Search results for ""James Clarke Co Ltd""

Who were Shakespeare's 'Friend' and the 'Dark Lady'? Why did Donne risk his life and ruin his career for a seventeen-year-old girl? Why did Wordsworth's sister retire to her bed on his wedding day? Writing never takes place in a vacuum and much of the finest poetry in the English language has been inspired by particular people - patrons, spouses, lovers, friends, or just casual acquaintances. Whether relegated to an obscurity they do not deserve or thrust into prominence they did not seek, their importance to the creative process is inescapable. In Where All the Ladders Start, Julian Lovelock discusses with characteristic incisiveness and enthusiasm nine major British poets and the real lives behind their most significant works. Along the way he shows how poetry has developed over the past four hundred years and provides suggestions for further reading, while for convenience all of the relevant poems and extracts are reproduced in full. Written for both the seasoned reader and the student encountering these poems for the first time, Lovelock's analysis will inspire and entertain in equal measure.

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The story of Richard Aldington, outstanding Imagist poet and author of the bestselling war novel, Death of a Hero (1929), takes place against the backdrop of some of the most turbulent and creative years of the twentieth century. Vivien Whelpton provides a remarkably detailed and sensitive portrayal of the writer from early adolescence. His life as a stalwart of the pre-war London literary scene, as a soldier, and in the difficult aftermath of the First World War is deftly rendered through a careful and detailed analysis of the novels, poems and letters of the writer himself and his close circle of acquaintance. The complexities of London's Bohemia, with its scandalous relationships, social grandstanding and incredible creative output, are masterfully untangled, and the spotlight placed firmly on the talented group of poets christened by Ezra Pound as 'Imagistes'. The author demonstrates profound psychological insight into Aldington's character and childhood in her nuanced analysis of his post-war survivor's guilt, and consideration of the three most influential women in his life: his wife, the gifted American poet, H.D.; Dorothy Yorke, the woman he left her for; and Brigit Patmore, his brilliant and fascinating older mistress.Richard Aldington: Poet, Soldier and Lover vividly reveals Aldington's warm and passionate nature and the vitality which characterised his life and works, concluding with his triumphant personal and literary resurrection with the publication of Death of a Hero.

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Since his death in 1942, St Ives has become marinated in the spirit of the naïve painter, Alfred Wallis. Naum Gabo, the Russian Constructivist, felt that Wallis's gift as an artist was that he never knew he was one. His unconventional approach and the innocence of his personal method of making art marked Alfred Wallis, even after his death, as a crucial figure in the modernist movement. The art scene in St Ives during World War II is depicted vividly in The Alfred Wallis Factor which illustrates the birth of modernism in the small fishing port in the far south-west of England. With dominant personalities like Sven Berlin, Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Adrian Stokes, Bernard Leach, Terry Frost, Peter Lanyon, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and Patrick Heron, it was inevitable that personal relationships would both form and fracture. Though causes would range from the banal to the bizarre, David Wilkinson never loses focus on the high stakes for which these characters were playing: the creation of their work, and reputations, of lasting significance. Their passion was strong and their ambition even stronger. The Alfred Wallis Factor tells the story of this extraordinary painter's long-lasting influence on - and beyond - modernism: David Wilkinson expounds the events around and following the artist's death, assessing the roles of friends and rivals in making Alfred Wallis a benchmark of modern British art. The Alfred Wallis Factor is a comprehensive examination of a troubled era, in which life met war and changed the destiny of the art world.

