Literary companions, book reviews and guides Books
Simon & Schuster How to Read a Book
Book SynopsisWith half a million copies in print, How to Read a Book is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader, completely rewritten and updated with new material. Originally published in 1940, this book is a rare phenomenon, a living classic that introduces and elucidates the various levels of reading and how to achieve them—from elementary reading, through systematic skimming and inspectional reading, to speed reading. Readers will learn when and how to “judge a book by its cover,” and also how to X-ray it, read critically, and extract the author’s message from the text. Also included is instruction in the different techniques that work best for reading particular genres, such as practical books, imaginative literature, plays, poetry, history, science and mathematics, philosophy and social science works. Finally, the authors offer a recommended reading list and supply reading tests you can use measure your own progress in reading skills, comprehension, and speed.Trade Review"These four hundred pages are packed full of high matters which no one solicitous of the future of American culture can afford to overlook." -- Jacques Barzun"It shows concretely how the serious work of proper reading may be accomplished and how much it may yield in the way of instruction and delight." * The New Yorker *"'There is the book; and here is your mind.' Adler and Van Doren's suggestions on how to connect the two will make you nostalgic for a slower, more earnest, less trivial time." -- Anne FadimanTable of ContentsCONTENTSPrefacePART ONETHE DIMENSIONS OF READING1. The Activity and Art of ReadingActive ReadingThe Goals of Reading: Reading for Information and Reading for UnderstandingReading as Learning: The Difference Between Learning by Instruction and Learning by DiscoveryPresent and Absent Teachers2. The Levels of Reading3. The First Level of Reading: Elementary ReadingStages of Learning to ReadStages and LevelsHigher Levels of Reading and Higher EducationReading and the Democratic Ideal of Education4. The Second Level of Reading: Inspectional ReadingInspectional Reading I Systematic Skimming or PrereadingInspectional Reading II: Superficial ReadingOn Reading SpeedsFixations and RegressionsThe Problem of ComprehensionSummary of Inspectional Reading5. How to Be a Demanding ReaderThe Essence of Active Reading: The Four Basic Questions a Reader AsksHow to Make a Book Your OwnThe Three Kinds of Note-makingForming the Habit of ReadingFrom Many Rules to One HabitPART TWOTHE THIRD LEVEL OF READING: ANALYTICAL READING6. Pigeonholing a BookThe Importance of Classifying BooksWhat You Can Learn from the Title of a BookPractical vs. Theoretical BooksKinds of Theoretical Books7. X-raying a BookOf Plots and Plans: Stating the Unity of a BookMastering the Multiplicity: The Art of Outlining a BookThe Reciprocal Arts of Reading and WritingDiscovering the Author's IntentionsThe First Stage of Analytical Reading8. Coming to Terms with an AuthorWords vs. TermsFinding the Key WordsTechnical Words and Special VocabulariesFinding the Meanings9. Determining an Author's MessageSentences vs. PropositionsFinding the Key SentencesFinding the PropositionsFinding the ArgumentsFinding the SolutionsThe Second Stage of Analytical Reading10. Criticizing a Book FairlyTeachability as a VirtueThe Role of RhetoricThe Importance of Suspending JudgmentThe Importance of Avoiding ContentiousnessOn the Resolution of Disagreements11. Agreeing or Disagreeing with an AuthorPrejudice and JudgmentJudging the Author's SoundnessJudging the Author's CompletenessThe Third Stage of Analytical Reading12. Aids to ReadingThe Role of Relevant ExperienceOther Books as Extrinsic Aids to ReadingHow to Use Commentaries and AbstractsHow to Use Reference BooksHow to Use a DictionaryHow to Use an EncyclopediaPART THREEAPPROACHES TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF READING MATTER13. How to Read Practical BooksThe Two Kinds of Practical BooksThe Role of PersuasionWhat Does Agreement Entail in the Case of a Practical Book?14. How to Read Imaginative LiteratureHow Not to Read Imaginative LiteratureGeneral Rules for Reading Imaginative Literature15. Suggestions for Reading Stories, Plays, and PoemsHow to Read StoriesA Note About EpicsHow to Read PlaysA Note About TragedyHow to Read Lyric Poetry16. How to Read HistoryThe Elusiveness of Historical FactsTheories of HistoryThe Universal in HistoryQuestions to Ask of a Historical BookHow to Read Biography and AutobiographyHow to Read About Current EventsA Note on Digests17. How to Read Science and MathematicsUnderstanding the Scientific EnterpriseSuggestions for Reading