- Table View
- List View
A Place in the Country
by W. G. Sebald Jo CatlingA Place in the Country is W. G. Sebald's meditation on the six artists and writers who shaped his creative mind--and the last of this great writer's major works to be translated into English. This beautiful hardcover edition, with a full-cloth case, includes more than 40 pieces of art and 6 full-color gatefolds, all originally selected and laid out by W. G. Sebald.This extraordinary collection of interlinked essays about place, memory, and creativity captures the inner worlds of five authors and one painter. In his masterly and mysterious style--part critical essay, part memoir--Sebald weaves their lives and art with his own migrations and rise in the literary world. Here are people gifted with talent and courage yet in some cases cursed by fragile and unstable natures, working in countries inhospitable or even hostile to them. Jean-Jacques Rousseau is conjured on the verge of physical and mental exhaustion, hiding from his detractors on the island of St. Pierre, where two centuries later Sebald took rooms adjacent to his. Eighteenth-century author Johann Peter Hebel is remembered for his exquisite and delicate nature writing, expressing the eternal balance of both the outside world and human emotions. Writer Gottfried Keller, best known for his 1850 novel Green Henry, is praised for his prescient insights into a Germany where "the gap between self-interest and the common good was growing ever wider." Sebald compassionately re-creates the ordeals of Eduard Mörike, the German Romantic poet beset by mood swings, depression, and fainting spells in an increasingly shallow society, and Robert Walser, the institutionalized author whose nearly indecipherable scrawls seemed an attempt to "duck down below the level of language and obliterate himself" (and whose physical appearance and year of death mirrored those of Sebald's grandfather). Finally, Sebald spies a cognizance of death's inevitability in painter Jan Peter Tripp's lovingly exact reproductions of life. Featuring the same kinds of suggestive and unexplained illustrations that appear in his masterworks Austerlitz and The Rings of Saturn, and translated by Sebald's colleague Jo Catling, A Place in the Country is Sebald's unforgettable self-portrait as seen through the experiences of others, a glimpse of his own ghosts alongside those of the men who influenced him. It is an essential addition to his stunning body of work.Named One of the Top 10 Literary Biographies, Essays & Criticism of the Season by Publishers Weekly "In Sebald's writing, everything is connected, everything webbed together by the unseen threads of history, or chance, or fate, or death. The scholarly craft of gathering scattered sources and weaving them into a coherent whole is transformed here into something beautiful and unsettling, elevated into an art of the uncanny--an art that was, in the end, Sebald's strange and inscrutable gift."--Slate "Reading [A Place in the Country is] like going for a walk with a beautifully talented, deeply passionate novelist from Mars."--New York "Out of exquisitely attuned feeling for the past, Sebald fashioned an entirely new form of literature. I've read his books countless times trying to understand how he did it. In the end, I can only say that he practiced a kind of magic born out of almost supernatural sensitivity. A Place in the Country extends the too-short time we were given in his company."--Nicole KraussFrom the Hardcover edition.
A Place in the Sun
by Jill Rubalcaba"The details of daily life, customs, and beliefs of the people are wonderfully revealed through the words and deeds of the characters.. . . . A substantial glossary helps to identify and explain unfamiliar terms. A fine story for enjoyment or as curriculum support for units on ancient Egypt." School Library Journal —
A Place in the Sun: A Memoir
by Donald KennedyMore than personal memoir, Donald Kennedy's story is not only a chronicle of watershed years in the history of Stanford University, but also a reflection on academia's perennial concerns. The story builds from his childhood and family in New England through mentors at Harvard to reflections on his early years at Stanford. What is the scope of a teacher's responsibilities? What is the proper balance between research and teaching? How far can a professor of literature stretch activism and free speech before losing tenure? How can the University look so rich and feel so poor? While biology department head, Kennedy founded Human Biology, Stanford's first interdisciplinary program. As president, issues of ethnic diversity, student activism, multicultural curricula, patent rights, divestment in South Africa, a student hostage crisis, and a major earthquake colored his pivotal years at Stanford. At the heart of Kennedy's journey has been the belief that one must give back to society as mentor, inspiring his students; as commissioner of the FDA, wrestling with issues of freedom and regulation; as editor of Science, confronting the clash of science and politics. Throughout the book, sidebar recollections from students, friends, and colleagues reflect on his caring encouragement and core humanity, his love of teaching, and a life profoundly committed to science and public service.
