Published diaries, letters and journals Books

2830 products


  • Selected Essays

    Faber & Faber Selected Essays

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn this magisterial volume, first published in 1932, Eliot gathered his choice of the miscellaneous reviews and literary essays he had written since 1917 when he became assistant editor of The Egoist. In his preface to the third edition in 1951 he wrote: ''For myself this book is a kind of historical record of my interests and opinions.'' The text includes some of his most important criticism, especially parts of The Sacred Wood, Homage to John Dryden, the essays on Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists, For Lancelot Andrewes and Essays Ancient and Modern.

    3 in stock

    £17.00

  • Dai Greatcoat A SelfPortrait of David Jones in

    Faber & Faber Dai Greatcoat A SelfPortrait of David Jones in

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe mind of David Jones is capable of such breathtaking leaps across the centuries, that nothing can appear incongruous in his writings and they all help to shed light on him as an artist and as a poet.' ApolloThrough a selection of letters to friends and literary peers, Dai Greatcoat presents a rare insight into the life and work of David Jones, and in so doing offers an autobiographical portrait of the author in his own words. Dai Greatcoat is the Welsh soldier of In Parenthesis, Jones's acclaimed narrative of the Great War, but the sturdy yet all too vulnerable figure, wrapped close in his misfit outsize greatcoat', is an apt symbol for the great poet and artist who died in 1974. In this volume covering the last fifty years of his life, Jones's correspondence has been edited and arranged with a linking commentary to form a remarkable biographical portrait. The letters merry, irreverent, sometimes sombre and anxious, always amazingly open are unfaili

    1 in stock

    £16.19

  • The Dolphin Letters 19701979

    Faber & Faber The Dolphin Letters 19701979

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe illuminating letters of Elizabeth Hardwick and Robert Lowell, including the dramatic breakup of their 21-year marriage and their extraordinary reconciliation.

    1 in stock

    £28.00

  • Gill Dear Gay

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFor 25 years, Gay Byrne received thousands of letters from listeners all over Ireland. Some of these letters were light-hearted and innocent, but others were more challenging. While many people didn't feel comfortable sharing their issues with their closest family and friends, they felt that they could trust Gay. And, so, they wrote in their droves With his trademark balance of compassion, empathy and humour, Gay read out letters on subjects such as women's rights, domestic and institutional abuse, mental health and homosexuality, sparking nationwide conversation and debate. The letters here have been lovingly compiled by Gay's daughter Suzy, who provides commentary about the impact they made, on a personal and national level, once they were read on air.Dear Gay is a sweeping handwritten history of a radically changed Ireland and a fitting tribute to Ireland's best-loved broadcaster.

    2 in stock

    £22.09

  • Bruce Lee Words of the Dragon

    Tuttle Publishing Bruce Lee Words of the Dragon

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWords of the Dragon is an anthology of newspaper and magazine interviews from 1958 to 1973 revealing Bruce Lee''s own fascinating words and explanations about Bruce himself, his art and philosophy.Interesting and insightful, Words of the Dragon provides the reader a means to understand the real Bruce Lee, offering us a unique keyhole through which to view the private life and personal struggles of the late martial arts superstar. These interviews provide us with Lee''s own interpretations of life, the martial arts, international stardom, and his cross-cultural marriage during a time of racism. This Bruce Lee book is part of the Bruce Lee Library which also features: Bruce Lee''s Striking Thoughts Bruce Lee''s The Tao of Gung Fu Bruce Lee Artist of Life Bruce Lee Letters of the Dragon Bruce Lee The Art of Expressing the Human Body Bruce Lee Jeet Kune Do Trade Review"The strength of this book, I felt, was in the interesting footnotes the editor provided at the end of each chapter. The footnotes shed more light and context…and include many interesting anecdotes themselves." --Man of la Book blog"If you know nothing of Bruce Lee, this book can work as a different introduction to his life. One thing many would find interesting as fans of Bruce Lee is the way the interviews highlight the world at that time. All the while you get a sense for the Lee family's goals and outlooks at the time each article is written as they look forward to a bright future. Overall, the book seems to connect the reader to the Lee family in total quite well, not just Bruce. It's pretty interesting to read" --Martial Arts & Action Movies blog

    2 in stock

    £7.59

  • The Papers of George Washington v.5 Presidential

    University of Virginia Press The Papers of George Washington v.5 Presidential

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. September 1788-March 1789 -- 2. April-June 1789 -- 3. June-September 1789 -- 4. September 1789-January 1790 -- 7. December 1790-March 1791 -- 8. March-September 1791.

    2 in stock

    £94.95

  • Letters from Amherst

    Wesleyan University Press Letters from Amherst

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisAlong with commentary on his own work and the work of other writers, he ponders the state of America, discusses friends who are facing AIDS and other ailments, and comments on the politics of working in academia.

    2 in stock

    £12.82

  • Transworld The Positive Student Planner

    3 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    3 in stock

    £17.00

  • Wings Over the Western Front The First World War

    1 in stock

    £10.00

  • Thomas Irvings Journal

    Wagtail Press Thomas Irvings Journal

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £9.99

  • Letters to the Sphinx

    Michael Walmer Letters to the Sphinx

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £17.05

  • The Year That Shaped the Victorian Age

    Cambridge University Press The Year That Shaped the Victorian Age

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat was special about 1845 and why does it deserve particular scrutiny? In his much-anticipated new book, one of the leading authorities on the Victorian age argues that this was the critical year in a decade which witnessed revolution on continental Europe, the threat of mass insurrection at home and radical developments in railway transport, communications, religion, literature and the arts. The effects of the new poor law now became visible in the workhouses; a potato blight started in Ireland, heralding the Great Famine; and the Church of England was rocked to its foundations by John Henry Newman''s conversion to Roman Catholicism. What Victorian England became was moulded, says Michael Wheeler, in the crucible of 1845. Exploring pivotal correspondence, together with pamphlets, articles and cartoons, the author tells the riveting story of a seismic epoch through the lives, loves and letters of leading contemporaneous figures.Trade Review'This lively account shows how a single year came to epitomise so many of the overarching themes of the Victorian age. An inviting read even for those already familiar with the episodes depicted, this is a meticulous and thoroughly-researched tour de force of scholarship by an author who always has new things to say.' Rohan McWilliam, Professor of Modern British History, Anglia Ruskin University'Remarkably informative, interesting, well-researched, and well-expressed, this study complements the many existing books on Victorian life and culture with both well- known and little-known material approached from a fresh point of view and supplemented in places by the use of hitherto unpublished documents.' Rosemary Ashton, Emeritus Quain Professor of English Language and Literature, University College LondonTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Public Scandals: 1. Opening Mazzini's mail: Sir James Graham and the Post Office; 2. The railway juggernaut: Delane, Dickens and the press; 3. Poor law bastille: the Andover workhouse scandal; Part II. Private Lives: 4. Love by post: Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning; 5. Letters from the Continent: Ruskin in Italy; 6. Letters of the living and the dead: Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle; Part III. Oxford Movements: 7. Established church in crisis: William George Ward and the Oxford Movement; 8. A dangerous correspondence: Newman on the road to Rome; Part IV. Irish Questions: 9. Educating papist priests: Gladstone and the Maynooth grant; 10. From our own Commissioner: Daniel O'Connell and The Times; 11. A prime minister resigns: Peel and the Corn Laws; Afterword.