Classical Scientific BooksFacing the Problem of MathematicsHandling the Mathematics in Scientific BooksA Note on Popular Science18. How to Read PhilosophyThe Questions Philosophers AskModern Philosophy and the Great TraditionOn Philosophical MethodOn Philosophical StylesHints for Reading PhilosophyOn Making Up Your Own MindA Note on TheologyHow to Read "Canonical" Books19. How to Read Social ScienceWhat Is Social Science?The Apparent Ease of Reading Social ScienceDifficulties of Reading Social ScienceReading Social Science LiteraturePART FOURTHE ULTIMATE GOALS OF READING20. The Fourth Level of Reading: Syntopical ReadingThe Role of Inspection in Syntopical ReadingThe Five Steps in Syntopical ReadingThe Need for ObjectivityAn Example of an Exercise in Syntopical Reading: The Idea of ProgressThe Syntopicon and How to Use ItOn the Principles That Underlie Syntopical ReadingSummary of Syntopical Reading21. Reading and the Growth of the MindWhat Good Books Can Do for UsThe Pyramid of BooksThe Life and Growth of the MindAppendix A. A Recommended Reading ListAppendix B. Exercises and Tests at the Four Levels of ReadingIndex0
£10.44
Pearson Education Limited Of Mice and Men York Notes for GCSE Grades AG
Book SynopsisTable of Contents Part 1: Introducing Of Mice and Men Part 2: Plot and Action Part 3: Characters Part 4: Key Context and Themes Part 5: Language and Structure Part 6: Grade Booster Literacy Terms
£6.99
Spark To Kill a Mockingbird SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Chronicle Books Little Women: The Complete Novel, Featuring the
Book SynopsisThis special edition invites fans inside the world of the March sisters. It includes the full text of Little Women, plus gorgeous, removable replicas of the characters' letters and other writings. For anyone who loves Little Women, or still cherishes the joy of letter writing, this book illuminates a favorite story in a whole new way. Louisa May Alcott's classic tale follows the March sisters as they come of age, and these unforgettable characters come alive in their letters and other writings. When Laurie invites Jo to join him for a picnic and "all sorts of larks," the unbridled joy of their friendship shines through. Each of the girls' personalities is perfectly encapsulated in the letters they pen to Marmee. And Jo's heart-wrenching poem "My Beth" speaks to the profound bond between two sisters. As you read this deluxe edition of the novel, you will find pockets throughout containing replicas of all 17 significant letters and paper ephemera from the story, re-created with beautiful calligraphy and painstaking attention to historical detail. Pull out each one, peruse its contents, and allow yourself to be transported to the parlor of the March family home. BELOVED STORY: LITTLE WOMEN has been passed down from generation to generation. Greta Gerwig's 2019 film adaption welcomed new fans to the story. Now is the perfect time to revisit the Alcott's original text and experience it in a unique way with physical ephemera that links you directly to the world of the March family. UNIQUE FORMAT: From the masterful calligraphy, to the painstaking attention to historical detail, to the hand-folding of the letters, to the quality of the materials—each book is an object made by fans for fans. This edition offers an immersive experience of the story, stands apart on the shelf, and makes for a truly lovely gift and keepsake. NOSTALGIC APPEAL, TIMELESS STORY: LITTLE WOMEN evokes deep childhood nostalgia—yet it's a rich and sophisticated story with feminist overtones that engages readers of any age and any generation. This edition allows those who read LITTLE WOMEN as children to experience their beloved novel anew, while inviting first-time readers to the party. Perfect for: • LITTLE WOMEN fans • Fans of the film adaptions • Moms, daughters, grandmothers, and girlfriends • Book clubbers • Letter writers • Collectors of vintage ephemera
£24.00
Pearson Education Limited An Inspector Calls York Notes for GCSE
Book SynopsisThis updated edition is designed to support students in study and revision for the new GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams. Table of Contents Part 1: Induction Part 2: Plot and Action Part 3: Characters Part 4: Key Contexts and Themes Part 5: Language and Structure Part 6: Grade Booster Literacy Terms
£6.50
Pearson Education Limited Macbeth York Notes for GCSE everything you need
Book SynopsisThis updated edition is designed to support students in study and revision for the new GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams. Table of Contents Part 1: Induction Part 2: Plot and Action Part 3: Characters Part 4: Key Contexts and Themes Part 5: Language and Structure Part 6: Grade Booster Literacy Terms
