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Books > Biography > Historical, political & military
This is a fascinating insight into the work of one of our greatest
thinkers.
'The Broadway Travellers contains few more exciting stories than
that of Staden.' Sunday Times
With an Introduction by Angus Calder. As Angus Calder states in his introduction to this edition, 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom is one of the major statements about the fighting experience of the First World War'. Lawrence's younger brothers, Frank and Will, had been killed on the Western Front in 1915. Seven Pillars of Wisdom, written between 1919 and 1926, tells of the vastly different campaign against the Turks in the Middle East - one which encompasses gross acts of cruelty and revenge and ends in a welter of stink and corpses in the disgusting 'hospital' in Damascus. Seven Pillars of Wisdom is no Boys Own Paper tale of Imperial triumph, but a complex work of high literary aspiration which stands in the tradition of Melville and Dostoevsky, and alongside the writings of Yeats, Eliot and Joyce.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was an enigmatic leader, a resolute and
audacious politician who had an immense impact on 20th century
world history. Lenin's life and career have been at the center of
much ideological debate for decades. The post-Soviet era has seen a
revived interest and re-evaluation of the Russian Revolution and
Lenin's legacy.
Revised throughout, the second edition of this successful book takes the most recent research in the field into account and reviews the evidence in order to place Augustus firmly in the context of his own times. History sees Augustus Caesar as the first emperor of Rome, whose system of ordered government provided a firm and stable basis for the expansion and prosperity of the Roman Empire. Hailed as 'restorer of the Republic' and regarded by some as a deity in his own lifetime, Augustus was emulated by many of his successors. Key topics discussed include: the background to Augustus Caesar's spectacular rise to power his political and imperial reforms the creation of the Republica of Augustus the legacy Augustus Caesar left to his successors. Including more coverage of the social and cultural aspects of this complex character's reign, together with an expanded guide to further reading, students will not miss a beat if this book is included on their course reading lists.
How many 'posthumous' lives does a man have to live? Nearly half a century after his death, C. G. Jung is a subject of continual controversies. Every few years, a new life of Jung appears, each promising to provide the missing master key to the mysteries of his life and work, and to lay bare their secrets. However, with every successive 'life, ' Jung becomes shrouded in an ever increasing web of rumour, gossip, innuendo and fantasy. We may ask the questions, why are Jung biographies so filled with shortcomings? How did Jung become a fiction? This book addresses these issues. It demonstrates the pitfalls and fallacies of such works, and sets out how his life and work should be approached on an historical basis, drawing on decades of archival investigation and new documentation. It surveys attempts to write Jung's biography from during his own lifetime till the present, shows how Memories, Dreams, Reflections came to be falsely perceived as his autobiography, and why his Collected Works was never completed. Thus this work lays out an agenda for future studies and discussions of Jung and of his impact on modern psychology and contemporary culture.
Ray Hartley reveals how Cyril Ramaphosa pulled off one of the greatest political comebacks of modern times, and what lies in store for the new president as he embarks on a hefty clean-up operation of a country in shambles. Ray Hartley’s bestselling 2017 biography, Ramaphosa: The Man Who Would Be King, offered a cogent analysis of how the former nearly-man of South African politics handled the key challenges he faced in the unions, in business and in politics. In this updated edition, Hartley questions whether the former‘man in the middle’ can lead from the front, now that he has publicly denounced the besmirched Zuma and his corrupted ANC and established himself as a worthy recipient of the country’s top job. So begins a new era in South African politics.
Steeped in conspiracy, scandal and socialism - the disappearance of radical icon Victor Grayson is a puzzle that's never been solved. A firebrand and Labour politician who rose to prominence in the early twentieth century, Grayson was idolised by hundreds of thousands of Britons but despised by the establishment. After a tumultuous life, he walked out of his London apartment in September 1920 and was never seen again. After a century, new documents have come to light. Fragments of an unpublished autobiography, letters to his lovers (both men and women), leading political and literary figures including H.G. Wells and George Bernard Shaw, and testimonies from members of the Labour elite such as Clement Attlee have revealed the real Victor Grayson. New research has uncovered the true events leading up to his disappearance and suggests that he was actually blackmailed by his former Party. In a time when homosexuality was illegal, and socialism an international threat to capitalism, Grayson was a clear target for those wanting to stamp out dissent. This extraordinary biography reinstates to history a man who laid the foundations for a whole generation of militant socialists in Britain.
