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Widower’s House

Ebook: March 22, 2001

Widower’s House

John Bayley

Category: Memoir & Biography,

Since the death in 1998 of his wife, the novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch, John Bayley has given much thought to adjusting to his new, single status. As the carer of a victim of Alzheimer’s, his was in many ways a double-bereavement as Iris, in the sense of the person who John Bayley met and married, very slowly departed this world some years before her physical death. A meditation on bereavement and loss written in John Bayley’s inimitably sensitive and amusing style of reminiscence, Widower’s House reads like despatches from another, gentler era.

Sex vs Survival

Ebook: November 20, 2014
Hardback: November 20, 2014
Paperback: August 23, 2018

Sex vs Survival

John Launer

Category: Psychology & Philosophy,

Who was Sabina Spielrein? Her dramatic life story is most famous for her notorious affair with Carl Jung, dramatised in the film A Dangerous Method starring Keira Knightley. Yet she was a woman who overcame family and psychiatric abuse to become an original thinker in the field of psychotherapy.

This is the first biography to put her life and ideas at the centre of the story, and to examine Spielreins key role in the development of psychoanalysis and in the rift between Jung and Freud. Drawing on fresh research into Spielreins diaries, papers and correspondence, John Launer tells the story of a passionate woman who transformed herself from one of Jungs disturbed patients into a leading figure in Western psychology, then the Soviet intelligentsia, before losing her life in the Holocaust.

At the heart of Sex Versus Survival is the gripping tale of Spielrein and Jungs tumultuous affair, which played such an important role in both of their lives and intellectual journeys. Launer shows how Spielreins overlooked ideas rejected by Jung and Freud, but substantially vindicated by later developments in psychology and evolutionary biology may represent the last and most important stage in the rediscovery of an extraordinary life.

Reviews

  • 'An excellent book and a labor of love, a gripping account of Spielrein's life and work, illuminated by a narrative of contemporaneous historical events' Henry Lothane, Journal of American Psychoanalytical Association

  • 'Spielrein emerges from the murk with more credit than either Freud or Jung. She pushed on with her career at the forefront of child psychology' Spectator

  • 'Launer's well researched book is a tribute to a remarkable woman who, by analysing her own experience of abuse, went on to make a difference to others as a leading child psychologist... This memorable book finally gives her the recognition she deserves' The Lady

  • 'Launer is not just Spielrein's biographer, he is her champion. He gives the neglected female at last the place she deserves in the development of the talking therapies' Jewish Chronicle

  • 'Remarkable, ground-breaking work... With grace and scholarly passion, Launer offers a radical new biography that places Spielrein where she belongs as a figure of major importance in twentieth century thought' Professor Stephen Frosh, Birkbeck College and author of For and Against Psychoanalysis

  • 'This is an absorbing account... Launer clearly finds his subject inspiring, particularly in her attempts to synthesize the work of Freud, Jung, and Eugen Bleuler with the evolutionary thinking of Charles Darwin' Times Literary Supplement

  • 'This wonderful book is the first full-length biography in English of Sabina Spielrein... as John Launer reveals, a highly original thinker whose work is only now becoming appreciated' Professor Michael J. Reiss, University of London

Churchill and Orwell

Ebook: December 1, 2017
Hardback: June 15, 2017
Paperback: May 3, 2018

Churchill and Orwell

Thomas E. Ricks

Category: Memoir & Biography,

As liberty and truth are increasingly challenged, the figures of Churchill and Orwell loom large. Exemplars of Britishness, they preserved individual freedom and democracy for the world through their far-sighted vision and inspired action, and cast a long shadow across our culture and politics.

In Churchill & Orwell, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas E. Ricks masterfully argues that these extraordinary men are as important today as they ever were. They stood in political opposition to each other, but were both committed to the preservation of freedom. In the late 1930s they occupied a lonely position: democracy was much discredited, and authoritarian rulers, fascist and communist, were everywhere in the ascent. Unlike others, they had the wisdom to see that the most salient issue was human liberty – and that any government that denies its people basic rights is a totalitarian menace to be resisted.

