likely to Succeed'' by his classmates. So what turned this charming, well-mannered, straight-A student into a poster child for rock ''n'' roll debauchery?Iggy Pop: Open up and Bleed reveals the truth behind the myths. Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka tracked down the star''s friends, family, lovers and fellow musicians, conducting over two hundred and Trade ReviewWith its recurring themes of drug addiction, public masochism and self-sabotage, Iggy's story effectively tells itself, but Trynka captures the essential duality of a man as well-versed in Greek art as he is in panhandling for heroin on Sunset Boulevard ... [an] entertaining and insightful study of one of rock's most enduringly remarkable characters Q IGGY POP has all the rock 'n roll bases covered: drugs, long hair, funny body, formerly straight-A student. Lie back and think of California' TATLER 'Former MOJO editor Paul Trynka has put in impeccable research to tell the story of how the shy, studious Jim Osterberg transformed into the force of nature that is Iggy Pop' IRISH EVENING HERALD 'For those who like their rock biogs thick with tales of heroic over-indulgence, OPEN UP AND BLEED is hard to beat '

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A unique insight into the isolated childhood of the future queen and her sister'' YOU MAGAZINE, THE DAILY MAIL~The touching and ground-breaking stories of the Queen and Princess Margaret''s childhoods told by their nanny, Marion Crawford. With a foreword by former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond, Marion reveals the royal family''s life before The Crown.Now, more than ever, the Royal Family''s private lives are the stuff of soap opera and it seems anyone who comes into contact with them sells their story to the magazines or to the newspapers. Marion Crawford, ''Crawfie'', as she was known to the Queen and Princess Margaret, became governess to the children of the Duke and Duchess of York in the early 1930s, little suspecting she was nurturing her future Queen. Beginning at the quiet family home in Piccadilly and ending with the birth of Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace in 1948, Crawfie tells how she brought the priTrade ReviewA valuable piece of social history, detailing every aspect of Elizabeth and Margaret's childhood through the crucial years of the abdication and the war, as well as Lilibet's courtship and marriage . . . Crawfie produced an important social document, taking us behind the palace walls to enjoy a unique insight into the isolated childhood of the future queen and her sister * YOU MAGAZINE *An utterly charming depiction of a wholesome childhood in a loving family * THE WEEK *An utterly charming depiction of a wholsome childhood in a loving family. * THE WEEK *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMoving and revealing collection of correspondence between Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald - some published for the first time

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written. Sir Terry was Britain's best-selling living author, and before his death in 2015 had sold more than 85 million copies of his books worldwide. Best known for the Discworld series, his work has been translated into 37 languages, and performed as plays on every continent in the world, including Antarctica. Journalist, comedian and Pratchett fan Marc Burrows delves into the back story of one of UK's most enduring and beloved authors, from his childhood in the Chiltern Hills, to his time as a journalist, and the journey that would take him via more than sixty best-selling books to an OBE, a knighthood and national treasure status. The Magic Of Terry Pratchett is the result of painstaking archival research alongside interviews with friends and contemporaries who knew the real man under the famous black hat, helping to piece together the full story of one of British literature's most remarkable

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the true story of Totò Riina, the Cosa Nostra boss who rose from nothing to become the most powerful man in Sicily. The picture emerges of a bloodthirsty, power-hungry monster who, despite his lowly beginnings, is able to outmanoeuvre the other Mafia chiefs and take control of the organisation. However, the story is not just that of Riina, but also of Sicily itself. D''Avanzo and Bolzoni have transformed a complex series of events spanning several decades into a gripping narrative.In prison for 18 years now, Totò Riina still remains the dictator of the Cosa Nostra. This book tells the haunting and disturbing tale, with thorough investigation and testimony of the Sicilian Corleone.Trade ReviewForget the Sopranos because this is the real thing; the full and true story of the Life and Times of Toto Riina, the Cosa Nostra boss who terrorised Sicily... Not a glamorous life and not one to envy, but one that shows an addiction to power and violence can be the most fateful of all * NORTHERN ECHO *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the stars of A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM BOB, now a major film starring Luke Treadaway as James and Bob himself, the sequel to the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob.Trade ReviewBowen writes with compelling, brutal honesty. Ranging from heartbreakingly sad to laugh-out-loud funny, The World According To Bob is a