Winner of the 2010 Guardian First Book Award: a groundbreaking reassessment of English cultural life in the thirties and forties. In the 1930s and 1940s, while the battles for modern art and modern society were being fought in Paris and Spain, it seemed to some a betrayal that John Betjeman and John Piper were in love with a provincial world of old churches and tea shops.
This is an annually updated presentation of Canada past and present. It is broken down into sections dealing with Canada’s culture, geography, people, history (from New France to the constitutional debates in the late 20th century), political system (including the constitution, monarchy, executive, parliament, legal and court system, federalism and the provinces, provincial governments, parties and elections), defense, economy, future and bibliography.
Rome and the Barbarians tells the story of the complex relationships between Celts, Goths, Huns, Persians and their Roman conquerors as they intermarried, exchanged ideas and, in the ensuing provincial Roman cultures, formed the basis of European civilization.
Elizabeth David's books belong in the libraries of everyone who loves to read and prepare food and this one is generally regarded as her best; her passion and knowledge comes through on every page. She was one of the foremost writers on food in the latter half of the 20th century and this book has her most celebrated writing. "French Provincial Cooking" should be approached and read as a series of short stories, as well written and evocative as the best literature.
In What Bloody Man Is That?, Charles Paris is on his way up again, career-wise. No longer "resting" and no longer just a corpse in a cupboard, he blossoms in the play dreaded by superstitious theatre folk, who will not even speak its name: "the Scottish play"-Macbeth. It's only in the provincial rep, but you have to start (or re-start) somewhere. And his agent has promised that though what's offered is not much of a part, "other good parts are in the offing".