£6.50
Spark The Merchant of Venice (No Fear Shakespeare):
Book SynopsisRead Shakespeare’s plays in all their brilliance—and understand what every word means! Don’t be intimidated by Shakespeare! These popular guides make the Bard’s plays accessible and enjoyable.Each No Fear guide contains: The complete text of the original play A line-by-line translation that puts the words into everyday language A complete list of characters, with descriptions Plenty of helpful commentary
£7.59
Spark Twelfth Night (No Fear Shakespeare): Volume 8
Book SynopsisRead Shakespeare’s plays in all their brilliance—and understand what every word means! Don’t be intimidated by Shakespeare! These popular guides make the Bard’s plays accessible and enjoyable.Each No Fear guide contains: The complete text of the original play A line-by-line translation that puts the words into everyday language A complete list of characters, with descriptions Plenty of helpful commentary
£7.59
Abrams I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf
Book SynopsisTrade Review“With I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf, Snider—an artist, writer and orthodontist—has gathered up a decade's worth of his comics for boisterous bookworms into one convenient volume…Snider’s thoughtful cartoons for bibliophiles also reveal he’s a well-rounded reader himself.” * New York Times Book Review *“This playful, self-aware collection of strips and gags on the joys and frustrations of reading and writing is equal parts lighthearted and sincere.” * Publishers Weekly *“...Grant Snider has a prescient book for these times…” -- Chris Arrant * Newsarama *“If you surround yourself with books and can’t imagine life without them, you’ll definitely want to add Snider’s new collection to your shelf.” * KMUW *“This is a delightful and humorous collection of comics about the joys of being a book lover, from collecting large amounts of books to (sometimes) getting around to reading them.” * Book Riot *“…colorful panels convey just the right amount of information, seasoned with sly allusions and inside jokes aimed at the avid reader. Anyone with the book bug will savor Snider’s brand of humor.” * BookPage *
£10.79
Chronicle Books Bibliophile An Illustrated Miscellany
Book SynopsisSearching for perfect book lovers gifts? Rejoice! Bibliophile: An Illustrated Miscellany, is a love letter to all things bookish. Author Jane Mount brings literary people, places, and things to life through her signature and vibrant illustrations. It''s a must-have for every book collection, and makes a wonderful literary gift for book lovers, writers, and more. Readers of Jane Mount''s Bibliophile will delight in: Touring the world''s most beautiful bookstores Testing their knowledge of the written word with quizzes Finding their next great read in lovingly curated stacks of books Sampling the most famous fictional meals Peeking inside the workspaces of their favorite authors A source of endless inspiration, literary facts and recommendations: Bibliophile is pure bookish joy and sure to enchant book clubbers, English majors, poetry devotees, aspiring writers, and any and all who identify as book lovers.If you have read or own: I''d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life; The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, and Civilization; or How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines; then you will want to read and own Jane Mount''s Bibliophile.More from Jane Mount: Coauthored with Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community), Bibliophile: Diverse Spines is a richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. A perfect companion to Bibliophile and Bibliophile Reader''s Journal.Trade Review"At the heart of this handsomely produced, literary treasure trove of a book are 50 lovingly created book stacks of suggested reads, organised by theme, including 19th century classics, favourite fantasy novels, coming-of-age novels, children's picture books, feminist must-reads and essential cookbooks." -- The Bookseller“Bibliophile…. is one of the season’s standout gift selections.” -- BookPage"Jane’s fascinating chapters are well-researched, well-written and incredibly up-to-date and varied, so it makes a great read as well as a beautiful object." -- Pretty Books
£17.59
Spark Macbeth SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark Lord of the Flies SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark The Catcher in the Rye SparkNotes Literature
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, a review quiz and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark Fahrenheit 451 SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne The