    2 in stock

    £29.99

  • Everyday Life in the Covid19 Pandemic

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Everyday Life in the Covid19 Pandemic

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow will the Covid-19 pandemic be remembered? What did it mean to people? How did it feel? This book provides a compelling account of the pandemic as it was experienced in the UK. Everyday Life in the Covid-19 Pandemic is a democratic history based on the 5,000 diaries collected by Mass Observation on 12 May 2020. It is a record of what many of these diarists wrote, from a wide range of positions, in a variety of voices and on a wealth of different subjects. The book shines a light on their lives on the day in question, their experiences during the first two months of the pandemic, and their hopes and fears for the coming months and years. The diaries capture much of everyday life in the pandemic for millions of people in the UK and beyond: the activities, events, and rituals (from funerals to working from home); the sites and stages (from shops to Zoom); the roles and categories (from key workers' to vulnerable groups'); the frames (from luck to the new normal'); and

    1 in stock

    £18.99

  • A Falklands Family at War

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd A Falklands Family at War

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFirst-hand account of life in the Falklands during the Argentine occupation.

    2 in stock

    £21.25

  • Eyewitness at Dieppe

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Eyewitness at Dieppe

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisAugust 2022 will mark the 80th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid.

    2 in stock

    £17.00

  • Stanley Spencers Great War Diary 19151918

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd Stanley Spencers Great War Diary 19151918

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA superb first hand infantryman's account of life and death on the Western Front 1915-1918.

    2 in stock

    £13.49

  • The Gurkha Diaries of Robert Atkins MC

    Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Gurkha Diaries of Robert Atkins MC

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisUnique diaries of a decorated British Gurkha officer covering two significant periods of active service.

    2 in stock

    £17.00

  • The Man with the Golden Typewriter

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Man with the Golden Typewriter

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis''Constantly entertaining ... So much here to amuse and inform'' Observer''These friendly, knockabout letters are a treat'' Sunday Telegraph''Irresistible'' New York Times________________________Before the world-famous Bond films came the world-famous novels. This book tells the story of the man who wrote them and how he created spy fiction''s most compelling hero.In August 1952, Ian Fleming bought a gold-plated typewriter as a present to himself for finishing his first novel, Casino Royale. It marked in glamorous style the arrival of James Bond, agent 007, and the start of a career that saw Fleming become one of the world's most celebrated thriller writers. Before his death in 1964 he produced fourteen bestselling Bond books, two works of non-fiction and the famous children's story Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang. Fleming's output was matched by an equally energetic flow of letters. He wrote constantly, to his wife, Trade ReviewIan Fleming writes with a kind of pushing, bloodcurdling elegance. His thrillers are models of fastidious murder * New York Times *Fleming is splendid; he stops at nothing * New Statesman *Entertaining and revealing * The Times *Constantly entertaining … still so much here to amuse and inform … But it is Fleming’s replies to his picky readers that supply the most fun … The most sobering and self-effacing appraisal of Fleming’s achievements emerges from his correspondence with Raymond Chandler, to which Fergus Fleming devotes a brilliant chapter * Observer *It has great appeal … These friendly, knockabout letters are a treat, although the steely eyed attention of the editors makes it difficult to go back to the Bond books with a straight face … Writing to fans and friends, Fleming is modest, quick-witted and able to stand at substantial ironic distance from the books he refers to as “opuscula” * Sunday Telegraph *To anyone who has ever worked on a book — writing one, editing one, marketing one, publishing one — or, heck, even just read one, this volume is a giant stalk of catnip ... Irresistible ... Fergus Fleming, Ian’s nephew and an author in his own right, writes the introduction and serves as the collection’s Jeeves throughout, providing his services when droll and illuminating context is required but otherwise quietly stepping out of the way * New York Times *A revelation … The letters are full of good jokes … Interesting and entertaining -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian *If Bond was Fleming's carbon copy, then this book is the photographic negative of the novels ... Edited and elaborated upon by his nephew Fergus, this book collates those letters, painting a fascinating portrait of Bond's creator, revealing a man of keen wit and charm ... they progress in tandem with the Bond saga, offering insight into his bestselling series * Gentleman's Journal *

    1 in stock

    £15.29

  • The Jane Austen Files

    Amberley Publishing The Jane Austen Files

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - A fascinating insight into the life of Jane in the words of the people who knew her.Trade ReviewA comprehensive anthology of letters, family recollections and early biographies … handsomely produced * Jane Austen's Regency World *

    1 in stock

    £13.49

  • Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life

    Transworld Publishers Ltd Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA story of hope, love and life in the face of cancer, and the miracle of second chances.Soon to be a major movie!When Delia's beloved first husband Jerry died of cancer in 2015, after thirty-three years of marriage, she struggled without him. Floored by grief, it never occurred to her she would find love again. But fate had other ideas. An article she published about the pain of shutting down Jerry's landline sparked a series of emails with a widower she'd dated in college fifty years ago, and they fell deeply in love.Delia and Peter found themselves soul mates in their seventies, but as their whirlwind romance came into bloom, Delia was diagnosed with leukaemia - the same that had claimed the life of her sister Nora.See-sawing between tears and laughter, Left on Tenth is the spirited story of Delia's second chance at love, and a heartfelt and inspirational account of life after cancer.'A tale of brilliant hope, of heartache and uplift, so refreshing - it is a wonderful read.' Mariella Frostrup'Illuminating, generous, sparkling with wit, wisdom, humanity and wonder' Rachel Joyce'I absolutely loved this book. All of life and death and everything in between is in the pages' Clover Stroud'Tender, witty and romantic ... makes you immediately want to get cosy, slow down and shut off the world for a moment.' Emma Gannon'If it's possible to fall in love with someone by reading their story, I just have.' Sam BakerTrade ReviewA tale of brilliant hope, of heartache and uplift, so refreshing - it is a wonderful read. -- Mariella Frostrup * Times Radio *A beautiful story of finding love again in your seventies ... a story of giddy highs and suicidal lows.' -- Gwendolyn Smith * i newspaper *Commendable for its bracingly blunt humour ... A searingly honest memoir of a battle against cancer, and a testament to the sustaining power of love. -- Chloe Walker * Culturefly *A most anticipated book of 2022 * TIME magazine *Best Non-fiction for 2022 * Daily Mail *

