Females of the Species

Literature & Fiction

Lloyd-Jones, Hugh

Poetry

Duckworth Pub

<p>Plutarch's "Lives" and "Morals" are among the formative books of western civilisation, Written around AD 100, in Greece under Roman rule, they reflect conditions of that time: not only the political limitations, but - more importantly - the rich inheritance of post-classical as well as classical Greek thinking. Russell sets out to explain what it is like to read Plutarch and what one needs to bear in mind in order to read him with understanding and appreciation. Plutarch is seen in his historical context, his language and style, as a scholar of the past, as philosopher and moralist. The "Lives" are then discussed with specific examples in more detail - Alcibiades and some of the main generals of the late Roman republic; in the final chapter Russell examines the reception of Plutarch down to the time of North's translation and Shakespeare's reliance on it. Each chapter is generously laced with quotation (in translation), so that the student and general reader get a feeling for Plutarch's work.</p>

Plutarch

D. Russell

Dickens is one of the greatest literary icons of British culture, an apparently inexhaustible resource for the entertainment industry. This book provides a personal insight into the truth of a famous tribute paid to Dickens the man by a helper on his triumphal public reading tours: "The more you want out of the Master, the more you'll find in him". Ranging widely over Dickens' fiction, journalism, letters and speeches, this book sets out to capture the leading ideas and beliefs, the artistic ideals and ambitions, that inspired and shaped Dickens' prodigious output, offering a guide to 'Dickensian values'.

An Intelligent Person's Guide to Dickens

Michael Slater

Silent Places: Landscapes of Jewish Life and Loss in Eastern Europe [Sep 26, 2003] Gusky, Jeff and Miller, Judith ... 071563254X

Silent Places : Landscapes of Jewish Life and Loss in Eastern Europe

A classic study of the rise and fall of medieval courtly culture; Every aspect of 'courtly culture' comes to life in Joachim Bumke's extraordinarily rich and well-documented presentation, splendidly translated from the German by Thomas Dunlap. A renowned medievalist with an encyclopaedic knowledge of original sources and a passion for history, Bumke overlooks no detail, from the material realities of aristocratic society - the castles and clothing, weapons and transportation, food, drink, and table etiquette - to the behaviour prescribed and practiced at tournaments, knighting ceremonies, and great princely feasts. The courtly knight and courtly lady, and the transforming idea of courtly love, are seen through the literature that celebrated them, and we learn how literacy among an aristocratic laity spread from France through Germany and became the basis of a cultural revolution. At the same time, Bumke clearly challenges those who have comfortably confused the ideals of courtly culture with their expression in courtly society.

Courtly Culture : Literature and Society in the High Middle Ages

History

Joachim Bumke

World

One for Sorrow : Two for Joy

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Woodall, Clive

Fantasy

This important commentary by Alexander of Aphrodisias on Aristotle's work on biochemistry was previously lost. However, four chapters of it have been reidentified in an Arabic translation by Emma Gannge and are here translated for the first time. The chapters were preserved in the writings of an eighth-century alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan. In addition to preserving an interesting example of very early cross-cultural scientific activity in the Muslim world, the newly discovered material is of philosophical importance: We learn how Alexander attempted to provide a unified theory that would unite Aristotle's chemistry with his elemental physics. In addition to a translation of the text, this volume includes a detailed introduction demonstrating the authenticity of the work and discussing its contribution to our understanding of ancient science.

Alexander of Aphrodisias : On Aristotle', 'on Coming to Be' and 'Perishing 2.2-5

Michael Lloyd

Max Reddick, who is a talented 'black writer' in America but a literary genius in Europe, is trying to come to terms with his dilemma. Max is tired of having to accept that being black will always be the primary definition of his life - despite his marriage to a white woman, despite his literary talent and aspirations, despite his intellectual and social relations, and despite his 'escape' to the European cities of Paris and Amsterdam. At the end of his life, cut short by cancer, Max decides to question all the things that brought him to where he is today. John A. Williams has created in Max Reddick an unforgettable character: irascible, fiercely inteiligent, irredeemable, and honourable. The Man Who Cried I Am is a stunning chronicle of not only Williams's life but the lives of all black people who have refused to be victims: African-Americans who have had to leave their country to claim their individuality, intellectual independence, and rightful recognition, and who have always yearned to be 'home' but struggled to find such a place. With penetrating fictional portraits of Richard Wright and James Baldwin, among other historical figures, John A Williams reveals the hope, courage, and bitter disappointment of the civil-rights era. Infused with powerful artistry, searing anger, as well as insight, humanity, and vision, The Man Who Cried I Am is a classic of post-war American literature.

The Man Who Cried I Am

John A. Williams

Hemingway in Africa : The Last Safari

<p>Samuel Leech's memoirs of his adventures at sea represent one of the few articulate accounts of life in the sailing navy by an ordinary seaman. Just twelve years old when he left home, the young Leech had a romantic view of seafaring which was soon dashed by the crushing reality of life aboard the Macedonian. Indeed, his reflections on floggings, excessive drinking, the press gang and autocratic rule of captains provide a colorful backdrop to the main narrative. The memoirs are made doubly fascinating because Leech contrived to fight in the War of 1812 on both sides, being captured by the Americans after the battle with the USS United States, and to his surprise he found the American navy little better, witnessing constant floggings and capricious command.</p>

A Voice from the Main Deck: Being a Record of the Thirty Years Adventures of Samuel Leech (Sailor's Tales)

Leech, Samuel

Military

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