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark 1984 SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark Of Mice and Men SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Pearson Education Limited Hamlet York Notes for AS A2
Book SynopsisTable of Contents Part 1: Introducing Hamlet Part 2: Studying Hamlet Part 3: Characters and Themes Part 4: Structure, Form and Language Part 5: Contexts and Critical Debates Part 6: Grade Booster Essential Study Tools
£7.59
HarperCollins Publishers The Scarfolk Annual
Book SynopsisHorrific and hilarious a dystopic vision of an England that would have given Orwell the heebie-jeebies' Independent''A brilliant work of satire'' The QuietusA SCARFOLK SANCTIONED BOOKAUTHORISED EDITION, AS SEEN ON THE RADIOThe Scarfolk Annual is the facsimile of a book discovered in a charity shop in the north west of England in August 2018. The shop, and indeed town, do not wish to be identified as they are keen to discourage the occult-totalitarian tourism' that as afflicted other areas of Britain as people hunt for further socio-archaeological traces of the mysterious, missing town of Scarfolk Britain's own Brutalist Atlantis.Apart from the archive of Scarfolk materials which was sent anonymously to the late Dr Ben Motte and formed the basis of the book Discovering Scarfolk, this children's annual is, to date, the only complete artefact from Scarfolk ever to be unearthed in the wild'.It's clear The Scarfolk Annual was not written to entertain children at Christmastime; its purposeTrade Review ‘The blackest of black humour. One of “the year's most essential books”’ Daily Mail ‘Horrific and hilarious… a dystopic vision of an England that would have given Orwell the heebie-jeebies’ Independent ‘Now you have a whole new reason to be scared. The Scarfolk Annual is essential reading’ Fortean Times ‘Hilarious. As on target and inventively addressed as anything in the Hitchhiker’s Guide series. [Littler] translates the sensibility to a 21st Century audience in a way that no other writer descended from [Douglas] Adams has come close to achieving’ The Beat ‘The syphilitic twin of Royston Vasey. Debauched and wrong and sickening and very very good’ Robin Ince ‘The Scarfolk Annual demands that you read it multiple times to decode every secret inside it. It’s so well-constructed that it will catch out those who only look at things for their face value. A brilliant work of satire’ The Quietus ‘Deceptively simple … an unpredictably wonderful, brilliant piece of political satire’ Boing Boing ‘One of the funniest things there is’ Mark Gatiss ‘Always a joy to see their little faces darken on the morning of December 25th when they unwrap the Scarfolk Annual’ Ian Rankin ‘It deserves to be discovered on bookshelves by poor unsuspecting souls for years to come’ We Are Cult ‘In these brain shattering days, Scarfolk is your guide and only friend … Bitingly funny, sometimes scary, and always brilliant’ Richard Kadrey, author of Sandman Slim ‘Funny nostalgia from a parallel universe not entirely unlike ours’ Al Murray ‘Not just a satirical look at the present via a warped nostalgic lens, but also a strangely beautiful graphic design object. Funny, creepy & an Orwellesque triumph of graphic design’ Anne Billson ‘Delightfully terrifying’ Gigslutz ‘Funny, bitter, weird and chilling in equal measure, and never less than witty and wonderful’ Warren Ellis
£11.69
The School of Life Press The School of Life: Quotes to Live By: a
Book SynopsisA collection of enlightening quotes, delivering some of the most important lessons The School of Life has to offer. This is a selection of the very best and most psychologically acute quotations from The School of Life, covering such large and diverse topics as relationships, regret, anxiety, work, friends, family, travel and, not least, the meaning of life. Some of these quotations elicit an immediate nod of recognition, others leave us thoughtful and a few are just plain funny. The book is organised by The School of Life’s key themes – Relationships, Self-Knowledge, Sociability, Work, Calm and Leisure – that together amount to a tour around the most profound sorrows and joys of the human mind and heart. Offering comfort and consolation in a compact format, The School of Life Book of Quotations is ideally suited to our impatient, anxious and searching times. Quotations: ‘The best cure for unrequited love: get to know them better.’ ‘Anyone who isn’t embarrassed of who they were last year probably isn’t learning enough.’ ‘The only people we can think of as normal are those we don’t yet know very well.’ ‘Insomnia is the mind’s revenge for all the thoughts we forgot to have in the day.’