life-affirming story of sheer human strength in the face of adversity. * Daily Express *The second installment from one of north London's most loved double acts ... The long-awaited sequel picks up where the first book left off, telling the story of what happened to this odd couple of cool cats after their initial success. * Evening Standard *Close proximity to animals does wonders for your mental health. Close proximity to this book will do wonders for it, too. * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book Synopsis THE CAPTIVATING TRUE STORY OF THE MAN WHO INSPIRED WOLF HALL, MASTERFULLY TOLD: NOW REVISED WITH A NEW CHAPTER Readers LOVE Thomas Cromwell:''Very well written and engaging; I found it hard to put it down . . . Great book and one I will read again.'' ????? ''This is one of the most fascinating biographies I''ve read.'' ????? ''There have been many biographies of Cromwell, but Tracy Borman''s book must rank among the very best.'' ????? ------------Known widely as Henry VIII''s ''right-hand man'', Cromwell has captured imaginations throughout the centuries: but who was he really? In this major new biography, leading historian Tracy Borman examines the life, loves and legacy of the man who changed the shape of England forever.Born a lowly tavern keeper''s son, Cromwell rose swiftly through the ranks to become Henry VIII''s right hand man, and one of the most powerful figures in Tudor history. The architect of England''s break with the Roman Catholic Church and the dissolution of the monasteries, he oversaw seismic changes in England''s history. Influential in securing Henry''s controversial divorce from Catherine of Aragon, many believe he was also the ruthless force behind Anne Boleyn''s downfall and subsequent execution.Although for years he has been reviled as a Machiavellian schemer who stopped at nothing in his quest for power, Thomas Cromwell was also a loving husband, father and guardian, a witty and generous host, and a loyal and devoted servant. With fresh research and new insights into Cromwell''s family life, his household and his close relationships, Tracy Borman tells the true story of Henry VIII''s most faithful servant. -----------Critical acclaim for Thomas Cromwell:''Dr Tracy Borman has crafted an exceptional and compelling biography about one of the Tudor age''s most complex and controversial figures. With expert insights based on a wealth of research, and riveting detail, she has brought Thomas Cromwell to life as never before.'' ? Alison Weir''This deeply researched and grippingly written biography brings Cromwell to life and exposes the Henrician court in all its brutal, glittering splendour.'' -- Kate Williams ? Independent''Tracy Borman tells us succinctly in 400 pages what we need to know about the man who rose to be the king''s highest adviser ... a very good book.'' ? The Times''Tracy Borman''s study makes clear his achievements, both admirable and despicable ... Borman has read an impressively wide range of modern historical literature on Cromwell.'' ? Guardian''Borman''s is a highly readable account, and will add to the debate surrounding this ultimately elusive character.'' ? Financial Times''Elegant ... her prose, as ever, glides beautifully along.'' ? Sunday Times''An engaging biography.'' ? Evening StandardTrade ReviewDr Tracy Borman has crafted an exceptional and compelling biography about one of the Tudor age's most complex and controversial figures. With expert insights based on a wealth of research, and riveting detail, she has brought Thomas Cromwell to life as never before. * Alison Weir *This deeply researched and grippingly written biography brings Cromwell to life and exposes the Henrician court in all its brutal, glittering splendour. -- Kate Williams * Independent *Tracy Borman tells us succinctly in 400 pages what we need to know about the man who rose to be the king's highest adviser ... a very good book. * The Times *Tracy Borman's study makes clear his achievements, both admirable and despicable ... Borman has read an impressively wide range of modern historical literature on Cromwell. * Guardian *Borman's is a highly readable account, and will add to the debate surrounding this ultimately elusive character. * Financial Times *Elegant...her prose, as ever, glides beautifully along. * Sunday Times *An engaging biography. * Evening Standard *Borman writes admirably; her prose trips along merrily and is full of intriguing titbits. * New Statesman *An excellent and readable biography. * The Tribune *A real and vital portrait, deftly drawn. * Mail on Sunday *Borman combines a mastery of historical detail with past-pace and an accessible style. She doesn't forget that she is dealing with human beings, with their fallibilities and petty motivations, and rather than see him as a man for whom things got out of control, as Mantel does, views him instead as a master of control. * Independent on Sunday *An intelligent, sympathetic and well-researched biography. * Wall Street Journal *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2022Craig Bromfield was just 13 years old when Brian Clough, on a whim, took him and his older brother Aaron in.They came from Southwick, a depressed area of Sunderland, where they lived with their abusive stepfather, and from where they longed to escape. After initially meeting Clough while out begging for money, Clough later invited the brothers to stay at his