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A. E. Housman: A Single Life
by Martin BlocksidgeA.E. Housman's poetry (especially A Shropshire Lad) remains well-known, widely read and often quoted. However, Housman did not view himself as a professional poet, always making quite clear that his 'proper job' was as a Professor of Latin. Housman's fame as a poet has often obscured the fact that he was the leading British classical scholar of his generation, and a Cambridge Professor. It has also sometimes been suggested that Housman's two areas of activity are the sign of a flawed or 'divided' personality. A.E. Housman: A Single Life argues that there is no fundamental tension between Housman the poet and Housman the scholar, and his career is presented very much as that of a working academic who also wrote poetry. The book gives a full account of what Housman described as 'the great and real troubles of my early manhood', and in particular his unrequited and life-long love for his undergraduate friend Moses Jackson. It resists the temptation to classify Housman too exclusively as a melancholic, and is sceptical about Housman's reputed rudeness and misanthropy, pointing out that, though Housman was famously aloof in manner, he was notably loyal and generous, courteous in his daily dealings and generally liked by those who knew him. He also possessed a highly developed sense of the absurd and a ready and often disconcerting wit, features which characterised not only his letters and miscellaneous writings, but also, famously, much of his scholarly work.
A.E. Housman: Classical Scholar
by David Butterfield Christopher StrayA.E. Housman (1859-1936) was a man of many apparent contradictions, most of which remain unresolved 150 years after his birth. At once a deeply emotive lyric poet and a precise and dedicated classical scholar, he achieved fame in both of these diverse disciplines. Although his poetic legacy has received much scholarly analysis, and yet more attention has been devoted to reconstructing his private life, no previous work has focused on Housman the classical scholar; yet it is upon scholarship that Housman most wished to leave his mark. This timely collection of papers by leading scholars reassesses the breadth and significance of Housman's contribution to classical scholarship in both his published and unpublished writings, and discusses how his mantle has been passed on to later generations of classicists.
A.E. Housman: Classical Scholar
by David Butterfield Christopher StrayA.E. Housman (1859-1936) was a man of many apparent contradictions, most of which remain unresolved 150 years after his birth. At once a deeply emotive lyric poet and a precise and dedicated classical scholar, he achieved fame in both of these diverse disciplines. Although his poetic legacy has received much scholarly analysis, and yet more attention has been devoted to reconstructing his private life, no previous work has focused on Housman the classical scholar; yet it is upon scholarship that Housman most wished to leave his mark. This timely collection of papers by leading scholars reassesses the breadth and significance of Housman's contribution to classical scholarship in both his published and unpublished writings, and discusses how his mantle has been passed on to later generations of classicists.
A. E. Housman: The Scholar-Poet
by Richard Perceval GravesA. E. Housman, romantic poet and classical scholar, is best-known as the author of A Shropshire Lad and the meticulous editor of Manilius, the Latin poet of astronomy.In this first full biography, Richard Perceval Graves convincingly reconciles the two apparently conflicting sides of Housman's personality, and reassesses the reputation of a man who was something of a mystery even to his closest friends.'This is bound to become the standard life.' John Carey, Sunday Times'Dispassionate and well-researched.' Philip Larkin, Guardian
A. A. Milne: His Life
by Ann ThwaiteA.A. Milne is one of the most successful English writers ever. His heart-warming creations—Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Tigger and Piglet—have become some of the best-loved children’s characters of all time, and readers the world over are familiar with the stories from the Hundred Acre Wood. Yet the man himself has remained an enigma. Although in many ways his behaviour was that of a typical golf-playing, pipe-smoking Englishman, Milne refused to be typecast, and his publishers despaired when he turned from writing popular columns for Punch to writing detective stories. They complained again when the detective writer presented them with a set of children’s verse, but when When We Were Very Young became one of the best-selling books of all time, Milne’s credibility as one of the world’s favorite authors was sealed. In this biography of Milne, Ann Thwaite reveals the man himself, in all his complexity. As W. A. Darlington put it in 1921, commenting on Milne’s highly popular plays, ‘Mr Milne is obviously at heart (like all humorists) a serious person, with things to say.’ He had strong political feelings, and was a pacifist even before his experiences on the Somme in 1916. There was always something darker and more tangled under ‘the bright glitter of surfaces’. At his father’s school, Milne was taught by the young H. G. Wells, who remained a lifelong friend; later, J. M. Barrie called him ‘my Mr Milne’ and was ‘uncommon proud of him’; later still, P. G. Wodehouse became one of his greatest admirers, and a friend – but was then deeply hurt by Milne’s strong reaction to the notorious wartime broadcasts. Milne’s personal relationships, including those with his wife and son, were not always easy. In A. A. Milne: His Life, Ann Thwaite has produced a vivid, sympathetic and entertaining portrait of both the man and his work, set in the context of his time, which stands as the definitive life of a writer whose work has earned some loathing (for its supposed ‘whimsy’) but much more devotion among readers of all ages, not only in English-speaking countries but all over the world.