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This is a literary biography of Richard Aldington, founding member of the Imagist Movement, poet of the First World War, author of 'Death of a Hero' and a biography of D.H. Lawrence. Aldington's is an extraordinary human story dealing with contemporary issues, such as confrontation of sexual mores of the day and the impact of his soldier experience on his life and work. There hasn't been a recent biography of Aldington, the only one of the war poets not to have one. With the interest in the First World War increasing as we near the centenary, the time is right for this book. This biography explores the relationships of Aldington with other prominent literary figures: Ezra Pound, Herbert Read, T.S. Eliot, D.H. Lawrence, and his unsuccessful marriage with H.D. This first instalment of a hopefully two-volume biography covers Aldington's life and work up to 1929. It investigates the years 1911-1915 in which Aldington helped found Modernism and formed relationships with other Modernists, the years 1916-19 when his life fell apart after his soldier experience, the years 1920-28 when he tried to re-establish his literary career, laid the foundations of modern literary criticism, and his writing of Death of a Hero at the end of the decade, a blistering attack on all that had made the war possible. Offical Blurb: The story of Richard Aldington, outstanding Imagist poet and author of the bestselling war novel, Death of a Hero (1929), takes place against the backdrop of some of the most turbulent and creative years of the twentieth century. Vivien Whelpton provides a remarkably detailed and sensitive portrayal of the writer from early adolescence. His life as a stalwart of the pre-war London literary scene, as a soldier, and in the difficult aftermath of the First World War is deftly rendered through a careful and detailed analysis of the novels, poems and letters of the writer himself and his close circle of acquaintance. The complexities of London's Bohemia, with its scandalous relationships, social grandstanding and incredible creative output, are masterfully untangled, and the spotlight placed firmly on the talented group of poets christened by Ezra Pound as 'Imagistes'. The author demonstrates profound psychological insight into Aldington's character and childhood in her nuanced analysis of his post-war survivor's guilt, and consideration of the three most influential women in his life: his wife, the gifted American poet, H.D.; Dorothy Yorke, the woman he left her for; and Brigit Patmore, his brilliant and fascinating older mistress.Richard Aldington: Poet, Soldier and Lover vividly reveals Aldington's warm and passionate nature and the vitality which characterised his life and works, concluding with his triumphant personal and literary resurrection with the publication of Death of a Hero.

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First written in 1675 by Miguel de Molinos, The Spiritual Guide still carries advice and information relevant to the art of interior prayer today. In the seventeenth century it provoked sensational reactions, both of approval and controversy. This is the present-day reader's chance to discover a text, whose promotion of an 'interior way to contemplation and the rich treasure of inner peace' induced the praise of notable clerics within Europe, and simultaneously the Inquisition's condemnation. What makes Molinos' teaching so unusual is his appeal to the ordinary layperson and not simply to those in the cloister. A very readable work of traditional mystical teaching, the book distinguishes between the 'exterior' method of worship taught by the church and the 'interior' method Molinos advocates. Molinos writes not only for those at the beginning of their journey towards mystical prayer, but also for those in the higher reaches of contemplation. Trevor Boiling's sympathetic and accurate translation includes an incisive introduction, which provides a historical background to the text, whose ideas brought Molinos inner peace, but also to his own death. 'You must realise that your soul is the centre, dwelling place and kingdom of God. But for that mighty king to rest on this throne of your soul, you must endeavour to keep it unblemished, quiet, empty and calm.' Extract from First Book, The Spiritual Guide.

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2004 marked the 400th anniversary of the decision, taken in January 1604 at the Hampton Court Conference, to produce a new Bible, the King James. However, the history of the English Bible is not widely known. Let It Go among Our People is the story of the birth of the English Bible, the development of its literary style, and its tumultuous political history. In England, unlike almost every other country, it was illegal to translate the word of God into the vernacular. This ban lasted one hundred and twenty-seven years. Overcoming the political and ecclesiastical resistance to an English Bible was a dangerous and difficult task. Lives were lost not only for producing English Bibles, but also for the act of owning or reading them. The authors also analyse the language used in the Bible, viewing the whole as literature whilst studying its translation, and comparing important passages in different versions. Such close study of the text itself is warranted because the English Bible has had a profound effect on English language, literature, politics and ideas and has left a lasting impression on the language we speak today. No other language, save perhaps German, can boast that its vernacular translation of the Bible is a literary masterpiece in its own right. This in-depth and fascinating study is finely illustrated from manuscript, incunabula and other early books to help to trace the development of this religious, literary and historical masterpiece.

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Edward Jerman, a metropolitan master-craftsman, was the designer of some of the most prestigious secular buildings in the City of London following the Great Fire of 1666. Considered 'the City's most able known artist' by the Mercers' Company, in 1667 Edward Jerman was invited by a committee composed of the Corporation of the City and the Mercers' Company to make designs for the new Royal Exchange. The halls of the 'Twelve Great Companies' had also been destroyed by the Fire, along with thirty-five halls of the Livery Companies. Having designed four of the new livery buildings, Jerman was now commissioned to design four more for the prestigious Twelve. These companies were the wealthiest and most superior, whose members included the most eminent citizens. Thus Edward Jerman was chosen as architect by many of the rulers of the City, an august body of men of authority and privilege who controlled its affairs both politically and commercially. Together with Sir Christopher Wren, whose City work was mainly confined to ecclesiastical architecture, Jerman was responsible for the most important City buildings of the post-Fire period. This book celebrates that contribution. Jerman's major designs - the Royal Exchange, eight Livery Company halls and St Paul's School - received acclaim from contemporary critics. His town planning for the Goldsmiths' Company was innovative and his designs for the Lord Mayor's pageants exemplified his versatility and ingenuity. His palette was wide and the City of London in the third quarter of the seventeenth century proved fertile ground wherein Jerman's artistic talent could take root and flourish.

