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The Lusiads
by Luis Vaz de Camões William AtkinsonFirst published in 1572, The Lusiads is one of the greatest epic poems of the Renaissance, immortalizing Portugal's voyages of discovery with an unrivalled freshness of observation. At the centre of The Lusiads is Vasco da Gama's pioneer voyage via southern Africa to India in 1497-98. The first European artist to cross the equator, Camoes's narrative reflects the novelty and fascination of that original encounter with Africa, India and the Far East. The poem's twin symbols are the Cross and the Astrolabe, and its celebration of a turning point in mankind's knowledge of the world unites the old map of the heavens with the newly discovered terrain on earth. Yet it speaks powerfully, too, of the precariousness of power, and of the rise and decline of nationhood, threatened not only from without by enemies, but from within by loss of integrity and vision.
Another Part of the Wood: A Novel (Soundings Ser.)
by Beryl BainbridgePenguin Decades bring you the novels that helped shape modern Britain. When they were published, some were bestsellers, some were considered scandalous, and others were simply misunderstood. All represent their time and helped define their generation, while today each is considered a landmark work of storytelling.Joseph decides to take his mistress and son, together with a few friends, to stay in a cabin in deepest Wales for the weekend - with absolutely disastrous results. Beryl Bainbridge's gift for deadpan dialogue and spare narrative, and her darkly comic vision of the world, are all in evidence in this early novel.
Mercy (Department Q #1)
by Jussi Adler-OlsenTrapped in a room for five years - can they save her in time? Read the dark and gripping thriller that launched the 16-million-copy bestselling Department Q series, for a special price - perfect for readers of Jo Nesbo . . . Copenhagen detective Carl Mørck has been taken off homicide to run a newly created department for unsolved crimes. His first case concerns beautiful politician Merete Lynggaard, who vanished five years ago. Everyone says it's a waste of time. Everyone says she's dead. But she isn't dead... yet.Praise for Jussi Adler-Olsen - bestselling master of Scandinavian Crime Fiction'The new "it" boy of Nordic Noir' The Times 'Gripping story-telling' Guardian'Mesmerising... As impressive as it is unnerving' Independent'Engrossing' Sunday Express
Harry and the Dinosaurs: The Snow-Smashers! (Harry and the Dinosaurs)
by Ian WhybrowHarry thinks he's too old for his bucketful of dinosaurs but they have other ideas. He looked after them when he was little and now they're determined to stick by him . . . for life. And Harry is not the only one who's got a lot bigger! When a mysterious set of plastic dinosaur cards appear on his key-ring, Harry soon finds that he can call on an army of Back-Up Dinosaurs. It only takes a rub with his finger to call up some MONSTER-sized muscle! When a big snow storm blocks the roads, the residents of Huntingdon village are trapped. Harry and his friends - Jack, Charlie and Siri - want to deliver emergency supplies. But it would take the strength of a triceratops or the enormous bulk of an apatosaurus to help them . . .
Harry and the Dinosaurs: A Monster Surprise! (Harry and the Dinosaurs)
by Ian WhybrowHarry thinks he's too old for his bucketful of dinosaurs but they think he's wrong! He looked after them when he was little and now they want to stick by him - forever . . .When a mysterious set of plastic dinosaur cards appear on his key-ring, Harry discovers he can call on an army of Back-Up Dinosaurs. Just a rub with his finger calls up some MONSTER-sized muscle!In this adventure, Harry and his friends are kayaking when they discover someone is stealing rare birds' eggs. But there's a SURPRISE in store for the thief!
Harry and the Dinosaurs: The Flying Save! (Harry and the Dinosaurs)
by Ian WhybrowHarry thinks he's too old for his bucketful of dinosaurs but they think he's wrong! He looked after them when he was little and now they want to stick by him - forever . . .When a mysterious set of plastic dinosaur cards appear on his key-ring, Harry discovers he can call on an army of Back-Up Dinosaurs. Just a rub with his finger calls up some MONSTER-sized muscle!Dangerous dogs are worrying sheep near where Harry lives. He calls on Charlie, Siri and Jack to help investigate. But it's going to take a rather special FLYING friend to save the day!