A Place in the Woods
by Helen HooverHelen Hoover and her husband, Adrian, were trailblazers in the American back-to-the-land movement. Well ensconced in their professional lives in Chicago, they made the decision to follow their dream of a simple existence, pulling up their stakes and plunging into the wilds of northern Minnesota. A Place in the Woods, first published in 1969, describes how the Hoovers gradually adapted to the rigors of wilderness survival. This book relates events that occurred prior to those Hoover writes about in her bestselling Gift of the Deer. This is a tale of starting out, of the pitfalls of beginning a new life-one punctuated by near disasters but also by moments of rare beauty.
A Place in the World: Finding the Meaning of Home
by Frances MayesA lyrical and evocative collection of personal stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun, in which the queen of wanderlust reflects on the comforts of home.&“A soulful meditation on &‘what home means, how it hooks the past and pushes into the future&’ . . . spellbinding.&”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) Though Frances Mayes is known for her travels, she has always sought a sense of home wherever she goes. In this poetic testament to the power of place in our lives, Mayes reflects on the idea of home, from the earliest imprint of four walls to the startling discoveries of feeling the strange ease of homes abroad, friends&’ homes, and even momentary homes that spark desires for other lives. Her musings are all the more poignant after so many have spent their long pandemic months at home. From her travels across Italy—Tuscany, of course, but also Venice and Capri—to the American South, France, and Mexico, Mayes examines the connective tissue among them through the homes she&’s inhabited. A Place in the World explores Mayes&’s passion and obsessions with houses and the things that inhabit them—old books, rich food, beloved friends, transportive art. The indelible marks each refuge has left on her and how each home influenced the next serve as the foundations of its chapters. Written in Mayes&’s signature intimate style, A Place in the World captures the adventure of moving on while seeking comfort in the cornerstone closest to all of us—home.
A Place of My Own
by Michael PollanMichael Pollan's unmatched ability to draw lines of connection between our everyday experiences--whether eating, gardening, or building--and the natural world has been the basis for the popular success of his many works of nonfiction, including the genre-defining bestsellers The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food. With this updated edition of his earlier book A Place of My Own, readers can revisit the inspired, intelligent, and often hilarious story of Pollan's realization of a room of his own--a small, wooden hut, his "shelter for daydreams"--built with his admittedly unhandy hands. Inspired by both Thoreau and Mr. Blandings, A Place of My Own not only works to convey the history and meaning of all human building, it also marks the connections between our bodies, our minds, and the natural world. Coming from The Penguin Press in 2013, Michael Pollan’s newest book Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation--the story of our most trusted food expert’s culinary education .
A Place of Refuge: An Experiment in Communal Living – The Story of Windsor Hill Wood
by Tobias JonesFive years ago, Tobias Jones and his wife set up a woodland sanctuary for people in a period of crisis in their lives. Windsor Hill Wood quickly becomes a well-known refuge, and a family home is transformed into a small community. Most people arrive because of a desperate need - bereavement, depression, addiction or homelessness - while others come simply because they are dismayed by modern life. A Place of Refuge is the story of an evolving community: the characters and conflicts, the miracles and mistakes. As the seasons turn in the bustling woodland, an ever-changing group of people try to share their money, their meals and ideals; making furniture, growing vegetables and rearing livestock. Encountering both violent antagonism and astounding generosity, the family open up not only their house, but also themselves, to the most demanding of judgements and transformations. This book is not about a retreat from the world, but about a deeper engagement with it. Living alongside troubled guests, Jones examines the consequences of our way of life - seeing up close the scars of war, abuse and loneliness - and contemplates the ways in which nature and stillness offer solace to those in torment.