    2 in stock

    £10.44

  • Longshot: How Political Nobodies Took Andrew Yang

    BenBella Books Longshot: How Political Nobodies Took Andrew Yang

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn Longshot, Andrew Yang’s campaign manager takes you on a tour through the ups, the downs, and the math of Yang’s 2020 campaign for president, and shares the playbook his team used to navigate the attention economy.Andrew Yang did not win the 2020 Democratic primary, let alone the presidency of the United States. But chances are you know who Andrew Yang is, and you may well be part of the 75 percent of Americans who now support Universal Basic Income—both facts that would have seemed beyond unlikely at the start of Yang’s campaign. That campaign was helmed by Zach Graumann: entrepreneur, marketing expert, and, at the time, political nonentity. In fact, when Graumann joined Yang 2020, no one on the team was an expert in campaigning, but they all shared a fervent desire to change the future. Yet, despite that inexperience, by the time Yang dropped out of the race in early 2020, he’d not only outlasted six senators, four governors, and three members of Congress, he’d become one of the most recognizable, popular political figures in the country. Now, for the first time, Graumann tells the story of how Yang went from nobody to national presence, breathing life into the behind-the-scenes antics of the unusual campaign that started a movement. In the process, he demystifies the world of political campaigns and provides takeaways that will help not only the next generation of campaign managers, but anyone who wants to break into a new industry—or stand out in their current one. A book for everyone from members of the Yang Gang who want the inside story to businesspeople looking for self-improvement to anyone who has ever had a dream that felt bigger than they were, Longshot reminds you that sometimes, longshots aren’t quite as long as you think.

    2 in stock

    £17.59

  • My Friend Van Gogh

    David Zwirner My Friend Van Gogh

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn intimate testament to the power of friendship between two creative forces“I exaggerate, I sometimes make changes to the subject, but I still don’t invent the whole of painting; on the contrary, I find it ready-made—but to be untangled—in the real world.” —Vincent van Gogh to Émile Bernard The painter and poet Émile Bernard’s firsthand account of the beloved painter Vincent van Gogh’s life offers deep perspective into the Dutch artist’s process, artistic preoccupations, and difficulties. In the 1890s, Bernard penned prefaces for collections of letters from Van Gogh, some of which were published while others were not. In 1911, Bernard gathered together these prefaces for a new publication, to which he also contributed a new introductory text, of the artist’s letters and sketches which he enclosed in his correspondence. This volume comprises these prefaces, published in English for the first t

    1 in stock

    £10.40

  • Arsenic mon amour

    Baraka Books Arsenic mon amour

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £8.50

  • Darling Pol: Letters of Mary Wesley and Eric

    Vintage Publishing Darling Pol: Letters of Mary Wesley and Eric

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisBefore her death in 2002, Mary Wesley told her biographer Patrick Marnham: 'after I met Eric I never looked at anyone else again. We lived our ups and downs but life was never boring'. Eric Siepmann was her second husband and their correspondence charted their life together (and apart) with unusual candour and spirit. These remarkable letters, which were inspired by Mary's great love story with Eric, were also the means by which the novelist found her voice. Entrusted to Marnham in two size -5 shoe boxes, this is one of the great surviving post-war correspondences.Trade ReviewPassionate, erotic, honest, funny and also supremely sad... superbly edited by Wesley's biographer Patrick Marnham -- Nicholas Shakespeare * Spectator *a lovely, entertaining and moving book -- Sara Wheeler * Literary Review *It seems extraordinary that Mary Wesley had to wait until she was in her seventies to become an acclaimed author. These letters, written to her lover Eric Siepmann, and edited by her biographer Patrick Marnham, show that she was already a brilliant writer in her thirties -- Lynn Barber * Sunday Times *Highly readable -- Ysenda Maxtone Graham * Daily Mail *Her letters are cheerful, resilient and funny, full of sharply observed vignettes of her life in Devon. -- Jane Shilling * The Oldie *

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • Alastair Campbell Diaries: Volume 7: From Crash

    Biteback Publishing Alastair Campbell Diaries: Volume 7: From Crash

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisCaught in the no man's land between being a key figure in Downing Street and the relative anonymity of the world outside politics, Alastair Campbell finds himself being torn in several directions. Having succeeded Tony Blair as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown wants Campbell at his side. Campbell resists, flooding his reservoir of guilt as a general election looms and Brown's indecision and fluctuating moods suggest the Labour administration is seriously threatened by the Tory `posh boy', David Cameron. Soon Campbell is earning not only praise but big money from motivational speaking and writing novels which darkly reflect the personal mood swings that continue to concern to both him and his family. Serious journalism across platforms old and new puts him back in the public eye and together with live appearances and a love of sport - his enduring love affair with Burnley Football Club still smoulders - sees him board a celebrity merry-go-round that often leaves him far from his comfort zone. With politics constantly tugging his sleeve, he eventually returns to the front line to marshal a party in disarray. The intensity of the months leading up to 6 May 2010 is as dramatic as any screenplay, with Campbell chronicling Brown's struggle to win over a disillusioned nation and then his dignified departure from the main stage. For Campbell, another chapter closes. So what next?

    1 in stock

    £21.25

  • The Recovery Letters: Addressed to People

    Jessica Kingsley Publishers The Recovery Letters: Addressed to People

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWorld Book Night 2018 In 2012, The Recovery Letters was launched to host a series of letters online written by people recovering from depression, addressed to those currently affected by a mental health condition. Addressed to 'Dear You', the inspirational and heartfelt letters provided hope and support to those experiencing depression and were testament that recovery was possible. Now for the first time, these letters have been compiled into an anthology for people living with depression and are interspersed with motivating quotes and additional resources as well as new material written specifically for the book. This powerful collection of personal letters from people with first-hand experiences of depression will serve as a comforting resource for anyone on the journey to recovery.Trade ReviewWriting or reading a letter strikes at the sense of isolation which is at the root of despair. Read this book, buy it for others, it's rare and powerful medication. -- Gwyneth Lewis, author of Sunbathing in the Rain: A Cheerful Book about DepressionThis book contains messages of hope from the dark side, an antidote of rational belief to fight the lack of faith all depressives feel. The Recovery Letters, I have no doubt, has the power to save lives. -- Tim Lott, journalist and authorThese letters are full of friendship and intimacy. It is possible to mend your way out of depression, and, believe me, you'll be all the better for it: more thoughtful, more receptive, and more at peace. -- Dr Neel Burton, author of Growing from DepressionI found the letters so helpful when I was ill; one of the few things that reached me across the void. -- Charlotte Garrett, Research PsychologistPowerful letters from people who've been there who know from experience that you won't always feel this way. Just one letter that really speaks to you could make a difference. -- Claudia Hammond, broadcaster and writerMoving, beautiful in places and valuable: in a world in which effective treatment for the mentally ill remains as elusive as ever, this book has something rather important to offer. More than anything, the depression sufferer wants reassurance that recovery is possible. These letters from fellow travellers show that it is not just possible, but probable, that you are not alone, that others have been here, survived, recovered, and rejoined their lives. Their message: you can do the same. -- Mark Rice-Oxley, author of Underneath the Lemon Tree: A Memoir of Depression and RecoveryThe people writing these letters describe depression in a way that only survivors can. The words are authentic and will give hope and encouragement to those who read them. -- Douglas Bloch M.A., author of Healing From Depression: 12 Weeks to a Better MoodTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction: Why I Started The Recovery Letters, James Withey. Introduction: Writing Letters: A Subtle Therapy, Olivia Sagan. Letters. Afterword: There's Life in Letters, G. Thomas Couser.