A Preparation for Death
by Greg BaxterIn his early thirties, Greg Baxter found himself in a strange place. He hated his job, he was drinking excessively, he was sabotaging his most important relationships, and he was no longer doing the thing he cared about most: writing. Strangest of all, at this time he started teaching evening classes in creative writing - and his life changed utterly.A Preparation for Death is a document of the chaos and discovery of that time and of the experiences that led Greg Baxter to that strange place - an extraordinarily intimate account of literary failure (and its consequences), personal decay, and redemption through reading, writing, and truth-telling. 'Brilliant and wonderfully original ... Yes, this is a book about drinking and shagging. But rarely have these things been written about so well' William Leith, Literary Review'Baxter is a serious, thoughtful writer, bend on emotional truth and artistry. He has written an unusual, provocative book' Suzi Feay, Financial Times'Brave, honest and propulsive' Metro'The triumph is the steely courage it takes to put a life down with such uncompromising clarity' Hugo Hamilton, Irish Times'This is an occasionally infuriating and completely wonderful book. I read it in one sitting, unsettled and delighted by its ferocity' Anne Enright
The Pre-Raphaelites: From Rossetti to Ruskin
by Dinah RoeThe Pre-Raphaelite Movement began in 1848, and experienced its heyday in the 1860s and 1870s. Influenced by the then little-known Keats and Blake, as well as Wordsworth, Shelley and Coleridge, Pre-Raphaelite poetry 'etherialized sensation' (in the words of Antony Harrison), and popularized the notion ofl'art pour l'art - art for art's sake. Where Victorian realist novels explored the grit and grime of the Industrial Revolution, Pre-Raphaelite poems concentrated on more abstract themes of romantic love, artistic inspiration and sexuality. Later they attracted Aesthetes and Decadents like Oscar Wilde, Aubrey Beardsley and Ernest Dowson, not to mention Gerard Manley Hopkins and W.B. Yeats.
The Penguin Anthology of Classical Arabic Literature
by Robert IrwinSpanning the fifth century to the sixteenth, and ranging from Afghanistan to Spain, this unique collection provides a profound insight into the sheer vitality and depth of Classical Arabic literature. From the earliest surviving fragments of The Thousand and One Nights to the elegant beauty and profound power of the Qur'an - believed by the Islamic faith to contain the actual words of Allah - it includes translated extracts from all the major works of the period, alongside many less well-known but equally fascinating pieces. Exploring such traditional themes as lovesick yearning and fated doom, and considering subjects as diverse as the etiquette of falling in love with slave-girls and the terrors of the sea, this compelling anthology of poetry and prose brilliantly illuminates a body of writing that has been unjustly neglected by the west for centuries.
Speaking of Siva
by A. K. RamanujanSpeaking of Siva is a selection of vacanas or free-verse sayings from the Virasaiva religious movement, dedicated to Siva as the supreme god. Written by four major saints, the greatest exponents of this poetic form, between the tenth and twelfth centuries, they are passionate lyrical expressions of the search for an unpredictable and spontaneous spiritual vision of 'now'. Here, yogic and tantric symbols, riddles and enigmas subvert the language of ordinary experience, as references to night and day, sex and family relationships take on new mystical meanings. These intense poems of personal devotion to a single deity also question traditional belief systems, customs, superstitions, image worship and even moral strictures, in verse that speaks to all men and women regardless of class and caste.
The Last Picture Show (Penguin Modern Classics #No. 1)
by Larry McMurtrySam the Lion runs the pool-hall, the picture house and the all-night café. Coach Popper whips his boys with towels and once took a shot at one when he disturbed his hunting. Billy wouldn't know better than to sweep his broom all the way to the town limits if no one stopped him. And teenage friends Sonny and Duane have nothing better to do than drift towards the adult world, with its temptations of sex and confusions of love.The basis for a classic film, The Last Picture Show is both extremely funny and deeply profound. And, with the eccentrically peopled Thalia, Texas, Larry McMurtry made a small town that feels as real as any you've ever walked around.Famously filmed by Peter Bogdanovich in 1971 with Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd.With a new introduction by Mary Karr.