A Place of Refuge: An Experiment in Communal Living – The Story of Windsor Hill Wood
by Tobias JonesFive years ago, Tobias Jones and his wife set up a woodland sanctuary for people in a period of crisis in their lives. Windsor Hill Wood quickly becomes a well-known refuge, and a family home is transformed into a small community. Most people arrive because of a desperate need - bereavement, depression, addiction or homelessness - while others come simply because they are dismayed by modern life.A Place of Refuge is the story of an evolving community: the characters and conflicts, the miracles and mistakes. As the seasons turn in the bustling woodland, an ever-changing group of people try to share their money, their meals and ideals; making furniture, growing vegetables and rearing livestock. Encountering both violent antagonism and astounding generosity, the family open up not only their house, but also themselves, to the most demanding of judgements and transformations. This book is not about a retreat from the world, but about a deeper engagement with it. Living alongside troubled guests, Jones examines the consequences of our way of life - seeing up close the scars of war, abuse and loneliness - and contemplates the ways in which nature and stillness offer solace to those in torment.
A Place on Earth
by Wendell BerryPublished in 1967, we return to Port William during the Second World War to revisit Jayber Crow, the barber, Uncle Stanley, the gravedigger, Jarrat and Burley, the sharecroppers, and Brother Preston, the preacher, as well as Mat Feltner, his wife Margaret, and his daughter–in–law Hannah, whose son will be born after news comes that Hannah’s husband Virgil is missing."The earth is the genius of our life,” Wendell Berry writes here. “The final questions and their answers lie serenely coupled in it."
A Place to Grow: Women in the American West
by Glenda RileyThese are essays focused on women and the frontier (abbreviated from the Foreword in the book). The Western History in the 1990s has research on western women that is rich, varied, and increasingly sophisticated. But answers to crucial controversies remain elusive. Did the American West offer women a place to grow? Did women find more economic opportunities in the West than elsewhere? Were western women more politically active and effective than their eastern counterparts? Did the West's reputed liberalism and democracy shape the lives of all western women for the better? Or did women of some social classes, races, and ethnic backgrounds face difficulty? I have selected ten essays that I have found especially useful in explaining the nature and importance of these issues. in the classroom as well as for audiences of both colleagues and laypersons. I have rounded out the selection with an essay written especially for this volume and with a large collection of primary documents. The result is a text that addresses these questions and, in the process, reveals both the complexity of research issues and the multiplicity of women's perspectives. These essays discuss and analyze a variety of topics concerning women's lives and experiences in the American West. Interspersed among the essays, the documents not only give the flavor of women's attitudes and reactions to issues of the day, but also demonstrate the importance of women's own words as historical evidence. The selections presented here, which explore gender, race, class, region, and other variables, are arranged in five sections: 1) stereotypes of western women, 2) women and westward trails, 3) women migrants and Native Americans, 4) women and work, and 5) women, adaptation, and change. Almost every type of western woman is represented, although archivists and scholars have only recently begun to retrieve other ethnic groups.
A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. And The Speech That Inspired A Nation
by Barry WittensteinThe story of how Martin Luther king Jr. gave his famous speech.