house. From there a relationship formed which would see Craig living with the Cloughs for nine years, where he was a first-hand witness to the many aspects of Clough's character his gruffness, his humour, his big-heartedness.This is a beautiful, inspirational story, which has never before been told, about Clough's gentleness and capacity for generosity. Discover a very different side to this iconic man, one away from the cameras and the football, which shows him for the person he really was.Trade Review“One of the most incredible, emotional, feel-good stories you will ever read” – Daniel Taylor “Craig Bromfield’s love letter, and apology, to the great football manager is an unexpected and moving delight.” – Matt Dickinson, The Times Chief Sports Writer "It's rare to hear anything new about someone like Brian Clough, one of football's true giants. Rarer still that it can make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Quite simply, it's an amazing story." – Jeff Brown, BBC Look North “Be Good, Love Brian has got everything – love, friendship, laugh-out-loud comedy, football, and a heart-breaking betrayal. Craig Bromfield's feel-good story about Brian Clough's life changing generosity ends up something akin to a modern-day Shakespearian tragedy” – Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian “Gorgeously moving, hilariously funny and incredibly insightful. Craig Bromfield’s beautifully written book about his life with Brian Clough is one you’ll never forget as there are laughs, tears and life lessons. It also solved lots of Christmas present dilemmas as I bought ten copies.” – Julie McAffrey, Daily Mirror “The story is astonishing, the writing is wonderful. It is a story about Brian Clough, packed with detail never before shared and from a perspective never before explored. But more importantly, it is a story about Craig Bromfield. You are swept along on his journey, revelling in his joy, grieving in his pain. The emotional honesty of the account is disarming. It means you are there with him. You are inside the dressing room. You are willing him to do the right thing. And in those moments when he falters, life’s context brings empathy. Football fans should read it. But this is more than a football book.” – Adam Bate, Sky Sports

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe international literary icon opens his eclectic closet and shares photos of his extensive unique personal T-shirt collection. Haruki Murakami's books have galvanized millions around the world. Many of his fans know about his 10,000-vinyl-record collection, and his obsession with running, but few have heard about a more intimate, and perhaps more unique, passion: his T-shirt-collecting habit.In Murakami T, the famously reclusive novelist shows us his T-shirts - including gems found in bookshops, charity shops and record stores - from those featuring whisky, animals, cars and superheroes, to souvenirs of marathons and a Beach Boys concert in Honolulu, to the shirt that inspired the beloved short story 'Tony Takitani'. Accompanied by short, frank essays that have been translated into English for the first time, these photographs reveal much about Murakami's multifaceted and wonderfully eccentric persona.'The world's most popular cult novelist' GuardianTrade ReviewFascinating...part ode, part exhibit that reads with restrained affection for his accidental accumulations....these tees excavate an intimate history. The choices we make about what we find and keep point to our interior worlds...Murakami's understated love letters to his tees also convey how we give life to our things and vice versa. * Atlantic *It's safe to say there is no one like Murakami * Literary Review *Murakami is one of the best writers around * Time Out, on Norwegian Wood *Everything he chooses to describe trembles with symbolic possibility * Guardian, on Norwegian Wood *Mesmerising, surreal, this really is the work of a true original * The Times, on The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle *Undeniably a somewhat eccentric book. But it's also a very likeable one... The overall effect is not unlike sharing a conversation with a genial bloke in a bar * Reader's Digest *One of the most influential novelists of his generation. * Observer *An incredibly readable and charming tour through Murakami's life through the T-shirts he has collected along the way... [the reader] feels a personal connection with him, as if we are reading his secret diary -- Adam Davidson * Northern Echo *

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘A vaulting triumph of a book’ Isabella Tree, author of Wilding'A master storyteller, Weidensaul communicates so much joy in the sheer act of witnessing and such exhilaration in the advances of the science behind what he sees that we are slow to grasp the extent of the ecological crisis that he outlines.' ObserverBird migration remains perhaps the most singularly compelling natural phenomenon in the world. Nothing else combines its global sweep with its inherent ability to engender wonder and excitement.The past two decades have seen an explosion in our understanding of the almost unfathomable feats of endurance and complexity involved in bird migration – yet the science that informs these majestic journeys is still in its infancy.Pulitzer Prize-shortlisted writer-ornithologist Scott Weidensaul is at the forefront of this research, and A World on