£14.25
Pearson Education Limited Macbeth York Notes for GCSE Workbook the ideal
Book SynopsisOur brand-new York Notes for GCSE Workbooks offer a wide range of write-in tasks and exercises to boost your students' knowledge of the text and help them practise for the new GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams.Table of Contents Part 1: Getting Started Part 2: Plot and Action Part 3: Characters Part 4: Key Contexts and Themes Part 5: Form, Structure and Language Part 6: Progress Booster
£6.50
Spark The Crucible SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, a review quiz and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Faber & Faber Sylvia Plaths Tomato Soup Cake
Book SynopsisDine with beloved writers in this ''utterly charming'' (Nina Stibbe) new anthology of their very own favourite recipes, introduced by Bee Wilson.Agatha Christie's hot bean salad.Jack Kerouac''s green pea soup.Allen Ginsberg's cold summer borscht.Daphne du Maurier''s sloe gin.Christopher Isherwood's brownies.Joan Didion''s Mexican chicken.George Orwell''s plum cake.Have you ever wondered what your favourite classic authors cooked - whether as an intimate snack for one or as their showstopping dinner party special? Here''s your chance to wine and dine with the world''s most famous writers in a gorgeous new collection of their most-loved recipes, curated from their archives, letters and diaries. Whet your appetite: there are culinary treats and eccentricities in store ...
£11.69
Penguin Books Ltd The Penguin Modern Classics Book
Book SynopsisThe essential guide to twentieth-century literature around the worldFor six decades the Penguin Modern Classics series has been an era-defining, ever-evolving series of books, encompassing works by modernist pioneers, avant-garde iconoclasts, radical visionaries and timeless storytellers.This reader''s companion showcases every title published in the series so far, with more than 1,800 books and 600 authors, from Achebe and Adonis to Zamyatin and Zweig.It is the essential guide to twentieth-century literature around the world, and the companion volume to The Penguin Classics Book.Bursting with lively descriptions, surprising reading lists, key literary movements and over two thousand cover images, The Penguin Modern Classics Book is an invitation to dive in and explore the greatest literature of the last hundred years.Trade ReviewA heavyweight - but never burdensome - history of the publishing house... A must for quiz-hounds -- Alex Diggins * Telegraph *As close to pornography as you can get as a bibliophile. From one angle it is a testament to book design over nigh on a century. On another, it is a work of publishing history -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *
£27.00
Spark Animal Farm SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, a review quiz and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Jane Austen's England: A Walking Guide
Book SynopsisThis is an engaging account of Austen's life and work, arranged as a series of walking tours through the towns and countryside she knew and loved - the settings for her novels. The 15 circular walks in the book describe the country houses, churches, great estates and elegant cities Austen knew and introduce the reader to the real-life people she met, many of whom gave her hints for the characters in her novels. The walks include Godmersham House, the inspiration for Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice and the view from Box Hill, scene of the 'exploring party' in Emma. This remains the only guide to Austen's England.Table of ContentsIllustrations Acknowledgements A Note on the Routes Calendar Introduction 1. Steventon – Home and Family 2. Steventon – Visiting Friends and Seeing ‘The Neighbourhood’ 3. In the Hampshire Highlands – Staying with the Lloyds at Ibthorpe 4. With Edward in Kent – Goodnestone and Rowling 5. Godmersham 6. Jane Visits Bath 7. Residence in Bath 8. Holidays in Devon 9. Lyme Regis – ‘Summers by the Sea’ 10. Southampton – Jane and the Navy 11. ‘Our Chawton Home’ 12. Walking to Alton, Wyards Farm and Chawton Park 13. Great Bookham and an ‘Exploring Party’ to Box Hill 14. Jane in London 15. Winchester – Jane’s Last Journey Walking in England Book List
£12.42
HarperCollins Publishers Lara The Untold Love Story That Inspired Doctor