Little Lord Fauntleroy (Junior Classics Ser.)
by Frances Hodgson BurnettThe story of a small, angelic boy from New York who is told he is the heir to an English earldom and is whisked away to the English countryside where he begins to win over his bad-tempered old grandfather. When the boy's identity is challenged, his old friends from New York come to his rescue.
King John: A Tragedy (Mobi Classics Series)
by William Shakespeare Eugene GiddensUnder the rule of King John, England is forced into war when the French challenge the legitimacy of John's claim to the throne and determine to install his nephew Arthur in his place. But political principles, hypocritically flaunted, are soon forgotten, as the French and English kings form an alliance based on cynical self-interest. And as the desire to cling to power dominates England's paranoid and weak-willed king, his country is threatened with disaster.
Aquila: The Adventure Continues
by Andrew NorrissIt's a spaceship from the past - can it change the future?Aquila has been found by boys bunking off a geography field trip. They have no idea where it came from or what it does. But Geoff's discovered that when you sit in it these little coloured lights come on, and if you push one of the big blue ones . . . WHOOSH!
The Eclogues: Done Into English Prose (classic Reprint)
by VirgilHaunting and enigmatic, Virgil's Eclogues combined a Greek literary form with scenes from contemporary Roman life to create a work that inspired a whole European tradition of pastoral poetry. For despite their rustic setting and the beauty of their phrasing, the poems in Virgil's first collection are also grounded in reality. Shepherds are overwhelmed by the torments of poetic love - but they must also endure such real-life events as the tragic consequences of Julius Caesar's murder in 44 bc and a civil war. In giving unforgettable expression to the disasters of the day through poetry, the Eclogues paved the way for the Georgics and the Aeneid, the two greatest works of Latin literature, and are also a major masterpiece in their own right.
The Red Pony (Penguin Modern Classics Series)
by John SteinbeckYoung Jody Tiflin lives on his father's California ranch. He is thrilled when his father gives him a red pony, and later promises him the colt of a bay mare. Both these gifts bring joy to Jodi's life - but tragedy soon follows. As Jodi begins to learn the harsh lessons of life and death, he starts to understand what growing-up and becoming an adult really means.
The Pearl (Popular Penguins Series)
by John SteinbeckKino is a desperately poor Mexican-pearl diver. But when he finds 'The Pearl of the World' he believes that his life will be magically transformed. Obsessed by his dreams, Kino is blind to the greed, fear and even violence the pearl arouses in his neighbours - and himself.A haunting and timeless tale of wealth and the evil it can bring.
Inspector Ghote Trusts the Heart (Penguin Modern Classics #No. 8)
by H. R. Keating Alexander McCall SmithSome crooks have tried to snatch the plump son of a business tycoon, and have accidentally made off with his playmate instead. But they're not changing their plan: a payment is to be delivered to them or a small corpse is to be delivered to Inspector Ghote.But what kind of ransom can a mere tailor's boy demand? And, as something more unpleasant than just a ransom note arrives from the kidnappers, are the police helping keep the boy in one piece?
Under a Monsoon Cloud: An Inspector Ghote Mystery (Penguin Modern Classics #No. 15)
by H. R. Keating Alexander McCall SmithWhat had until recently been a police sergeant is now lying at Ghote's feet bleeding its last. An accident it may have been, but Ghote saw exactly what happened, and it's his duty to arrest the killer. Isn't it? Or can the inspector better serve his beloved police force by disposing of the body, by concealing a crime? And if he does, will he manage to keep his terrible secret?As an Inquiry begins beneath the first torrents of monsoon rain - will he even want to?
The Perfect Murder: The First Inspector Ghote Mystery (Penguin Modern Classics #No. 1)
by H. R. Keating Alexander McCall SmithIn the house of Lala Varde, a vast man of even greater influence, an attack has taken place. Varde's secretary, Mr Perfect, has been struck on his invaluable business head. And try as Inspector Ghote might to remain conscientious and methodical, his investigation is beset on all sides by cunning, disdain and corruption. And then there's the impossible theft of a single rupee to be dealt with . . .The Perfect Murder introduced Inspector Ghote: Bombay CID's most dutiful officer, and one of the greatest, most engaging creations in all detective fiction.