Churchill and Orwell proved their age’s necessary men, and this book reveals how they rose from a precarious position to triumph over the enemies of freedom. Churchill may have played the larger role in Hitler’s defeat, but Orwell’s reckoning with the threat of authoritarian rule in 1984 and Animal Farm defined the stakes of the Cold War and continues to inspire to this day. Their lives are an eloquent testament to the power of moral conviction, and to the courage it takes to stay true to it.

Reviews

  • 'Really, very interesting' John Le Carré

  • ‘An inspiring story… highly readable’ Andrew Roberts, bestselling author of Napoleon the Great and The Storm of War

  • ‘Ricks is an excellent writer; his eye for telling detail brings to life these two remarkable and much-mythologised men’ Keith Lowe, Telegraph

  • 'A feast of a book, laden with observations and insights that enable us to see these familiar figures, and through them our own time, in a fresh and illuminating light' John Gray, New Statesman

  • ‘A page turner written with great brio... highly enjoyable’ New York Times

The Devil in the Valley

Ebook: February 9, 2017
Hardback: February 11, 2016
Paperback: February 9, 2017

The Devil in the Valley

Castle Freeman

In his quiet Vermont home, a man named Taft sits and wonders what’s missing from his life. He’s at a loss until a strange voice startles him from the rocking chair, where a stranger has seemingly appeared out of nowhere: well-dressed and smooth-talking, this man offers Taft the chance to have anything he’s ever wanted-for a price. So begins The Devil in the Valley, the latest novel from critically acclaimed author Castle Freeman, Jr. Combining his deft hand for the supernatural with his classic setting of rural Vermont, Freeman gives us a story that touches on temptation and greed, and explores what we’re willing to trade to obtain the things we most desire. A modern fable that explores the supernatural while staying rooted deeply in our world, The Devil in the Valley is a powerful novel from a master at his craft.

Reviews

  • 'This unusual little gem of a book is part comic romp and part nail-biting thriller... Castle Freeman writes with both wit and a deep understanding of the human psyche, and he does not cheat us out of a dramatic climax' Guardian

  • 'A Faustian tale in inimitable style. Full of laconic dialogue and waggish asides on contemporary culture, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read from the ever-inventive Freeman' Booklist

  • 'Castle Freeman packs more story into 160 pages than more famous authors could fit into twice as many' USA Today

The Last Escaper

Ebook: September 25, 2014
Hardback: September 25, 2014
Paperback: September 10, 2015

The Last Escaper

Peter Tunstall

Category: Memoir & Biography,

The product of a lifetimes reflection, The Last Escaper is Peter Tunstall’s unforgettable memoir of his days in the RAF and as one of the most celebrated of all British POWs. Tunstall was an infamous tormentor of his German captors dubbed the cooler king (on account of his long spells in solitary), but also a highly skilled pilot, loyal friend and trusted colleague. Without false pride or bitterness, Tunstall recounts the high jinks of training to be a pilot, terrifying bombing raids in his Hampden and of elaborate escape attempts at once hilarious and deadly serious all part of a poignant and human war story superbly told by a natural raconteur. The Last Escaper is a charming and hugely informative last testament written by the last man standing from the Colditz generation who risked their lives in the Second World War. It will take its place as one of the classic first-hand accounts of that momentous conflict.

Reviews

  • 'A remarkable memoir of a British lad's salad days flying bombers against the Nazis and then repeatedly escaping their prison camps... An engrossing valediction to the tough, imaginative generation forged by the war' Kirkus Reviews

  • 'The historical account of behind-the-scenes drama makes this a valuable addition to the period literature' Publishers Weekly

  • 'The story is not sugar coated to make things lighter than they were. The stark reality of war is ever present in his detailed accounting of life as a prisoner of war. We are taken through the highs and lows of not only each failed attempt but the psychological effects of imprisonment on himself, others in the camps and ultimately how it changed each person involved' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Twenty Something

Ebook: January 12, 2011
Paperback: May 1, 2006

Twenty Something

Iain Hollingshead

‘Twenty Something’ introduces us to Jack Lancaster, who, at only 25 is far too young to be having a mid-life crisis, but who’s going to have a pretty good shot at it anyway.