Book SynopsisRiveting, tragic tale' New YorkerAnna Pasternak has produced an irresistible account of joy, suffering and passion' Financial TimesThe heartbreaking story of the passionate love affair between Boris Pasternak and Olga Ivinskaya the tragic true story that inspired Doctor Zhivago.Doctor Zhivago' has sold in its millions yet the true love story that inspired it has never been fully explored. Pasternak would often say Lara exists, go and meet her', directing his visitors to the love of his life and literary muse, Olga Ivinskaya. They met in 1946 at the literary journal where she worked. Their relationship would last for the remainder of their lives.Olga paid an enormous price for loving her Boria'. She became a pawn in a highly political game and was imprisoned twice in Siberian labour camps because of her association with him and his controversial work. Her story is one of unimaginable courage, loyalty, suffering, tragedy, drama and loss.Drawing on both archival and family sources, Anna Trade Review #1 January book on Ophrah.com ’Utterly compelling and meticulously researched, this revealing look at an epic love affair transforms our understanding of a literary masterpiece’ Michael Sheldon ‘Riveting, tragic tale’ New Yorker ‘Anna has produced a fascinating and often heart breaking portrait. Her book, which proceeds as suspensefully as a criminal investigation, is a testament to the profound bond between writer and muse.’ O Magazine ‘A gripping and well-researched book [that] seeks to establish Olga’s place in history’ Express ‘[A] gripping if sad chapter in history and she tells it well’ Evening Standard ‘Meticulously researched’ Sunday Times ‘Anna Pasternak has produced an irresistible account of joy, suffering and passion’ Financial Times ‘A story with enough romance and suffering to make a moving novel or film in its own right’ Observer ‘Anna Pasternak does not spare an ounce of drama nor detail from the story of her great uncle's love affair with Olga Ivinskaya, the inspiration for Doctor Zhivago’s Lara. The result is a profoundly moving meditation on love, loyalty, and, ultimately, forgiveness’ Amanda Foreman ‘A … marvellously interesting book … There are no happy endings in either [‘Doctor Zhivago’ or ‘Lara’], but both are fascinating tales’ Spectator ‘Passionate and intriguing … this is a brave and necessary rebuttal to much of the historical record’ Country & Town House ‘A fascinating story … I had already read Doctor Zhivago, but I wish I could have read this book then, too, for I have now been greatly enlightened, as well as much entertained’ Country Life ‘An enchanting love story, wonderfully told’ Sir Ronald Harwood ‘Lara is a quest to give recognition to a woman immortalized in Doctor Zhivago, yet consumed by the meat grinder of the Soviet state, then erased by the Pasternak family. Lara – the story of one of Stalin’s innumerable victims, is a particularly poignant book’ Washington Post
£9.49
Spark Hamlet SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, a review quiz and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc How to Read Poetry Like a Professor
Book SynopsisTrade Review“[An] accessible guide… [Foster’s] discussion of symbolism is particularly effective and may help readers learn to actually enjoy the experience of interpreting a poem… Students struggling to understand poetry, or even English instructors struggling to teach it, could benefit immensely from Foster’s guidance.” — Publishers Weekly “Foster’s enthusiasm is infectious…he has clearly enjoyed teaching and sharing his love of literature with his students during his long career. How to Read Poetry Like a Professor is not unlike that freshman English class that everyone vies to enroll in—entertaining and informative without being intimidating. The curriculum is on point, and in the end, you’ll have the tools to truly ‘get’ poetry, with all its manifest themes and variations.” — BookPage
£10.44
Spark Othello SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Pearson Education Limited A Streetcar Named Desire York Notes for Alevel
Book SynopsisThis updated edition is ideal to support students when studying and revising for the new A level English Literature exams.Table of Contents Part 1: Introducing A Streetcar Named Desire Part 2: Studying A Streetcar Named Desire Part 3: Characters and Themes Part 4: Genre, Structure and Language Part 5: Contexts and Interpretations Part 6: Progress Booster Part 7: Further Study and Answers
£8.07
Penguin Books Ltd The Gifts of Reading