Inspector Ghote Breaks an Egg (Penguin Modern Classics #No. 6)
by H. R. Keating Alexander McCall SmithIn a small, provincial town in the heart of India, a politician's wife has done her husband's career a great service, by dying under suspicious circumstances. That the corpse and the trail have been cold for fifteen years hasn't saved Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID from being sent to investigate. But what chance does he have when his chief suspect is so powerful, when the whole district is against him, and when a holy man is fasting to the death to protest his prying?But still the good inspector dutifully goes, carrying just the honour of his police force and a box of double-sized eggs . . .
The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis: Volume 3
by Lydia DavisThe Collected Stories of Lydia Davis is the complete collection of short fiction from the world-renowned Lydia Davis.WINNER OF THE MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE 2013'What stories. Precise and piercing, extremely funny. Nearly all are unlike anything you've ever read' Metro'I loved these stories. They are so well-written, with such clarity of thought and precision of language. Excellent' William Leith, Evening Standard'Remarkable. Some of the most moving fiction - on death, marriage, children - of recent years. To read Collected Stories is to be reminded of the grand, echoing mind-chambers created by Sebald or recent Coetzee. A writer of vast intelligence and originality' Independent on Sunday'A body of work probably unique in American writing, in its combination of lucidity, aphoristic brevity, formal originality, sly comedy, metaphysical bleakness, philosophical pressure and human wisdom' New Yorker'One of the most respected writers in America' Financial Times'Davis is a high priestess of the startling, telling detail. She can make the most ordinary things, such as couples talking, or someone watching television, bizarre, almost mythical. I felt I had encountered a most original and daring mind' Colm Toibin, Daily TelegraphLydia Davis is the author of one novel and seven story collections, the most recent of which was a finalist for the 2007 National Book Award. She is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship and was named a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government for her fiction and her translations of modern writers including Maurice Blanchot, Michel Leiris and Marcel Proust.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ (The Originals #1)
by Sue TownsendThe one-and-only original teenage diary!At thirteen years old, Adrian Mole has more than his fair share of problems - spots, ill-health, parents threatening to divorce, rejection of his poetry and much more - all recorded with brilliant humour in his diary.
There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried to Kill Her Neighbour's Baby: Scary Fairy Tales (Penguin Modern Classics)
by Ludmilla PetrushevskayaA woman finds herself filling a pit in the forest in the middle of the night; a family lock each other in their bedrooms to battle a strange plague; a wizard punishes two beautiful ballerinas by turning them into one hugely fat circus performer; a colonel is warned not to lift the veil from his dead wife's face; and a distraught father brings his daughter back to life by eating human hearts in his dreams. In these blackly comic tales of revenge, disturbing deaths and haunting melancholy, Ludmilla Petrushevskaya blends miracles and madness in the darkest of modern fairy tales.
The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole: True Confessions Of Adrian Albert Mole, Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years, And Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years (The\adrian Mole Ser. #3)
by Sue TownsendCelebrate Adrian Mole's 50th Birthday with this new edition of the third book in his diaries, as 16-year-old Adrian navigates his way into adulthood Monday June 13th I had a good, proper look at myself in the mirror tonight. I've always wanted to look clever, but at the age of twenty years and three months I have to admit that I look like a person who has never even heard of Jung or Updike. Adrian Mole is an adult. At least that's what it says on his passport. But living at home, clinging to his threadbare cuddly rabbit 'Pinky', working as a paper pusher for the DoE and pining for the love of his life, Pandora, has proved to him that adulthood isn't quite what he expected. Still, without the slings and arrows of modern life what else would an intellectual poet have to write about . . . Included here are two other less well-known diarists: Sue Townsend and Margaret Hilda Roberts, a rather ambitious grocer's daughter from Grantham. 'Wonderfully funny and sharp as knives' Sunday Times 'Essential reading for Mole followers' Times Educational Supplement 'Townsend has held a mirror up to the nation and made us happy to laugh at what we see in it' Sunday Telegraph'The funniest person in the world' Caitlin Moran