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The British have often denied the very existence of a tradition of English literary theory. George Watson redeems that denial in his latest book, the first study of 20th Century English theory. The book begins with Yeats, Pound and Eliot, who made England their home. In subsequent chapters, based on personal recollection as well as published sources, it assesses the contribution of I.A. Richards, William Empson, F.R. Leavis, C.S. Lewis, Isaiah Berlin and Wittgenstein, as well as Marxists like E.P. Thompson and Raymond Williams. English literary theory is a tradition that has suffered in reputation, paradoxically, by the sheer fertility of its invention. In this seminal work the author celebrates that fertility from the First World War down to the death of Iris Murdoch in 1999, showing that England pioneered the academic study of theories of literature years in advance of France or the USA.

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During the period after the Second World War, in which English Protestant non-conformity declined rapidly, a handful of exceptional names stand out, and one of the most remarkable was that of the Methodist minister Leslie Dixon Weatherhead. Both through his ministry at the City Temple, in the heart of London, and more generally through the massive sales of his books, Dr Weatherhead became a dominant figure, with an influence far beyond the British Isles. That the City Temple, a Congregationalist church, was widely seen at the time as the greatest English Free Church pulpit, ensured him a wide audience, while the quality of his preaching, combining emotional and intellectual power, wit and eloquence, won him admirers among all the churches, and led to offers from a number of American and Canadian universities and congregations, as well as numerous honorary degrees from British and American universities. Despite his Congregationalist call, he remained a Methodist minister, and indeed became President of the Methodist Conference. Perhaps even more important was that he was one of the earliest to recognise the value of the applications for the clergy of the insights of Freud and Jung. His seventy-odd publications, of which The Christian Agnostic and Psychology, Religion and Healing were the most influential, bring out not only the theological liberalism that made him suspect in some circles, but also his understanding of the value of healing and of psychological insights. The result was that his lay theology had a vast following. Although three other books have appeared about Weatherhead since his death, John Travell's explores all aspects of his life and portrays his historical, religious and theological context in greater depth.

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Providing information about aviation for children, this is an illustrated adventure of a little aeroplane determined to prove his worth. Persevere is a lonely little biplane. He used to carry passengers, but now they all travel on the bigger planes. Most of the jets look down on it, but his friend Claude, a big airliner, tries to cheer him up.

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Maskwork is a new way of looking at the art of masks and mask-making: a unique combination of ethnography, design and practical advice. Jenny Foremanís book for teachers and practitioners of drama, art, design and technology grew out of a research bursary from the UK's National Society for Education in Art and Design. They received her report with great enthusiasm as 'one of the very best projects ... likely to make a valuable and useful contribution' to both specific and cross-discipline school and college courses as well as to adult performing groups. The first part explains the anthropology, nature, use and meaning of masks around the world, from prehistory to modern times. Richly illustrated with colour and black-and-white photographs, this section introduces the ethical implications of free use of masks which have ethnographical connections - an important aspect completely neglected elsewhere. The second part comprises eight theme workshops, including theory, background and instructions for mask-making, supplemented by photographs of assembly and use by groups of people from all age-ranges. Materials are inexpensive and easy to acquire, while line drawings aid step-by-step construction. A bibliography and reference section helps readers go on to even greater understanding and achievements.

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From the I Am a Little...series - a series of delightful books each concentrating on a different animal. The beautiful illustrations make these titles particularly appealing, with just enough detail to draw adults and children alike into the animal's world. In this story, emphasis is placed on unity and the family, as children follow a day in the life of a young farm pony. These books are perfect for children who have just learnt to read, as most of the words are monosyllabic and repeated, to aid memory retention, whilst those which are longer are phonetic, which expands both vocabulary and knowledge. The format of these books is ideal for children wanting to read and establish independence from their parents, as they are small in size, perfect for small hands, and are presented like an adult publication, which boosts confidence in those engaging on independent reading.