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of UNDERLAND, THE OLD WAYS and THE LOST WORDS - an essay on the joy of reading, for anyone who has ever loved a bookEvery book is a kind of gift to its reader, and the act of giving books is charged with a special emotional resonance. It is a meeting of three minds (the giver, the author, the recipient), an exchange of intellectual and psychological currency, that leaves each participant enriched. Here Robert Macfarlane recounts the story of a book he was given as a young man, and how he managed eventually to return the favour, though never repay the debt.From one of the most lyrical writers of our time comes a perfectly formed gem, a lyrical celebration of the transcendent power and humanity of the given book.Trade ReviewI'll read anything Macfarlane writes -- David Mitchell, author of 'Cloud Atlas'[Macfarlane] can unfurl a sentence with the breathless ease of a master angler, a writer whose ideas transcend the physical region he explores * New York Times Book Review *[Macfarlane] is a godfather of a cultural moment * Sunday Times on Landmarks *
£4.73
Octopus Publishing Group A Dictionary of Tolkien
Book SynopsisIllustrated with stunning black and white artwork, A Dictionary of Tolkien is an indispensible guide to the rich, mythical world of Middle-earth and the Undying Lands.
£14.24
Orion Publishing Co The Art of Discworld GOLLANCZ SF
Book SynopsisA sumptuous illustrated journey through Terry Pratchett''s DISCWORLD; a companion volume to THE LAST HEROIn THE ART OF DISCWORLD, Terry Pratchett takes us on a guided tour of the Discworld, courtesy of his favourite Discworld artist, Paul Kidby. Following on from THE LAST HERO, THE ART OF DISCWORLD is a lavish 112-page large format, sumptuously illustrated look at all things Discworldian. Terry Pratchett provides the written descriptions while Paul Kidby illustrates the world that has made Pratchett one of the best-selling authors of all time. Here you will find favourites old and new: the City Watch, including Vimes, Carrot and Angua, the three witches - Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick - and the denizens of the Unseen University Library, not forgetting the Librarian, of course. They''re all here in sumptuous colour, together with the places: Ankh-Morpork, Lancre, Uberwald and more ...No Discworld fan will want to be without this beautiful gift
£17.09
Chronicle Books Bibliophile Readers Journal
Book SynopsisThis is the ultimate booklover's ultimate journal – illustrated by the renowned bibliophile and bestselling author Jane Mount.
£14.39
Pearson Education Limited Pride and Prejudice York Notes for AS A2
Book SynopsisTable of Contents Part 1: Introducing Pride and Prejudice Part 2: Studying Pride and Prejudice Part 3: Characters and Themes Part 4: Structure, Form and Language Part 5: Contexts and Critical Debates Part 6: Grade Booster Essential Study Tools
£7.59
Spark A Midsummer Nights Dream SparkNotes Literature
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Pearson Education Limited Jane Eyre York Notes for AS A2
Book SynopsisTable of Contents Part 1: Introducing Jane Eyre Part 2: Studying Jane Eyre Part 3: Characters and Themes Part 4: Structure, Form and Language Part 5: Contexts and Critical Debates Part 6: Grade Booster Essential Study Tools
£7.59
Spark The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols, a review quiz and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark New Testament SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Spark Hobbit by JRR Tolkien The Sparknotes
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this title offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
Pearson Education Pride and Prejudice York Notes for GCSE
Book SynopsisThis updated edition is designed to support students in study and revision for the new GCSE (9-1) English Literature exams.Table of Contents Part 1: Introducing Pride and Prejudice Part 2: Studying Pride and Prejudice Part 3: Characters Part 4: Structure, Form and Language Part 5: Contexts and Critical Debates Part 6: Grade Booster Essential Study Tools
£7.85
Spark Romeo and Juliet SparkNotes Literature Guide
Book SynopsisWhen an essay is due and dreaded exams loom, this book offers students what they need to succeed. It provides chapter-by-chapter analysis, explanations of key themes, motifs and symbols, a review quiz, and essay topics. It is suitable for late-night studying and paper writing.