a: A Novel
by Andy WarholPart novel, part Pop artwork, Andy Warhol's a is an electrifying slice of life at his Factory studio'A work of genius' NewsweekIn the early 1960s, Andy Warhol set out to turn the novel into pop art. a, the first book he wrote, is the result. Transcribed from audiotapes recorded in and around his legendary art studio, it begins with the actor Ondine popping pills, then follows a cast of thinly-disguised superstars, musicians and prima donnas as they run riot through Manhattan. A knowing response to James Joyce's Ulysses, using the freewheeling, spontaneous techniques as Warhol's visual art, this filthy, funny book is a uniquely creative insight into Factory life.'Hellish hymns from Amphetamine Heaven, the vox populi of the Velvet Underground ... These people are witty and they are grand, they do terrible things and make awful remarks' New York Review of Books
99 Park Street
by Ian AnthoniszWhen Ian Anthonisz first arrived in Britain as a young Ceylonese man, he knew he had the world at his feet. Despite his humble beginnings and growing up in a family of modest means in Ceylon - the country we know today as Sri Lanka - and the unique challenges of being a first generation immigrant, Ian Anthonisz has achieved the gold plated Western dream of success through a combination of tenacity and self-belief. Not to mention a very British sense of humour! This is the story of an immigrant boy’s journey to the top, written with honesty and humility, a message of hope and perseverance against the odds.
99 Immigrants Who Made Britain Great
by Louis Stewart Naomi KenyonA beautifully illustrated new book, with a foreword by Bonnie Greer, celebrates the achievements of inspirational characters who made a new life in Britain. From Hans Holbein to Raheem Sterling, Freddie Mercury to Judith Kerr, and Harry Selfridge to Kylie Minogue, they have helped to make our country. Many arrived broke, knowing little English. They achieved success by overcoming obstacles and working hard. And their legacies are still with us. Alec Issigonis designed the Mini car, while Henry Wellcome funded British science. Without Michael Marks, we wouldn’t have Marks & Spencer. Without Ludwig Guttmann, there would be no Paralympics. Each individual occupies a double-page spread, with a biography and a colour illustration. A reader can add a 100th individual - perhaps a friend, relative, colleague or neighbour.
96 Facts About Taylor Swift: Quizzes, Quotes, Questions and More!
by Arie KaplanThe ultimate Taylor Swift fact and activity book for children!Discover everything any young Taylor Swift fan needs to know in this jam-packed guide, full of facts, quizzes and questions. Plus there are bonus journal pages to fill in.Did you know . . .?Taylor grew up on a Christmas-tree farmShe can play the piano, banjo and ukulele as well as the guitar!She won a poetry competition when she was 10This bumper illustrated book is perfect for any Swiftie!
90-Day Geisha: My Time as a Tokyo Hostess
by Chelsea HaywoodStep into the surreal world of a Tokyo hostess club and gain an exclusive underground pass courtesy of Chelsea Haywood as she sets out to explore a vocation where £400 dinners, Harajuku shopping sprees and first-class trips to Kyoto are just part of the job.This is the true story of one girl's immersion in the world of hostessing, a late-night entertainment for wealthy Japanese men drawn from the traditional institution of the geisha. In an attempt to make the foreign familiar, Chelsea's initial fascination takes an unexpected turn as she struggles to maintain sanity in an illusory world full of empty flattery, unrelenting temptation and material excess.
The 9/11 Dogs: The Heroes Who Searched For Survivors At The Twin Towers (HarperTrue Friend – A Short Read)
by Isabel GeorgeMeet the dogs who searched for life amongst the ruins of the Twin Towers.