A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation
by Barry WittensteinAs a new generation of activists demands an end to racism, A Place to Land reflects on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the movement that it galvanized.Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for ChildrenSelected for the Texas Bluebonnet Master ListMuch has been written about Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington. But there's little on his legendary speech and how he came to write it. Martin Luther King, Jr. was once asked if the hardest part of preaching was knowing where to begin. No, he said. The hardest part is knowing where to end. "It's terrible to be circling up there without a place to land."Finding this place to land was what Martin Luther King, Jr. struggled with, alongside advisors and fellow speech writers, in the Willard Hotel the night before the March on Washington, where he gave his historic "I Have a Dream" speech. But those famous words were never intended to be heard on that day, not even written down for that day, not even once.Barry Wittenstein teams up with legendary illustrator Jerry Pinkney to tell the story of how, against all odds, Martin found his place to land.An ALA Notable Children's BookA Capitol Choices Noteworthy TitleNominated for an NAACP Image AwardA Bank Street Best Book of the YearA Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young PeopleA Booklist Editors' ChoiceNamed a Best Book of the Year by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and School Library JournalSelected for the CBC Champions of Change Showcase
A Place to Live and Other Selected Essays of Natalia Ginzburg: and other selected essays of
by Lynne Sharon Schwartz Natalia GinzburgArguably one of Italy's greatest contemporary writers, Natalia Ginzburg has been best known in America as a writer's writer, quiet beloved of her fellow wordsmiths. This collection of personal essays chosen by the eminent American writer Lynne Sharon Schwartz from four of Ginzburg's books written over the course of Ginzburg's lifetime was a many-years long project for Schwartz. These essays are deeply felt, but also disarmingly accessible. Full of self-doubt and searing insight, Ginzburg is merciless in her attempts to describe herself and her world--and yet paradoxically, her self-deprecating remarks reveal her deeper confidence in her own eye and writing ability, as well as the weight and nuance of her exploration of the conflict between humane values and bureaucratic rigidity.
A Place to Stand: The Making Of A Poet
by Jimmy Santiago BacaThe Pushcart Prize–winning poet&’s memoir of his criminal youth and years in prison: a &“brave and heartbreaking&” tale of triumph over brutal adversity (The Nation). Jimmy Santiago Baca&’s &“astonishing narrative&” of his life before, during, and immediately after the years he spent in the maximum-security prison garnered tremendous critical acclaim. An important chronicle that &“affirms the triumph of the human spirit,&” it went on to win the prestigious 2001 International Prize (Arizona Daily Star). Long considered one of the best poets in America today, Baca was illiterate at the age of twenty-one when he was sentenced to five years in Florence State Prison for selling drugs in Arizona. This raw, unflinching memoir is the remarkable tale of how he emerged after his years in the penitentiary—much of it spent in isolation—with the ability to read and a passion for writing poetry. &“Proof there is always hope in even the most desperate lives.&” —Fort Worth Star-Telegram &“A hell of a book, quite literally. You won&’t soon forget it.&” —The San Diego U-T &“This book will have a permanent place in American letters.&” —Jim Harrison, New York Times–bestselling author of A Good Day to Die
A Place to Stand: the Making of a Poet
by Jimmy Santiago Baca"A Place to Stand, the wrenching memoir of Jimmy Santiago Baca, details how the written word helped him overcome a life of violence, bigotry, and crime. Now an internationally acclaimed writer and winner of the Pushcart Prize and American Book Award, Baca describes the extreme measures he took to survive on the street and in prison and how poetry became an essential element of his newfound sense of self. A vivid portrait of life inside a maximum-security prison and an affirmation of one man's spirit in overcoming the most brutal adversity, this award-winning memoir stands as proof there is always hope in even the most desperate lives.