‘A tasty dollop of British wit’ Boston Globe

Reviews

  • 'Funny, rude and entertaining... Will strike a chord with anyone who is, was, or will be a twentysomething' Danny Wallace

  • ‘Wonderful… Hollingshead writes with the cynicism of many clever young men, but the passion of very few’ Matthew Parris, columnist for The Times

  • ‘Excellent… a very entertaining romp’ Evening Standard

  • 'Pure comic gold' Booklist

  • ‘Sharp. Exceptionally observant and consistently amusing' Independent on Sunday

  • ‘More than enough laughs for Hollingshead to stake a claim to being Tony Parsons for SW-something twenty-somethings’ Literary Review

  • ‘Wildly entertaining and well-written – five stars’ Zoo

Midnight in Berlin

Ebook: February 23, 2017
Hardback: January 21, 2016
Paperback: February 23, 2017

Midnight in Berlin

James MacManus

Category: Historical Fiction,

Berlin, 1938. Newly-appointed military attaché Noel Macrae and his wife Primrose arrive at the British Embassy. Prime Minister Chamberlain is intent on placating Nazi Germany, but Macrae is less so. Convinced Hitler can be stopped by other means than appeasement, he soon discovers he is not the only dissenting voice in the Embassy and finds that some senior officers in the German military are prepared to turn against the Fuhrer. Gathering vital intelligence, Macrae is drawn to Kitty Schmidt’s Salon (a Nazi bordello) and its enigmatic Jewish hostess Sara Sternschein-a favourite of sadistic Gestapo boss Reinhard Heydrich. Sara is a treasure-trove of knowledge about the Nazi hierarchy in a city of lies, spies and secrets.

Does she hold the key to thwarting Hitler or is Macrae just being manipulated by her whilst his wife romantically pursues his most important German military contact, Florian Koenig? As loyalties are stretched to the limit and Europe slides towards another war, could just one act of great courage and sacrifice change everything?

Reviews

  • 'As pacey as any modern thriller but with a touch of the Edwardian adventure yarn. Midnight in Berlin is a vivid portrait of an entire city in turmoil, seething with intrigue and danger' The Times

  • 'Based on real events, Midnight in Berlin is a gripping, atmospheric thriller, which brilliantly captures the oppressive, malevolent mood of the Nazi capital on the eve of World War Two. Fans of Philip Kerr and David Downing will love it' Roger Moorhouse, author of Berlin at War

  • 'A master-class in how to write a period novel. The research must have been enormous, but it remains completely hidden. The book reads as if written by someone who was there at that time and who is giving personally lived through history a light fictional dusting. This book is written with consummate skill: period setting, historical characters and fictional characters are perfectly rendered. The history is vividly presented and flawlessly accurate. The plot is utterly riveting' Edward Wilson, author of A Very British Ending

  • 'James MacManus's background as a foreign correspondent shines through in this vivid portrayal of Nazi Berlin's feverish atmosphere on the eve of war. A clever weaving of fact and fiction in the darkening world of the late 1930s' David Young, author of Stasi Child

  • 'A fascinating novel. An intriguing and highly recommended book' Country Life

  • 'MacManus clearly did tremendous research to set the novel's scene and his storytelling gifts are as strong as his historical insights' Connecticut Post

  • 'Here is a well-informed, smoothly crafted, fast-paced novel based closely on events in Berlin during the crucial months of 1938-39, and the European politics leading inevitably to war... If you like good historical fiction, and have a penchant for international politics and an interest in the rise of Hitler and life in the diplomatic world of Germany on the brink of war, this is a recommended read emotions and all' Portland Book Review