85 Not Out
by Ted DexterThis is the fascinating autobiography of none other than Ted Dexter — aka Lord Ted — the ferociously powerful and debonair former England international cricketer and captain.Dexter was a classical, hard-hitting batsman and right-arm swing bowler of the highest order. Having captained England in 1961-2, stood as England’s chairman of selectors from 1989-1993 and then becoming President of the MCC in 2001, he is undeniably one of England’s most prolific cricketers, playing alongside and standing in the same legacy as the iconic Fred Trueman, Peter May, Colin Cowdrey, Richie Benaud and Gary Sobers. But, as Ted is eager to stress in the introduction of his book, he also lived a rich, lively and fulfilling life outside of his sporting career. Featuring tales galore — of his various escapades along the French Rivera, his experience of running a sports PR company, flying planes (just “because he could”), playing championship golf, racing greyhounds, journalism, broadcasting and honestly so much more — you’ll wonder if there’s anything in life this man couldn’t do!Fresh, vivacious and ridiculously entertaining, this book is destined to unravel as a rip-roaring read not only for those who recall his sporting legacy, but for anyone who resonates with Ted’s fervent enthusiasm for both cricket and life.All book royalties will be donated to the MCC Foundation -- Enhancing Lives Through Cricket.
81 Days Below Zero: The Incredible Survival Story Of A World War Ii Pilot In Alaska's Frozen Wilderness
by Brian Murphy"A riveting...saga of survival against formidable odds" (Washington Post) about one man who survived a World War II plane crash in Alaska's harsh Yukon territory Shortly before Christmas in 1943, five Army aviators left Alaska's Ladd Field on a routine flight to test their hastily retrofitted B-24 Liberator in harsh winter conditions. The mission ended in a crash that claimed all but one-Leon Crane, a city kid from Philadelphia with no wilderness experience. With little more than a parachute for cover and an old Boy Scout knife in his pocket, Crane now found himself alone in subzero temperatures. Crane knew, as did the Ladd Field crews who searched unsuccessfully for the crash site, that his chance of survival dropped swiftly with each passing day. But Crane did find a way to stay alive in the grip of the Yukon winter for nearly twelve weeks and, amazingly, walked out of the ordeal intact. 81 Days Below Zero recounts, for the first time, the full story of Crane's remarkable saga. In a drama of staggering resolve and moments of phenomenal luck, Crane learned to survive in the Yukon's unforgiving wilds. His is a tale of the capacity to endure extreme conditions, intense loneliness, and flashes of raw terror-and emerge stronger than before.
80 Not Out: A Life in Cricket
by Dickie BirdHardly a week goes by without Dickie Bird visiting a county or Test match arena where he can keep up to date with all that is happening in the cricket world, while at the same time taking the opportunity to reflect, in the company of old friends and acquaintances, on his own colourful contribution to the sport that lasted for over half a century. Dickie remains the most famous umpire of them all and is still highly respected throughout the world. A lovable eccentric with a joyful sense of fun, he decided, as he approached his eightieth birthday, to recall the highlights of his life in cricket, while also providing an illuminating insight into what he has been up to since his retirement.
72 Hours: The First-hand Account Of A Royal Navy Mission To Save The Crew Of A Trapped Russian Submarine
by Frank PopeThe Royal Navy's dramatic race to save the crew of a trapped Russian submarine.5 August 2005. On a secret mission to an underwater military installation 30 miles off the coast of Kamchatka, Russian Navy submersible AS-28 ran into a web of cables and stuck fast. With 600 feet of freezing water above them, there was no escape for the seven crew. Trapped in a titanium tomb, all they could do was wait as their air supply slowly dwindled.For more than 24 hours the Russian Navy tried to reach them. Finally - still haunted by the loss of the nuclear submarine Kursk five years before - they requested international assistance. On the other side of the world Commander Ian Riches, leader of the Royal Navy's Submarine Rescue Service, got the call: there was a sub down.With the expertise and specialist equipment available to him Riches knew his team had a chance to save the men, but Kamchatka was at the very limit of their range and time was running out. As the Royal Navy prepared to deploy to Russia's Pacific coast aboard a giant Royal Air Force C-17 airlifter, rescue teams from the United States and Japan also scrambled to reach the area.On board AS-28 the Russian crew shut down all non-essential systems, climbed into thick thermal suits to keep the bone-chilling damp at bay and waited, desperate to eke out the stale, thin air inside the pressure hull of their craft. But as the first of them began to drift in and out of consciousness, they knew the end was close. They started writing their farewells.72 HOURS tells the extraordinary, edge-of-the-seat and real-life story of one of the most dramatic rescue missions of recent years.