A Plague on Mr Pepys: An enthralling historical page-turner (The\women Of Pepys' Diary Ser. #2)
by Deborah SwiftPerfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, Anne O'Brien and Elizabeth Chadwick, Deborah Swift brings a unique period in history to vivid, fascinating life in her acclaimed Pepys trilogy.'An immersive and rich imagining of a mysterious woman from Pepys' life that will hold readers until the very end' Historical Novel Society'A novel that transports readers with astonishing and engrossing detail'Readers' Favorite 5*1665 and The Great Plague has London in its grip. As the summer heat rises, red crosses mark the doors, and wealthy citizens flee. Only the poor remain to face the march of death...Ambitious and attractive Bess Bagwell is determined her carpenter husband, Will, should make a name for himself. So she schemes to meet Samuel Pepys, diarist, friend of the King, and an important man in the Navy shipyards. But Pepys has his own motive for cultivating Bess, and it is certainly not to benefit her husband.With pestilence rife in the city, all trade ceases. Will is forced to invest in his unscrupulous cousin Jack's dubious 'cure' for the pestilence. But this only horrifies Bess and leaves them deeper in debt. Now they are desperate for money, and the dread disease is moving ever closer. Pepys's help seems to be the only answer. But as with all bargains, there's a price to pay. A price that could cost more than Bess has to give.The second in Deborah Swift's atmospheric trilogy, bringing to life the women in Pepys' Diary. The books can be read in any order as each stands alone.'An intriguing and exceptionally beautifully written book' Carol McGrath, author of The Woman in The Shadows Praise for Pleasing Mr Pepys:'Swift is a consummate historical novelist, basing her books on immaculate research and then filling the gaps between real events and real people with eloquent storytelling, atmospheric scene setting and imaginative plot lines' The Visitor'Laced with emotional intensity and drama' Readers' Favorite 'Pepys and his world spring to vibrant life...Gripping, revealing and stunningly imagined, Pleasing Mr Pepys is guaranteed to please' Lancashire Evening Post
A Plague on Mr Pepys: An enthralling historical page-turner (Women Of Pepys' Diary Series #2)
by Deborah SwiftPerfect for fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, Anne O'Brien and Elizabeth Chadwick, Deborah Swift brings a unique period in history to vivid, fascinating life in her acclaimed Pepys trilogy.'An immersive and rich imagining of a mysterious woman from Pepys' life that will hold readers until the very end' Historical Novel Society'A novel that transports readers with astonishing and engrossing detail' Readers' Favorite 5*1665 and The Great Plague has London in its grip. As the summer heat rises, red crosses mark the doors, and wealthy citizens flee. Only the poor remain to face the march of death...Ambitious and attractive Bess Bagwell is determined her carpenter husband, Will, should make a name for himself. So she schemes to meet Samuel Pepys, diarist, friend of the King, and an important man in the Navy shipyards. But Pepys has his own motive for cultivating Bess, and it is certainly not to benefit her husband.With pestilence rife in the city, all trade ceases. Will is forced to invest in his unscrupulous cousin Jack's dubious 'cure' for the pestilence. But this only horrifies Bess and leaves them deeper in debt. Now they are desperate for money, and the dread disease is moving ever closer. Pepys's help seems to be the only answer. But as with all bargains, there's a price to pay. A price that could cost more than Bess has to give.The second in Deborah Swift's atmospheric trilogy, bringing to life the women in Pepys' Diary. The books can be read in any order as each stands alone.'An intriguing and exceptionally beautifully written book' Carol McGrath, author of The Woman in The Shadows Praise for Pleasing Mr Pepys:'Swift is a consummate historical novelist, basing her books on immaculate research and then filling the gaps between real events and real people with eloquent storytelling, atmospheric scene setting and imaginative plot lines' The Visitor'Laced with emotional intensity and drama' Readers' Favorite 'Pepys and his world spring to vibrant life...Gripping, revealing and stunningly imagined, Pleasing Mr Pepys is guaranteed to please' Lancashire Evening Post
A Plan for the People: Nelson Mandela's Hope for His Nation
by Lindsey McDivittAs Nelson Mandela lived and worked under the unjust system of apartheid, his desire for freedom grew. South Africa separated people by races, oppressing the country&’s non-white citizens with abusive laws and cruel restrictions. Every day filled Mandela with grief and anger. But he also had hope—hope for a nation that belonged to everyone who lived in it. From his work with the African National Congress, to his imprisonment on Robben Island, to his extraordinary rise to the presidency, Nelson Mandela was a rallying force against injustice. This stirring biography explores Mandela&’s long fight for equality and the courage that propelled him through decades of struggle. Illustrated in the bold, bright colors of South Africa, A Plan for the People captures the spirit of a leader beloved around the world.
