Kundera whirls through comedy & tragedy towards his central question: how does a person any person live today? In constructing his answer he writes of politics sex literature modern man's alienation
- & of their antidotes: laughter & forgetting.
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Why did London Underground once employ a one-legged man to ride up & down the escalators at Earl's Court tube station? What did Hitler plan to do with Nelson's Column? Why is London's only medieval mummy a prostitute named Clarice la Claterballock? How did a beer flood in Tottenham Court Road drown nine people? Where can you see a pair of Queen Victoria's knickers? Containing chapters covering London past & present; buildings & streets; famous & unexpected Londoners; arts literature & crime; plus much much more the 180 lists will amaze amuse & inform. More than simply a keepsake for tourists every self-respecting Londoner needs this book. ...

Ever wondered if Cheapside really is cheap what you do in Threadneedle Street or who the knights of Knightsbridge were? Did you know that Piccadilly is actually an insult? & that Euston Road was built because there were too many cows on Oxford Street? Or that the River Fleet was covered over partly because of a drunken butcher? Take a trip down narrow lanes through cobbled streets & crowded markets to discover the meanings behind the citys place names. Meet forgotten residents whose names survive in the places where they lived & uncover tales from Londons murky past that have shaped the modern city. From famous landmarks to forgotten rivers grand thoroughfares to lost palaces & ancient villages swallowed up as the city grew Caroline Taggart explains the hidden meanings behind familiar places. If you have ever wanted to peel back the layers of history & discover the people events & stories that shaped London then come on a journey that will show you our capital city in a new light... ...

The first of a two-book set that contains the early myths & legends which led to the writing of Tolkiens epic tale of war The Silmarillion. The Book of Lost Tales stands at the beginning of the entire conception of Middle-earth & Valinor for the Tales were the first form of the myths & legends that came to be called The Silmarillion. Embedded in English legend & English association they are set in the narrative frame of a great westward voyage over the Ocean by a mariner named Eriol to the lonely Isle where the Elves dwelt; from them he learned their true history the Lost Tales of Elfinesse. In the Tales are found the earliest accounts of Gods & Elves Dwarves Balrogs & Orcs; of the Silmarils & the Two Trees of Valinor; of the geography & cosmology of Tolkiens invented world. This series of fascinating books has now been repackaged to complement the distinctive & classic style of the black cover A-format paperbacks of The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings The Silmarillion & Unfinished Tales. ...

The second of a two-book set that contains the early myths & legends which led to the writing of Tolkiens epic tale of war The Silmarillion. This second part of The Book of Lost Tales

Includes:: the tale of Beren & Luthien Turin & the Dragon & the only full narratives of the Necklace of the Dwarves & the Fall of Gondolin itself the finest & most exciting depiction of a battle that Tolkien ever wrote. Each tale is followed by a commentary in the form of a short essay together with texts of associated poems & contains extensive information on names & vocabulary in the earliest Elvish languages. This series of fascinating books has now been repackaged to complement the distinctive & classic style of the black cover A-format paperbacks of The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings The Silmarillion & Unfinished Tales.

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Once there was a gospel written in Christs own hand: a treasure of almost unimaginable magnitude referred to by the Cathars of medieval France as The Book of Love... Fresh from her successful search for the long-hidden scrolls written by Mary Magdelene journalist Maureen Pascal now finds herself on the trail of the legendary lost gospel known as the Book of Love. But just as there were those who would stop at nothing to seize & suppress the Book of Love seven centuries ago so there are those today who are equally determined that its radical message should never be revealed. In a race across Italy & France new dangers await Maureen & her lover Sinclair as they begin to uncover secrets & shine new light on the hidden corners of Christianity. Combining expert research with dazzling plot twists The Book of Love is sure to thrill readers as they follow Maureens search for clues through some of the worlds greatest art architecture & history until a potentially fatal encounter reveals the Book of Love to her -- & to us. ...

In keeping with the other Norton Critical Editions the text of The Book of Margery Kempe" has not been modernized & the translation adheres closely to Middle English. The text is accompanied by an introduction a map of medieval England a Kempe lexicon & explanatory annotations. This edition

Includes:: primary sources to elucidate late medieval religious authority mysticism & expressions of worship as well as nine interpretative essays & a selected bibliography. Book of Margery Kempe""

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Losing none of the exuberance & verbal agility which have become a hallmark of Simon Armitages poetry these poems are more obviously personal
- the ensuing risks of vulnerability & exposure more dangerous. The poems mark a coming-of-age of a poet who is by now established as a leading voice. The book is arranged in three sections. The first part the Book of Matches" is a series of sonnets. Each poem is designed to relay the urgency of a struck match packed with discoveries flashes of insights on family & life. The poems in the middle section " Becoming of Age" relate incidents from other times other lives & experiences to a common life. The final section " Reading the Bans" is a moving sequence of poems on the poets marriage."
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A Book of Mediterranean Food" is Elizabeth David first book & made her a favourite with foodies everywhere. Originally published in 1950 "A Book of Mediterranean Food" is based on a collection of recipes she made while living in France Italy the Greek islands & Egypt. She gives us hearty pasta & polenta dishes from Italy; aromatic & tangy salads from Turkey & Greece; & tasty seafood & saffron dishes from Spain. Whether it is the simplicity of hummus or the delicious blending of flavours found in plates of ratatouille or paella Elizabeth David's wonderful recipes in "A Book of Mediterranean Food" are imbued with all the delights of the sunny south. " Not only did she transform the way we cooked but she is a delight to read". (" Express on Sunday"). " Britain's most inspirational food writer". (" Independent"). " When you read Elizabeth David you get perfect pitch. There is an understanding & evocation of flavours colours scents & places that lights up the page". (" Guardian"). Elizabeth David (1913-1992) is the woman who changed the face of British cooking. Having travelled widely during the Second World War she introduced post-war Britain to the sun-drenched delights of the Mediterranean & her recipes brought new flavours & aromas into kitchens across Britain. After her classic first book " Mediterranean Food" followed more bestsellers including " French Country Cooking" " Summer Cooking" " French Provincial Cooking" " Italian Food" " Elizabeth David's Christmas" & " At Elizabeth David's Table"." ...

This essential Middle English textbook now in its third edition introduces students to the wide range of literature written in England between 1150 & 1400. It is a new thoroughly revised edition of this essential Middle English textbook. It introduces the language of the time giving guidance on pronunciation spelling grammar metre vocabulary & regional dialects. It now

Includes:: extracts from Pearl & Chaucers Troilus & Criseyde". Bibliographic references have been updated throughout. Each text is accompanied by detailed notes."

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