7 Summits: 1 Cornishman climbing the highest mountains on each continent
by Ed BuckinghamMost of us can watch an old episode of the holiday programme Wish You Were Here without it having the life-changing effect that it had on postman Edward Buckingham. For Ed, a young man from humble origins in Cornwall, the draw of Kilimanjaro and the high mountains of the world would change his life forever. It would also very nearly end his life during a fall from high on Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world. Drawn to high places, Ed embarked on a journey that would take him to the summit of the highest mountain on every continent. His seven summits actually involved ten summits - he climbed the highest summit in Western Europe, Mont Blanc, and the highest in Continental Europe, Mount Elbrus, as well as summiting Australia’s Mount Kosciusko and the far more remote Papua New Guinea summit of Carstenz Pyramid, the highest point in Australasia. And, of course, Cho Oyu. In 7 Summits, Ed tells of hardship and near-death experiences on Cho Oyu, the sheer scale and suffering in being the first Cornishman to ascend Everest, as well as his final summit, Mount Vinson in Antarctica. Ed develops as a man throughout his quest. Always humble, working hard for the Royal Mail delivering post to fund his trips, on his early trip to Aconcagua and on his first attempt on Mont Blanc he is very much a novice mountaineer, but his passion for the outdoors and willingness to help his fellow climbers is always there. During his fifteen-year quest Ed’s experience grows, particularly in the sub-Arctic of Alaska, where his ascent of Denali tested his stamina and equipment to the limit. At the culmination of his quest, he emerges as a capable climber, fit and strong and by sheer determination has become a world-class athlete, running full and ultra marathons, climbing mountains and delivering post.
7 Steps to Strong: Get Fit. Boost Your Mood. Kick Start Your Confidence
by Lisa Lanceford*Change your life through fitness - feel-good, sustainable advice on nutrition, training & mental health - from the UK's N.1 Women's Fitness Trainer* Strong Body = Strong Mind. Lisa Lanceford's life was transformed through the power of fitness. The daily habit of working out and eating better led to improvements in her mood, confidence and personal relationships. Today she feels strong, loves her body and is happier at home and work. Written with Lisa's characteristic warmth, accessibility and humour, and founded in nutritional science, 7 Steps to Strong outlines her essential advice for readers in an easy-to-follow guide. Includes tips on:- Weight Training and how to build muscle (and fight stereotypes/misconceptions of femininity)- Fat Loss and the myths around losing 'weight'- Daily HIIT schedules, nutrition and mood-boosting workouts - Gym-free alternatives and home fitness- How to unlock confidence, de-stress and conquer anxiety
The $64 Tomato: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden
by William AlexanderBill Alexander had no idea that his simple dream of having a vegetable garden and small orchard in his backyard would lead him into life-and-death battles with groundhogs, webworms, weeds, and weather; midnight expeditions in the dead of winter to dig up fresh thyme; and skirmishes with neighbors who feed the vermin (i.e., deer). Not to mention the vacations that had to be planned around the harvest, the near electrocution of the tree man, the limitations of his own middle-aged body, and the pity of his wife and kids. When Alexander runs (just for fun!) a costbenefit analysis, adding up everything from the live animal trap to the Velcro tomato wraps and then amortizing it over the life of his garden, it comes as quite a shock to learn that it cost him a staggering $64 to grow each one of his beloved Brandywine tomatoes. But as any gardener will tell you, you can't put a price on the unparalleled pleasures of providing fresh food for your family.
617: Going to War with Today's Dambusters
by Tim BouquetThe inside story of today's Dambusters, 617 Squadron RAF, at war in Afghanistan.In May 1943, 617 Squadron RAF executed one of the most daring operations in military history as bombers mounted a raid against hydro-electric dams in Germany. 617 Squadron became a Second World War legend. Nearly 70 years later, in April 2011, a new generation of elite flyers, now flying supersonic Tornado GR4 bombers, was deployed to Afghanistan - their mission: to provide close air support to troops on the ground.Tim Bouquet was given unprecedented access to 617's pre-deployment training and blistering tour in Afghanistan. From dramatic air strikes to the life-and-death search for IEDs and low-flying shows of force designed to drive insurgents from civilian cover, he tracked every mission - and the skill, resilience, banter and exceptional airmanship that saw 617 through.
537 Days of Winter: lessons in leadership and resilience from being stranded in Antarctica
by David KnoffWhat would you do if you were stranded in the coldest place on earth as the world you knew back home changed forever...?As station leader at the Davis Research Station in Antarctica, David Knoff was leading 24 expeditioners in a standard mission when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, international travel came to a standstill and their ride home was cancelled - indefinitely. What was supposed to be a routine mission became a high-pressure cauldron of uncertainty and anxiety where everyone was pushed to their mental limits. They'd have to draw on every ounce of resilience to ensure a safe return. Facing unprecedented challenges, including a complex medical evacuation and a fire on board the ship meant to get them out, David would need all his experience as an infantry platoon commander and diplomat to keep the team safe and get them home, albeit to a world that was changed forever.