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From the I Am a Little... series - a series of delightful books each concentrating on a different animal. The beautiful illustrations make these titles particularly appealing, with just enough detail to draw adults and children alike into the animal's world. This story follows the escapades of frolicsome puppy as he scampers around the farm, ignoring the commands of his young master. It emphasises the importance of responsibility for a pet that children must learn, whilst also demonstrating the power of friendship. These books are perfect for children who have just learnt to read, as most of the words are monosyllabic and repeated, to aid memory retention, whilst those which are longer are phonetic, which expands both vocabulary and knowledge. The format of these books is ideal for children wanting to read and establish independence from their parents, as they are small in size, perfect for small hands, and are presented like an adult publication, which boosts confidence in those engaging on independent reading.

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This beautiful book describes and illustrates birds throughout the world which are threatened with depletion in numbers, or even with extinction. In doing so it not only provides the first comprehensive coloured guide to such species, as a reference for all those who are concerned about the diminishing variety of animals in the world, but it also acts as a handbook for officials who are charged with controlling the trade in such creatures under the aegis of CITES. CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, was founded in 1973 and signed by 21 states. There are now more than 120 member states. The Convention list all threatened endangered species and regulates their import and export. The enforcement of the rules has been hampered by the lack of an accurate colour guide and this is the first book to provide a means to positively identify the species at risk. It includes: beautiful and detailed watercolour illustrations; concise descriptions of each species; 406 species described and illustrated in colour; Quick Guide to Bird Families of the World; glossary of technical terms translated into French, German and Spanish; world map with key to identify countries/regions of distribution; CITES appendices describing the protected status allocated to species; Index of Latin names; an indispensable reference for all controlling authorities, such as bird conservationists, customs officers, taxidermists, aviculturalists and scientific advisers. The life and artistry of the illustrations will bring pleasure to many bird lovers the world over, too. It is a book which will be treasured for years to come for its usefulness and for its beauty. Includes a Foreword by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. This book was sponsored by AAGE V. JENSEN Charity Foundation, Denmark.

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From the Gateway Books series - interesting stories for the slightly older child, with some adventure and each with a Christian theme. Bronia tells lies, particularly when she is feeling sorry for herself.

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Presents a short, straightforward account of the life of Samuel Adjai Crowther, the former slave who became the first black Anglican bishop. This title is for ages 9-13.

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That was the most frequently repeated phrase when listeners to Radio 2 wrote to the BBC asking for a copy of the script of Frank Topping's morning meditations on Pause for Thought. What made me decide to broadcast them regularly

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Frank Topping says "I have no pretensions about being any kind of spiritual authority. I simply hope that my own experience may be of some help to those struggling along the same path." But judging by the popularity of his broadcasts and books, what he has to say will help many people in their search for a closer relationship with God through prayer."It seemed as if this had been written specially for me," That was the most frequently repeated phrase when listeners to Radio 2 wrote to the BBC asking for a copy of the script of Frank Topping's morning meditations on Pause for Thought. "What made me decide to broadcast them regularly," says Frank, "was the huge response from listeners - literally thousands."In the Frank Topping series, the Lutterworth Press has published many of his most popular radio meditations. These collections of thoughts and prayers remain a pleasure to use and also a handy reference for those who want to find their favourite meditation."

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Telling the story of Samuel, this book is part of a series of Old Testament stories for children.

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From the Hansom cab to the brewer's dray, these twenty-seven sketches provide a delightful portrait of Victorian life and transport.

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A fascinating and increasingly popular field for the collector is to be found in playing cards. Their history in Europe dates back 600 years, when it seems they had their origin in Italy. Such was their appeal then they quickly spread and were manufactured throughout much of Europe, including Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Russia and Great Britain. The story of their arrival in America is particularly interesting as they came firstly via the Spanish sailors and later via the colonies of France and England. One of the principal points brought out in the author's account is the great diversity found in playing cards. They reflect the traditions of many countries and vary greatly in style, size, numbers, shape, artistry, colour and usage. In addition to the standard packs used for gaming, there are a host of non-standard packs which usually have a secondary purpose such as to educate or to publish political or religious propaganda. The chapter on tarot cards is of special interest. The origin of these cards is obscure and because of their hidden meanings they are sometimes referred to as the 'magical tarot' cards. Thematic ideas for a collection are discussed as well as the preservation and presentation of packs. The author additionally gives valuable hints about where to obtain packs, collector's societies to join and the various printing techniques used for playing cards. There is also an extensive bibliography, and over 290 playing cards are illustrated, including 123 in full colour. Colourful and pictorial, playing cards present a kaleidoscope of artistry and a study of history in minuscule. In this one volume, the enthusiastic collector will find all the information they need to know.