    1 in stock

    £16.16

  • Letters of Note: Love

    Canongate Books Letters of Note: Love

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn Letters of Note: Love, Shaun Usher gathers together some of the most powerful messages about love ever composed, whether inspired by love's first blush or the recriminations at its ending, the regrets of unrequited feelings and the joys of passions known.Includes letters by:Simone de Beauvoir, Frida Kahlo Georgia O'Keeffe, Zora Neale Hurston Evelyn Waugh, Vita Sackville-West Nelson Mandela, John Steinbeck & many moreTrade ReviewPraise for Letters of Note: Quite literally the most enjoyable volume it is possible to imagine. Every page is a marvel * * Spectator * *It is inspiring, and often sad, funny, and occasionally quite surreal * * GQ * *A truly extraordinary reading experience * * Big Issue * *Witty, tragic, educational, inspirational * * The List * *Addictive, like dipping into a bag of variously tempting assorted candies, knowing that the next one will always bring surprise and pleasure * * New Yorker * *A gloriously presented compilation * * Financial Times * *The literary equivalent of a box of chocolates - bite-sized and pure addictive pleasure . . . The result is beautifully produced, with photographs and colour facsimiles of much of the correspondence. A gorgeous Christmas present * * The Sunday Times * *It is hard to see how Letters Of Note could ever be surpassed * * Mail on Sunday * *Funny, tragic, brilliantly incisive, historic, lyrical, romantic and studiedly offensive, this stupendous compendium of letters ancient and modern is my book of the year. You will never tire of it -- Stephen FryA wonderful collection of magical missives . . . It'll have you reaching for pen and paper * * Evening Standard * *

    1 in stock

    £6.99

  • Letters of Great Women: Extraordinary

    Headline Publishing Group Letters of Great Women: Extraordinary

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisOver 2,000 years of history seen through the eyes of 50 extraordinary women. Was Jane Austen a fan of her own work? What did Harriet Tubman want to tell Abraham Lincoln? And how did Greta Thunberg respond to her critics? This carefully curated selection of correspondence on politics, literature, art, entertainment, activism and science provides insight into the personal and professional lives of some of history's most influential names. Each entry includes images and transcripts of the letters themselves along with a biography by celebrated historian Lucinda Hawksley exploring the lives and writings of each woman.Letters of Great Women brings together 50 key female voices on the most significant moments in history, and the everyday joys, sorrows and struggles of women's lives.

    2 in stock

    £21.25

  • Journal 1887-1910 (riverrun editions): an

    Quercus Publishing Journal 1887-1910 (riverrun editions): an

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis'As a mayor, I am responsible for the upkeep of rural roads; as poet, I prefer to see them neglected.'Jules Renard was a French literary figure of the late nineteenth century. Not a Parisian but a committed countryman, he was elected mayor in 1904 of the tiny village of Citry-le-Mines in a remote part of northern Burgundy. He had the soul of a rustic bourgeois but the ambition of a metropolitan, and his wife's money allowed him to move in elevated circles, though he seemed an awkward customer, a badger, and looked like one. He wrote fiction, journalism and drama, very successfully, but the Journal is Renard's masterpiece, the least categorizable work of the French fin de siècle.The Journal constitutes a profusion of entries, without stitching or pattern: mordant reflections on style, literature and theatre; portraits of family, friends and the Parisian literary scene; quasi-ethnographical observations on village life and notations of the natural world which are unlike anything except themselves.Samuel Beckett spoke of Renard in the same breath as Proust and Celine, wrote of the Journal that 'for me it is as inexhaustible as Boswell ' and believed his style was learnt from despair. Gide said the Journal was 'not a river but a distillery'. Sartre wrote that 'He invented the literature of silence'. But above all it is a moving and splintery piece of self-scrutiny.Julian Barnes has admired the Journal for many years and has made this new selection from the twelve hundred page Pléiade edition. Theo Cuffe's translation will help bring this fierce judge of human foibles to a new generation of readers.Trade ReviewWell over 100 years later, his writing is still fresh because it retains the tang of curiosity... He writes with such grace, and with such attention, that before long you begin to feel his Journals are not just writings about life, but life itself. * Mail on Sunday *

    2 in stock

    £11.69

  • Letters from the Grief Club: How we live with

    Jessica Kingsley Publishers Letters from the Grief Club: How we live with

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWelcome to the club you never wanted to join. When someone you love dies, it may seem impossible to know what will happen next and how you will cope. Losing someone in early adulthood, you may feel even more alone, when no-one around you seems to have had the same experience. Our letters don't have all the answers, but they do have some - because we've been through it ourselves. Some of us have written to ourselves back on that first day of grief, with the reassurance that we will get through those awful first months. Others share snippets from our grief journeys - from the experience of therapy, to the power of getting creative. Encompassing all types of loss, these stories show that there is no one way to grieve. They talk honestly about grief - the sad, the bad, and the surprisingly beautiful. Welcome to the Grief Club, we're so glad you've found us.Trade ReviewProfound, moving and utterly compelling. A beautiful reminder that despite how it may feel, in grief you are not alone. -- Gary Andrews, author and illustrator of Finding JoyBeautiful and heartfelt. I know each one of these letters will help someone in the Grief Club. -- Cariad Lloyd, host of GriefcastThis book truly and authentically opens the conversation about why we need to talk about grief and impactfully highlights the power of shared experience and connection when we experience loss. -- Dr Radha Modgil, media personality, NHS GP, medical expert for BBC Radio1 Lifehacks, and campaigner for wellbeingThis book is lovely... a great asset to discussions about grief and normalising grief responses. It certainly is powerful reading and mirrors a lot of what we hear in support sessions - Child Bereavement UKLetters from the Grief Club is an important book as it explores life after loss, growth and acceptance. It creates a sense of community and shows how loss can happen to anyone at any time, age or stage in life. The reader is taken on a journey through different experiences of loss and they're even given tips along the way. The contributors and editors have done a great job! -- Rachel Faturoti, author of Sadé and Her Shadow BeastsTable of Contents1. Foreword by Hussain Manawer2. Introduction 3. Grief 1014. Am I the only one feeling like this? 5. Is my loss valid? 6. Will I ever be happy again? 7. Who am I without them? 8. What is next on the grief journey? 9. Conclusion and Afterword