the Wing sees him track some of the most remarkable flights undertaken by birds. His own voyage of discovery sees him sail through the storm-wracked waters of the Bering Sea; encounter gunners and trappers in the Mediterranean; and visit a forgotten corner of north-east India, where former headhunters have turned one of the grimmest stories of migratory crisis into an unprecedented conservation success.As our world comes increasingly under threat from the effects of climate change, these ecological miracles may provide an invaluable guide to a more sustainable future for all species, including us. This is the rousing and reverent story of the billions of birds that, despite the numerous obstacles we have placed in their path, continue to head with hope to the far horizon.Trade ReviewA vaulting triumph of a book. Scott Weidensaul unravels the miracles and mysteries of bird migration like an ace detective. Compelling and often deeply moving, this is a summons for international co-operation and global conservation like no other. -- Isabella Tree, author of WildingAs much as the book is upbeat and celebratory, Weidensaul is fearless in describing the acute challenges that face the birds he loves . . . a superb globetrotting survey of avian restlessness that reaches one core conclusion. Migrants may seem like here-today-gone-tomorrow nomads but they are really inhabitants of a single place and one living system, on which they and humans depend equally: the entire Earth. -- Mark Cocker * Spectator *A master storyteller who is also profoundly involved in scientific ornithology . . . Weidensaul communicates so much joy in the sheer act of witnessing and such exhilaration in the advances of the science behind what he sees, that we are slow to grasp the extent of the ecological crisis that he outlines * Observer *In vivid prose that conjures up the rich spell of each landscape, Scott Weidensaul takes us on exhilarating expeditions that crisscross the globe and travel deep into the heart of nature. For lifelong experts and backyard birders alike, he’s a superb guide to the winged marvels that share our planet and our lives. -- Diane Ackerman, author of The Zookeeper’s WifeWeidensaul’s dispatches are fascinating. Chapter by chapter, my jaw dropped and my eyes widened. The science of bird migration has reached a golden age, and we’re lucky to have such a graceful guide. This book is instantly among my all-time favorites, and one I’ll keep to re-read. -- Noah Strycker, author of Birding Without BordersThe miracle of birds meets the miracle of technology in Scott Weidensaul’s wondrous new book A World on the Wing. While there are huge gaps in our knowledge of migration, and despair in our race to save species, advances in technology from microscopic transmitters to agile drones are changing the equation and making the future look hopeful. This is a book you won’t want to put down. -- Jane Alexander, actress, writer and wildlife conservationistScott Weidensaul, one of our finest nature writers, has produced another instant classic. In A World on the Wing he takes a pair of highly complex subjects—global patterns of bird migration, and the research into those patterns—and brings them to life with his own amazing adventures around the world. Here is proof that a book of solid science can also be a page-turner. Highly recommended for anyone curious about the natural world. -- Kenn Kaufman, author of the Kaufman Field GuidesA World on the Wing brims with spectacle . . . As the birds flit through these pages, but with ever less frequency through our lives, we can only hope that birders and non-birders alike take inspiration and a call to action from A World on the Wing. This is the kind of book we’ve been waiting for. * New York Times *Mr. Weidensaul takes us to places we’ll likely never go, then deftly steps back to let us experience the scene. In an era when travel, for most, has sputtered to a stop, A World on the Wing is a bracing tonic. The author slips in facts and figures so painlessly, so richly embedded in emotional context, that you can absorb and truly appreciate their import * Wall Street Journal *Many mysteries of bird life and migration are revealed in this compelling and illuminating in-the-field narrative complete with maps and photographs. * Booklist *Based on recent scientific research and his own research and bird observations . . . Each chapter on the different bird species and migration experiences will vibrantly inform readers about the habits of migratory birds * Library Journal *As in many of his previous books, Weidensaul is a peerless guide, sharing his intoxicating passion and decadeslong experience with countless bird species all over the world . . . Another winner from Weidensaul that belongs in every birder’s library * Kirkus Reviews *Remarkable . . . Bird enthusiasts and fans of nature writing shouldn’t miss this * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe life and genius of Henry Royce, the outstanding, retiring, and often tyrannical founder of Rolls-RoyceTrade Review"Here, Peter Reese tells the story of Frederick Henry Royce, who, despite two years of formal education and his father dying in the poorhouse when he was nine years old, built the company form nothing." * This England *Feature in Country Life magazine * Country Life magazine *"Eminently readable, fascinating and quite readable..." * Auto Express *

Read more less