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That was the most frequently repeated phrase when listeners to Radio 2 wrote to the BBC asking for a copy of the script of Frank Topping's morning meditations on Pause for Thought. What made me decide to broadcast them regularly

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Both true and false notions of connection exist in society and in the human imagination. In this work, economic and ecological claims of supposed connectedness are compared on a profound level. Starting with an historical analysis of the ethical and economic thought of Aristotle and Adam Smith, the two main representatives of the first and second waves of Enlightenment, this discussion clarifies the value of the term 'deep economy'. Concern about current ecological problems often confronts us with the history, theories, and experiences of natural and spiritual connectedness. This book adds an indispensable factor. It urges us to take into serious account the actual state of economic affairs. Discussion of the clash between ecology and economy has long been avoided, due to the paralysis it threatens. Dr. Van Hoogstraten, however, searched for a paramount view, and found it in religion. In his in-depth discussion of the character of both ecology and economy, the hidden religious pretensions of both fields are uncovered. A merely moral approach to the economy's devastating effects is deemed ineffective: the author offers readers a perspective beyond good and evil. The adoption of this Nietzschean approach he calls 'facing the fate'. Exposing unexplored, forgotten treasures in Jewish wisdom, "Deep Economy" lays out a possible way to proceed towards a new connectedness. He confronts us with the necessity of rethinking conceptions of life and death, sex and birth, wealth and work. He convincingly questions and explores hidden places, both in society as a whole and in human imagination, where basic decisions concerning living together are made. Unlike established economic thought, "Deep Economy" leads us through global economy's aspects of exclusion and enrichment, of curse and blessing, to the author's unique world-view presented in this book. Call it a provoking textbook for class discussion, a talking piece for politicians and political scientists, a philosophical work for economists, an interpretative study for theologians and philosophers to work with - or call it "Deep Economy".

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'Spin' seems to be everywhere in politics nowadays, and is often spoken of as if it were entirely new. This book gives the lie to that claim, showing how the art of the spin-doctor was widely practised over three hundred years ago. The term 'art' is used here in the sense of artistic imagery as well as of the skill of the spinner in manipulating opinion. Langley discusses the work of authors such as Edmund Waller and painters like Antonio Verrio to illuminate the changing ideologies of the late Stuart era and the way in which ideas about sovereignty were expressed by artists. Image Government traces some of the cranks and windings, ebbings and flowings that lead from Charles I's downfall to Queen Anne's coronation, as they are registered in printed literature and visual art. The poetry of Marvell and Dryden, multifarious political writings by greater and lesser figures, and the works of significant divines like the Whiggish Burnet, and Hickes, doyen of the non-jurers, are all used to show how the expression of ideas changed in the second half of the seventeenth century. While his awareness of the contributions of modern scholarship is everywhere apparent, the author shows a magisterial grasp of often under-exploited primary sources. This book will be a valuable addition to the libraries of all students and scholars of later seventeenth-century literature, history and art in bringing to light aspects of sovereignty and the underlying principles of political cohesion in the period which have hitherto been little understood.

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One of the most significant works of poetics of the Renaissance, covering the historical development of poetry, the theoretical basis of poetics, and the practicalities of reading and writing poetry.

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A series of essays tracing the ideas and history which lie behind the great Zodiac of Glastonbury. The Enchantments of Britain is the result of decades of work on the ancient writings of the world's religions, comparisons of the various versions of the Arthurian legends, and examination of the work of other historians, which brought together form the strands of a complex and fascinating story, the story of King Arthur's Round Table of the Stars.

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The Titles of Jesus in Christology was recognised as a major contribution to Christological study when it was first published in German in 1963. Its translation into English a few years later cemented this status. Hahn undertakes a massive and detailed examination of the various traditions that led to the use of names for Jesus that we now recognise as characteristic of the very early Church. Moreover, he carefully distinguishes between the different Christological conceptions present in these differing branches of primitive Christianity, and embodied in the terms they produced. His analysis and categories have been followed by many later scholars, who built on his detailed study of the peculiarities of the different titles given to Jesus by the different communities that followed him.