    2 in stock

    £15.29

  • Letter To My Younger Self: The Big Issue

    Bonnier Books Ltd Letter To My Younger Self: The Big Issue

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisNOW INCLUDES BONUS MATERIAL FROM RICHARD OSMAN, DOLLY PARTON, DAVE GROHL AND MANY MORE. Over 10 years ago, The Big Issue began to ask well-known figures to give advice, offer hope and share a few jokes with their younger selves. They opened up in ways they never had, reflecting on their lives and themselves with affection, sympathy and, sometimes, disbelief.This collection of 100 incredible letters includes Paul McCartney on how he found inspiration, Olivia Colman on overcoming confidence problems, Mo Farah on the importance of losing, Diane Abbott on self-belief, Jamie Oliver on trusting your instinct, and so much more.Letter to My Younger Self is a revelatory and profound exploration into the wit and wisdom that age brings, and of the unique insights that looking back can reveal.

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Letters from Helfenberg: A Family Correspondence

    Troubador Publishing Letters from Helfenberg: A Family Correspondence

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisLetters from Helfenberg tells the story of a family and a house, and between the lines also of two countries, Germany and England, over a span of forty years. Starting in Berlin in 1909, when the shops were full of ‘modern hats with big brims and ostrich feathers, delicious fruit from southern lands, English jams and all kinds of fish in aspic, poultry, venison, sausages, partridge and pheasant pie’, it reaches its end again in Berlin in 1948, when survival depended on dangerous foraging for fruit or bartering with cigarettes and reels of cotton. Between these two extremes, the correspondence records the intervening years of war and peace, when marriage had led one part of the von Lippe family from Dresden to Cambridge. From operas to zeppelins, potato harvests to elections, the letters describe events as the family experienced them, together with a rich overlay of literary allusions and philosophical reflections. Their home in Helfenberg and its surrounding countryside are a constant theme, giving inspiration and support in times of joy and sorrow. Letters from a brother in the German navy also give a colourful picture of his voyages to the Americas in the decade before the First World War. From an age in which letters were the principal method of communication, this collection presents a vivid picture of social and family life in the shadow of great international events.

    1 in stock

    £17.00

  • How to Find Confidence in Five Minutes a Day

    Summersdale Publishers How to Find Confidence in Five Minutes a Day

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisGrow your confidence and embrace self-love with this proactive guide to becoming a stronger, more empowered youLow self-confidence affects us all from time to time, but studies have shown that women are even more likely to avoid self-promotion and less likely to champion themselves. If you''re someone who struggles to be your own cheerleader, then look no further. This empowering little book will teach you all you need to know to become the most confident version of yourself.Filled with practical tips and inspiring quotes, How to Find Confidence in Five Minutes a Day is a must-read for any woman who has struggled to make her voice heard. The advice inside will help you discover your full potential and learn to be authentically and unapologetically yourself.This book will teach you to: Silence your inner critic and fully embrace who you are Celebrate your successes and stop comparing yourself to others Confidently articulate you

    2 in stock

    £8.54

  • Following a Thread of Gold: The 'deeply textured,

    Crumps Barn Studio Following a Thread of Gold: The 'deeply textured,

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis is an extraordinary account of a spiritual journey. Caroline Sherwood examines the path that led her to seek spiritual teachers and healers, both traditional and maverick. Based on diaries and journals, and written over the course of a lifetime, decades of study and practice are set against the day-to-day details of a memoir in a uniquely powerful combination. How do we go beyond our current sense of powerlessness to become a conscious and active teacher? What is the essential reality of our relationship to ourselves and the wider world? How can we help and heal ourselves, while also helping others? Whether you are just starting your spiritual journey, or are a life-long practitioner - this is a candid and thoughtful account of following a thread of gold.Trade Review"A deeply textured, well written, no-holds-barred spiritual odyssey that tells it as it really is, and then some. No fairy-gloss here, just the unadulterated facts of a journey through light and darkness that has resulted in a work of extraordinary exploratory power and penetration" Douglas Lockhart, author of The Dark Side of God and The Mar Saba Codex; "Fluid and articulate and deeply thoughtful" Philip Carr-Gomm, former head of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids; "Reading the book you're taken by the hand and come to discover what it means to embark on a journey that leads to a deeper and deeper understanding of our real nature" Johanna van der Schaft, Astrologer and Teacher

    2 in stock

    £13.49

  • Joseph Roth: A Life in Letters

    Granta Books Joseph Roth: A Life in Letters

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe legendary Austro-Hungarian novelist and essayist, Joseph Roth, was born in Ukraine in 1894 and died tragically in Paris in 1939. These letters span the breadth of Roth's life, from the schoolboy to the veteran of 44, marked by war, poverty, alcoholism, the loss of his wife through madness, and two decades of prolific work. It is a deeply moving portrait of the life of the writer as an outsider, in exile from a world he no longer recognized as his own.

    2 in stock

    £11.69

  • Harry's Last Stand: How the world my generation

    Icon Books Harry's Last Stand: How the world my generation

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis'A kind of epic poem, one that moves in circular fashion from passionate denunciation to intense autobiographical reflection ... should be required reading for every MP, peer, councillor, civil servant and commentator. The fury and sense of powerlessness that so many people feel at government policy beam out of every page.' The Guardian'It is not enough to read Harry's record of the struggles and hopes of a generation - we have to re-assert his principles of common ownership and the welfare state. If Harry can do it, we should too!' Ken Loach, Director of I, Daniel Blake'As one of the last remaining survivors of the Great Depression and the Second World War, I will not go gently into that good night. I want to tell you what the world looks like through my eyes, so that you can help change it.' In November 2013, 91-year-old Yorkshireman, RAF veteran and ex-carpet salesman Harry Leslie Smith's Guardian article - 'This year, I will wear a poppy for the last time' - was shared over 80,000 times on Facebook and started a huge debate about the state of society.Now he brings his unique perspective to bear on NHS cutbacks, benefits policy, political corruption, food poverty, the cost of education - and much more. From the deprivation of 1930s Barnsley and the terror of war to the creation of our welfare state, Harry has experienced how a great civilisation can rise from the rubble. But at the end of his life, he fears how easily it is being eroded. Harry's Last Stand is a lyrical, searing modern invective that shows what the past can teach us, and how the future is ours for the taking.'Smith's unwavering will to turn things around makes for inspirational reading.' Big Issue North'[With] sheer emotional power ... Harry Leslie Smith reminds us what society without good public services actually looks and feels like.' New StatesmanTrade ReviewA kind of epic poem, one that moves in circular fashion from passionate denunciation to intense autobiographical reflection ... should be required reading for every MP, peer, councillor, civil servant and commentator. The fury and sense of powerlessness that so many people feel at government policy beam out of every page. * Melissa Benn, Guardian *Smith's unwavering will to turn things around makes for inspirational reading. * Big Issue North *[With] sheer emotional power ... Harry Leslie Smith reminds us what society without good public services actually looks and feels like. -- Melissa Benn * Books of the Year *Mr Smith's is a rousing, earthy writing that's part Tony Harrison, part Dennis Skinner * NudgeMeNow.com *This hymn of wrath against the toxic nexus of money and power in austerity UK from a Bradford pauper's son, excommunicated from the Catholic church for marrying an "enemy" woman in post-war Germany, is a compelling life-verdict. * Paul Routledge, The Tablet *Harry's Last Stand is fast becoming a well-deserved publishing phenomenon. It is a breathtaking argument, brilliantly delivered, who said only the new generation have the capacity to make a difference? -- Mark Perryman * Left Futures *A moving first-person account from 91-year-old Harry Leslie Smith of growing up before the creation of the welfare state and NHS. Making a simple, emotive case for progressive politics, Smith was the star turn at this year's Labour party conference. * Guardian [Best Political Books of 2014] *Harry Leslie Smith is absolutely one of my heroes. Everyone should read this and be humbled. -- Annie LennoxIt is not enough to read Harry's record of the struggles and hopes of a generation - we have to re-assert his principles of common ownership and the welfare state. If Harry can do it, we should too! -- Ken LoachI read Harry's Last Stand in a single sitting. Labour should read to get fire in bellies. Tories should read in shame. -- Alastair CampbellSeek this one out. If it doesn't make you angry there's something wrong with you. It's inspirational stuff. -- Rick O'Shea * Radio 1 Presenter *