A Planet for the President
by Alistair BeatonThis is a story written over a decade ago.Before Fake News, or Alternative Facts, or even social media.It told the story of a not-too-distant future, which really was not too distant.*The President of the United States is facing a global catastrophe.The environment is in meltdown. People are dying. Americans are dying.Even he can't ignore it.There's hardly a corner of the world that isn't in crisis.And that's when he's persuaded of a truth his advisers hold to be self-evident: That it's time to think the unthinkable.The problem isn't power, or politics, or the planet, or the President.It's the People.*Hilarious and horrifying - this enormously entertaining satire has never been more razor-sharp, revelatory or relevant. What readers are saying about this hilarious, critically acclaimed novel:'For anyone who likes laughs and thrills in one package and who's been following recent developments in the White House this is an absolute must.' Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars'This political and satirical novel manages to be both thrilling and funny. And, given its prescience, scary too. The characters, the setting and the plot are fantastic and believable. A real page turner.' Amazon Reviewer,5 stars'A frighteningly plausible thriller, which imagines what might happen if the White House were finally to believe that something had to be done about global warming ... clever, funny and a really good read.' Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars'This thriller is packed with good jokes and tells a tale that is utterly credible. Parts were jaw-droppingly frightening and I wished I could have put it down but thesharp humour and pacey plot made me keep reading. It's a laugh and a chiller in one book.' Amazon Reviewer,5 stars
A Planet for the President: A Novel
by Alistair Beaton'For anyone who likes laughs and thrills in one package and who's been following recent developments in the White House this is an absolute must.' Amazon Reviewer, 5 starsIt is the near future and things are not going well for the President of the United States. He wants Americans to be adored by everyone but half the planet seems to be in a permanent state of insurrection against US power. What's more, there's a growing environmental crisis that even he can't ignore. It's one thing when there are floods in Bangladesh, quite another when almost 2,000 Americans die in flooding in Texas.His advisers warn him he could be remembered as the President who wrecked the planet.The President is persuaded of one simple fact: there are too many people in the world. Only radical action can deal with the problem. His advisors come up with a solution more ruthless than anything ever contemplated before. Appalled, the president refuses to go along with their plan.But it isn't long before he is committed to thinking the unthinkable ...****************What readers are saying about this hilarious, critically acclaimed novel:'This political and satirical novel manages to be both thrilling and funny. And, given its prescience, scary too. The characters, the setting and the plot are fantastic and believable. A real page turner.' Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars'A frighteningly plausible thriller, which imagines what might happen if the White House were finally to believe that something had to be done about global warming ... clever, funny and a really good read.' Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars'This thriller is packed with good jokes and tells a tale that is utterly credible. Parts were jaw-droppingly frightening and I wished I could have put it down but thesharp humour and pacey plot made me keep reading. It's a laugh and a chiller in one book.' Amazon Reviewer,5 stars
A Plastic Exercise
by Lázaro Droznes Linda Buenfil CantoThis work of fiction recreates the days of the year 1932 in which, David Siqueiros, a painter committed with communism and art as an instrument of the Revolution, agrees to paint a mural illustrating nude women in the basement of in the country house known as Los Granados, which belonged to the newspaper mogul Natalio Botana, owner of the Crítica, against all his ideological principles. The wife of the painter, Blanca Luz Brum, is the model used in the mural. once the project is over, Blanca leaves Siqueiros and falls in love with Natalio Botana. Siqueiros returns to Mexico deported from Argentina and a year later Luz abandons Botana. Fifty years later the property is bought to extract the mural from the abandoned basement and sell it in the international market. As a consequence of legal problems the art piece is held for 15 years at various warehouses in the Puerto de Buenos Aires and finally is expropriated by the Argentinian Government to be restored and exhibited to the public during the celebration of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Argentina. This fiction recreates the situations that accompanied this extraordinary story which reflects Argentina in the 1930's and the round of couples that was its leitmotiv.