  • 'This book lived with me long after I d finished it as the courage and determination of those caught up in the pre-war whirlwind had dragged me into the reality and horror of the Third Reich' Diney Costeloe, author of The Throwaway Children

Siegfried Sassoon

Ebook: October 24, 2013
Hardback: October 24, 2013
Paperback: September 26, 2002

Siegfried Sassoon

Jean Moorcroft Wilson

Category: Memoir & Biography,

The definitive biography of one of the twentieth century’s finest poets, Siegfried Sassoon combines material from The Making of a War Poet and The Journey from the Trenches, the two bestselling volumes on Sassoon from his biographer and foremost scholar, Jean Moorcroft Wilson.

Encompassing the poet’s complete life and works, from his patriotic youth that led him to the frontline, to the formation of his anti-war convictions, great literary friendships and flamboyant love affairs, this single-volume opus also includes new poems only just come to light. With over a decade’s research, and unparalleled access to Sassoon’s private correspondence, Wilson presents the complete portrait, both elegant and heartfelt, of an extraordinary man, and an extraordinary poet.

Reviews

  • 'The first volume of what promises to be the definitive biography of an important and neglected poet' Robert Nye, The Scotsman

  • 'A compelling tale' Ian Hamilton, Sunday Telegraph

  • 'A story in which the roots are as interesting as the core... invaluable to historians of the period' Andrew Motion, The Times

  • 'Thorough and perceptive' Jeremy Lewis, Observer

Build Your Own Time Machine

Ebook: July 4, 2012
Hardback: January 19, 2012
Paperback: March 28, 2013

Build Your Own Time Machine

Brian Clegg

Category: Popular Science,

There is no physical law to prevent time travel nothing in physics to say it is impossible. So who is to say it can’t be done? In Build Your Own Time Machine, acclaimed science writer Brian Clegg takes inspiration from his childhood heroes, Doctor Who and H. G. Wells, to explain the nature of time. How do we understand it and why measure it the way we do? How did the theories of one man change the way time was perceived by the world? Why wouldn’t H. G. Wells’s time machine have worked? And what would we need to do to make a real one?

Build Your Own Time Machine explores the amazing possibilities of quantum entanglement, superluminal speeds, neutron star cylinders and wormholes in space. Brian Clegg applies the most famous of Einstein’s theories, special and general relativity, to explain the real science of time travel and discover how possible it really is.

Reviews

  • 'Brian Clegg conjectures on the totally conjectural world of time and space travel and brings it all beautifully down to earth. Brilliant' Johnny Ball

  • 'Clegg's enjoyable exposition of how human time travel might be possible... gives some unusually lucid scientific explanations' Guardian

  • 'Clegg proves himself to be a lucid guide to the often complex science of time travel. His ambitious book covers more or less the whole of twentieth-century physics from relativity to string theory' Times Literary Supplement

The Modern Guide to Judaism

Ebook: November 22, 2012
Paperback: November 22, 2012

The Modern Guide to Judaism

Shmuley Boteach

Category: Psychology & Philosophy,

Does it mean nothing at all that we are spiritual beings? What does one of the world’s oldest religions have to say? After the astonishing success of his latest book, Kosher Sex, Shmuley Boteach now tackles these important issues in another freshly argued, provocative book that will stir debate. Convinced that Judaism possesses a core of wisdom that appeals to everyone, Shmuley Boteach ferociously argues against Jews seeking piety in abstractions, in rationalising injustice, in explaining the holocaust away as a punishment for assimilation. He pleads for recognition that Judaism is not about death or suffering, but is about seeking optimism and spirituality, as is life. In a modern world riddled with angst, this book will have an astonishing impact on how our relation to society should be understood.

Reviews

  • Boteach possesses the power to surprise as much as he does to preach.

    Publishers Weekly

  • Boteach writes passionately, providing much for the thoughtful reader to consider in matters of spiritual and mundane conduct.

    Library Journal

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