    2 in stock

    £8.54

  • The Presidents' Letters: An Unexpected History of

    New Island Books The Presidents' Letters: An Unexpected History of

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisShortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Irish-Published Book of the Year A TREASURE TROVE OF LETTERS TO AND FROM OUR NINE PRESIDENTS FROM 1938 TO THE PRESENT DAY With over 400 letters, memos, cards, telegrams, drawings, notes and photographs, The Presidents’ Letters reveals a personal and unexpected story of Ireland since the inauguration of our first president, Douglas Hyde. Most of these have never been published before and a handful have never been seen by the public. They are letters of congratulations, of resignation, of sympathy. A handwritten note from a president to a queen, a message sent to the moon, a fond farewell from a poet. There are letters of joy and loss, begging letters and threatening ones, sent from palaces, parliaments and prisons, from war zones, refugee camps and homeless shelters. Meticulously researched and hand-picked for this unique book, these correspondences bring to life our presidents, Áras an Uachtaráin and all those who have passed through its doors. The Presidents’ Letters is a beautiful homage to the art of the letter, exploring how each of our presidents defined their eras and how they strengthened the relationship between Ireland and all who identify as Irish. The book is divided into thematic sections, rather than separate chapters on the individual presidencies and featuring contributions in the form of one-page chapter introductions to contextualise the correspondence. Contributors include: David McCullagh Rory Montgomery Martina Devlin Catriona Crowe Samantha Barry Joseph O’Connor Harry McGee Lise Hand Justine McCarthy Paul Rouse Terri Kearney

    2 in stock

    £16.99

  • A Cold Eye

    New Island Books A Cold Eye

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFour decades of change in Ireland woven through the ordinary days of one man's life.

    1 in stock

    £16.49

  • Travels with Tom Crean

    Gill Travels with Tom Crean

    2 in stock

    TWO MEN Tom Crean, the Kerryman, whose phenomenal feats of bravery in the unexplored Antarctic earned him a rare medal for valour, pinned on him by King George. Aidan Dooley, the Galway man, who rejected a job in the bank for a life on the stage. ONE STORY In this enthralling, funny and moving account, actor Aidan Dooley tells the story of his journey with Tom Crean. His one- man show about this unsung hero grew from an unknown play with an unknown actor into an award-winning hit that has been performed from Dublin to Dubai, and from Broadway to the Antarctic ice. This is a tale of fortitude and courage – on stage and in the savage beauty at the bottom of the world.

    2 in stock

    £10.99

  • The Illustrated Letters and Diaries of the

    Batsford Ltd The Illustrated Letters and Diaries of the

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe story of how a group of precocious young artists shook up the British art establishment, told through their works, letters and diaries. An illustrated history of the linked lives and loves of a group of supremely talented artists of late Victorian Britain through their passionate writings. It features the painters, poets, critics and designers: Ford Madox Brown, Edward Burne-Jones, Fanny Cornforth, William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, William and Janey Morris, Christina, Dante Gabriel, and William Rossetti, John Ruskin, William Bell Scott and Lizzie Siddal. The artistic aspirations and achievements of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood are revealed alongside the interwoven dramas of their personal lives, in letters, diaries and reminiscences, while their genius is displayed in vivid paintings, drawings, designs and poems. The Pre-Raphaelites was a charmed circles of love, friendship and art. Within an ever-changing flow of affections, and intimacies as richly patterned as a tapestry, they worked together as companions, lovers and partners. They shared tragedy as well as happiness, critical hostility as well as success, even the griefs of infidelity and discord. These creative partnerships, which also created the firm William Morris and Co, revitalised Victorian art and design. The new edition publishes in time for the start of the Burne Jones Exhibition at Tate Britain, starting in October 18. It is a vital book in understanding the Pre-Raphaelite art, which remains as popular and moving as ever.

    2 in stock

    £15.29

  • The Complete Works: Essays, Travel Journal,

    Everyman The Complete Works: Essays, Travel Journal,

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisDescribing his collection of Essays as ‘a book consubstantial with its author’, Montaigne identified both the power and the charm of a work which introduces us to one of the most attractive figures in European literature. A humanist, a sceptic, an acute observer of himself and others, he reflects the great themes of existence through the prism of his own self-consciousness. Apparent in every line he wrote, his virtues of tolerance, moderation and disinterested inquiry amount to an undeclared manifesto for the Enlightenment, whose prophet he is. This complete edition of his works supplements the Essays with travel diaries and letters, thereby completing the portrait of a true Renaissance man.