A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen
by Erin FrankelA moving picture book biography about chef José Andrés, who, along with his World Central Kitchen organization, is sure to inspire kids to help out in their own communities.José Andrés&’s love of cooking began as a young boy in Spain as he gathered the wood to make the fire that would cook the paella just right. José loved everything about it: the sizzling olive oil, the mounds of chopped vegetables, and the smell of saffron. When he left home, he realized he wanted to tell stories with food. And tell them he did, creating magic with the seeds of ripe tomatoes and pomegranates and cheese. His dreams grew until they were as big as the stars in the sky. He thought, No one should ever go hungry. I want to help feed the world-- and World Central Kitchen was born.From the earthquake in Haiti to the war in Ukraine and the Covid pandemic, José and his team at World Central Kitchen have been at the frontlines, serving more than 200 million meals and counting, and bringing comfort and hope in the darkest times.With a lyrical text and stunning illustrations, here is a picture book biography about a world-renowned humanitarian and chef that&’s sure to inspire a new generation of community helpers.
A Player and a Gentleman: The Diary of Harry Watkins, Nineteenth-Century U.S. American Actor
by Amy E Hughes Naomi J StubbsHardworking actor, playwright, and stage manager Harry Watkins (1825–94) was also a prolific diarist. For fifteen years Watkins regularly recorded the plays he saw, the roles he performed, the books he read, and his impressions of current events. Performing across the U.S., Watkins collaborated with preeminent performers and producers, recording his successes and failures as well as his encounters with celebrities such as P. T. Barnum, Junius Brutus Booth, Edwin Forrest, Anna Cora Mowatt, and Lucy Stone. His is the only known diary of substantial length and scope written by a U.S. actor before the Civil War—making Watkins, essentially, the antebellum equivalent of Samuel Pepys. Theater historians Amy E. Hughes and Naomi J. Stubbs have selected, edited, and annotated excerpts from the diary in an edition that offers a vivid glimpse of how ordinary people like Watkins lived, loved, struggled, and triumphed during one of the most tumultuous periods in U.S. history. The selections in A Player and a Gentleman are drawn from a more expansive digital archive of the complete diary. The book, like its digital counterpart, will richly enhance our knowledge of antebellum theater culture and daily life in the U.S. during this period.
A Plea For Eros
by Siri HustvedtA stunning collection of essays by the author of WHAT I LOVED, in which she addresses many of the themes explored in her novels - identity, sexual attraction, relationships, family, mental illness, the power of the imagination, a sense of belonging and mortality. In three cases, she focuses on the novels of other writers - Dickens, James and Fitzgerald. She also refers to her own novels, affording an unusual insight into their creation. Whatever her topic, her approach is unaffected, intimate and conversational, inviting us both to share her thoughts and reflect on our own views and ideas.
A Plot to Kill: A true story of deception, betrayal and murder in a quiet English town
by David Wilson'[A] real-life Midsomer Murder ... it's chilling, but [David Wilson's] explanation of how a psychopath thinks is masterly' The TimesThe shocking story of the murder of Peter Farquhar and the churchwarden who groomed and betrayed him, from the UK's leading criminologist David WilsonTwo deaths.Three doors apart.An unsuspecting community about to realise there's a killer in their midst. In October 2015, Peter Farquhar was found dead in his house in Maids Moreton, lying on the sofa next to a bottle of whisky. An inquest was made, and Peter's death was quickly ruled an accident.But after the death of another elderly neighbour, the dreadful truth began to emerge: both victims had been groomed, seduced and mentally tortured by a young man, Benjamin Field, who had used his position of power in the community to target and exploit the elderly.He almost got away with it. Very little shocks criminologist David Wilson, but this extraordinary case in his sleepy hometown astounded him. Wilson felt duty-bound to follow its trail, discovering how his tightknit community failed to intervene, how a psychopath went undetected for years, and how Peter unwittingly supplied the blueprint for his own murder.A Plot to Kill is a chilling, gripping account of a callous murder in the heart of middle England, a fight for justice, and a revealing insight into the mind of a killer.