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In Sustainable History and Human Dignity, Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan shows that it is the human quest for sustainable governance, balancing the ever-present tension between nine human dignity needs and three human nature attributes (emotionality, amorality & egoism), that has and will most profoundly shape the course of history. Beginning with an 'Ocean Model' of a single collective human civilisation, Al-Rodhan constructs a common human story comprised of multiple geo-cultural domains and sub-cultures with a history of mutual borrowing and synergies. If humanity as a whole is to flourish, all of these diverse geo-cultural domains must succeed. Only thus can lasting peace and prosperity be achieved for all, especially in the face of 'Civilisational Frontier Risks' and highly disruptive technologies in the twenty-first century.

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As the Internet Age endures and expands, Peter K. Fallon peers into the Pandora''s Box of our age. A twenty-first century update to Jacques Ellul''s masterful sociological study Propaganda, Propaganda 2.1 explores how the ''digital revolution'' has transformed the boundaries between individuals, institutions, and centres of power. Coupling historical analysis with a wealth of current examples, Fallon exposes the intricate and insidious ways propaganda alters our daily realities.Propaganda 2.1 is divided into three sections: propaganda 1.0, 2.0, and 2.1. Propaganda 1.0 compares the popular conception of propaganda with persuasive techniques such as rhetoric and coercion; 2.0 reveals how the development of moveable-type printing built the foundations of modern propaganda; and, finally, 2.1 inhabits the ''post-truth'' world in its totality. Whilst the media landscape continually shifts, Propaganda 2.1''s analysis is an opportunity to tackle this new reality.

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Roger Schutz-Marsauche, known around the world as Brother Roger, is one of the most influential figures in Christianity in the twentieth century. He was founder and first prior of the Taizé Community in France, where tens of thousands of young Christians flock each year for its distinctive music and contemplative style of worship, spending time in prayer and reflection. Yet it is the community of monastic brothers, from differing Christian traditions and over twenty-five different countries, who make this contemplative experience possible. These brothers stand as a ''parable of community'' and as a sign of unity in the midst of a divided world and a divided Christianity. The second volume of Brother Roger''s Journals covers the years 1960-1972, focussing on the birth and initial preparation of a ''Council of Youth'', a project catalysed by the crisis in the Roman Catholic Church in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. Brother Roger also details the ongoing life of the community, the

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Franz Liszt is well known for his early years as ''super-star'' pianist who excited audiences throughout Europe, but his later life is also of great interest. In his final 25 years he sought to achieve his life''s aims of promoting new forms of music and giving stronger witness to his Christian faith, while continuing to support his stalwart life partner Princess Carolyne. However, he was to face unexpected problems in the continued negative reception of his music and recrimination in his closest relationship.Drawing on detailed analysis of Liszt''s correspondence from his fiftieth year onwards, Peter G. Coleman approaches his later life as a case study of an older person grappling with a succession of often disturbing life experiences. These included the deaths of two of his children, political upheaval and war within Europe, and a growing realisation of his own past failings. Liszt suffered frequent bouts of depression but never ceased composing music nor steadfastly heeding Christ''

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The Middle Ages, in our cultural imagination, are besieged with ideas of wars, tournaments, plagues, saints and kings, knights, lords and ladies. In his era-defining work, Inventing the Middle Ages, Norman Cantor shows that these presuppositions are in fact constructs of the twentieth century. Through close study of the lives and works of twenty of the twentieth century's most prominent medievalists, Cantor examines how the genesis of this fantasy arose in the scholars' spiritual and emotional outlooks, which influenced their portrayals of the Middle Ages. In the course of this vigorous scrutiny of their scholarship, he navigates the strong personalities and creative minds involved with deft skill. Written with both students and the general public in mind, Inventing the Middle Ages provided an alternative framework for the teaching of the humanities. Revealing the interconnection between medieval civilisation, the culture of the twentieth century and our own assumptions, Cantor provides a unique standpoint both forwards and backwards. As lively and engaging today as when it was first published in 1991, his analysis offers readers the core essentials of the subject in an entertaining and humorous fashion.

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'In the black out visit a bright inn.' So read stickers on the windows of Watney's pubs all over London. In Brewing for Victory, Brian Glover shows in lively detail how beer and pub culture aided Britain's community spirit during the Second World War. From 'Guinness for Strength!' adverts to women shifting casks and packing coppers with hops, the effect the war had on brewing in England, and the effect brewing had on the war effort, is explored from every angle. Beginning at home in Britain and London, Glover tracks the course of tuns all the way out to the front line in the army, air force and navy. 'Brewing under the jackboot' is also considered, with a chapter on breweries in British territory that had been captured by the Nazis, such as Guernsey. With over 70 illustrations showing war era adverts and bombed out boroughs with their pubs still standing, Brewing for Victory is a remarkable demonstration of the Blitz Spirit in action as the public, pubs and brewers worked together to maintain national social structures in the face of adversity.