    7 in stock

    £24.75

  • Margaret de Flahaut (1788-1867): A Scotswoman at

    John Adamson Publishing Consultants Margaret de Flahaut (1788-1867): A Scotswoman at

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhereas the life of her husband, the dashing Napoleonic general and diplomat Charles de Flahaut, is well known, Margaret has remained in the shadows. Yet this biographical study, based on unpublished and intimate correspondence in the Archives Nationales, Paris, reveals her to have been the more interesting of the two. It shows how much he depended on her brains, political judgment and artistic taste as well as her fortune to guide him in his career. More than that, their letters to each other also confirm that she made a success of her controversial marriage and that the bond between them was strengthened through all the vicissitudes of their life together. A faithful and sincere friend, she could be an implacable enemy: Talleyrand's companion, the duchesse de Dino, whom she dubbed `that horrid little serpent', and the Duke of Wellington, `that bully', were favourite targets. Her lively, observant but wicked pen takes us with her on visits to Talleyrand at Valencay, to the marquis de Lafayette, to the duchesse de Praslin at Vaux-le-Vicomte, to house parties in stately homes of England and Scotland - Arundel, Woburn, Bowood, Chatsworth, Grimsthorpe and Drummond Castle. Acknowledged a superb hostess, her descriptions of the menus, and entertainments organized in her homes in Scotland, London, and Paris and at the Flahaut embassies in Vienna and in London capture the flavour of those cosmopolitan gatherings. Her guests were also drawn to the display of her fine French furniture and collection of works of art, acquired during her years in Paris which set a new fashion in decoration. Interesting, too, are her accounts of sightseeing in Rome before the city of the Grand Tour changed into the capital of united Italy. The enjoyable social life in the continental watering places is also described, for Margaret believed in the curative effects of spas. A lifelong liberal in politics and an upholder of Whig principles, her politicomanie inspires sharp comments on the opponents of Reform in England and on the self-seeking ministers of Louis-Philippe in France. Unusually, for a British woman, the daughter of Admiral Keith, an inveterate enemy of the French, she shared her husband's admiration for Napoleon and joined with him in supporting Napoleon III. Born before her time she could have made a name for herself in today's world as a professional artist or politician in her own right. As it was, she used her talents to become an expert in the art of living the life so amusingly and vividly evoked in letters to her husband, her children and her close friends. These relationships, which are the heart of the book, are presented to the reader by an English woman historian, herself a Francophile.Trade Review'Diana Scarisbrick tells Margaret’s story expertly and elegantly in this sumptuously produced and illustrated book. She evokes a fascinating world peopled by a cast of striking individuals—including one of the most terrifying mothers-in-law in history, the marquise de Souza.’ The Art Newspaper; 'An . . . extraordinary story . . .' The Victorian; 'Much new information on Princess Charlotte (from whom she received 575 letters), the Duc d'Orleans, son of Louis Philippe, and Napoleon III, and their households, as well as on her husband, Napoleon's favourite ADC, Charles de Flahaut.' The Society for Court StudiesTable of Contents1) The Admiral's Ambitious Daughter; 2) Friendship with Princess Charlotte; 3) Margaret's Man Friends and Suitors; 4) Charles de Flahaut before his Marriage; 5) Charles in England: November 1815-December 1816; 6) A Mutual Attraction; 7) Weathering the Storm; 8) Early Married Life in Scotland; 9) Country Life in Scotland: Meikleour and Tulliallan; 10) The Great World: Paris I; 11) Home and Garden: Paris II; 12) The Orleans Monarchy: Paris III; 13) Margaret and Talleyrand; 14) Margaret's Friendships; 15) Margaret's Travels; 16) Margaret's Cult of Napoleon; 17) The Vienna Embassy I, 1841-8; 18) The Vienna Embassy II; 19) London, 1848-64; 20) Tulliallan and the London Embassy, 1848-64; 21) The Final Phase: Paris I; 22) The Final Phase: Paris II; Epilogue

    1 in stock

    £27.00

  • On the Other Side: Letters to My Children from

    Persephone Books Ltd On the Other Side: Letters to My Children from

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £16.00

  • This Is Me: A Mindful, Autobiographical Journal

    FROM YOU TO ME This Is Me: A Mindful, Autobiographical Journal

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis Is Me is a colourful journal for exploring the uniqueness that makes you who you are. Featuring original artwork, it consists of 9 sections with fun questions and activities dedicated just to you, allowing you to connect with your emotions on a wonderful journey of exploration and discovery: 1. Who I Am 2. Friends & Family 3. Education & Work 4. Sections of Four 5. Fashion, Films & Fixtures 6. Books, Art & Music 7. Food & Parties 8. Home & Away 9. Lists of Seven A wonderful gift for friends, family or as a treat to yourself, This Is Me gives you space for the self-care and `me’ time we all deserve. Designed for you to dip in and out of in any order and at your own pace, This Is Me provides the opportunity to put down digital devices, switch off the TV, pick up a pen and snuggle under the covers of this fabulous journal. This Is Me is one of three hand-painted journals in the Mindful Collection. Discover Forward Thinking: A Wellbeing, Happiness & Fulfilment Journal and Wonderful Days: A Mindful, Daily Positivity Journal.

    2 in stock

    £15.66

  • The Milk Lady at New Park Farm: The Wartime Diary

    RMC Media The Milk Lady at New Park Farm: The Wartime Diary

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisAnne McEntegart wanted to support the War Effort. Her Royal Air Force officer husband was working abroad and her only child was in Canada, evacuated for safety. Aged thirty-eight, Anne left London, and her life as the wife of an officer, to work on the land and deliver milk for Walter Gossling at New Park Farm, just outside the village of Brockenhurst, in the New Forest. Though not an official member of the Women's Land Army, Anne milked cows and stacked corn alongisde the land girls on the farm. Engagingly detailing the brim-full days of farm life during the build-up to the D-Day and after, this book celebrates the people and places - not to mention a wayward pony - which made up the wartime Brockenhurst community. The Milk Lady at New Park Farm is a World War Two diary of farmwork, friendship and fulfilment among the ponies and corn sheaves of the New Forest.Trade ReviewAnne's diary gives a tantalising sketch of a happy outgoing person who documented her incredibly hard physical work with a saint-like lightness of touch... Her artisitic nature is revealed in her desciptions of nature... What a vanished world to record. Though still recent in historical terms, it represents a bygone age, and Anne's diary is a treasure as it tells it just as it was. The NFU's British Farmer & Grower (South-East) February 2012 Reading the book The Milk Lady at New Park Farm is like discovering some long forgotten memories of life during the Second World War. Even if you are too young to have those memories in the first place, you are vivdly transported, through the reading of this honest account of British rural life against the backdrop of war. The Art Observer, December 2011 It reaches a wider audience: those who are interested in the land girls and in the Second World War; those who are interested in farming; animal lovers; and those who simply enjoy a feel good story. The Cumberland & Westmorland Herald, October 2011

    2 in stock

    £9.49

  • 1989 the Berlin Wall: My Part in Its Downfall

    Quercus Publishing 1989 the Berlin Wall: My Part in Its Downfall

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisFollow Peter Millar on a journey in the heart of Cold War Europe, from the carousing bars of 1970s Fleet Street to the East Berlin corner pub with its eclectic cast of characters who embodied the reality of living on the wrong side of the wall.