533 Days (The Margellos World Republic of Letters)
by Cees NooteboomThe noted Dutch poet and novelist Cees Nooteboom reflects upon the life of the mind through a reexamination of books, music, art, travel, and gardening Though a tireless explorer of distant cultures, for more than forty years Cees Nooteboom has also been returning to Menorca, “the island of the wind.” It is in his house there, with a study full of books and a garden taken over by cacti and many insects, that the 533 days of writing take place. The result is not a diary, nor a set of movements of the soul organized by dates, but “a book of days,” with observations about what is immediately around him, his love for Menorca, his thoughts on the world, on life and death, on literature and oblivion. Every impression opens windows onto vast horizons: the Divine Comedy and the books it generated, Borges’ contempt for Gombrowicz, the death of David Bowie, the endless flight of the Voyagers, the repetition of history as a tragedy, but never as farce. 533 Days is a meditative rhapsody that would like to exclude the noise of current events, yet must return to them several times, and skeptically contemplates the threat of a disintegrating Europe. Reading these pages is like having a conversation with an extraordinary mind.
The 52 Seductions
by Betty HerbertIf you loved Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You, you'll adore The 52 Seductions... When Betty and Herbert first fell in love, they were caught in a whirlwind of mutual lust and sexual chemistry - they couldn't keep their hands off one another. Ten years of marriage later, they're still deeply in love... but the memory of all that frenzied passion is growing increasingly hazy. The 52 Seductions charts Betty and Herbert's quest to invite the lust back into their relationship and rediscover their desire for one another. Drastic action is needed, and so Betty sets a challenge: they must spend a whole year seducing each other, taking it in turns to create a steamy new scenario every week. We follow their progress as they explore their erotic fantasies (with varying degrees of success); embark on saucy role play and attempt some sexual gymnastics. Racy, funny and ultimately moving, this is the story of how one couple lost their inhibitions and reignited their desire.
52 Loaves: A Half-baked Adventure
by William AlexanderWilliam Alexander is determined to bake the perfect loaf of bread. He tasted it long ago, in a restaurant, and has been trying to reproduce it ever since. Without success. Now, on the theory that practice makes perfect, he sets out to bake peasant bread every week until he gets it right. He bakes his loaf from scratch. And because Alexander is nothing if not thorough, he really means from scratch: growing, harvesting, winnowing, threshing, and milling his own wheat. An original take on the six-thousand-year-old staple of life, 52 Loaves explores the nature of obsession, the meditative quality of ritual, the futility of trying to re-create something perfect, our deep connection to the earth, and the mysterious instinct that makes all of us respond to the aroma of baking bread.
50 Years on the Street: My Life with Ken Barlow
by William RoacheIn 50 Years on the Street: My Life with Ken Barlow, William Roache reflects on half a century of treasured memories accumulated during his time working on the long-running soap. He revisits the programme's most memorable moments and ponders the secret of its success while exploring the history of the show from its very early days of live broadcasts to the current demands of the Street's schedule.Roache reveals what it is like to have played the perennially popular role of Ken Barlow since the very first episode in December 1960 and reflects upon the actors he has worked with during the past 50 years, using his unique perspective to provide insights and anecdotes galore.50 Years on the Street: My Life with Ken Barlow is a celebration of William Roache's acting career following a year that marked a very special anniversary both for him and for Coronation Street.
50 People Who Messed up the World
by Alexander Parker Tim RichmanWho would top your list of the fifty people who have done the most to make the modern world a worse place?'I can't imagine how they whittled it down to just 50 people' - comedianNik Rabinowitz 'A fantastic thought-provoking book that renews my appreciation for history. It reminds us how we got here and how we can avoid things getting worse'Mandla Shongwe, SAFM Lifestyle'A fascinating, terrific read' Gareth Cliff, CliffCentral From despotic mass-murderers to sports cheats, and from corrupt politicians to truly dreadful celebrities, who has had the most damaging -- or vexatious -- impact in their particular sphere of modern life?This line-up of the very worst of the twentieth century and beyond includes the obvious candidates: those who have caused extraordinary damage through their murderous paranoia, brutal avarice, or demented self-regard -- Stalin, King Leopold, Idi Amin and the like. But murderous dictators aside, there are plenty of others who deserve recognition for their role in making the world a significantly more dangerous or, at the very least, more annoying place: terrorist Carlos the Jackal; Robert Oppenheimer, the man who gave the world the atomic bomb; notorious sports cheat Lance Armstrong; and the one and only President Donald Trump, who has of course succeeded in making the world both more annoying and more dangerous. This perfectly focused spotlight on infamy is illustrated throughout by award-winning political cartoonist Zapiro.