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Silas Burroughs arrived in London from America in 1878 and proved himself an exceptional entrepreneur, taking the pharmaceutical business by storm. He was the brains and energy behind Burroughs Wellcome & Co. With his business partner Henry Wellcome he created an internationally successful firm, the legacy of which can be found in the charity the Wellcome Trust, yet few now remember him and the impact he made in his short lifetime. A consummate salesman, Burroughs was also an astute businessman, with new ideas for marketing, advertising and manufacturing: his writings describe sales trips around the world and the people he met. He was also a visionary employer who supported the eight-hour working day, profit-sharing, and numerous social and radical political movements, including the single tax movement, free travel, Irish Home Rule and world peace. In this first biography of Burroughs, Julia Sheppard explores his American origins, his religion and marriage, and his philanthropic work, as well as re-evaluating the dramatic deterioration of his relationship with his partner Wellcome.

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Given the increasing number of old people, the proliferation of books about old age is hardly surprising. Most of these come from cultural historians or social scientists and, when those with a literary background have tackled the subject, they have largely done so through what are known as period studies. In Blasted with Antiquity, David Ellis provides an alternative. Skipping nimbly from Cicero to Shakespeare, and from Wordsworth to Dickens and beyond, he discusses various aspects of old age with the help of writers across European history who have usually been regarded as worth listening to. Eschewing extended literary analyses, Ellis addresses retirement, physical decay, sex in old age, the importance of family, legacy, wills and nostalgia, as well of course as dying itself. While remaining alert to current trends, his approach is consciously that of the old way of teaching English rather than the new. Whether 'blasted with antiquity' like Falstaff in Henry IV Part Two, or with the 'shining morning face' of an unwilling student, his accessible and witty style will appeal to young and old alike.

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Kairos is used in the New Testament to signify a pivotal moment in history: a critical time of judgement and opportunity where chaos must be faced and one must change their ways before it becomes irreparable. Confronted by the Covid-19 pandemic and mandatory isolation, John de Gruchy felt a similar need to adapt and respond. In doing so, he found a deepening in his desire for authentic humanity, genuine community, and the opportunity affirm his conviction that true humanity is rooted in God, wisdom, and the struggle for justice. Mixing theology, history, anecdote, spirituality, social commentary, and practical suggestions, This Monastic Moment reflects on this period, and argues that now is the opportune time to embrace the opportunity God has given to receive the coming kingdom in greater fullness. This urgency echoes St Benedict of Nursia's call to 'listen', 'wake up', and 'run' while there is still light before 'the darkness of death'. With consideration given both to contemplation and action, to prayer and justice, de Gruchy's own personal pilgrimage provides the tools to embark upon, or aid, your own.

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Combining the poignant appeal of a love story cut short with the theme of personal growth and the spiritual search for meaning, this book will help to give comfort to those who have shared the pain of bereavement. It shows them that they are not alone, and that the cycle of grieving is normal and that life does get better. Presented as a verse journal, Can I Let You Go, My Love? is more than an outpouring of one womanís experience of bereavement and life beyond grief. It is also a way of letting other people know what the bereaved are going through and so broadening understanding. The verses are full of lifeís lessons and the thoughts and feelings expressed are powerful, profound and heart-rending. It is a book that not only can be used by counsellors and their clients (the manuscript has already been adopted as a therapeutic aid by counsellors) but is just the gift to give to a friend who has lost a loved one or who is going through a crisis in life. Can I Let You Go, My Love? was cited as an Outstanding Contender for the CRUSE Excellence in Communication Award 1997.

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A collection of funny, crazy, ironic, sometimes, zany views of the conventions of Christmas, involving Father Christmas, various angels, kings and shepherds, Botticelli, the Devil, a couple living 2000 years ago and constant appearances of the author/artist himself. Presented for your delight by a master of the art of delicate humour.