    2 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Correspondence

    Vintage Publishing The Correspondence

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis'What a nutjob!' - Geoff Dyer'Questions that occurred to me as I read this brilliant, baffling book: What the hell is this? Who the hell is this? Is this poetry?' - Tom BissellCan civilization save us from ourselves? That is the question J. D. Daniels asks in his first book, a series of six letters written during dark nights of the soul. Working from his own highly varied experience – as a janitor, night watchman, adjunct professor, drunk, exterminator, dutiful son –he considers how far books and learning and psychoanalysis can get us, and how much we’re stuck in the mud.In prose wound as tight as a copper spring, Daniels takes us from the highways of his native Kentucky to the Balearic Islands and from the Pampas of Brazil to the rarefied precincts of Cambridge, Massachusetts. His travelling companions include psychotic kindergarten teachers, Israeli sailors, and Southern Baptists on fire for Christ. In each dispatch, Daniels takes risks – not just literary (voice, tone, form) but also more immediate, such as spending two years on a Brazilian jiu-jitsu team (he gets beaten to a pulp, repeatedly) or participating in group psychoanalysis (where he goes temporarily insane). Daniels is that rare thing, a writer completely in earnest whose wit never deserts him, even in extremis. Inventive, intimate, restless, streetwise and erudite, The Correspondence introduces a brave and original observer of the inner life under pressure.Trade ReviewTightly written, often brilliant… Alive with deft asides and daring intuitive leaps. Daniels is a very good writer, and [this is] a very good book… The self is the well from which all these essays are drawn; or perhaps it’s the sewer into which all these essays drain… A complete work about a work-in-progress, the self-portrait of a writer slowly coming into his own. -- J Robert Lennon * Guardian *What a nutjob! Increasingly these three words constitute my highest praise for – almost my ideal of – a writer, and in this regard J. D. Daniels takes the biscuit. I love the way he throws out everything, both in the sense of throwing it all at us, and the opposite: discarding everything that might be deemed necessary to the seemly construction of narrative. So The Correspondence gives us the best of both worlds. -- Geoff DyerThe Correspondence gives off the unmistakable crackle of an original writer who has found a new form. It's hard to say who or what is meant to be on the receiving end of these “letters”, but if you care about modern life you need to read them. -- John Jeremiah Sullivan, author of PULPHEADThe Correspondence is one of the best things I’ve read in a long time, a whole new music that changes the score of masculinity, and a new kind of writing too, one that pushes form and sentence into radical, contemporary shapes. The word ‘honesty’ has become something of an irritant in contemporary literary culture: J. D. Daniels does something more moral than be simply honest. He invokes the grandeur and abasement of experience with a tactility of language that makes a psychological landscape of it, rather as the ancient Greeks did, and his notions of justice and truth are as richly textured as theirs. I have lent this slim, meaningful book to one person after another, and received the confirmation that it has changed their view of the world with its economy, its potency, its different fall of light. -- Rachel Cusk, author of TRANSITDaniels sees what others don't, feels what others won't, and writes what others can't. He is a blazing virtuoso of the English sentence, an oracle with a vulnerable and willing heart, and he has produced a shockingly perfect book. -- Sarah Manguso, author of ONGOINGNESSQuestions that occurred to me as I read this brilliant, baffling book: What the hell is this? Who the hell is this? Is this poetry? How can that sentence be so good? Can I steal that later? In 130 pages, Daniels shows you just about everything great prose can do. Books like this are why I read. -- Tom Bissell, author of APOSTLEJ.D. Daniels's The Correspondence is an epic in fragments: masterly, comic, wise, daring. It is a book for everyone, from Kentucky to Cambridge to Kathmandu, though as a reader you may feel that Daniels is trafficking in secrets, meant for you alone. It is occult. It is so strong, it will melt the books on the shelves around it. This is a book that will become a legend, introducing one of the very best writers in the country. If I could thrust it into every true reader's hands, I would. -- Mark Greif, author of THE AGE OF THE CRISIS OF MANThrough the speed and shocking cuts of his prose, Daniels shows us what it is to be a writer now. Each of these six letters is a modern expression of Baudelaire's tortured prayer: “O Lord God grant me the grace to produce a few good verses, which shall prove to myself that I am not the lowest of men, that I am not inferior to those whom I despise.” -- Michael Clune, author of GAMELIFEJ.D. Daniels is a scourge to an America drunk on fraudulent images of masculinity and to a literary scene enamored of dainty exhibitionism. A writer so rigorously on guard against complacency that he's likely to take any compliment paid him like a slap in the face. -- Marco Roth, author of THE SCIENTISTSMasculinity as vulnerable, smelly smackdown, personal failure as syntactic delight: in this volatile, brilliant collection, Daniels recollects in not-quite tranquility a series of synesthesiac rearrangements of the self. The riveting swerves of his sentences and of his geographic and spiritual wanderings will make you keep asking what “here” might be. These essays pay tribute to “the world… our common property”. -- Lisa Cohen, author of ALL WE KNOWDaniels’ book, a slip of a thing, is a hard one to pin down. But pin it down you should… Darker, fiercer, funnier… His is a strange, addictive voice, impossible to categorise. You won’t read another book like it. -- Miranda Collinge * Esquire *Daniels writes in a splendidly self-deprecating way while describing how martial arts took over his life (Brazilian jiu-jitsu, if you must know), about leaving the teaching profession because “I wanted to kill and eat the children who had been entrusted to my care” and of his reintroduction to his home state of Kentucky. Some would call him glib, but it’s an ironic pseudo-glibness which acknowledges pain and regret but isn’t going to let them get in the way of a good story. The Correspondence may be a tricky book to define, but what’s easier to discern from it is the emergence of a distinctive new voice worth listening to. * Herald Scotland *

    2 in stock

    £10.44

  • Northanger Abbey Gift Pack

    Chiltern Publishing Northanger Abbey Gift Pack

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis This gift pack contains both the hardcover classic novel and a matching ruled hardcover notebook in a one quarter slipcase.Bringing one of the world''s most beautiful editions of the classic novel, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, and a lined writing journal with a matching cover, in one beautifully presented gift package. Northanger Abbey By Jane Austen tells the story of a young girl, Catherine Morland who leaves her sheltered, rural home to enter the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Catherine meets Henry Tilney, a young clergyman, and his sister Eleanor, with whom she is anxious to become better acquainted. John thwarts her in this desire, and Isabella and James aide him in deceptions aimed at keeping her away from Henry and Eleanor. After Isabella and James are engaged, Isabella doubles her efforts to interest Catherine in her beloved brother. Although Catherine loves her friend dearly, she cannot extend this love to John, whom she knows in her heart to be an indolent, undesirable young man. While James is at home arranging for an allowance so that he and Isabella can be married, Henry Tilney?s brother, Captain Tilney, appears on the scene. He is as worldly as Isabella and, even more important to her, extremely wealthy. Catherine is a little disturbed by the manner in which Isabella conducts herself with Captain Tilney, but she is too loyal to her friend to suspect her of being unfaithful to James.

    2 in stock

    £22.10

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