£5.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Tolkien Quiz Book
Book SynopsisA revised and expanded reissue containing over 1,200 brain-teasing questions on the legendary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, published to coincide with the release of the third and final The Lord of The Rings movie.How many Hobbits joined the Fellowship of the Ring?What colour is the Orcs' skin?Why did Gandalf have difficulty in opening the West-door of Khazad-dum?Who betrayed Berien and Luthien to Thingol?What was Farmer Giles' full name?The worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, from the saga of Middle-earth to a brief visit to Wootton Major, are so rich and varied that they inspire legions of followers of different ages. This peerless revised and expanded quiz book offers over 1,200 questions and answers, including easy starter questions and more difficult tie-breakers, to test the range and depth of your knowledge. And whereas every right answer will confirm your mastery over your subject, every wrong answer will be a learning experience all of its own!
£10.44
Oxford University Press The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature
Book SynopsisThe third edition of The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature is the complete and authoritative reference guide to the classical world and its literary heritage. It not only presents the reader with all the essential facts about the authors, tales, and characters from ancient myths and literature, but it also places these details in the wider contexts of the history and society of the Greek and Roman worlds. With an extensive web of cross-references and a useful chronological table and location maps (all of which have been brought fully up to date), this volume traces the development of literary forms and the classical allusions which have become embedded in our Western culture. Extensively revised and updated, the Companion includes more thematic entries - medicine, friendship, science, the concept of freedom, and sexuality. These topical entries provide an excellent starting point to the exploration of their subjects in classical literature. The Companion contains extensive biogrTrade ReviewReview from previous edition 'useful and enjoyable... a miniature encyclopedia of the Graeco-Roman world' * Listener *a standard reference book for the forseeable future * Contemporary Review *a volume for all seasons... indispensable * Times Educational Supplement *will be the vade mecum of schoolchildren and undergraduates for generations to come * Sunday Telegraph *A necessity for any seriously literary household. * History Today *Table of ContentsPREFACE; A-Z ENTRIES; CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE; MAPS
£15.74
Renard Press Ltd The Art of Fiction
Book SynopsisThat fiction is a lady, and a lady who has somehow got herself in to trouble, is a thought that must often have struck her admirers.'Penned in 1927 but first published posthumously in The Moment and Other Essays in 1947, The Art of Fiction' sets out perhaps more clearly than anywhere else Woolf's advice to writers of fiction, instructing authors to focus on language choices rather than dwelling on concerns around accuracy. On one level an amusing collection in Woolf's trademark style, skewering male writers of yore, taken together these essays form an invaluable writing guide from one of the finest craftspeople of the English language.
£6.79
MP-NCA Uni of North Carolina The New York Intellectuals The Rise and Decline
Book SynopsisFor a generation, Alan M. Wald's The New York Intellectuals has stood as the authoritative account of an often misunderstood chapter in the history of a celebrated tradition among literary radicals in the United States. With a new introduction by the author, this anniversary edition shows that the trajectory and ideological ordeals of the New York intellectual Left still matters today.
£30.36
McFarland & Company A Dick Francis Companion Characters Horses Plots
Book SynopsisAs of 2006, Dick Francis has written one volume of collected short stories and 38 novels, most of which contain one or more elements related to British horse racing. This title examines the fictional works of Dick Francis, a former steeplechase jockey to Queen Elizabeth and a British novelist.
£32.39