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A compelling biographical study of a leading twentieth-century British artist, 'Graham Sutherland: Life, Work and Ideas' offers new insight into how he and his paintings developed. In the culmination of her life's work, Rosalind Thuillier builds on the reflections and recollections of a friendship spanning decades to craft a comprehensive study of Sutherland's life and works, interweaving his perceptive responses to his own art, taken from personal notes and correspondence, with critical reviews and collectors' musings to give an authentic picture of the man whose work divided critics. Drawing on Sutherland's personal archive, the book includes an expansive collection of images that provide a fresh view of the artist. Studies by Sutherland, along with preparatory works for what would become renowned paintings, are published for the first time. Graham Sutherland's distinctive style and the emotions that shaped the paintings are here vividly explored. Thuillier describes not only the inspiration he found in the windswept Pembrokeshire countryside, but also his time as an official war artist, and his friendships inside and outside the art world. She expertly details the process behind the creation of works such as the controversial portrait of Churchill (1954), subsequently destroyed, and his most famous work, the huge 'Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph' tapestry (1962) in Coventry Cathedral. 'Graham Sutherland: Life, Work and Ideas' is not merely a biography, but a journey behind the scenes of the artist's career, exploring the paintings, relationships and influences that formed his vision as an artist and his undeniable contribution to art.

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Espying Heaven presents the first full-scale and full-colour survey of the achievement of Charles Eamer Kempe (1837-1907), the outstanding stained-glass designer of his era, and his Studio. From the start, Kempe gathered around him a close-knit team of artists and craftsmen who together developed his vision of a distinctive aesthetic setting for worship based on late medieval art, especially the stained glass of northern Europe. Espying Heaven illustrates the evolution of the 'Kempe style' and allows readers to judge for themselves the extent to which the later firm of C.E. Kempe & Co. (1907- 1934), set up by Kempe himself, succeeded in working within the tradition established by his founding artists. This book is meant to be a companion to Adrian Barlow's biographical study, Kempe: the Life, Art and Legacy of Charles Eamer Kempe (2018). In its own right, Espying Heaven both documents and celebrates a style of church art and decoration that has had a defining influence upon the Anglican Church worldwide. It highlights key features of Kempe glass, exploring questions of representation, symbolism and technique and suggesting new ways of 'reading' a Kempe window.

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Higgs Force tells the story of how physicists have unlocked the secrets of matter and the forces of nature to produce dramatic modern understandings of the cosmos. For centuries researchers have followed this quest and now there is just one component of the modern synthesis of particle physics whose existence is yet to be confirmed in the laboratory - the Higgs particle. It explains how a universe built on simple symmetrical principles engenders life and exhibits the diversity and complexity that we see all around us.

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During the period after the Second World War, in which English Protestant non-conformity declined rapidly, a handful of exceptional names stand out, and one of the most remarkable was that of the Methodist minister Leslie Dixon Weatherhead. Both through his ministry at the City Temple, in the heart of London, and more generally through the massive sales of his books, Dr Weatherhead became a dominant figure, with an influence far beyond the British Isles. That the City Temple, a Congregationalist church, was widely seen at the time as the greatest English Free Church pulpit, ensured him a wide audience, while the quality of his preaching, combining emotional and intellectual power, wit and eloquence, won him admirers among all the churches, and led to offers from a number of American and Canadian universities and congregations, as well as numerous honorary degrees from British and American universities. Despite his Congregationalist call, he remained a Methodist minister, and indeed became President of the Methodist Conference. Perhaps even more important was that he was one of the earliest to recognise the value of the applications for the clergy of the insights of Freud and Jung. His seventy-odd publications, of which The Christian Agnostic and Psychology, Religion and Healing were the most influential, bring out not only the theological liberalism that made him suspect in some circles, but also his understanding of the value of healing and of psychological insights. The result was that his lay theology had a vast following. Although three other books have appeared about Weatherhead since his death, John Travell's explores all aspects of his life and portrays his historical, religious and theological context in greater depth.

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Islamic attitudes are of increasing concern to the Western world and environmental issues claim much attention as well. Perhaps, though, few non-Muslims realise that there is a distinctive Islamic contribution to the environmental debate; consequently, it provides a much needed Islamic input into the world-wide process of consultation on the future of the planet. Born from the 1992 Earth Summit, this book is a major account of Islam's contribution to the environmental debate. Dr Izzi Dien views the topic from historical, theological, philosophical, legal and ethical perspectives, examining such aspects as the Quranic doctrine of Creation, human responsibility and the actions of governments. His conclusions will not only be an invaluable submission to ecological groups but enlighten the general public, both inside and outside the Islamic community, about Muslim teaching on this area. The Environmental Dimensions of Islam is an important book, touching on issues of community, empowerment and culture. It will challenge those of all faiths and none to reconsider their attitudes towards both the Islamic and the natural world.

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