In a short life full of quiet endeavour, Will Purdom rose to become a key figure in China's struggle to repair the ecology and sustainability of it forests after decades of ruinous logging.
Well known as a politician and architect, Thomas Jefferson also made important contributions to science. He was elected the third president not only of the United States but also of that most august of scientific clubs, the American Philosophical Society, following in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin and David Rittenhouse. He penned what was arguably the most important American scientific work of the eighteenth century, Notes on the State of Virginia. He designed architecture that promoted a healthy mind in a healthy body and the prevention of infectious diseases, and devised codes and a cipher machine to shield the new Republic against threats of foreign espionage. In his new book, Martin Clagett explores these and other achievements, returning Jefferson to his rightful place as an innovator in the scientific realm. "Scientific Jefferson: Revealed "explores how science shaped Thomas Jefferson's views on politics, religion, economics, and social developments in America. The first of all sciences for Jefferson was agriculture, to which he was attached "by inclination as well as by conviction that it is the most useful of occupations of man." He introduced new and useful plants and livestock into America and advocated the study and practice of agriculture as a science. Perhaps most importantly, he brought forth his original invention of the mathematically precise "Mouldboard Plough of Least Resistance." Clagett also highlights Jefferson's endeavors in archaeology. Jefferson developed the scientific methodology of stratification, which is the foundation of modern archeological techniques, and because of this innovation, he is often called the "Father of American Archaeology." In addition, Clagett examines Jefferson's contributions to anthropology, ethnology, comparative linguistics, paleontology, and medicine. Scientific Jefferson is punctuated with color illustrations, charts, and documents that demonstrate Jefferson's scientific talents, interests, and accomplishments. Clagett concludes with a broader summary of Jefferson's scientific achievements and offers a fresh view of Monticello, the University of Virginia, and even Jefferson's own gravestone as testimonials to his devotion to science. Distributed for the Office of the President of the University of Virginia
Hoekom bel ’n boosaardige eerste minister ’n koerantredakteur skuins na sonop by sy huis? Waarom wil ’n kabinetsminister ’n verslaggewer met die vuiste bydam? En hoe kry ’n Afrikaanse koerant dit reg om tydens die apartheidsjare volledig oor ANC-beleidstandpunte te rapporteer? Harald Pakendorf beantwoord dié vrae, en nog vele meer, in sy herinneringstog deur ’n onstuimige tydperk in Suid-Afrika se geskiedenis. Die grootkoppe van apartheid kon hierdie “liberale” redakteur van Oggendblad (1972–1979) en Die Vaderland (1980–1986) met moeite voor hulle oë verdra. Pakendorf moes John Vorster en PW Botha se woedebuie telkemale trotseer. Vandag sal lesers hul koppe in ongeloof skud oor die scenario’s wat tydens apartheid se hoogbloei in die voorkamers van politieke mag afgespeel het. Maar vir die politieke base van destyds was Harald Pakendorf sy tyd ver vooruit. Só ver dat hulle hom sonder meer uit sy redakteurstoel verwyder het. ’n Fassinerende, persoonlike terugblik wat lesers sal boei.
This engaging new biography dispels many myths surrounding Nehru, and distinguishes between the icon he has become and the politician he actually was. Benjamin Zachariah places Nehru in the context of the issues of his time, including the central theme of nationalism, the impact of Cold War pressures on India and the transition from colonial control to a precarious independence. How did Jawaharlal Nehru come to lead the Indian nationalist movement, and how did he sustain his leadership as the first Prime Minister of independent India? Nehru's vision of India, its roots in Indian politics and society, as well as its viability have been central to historical and present-day views of India. Connecting the domestic and international aspects of his political life and ideology, this study provides a fascinating insight into Nehru, his times and his legacy.
Following his first three successful books, describing his long career as a military pilot, Mike Brooke completes the story with more tales of test flying during the 1980s and '90s. During this period his career changed to see him take control of flying at Farnborough and then at Boscombe Down, as well as off-the-cuff delivery missions to Saudi Arabia, 'bombing' in the name of science in the Arctic and the chance to fulfil a long-standing dream and fly the vintage SE.5a. This often hilarious memoir gives a revealing insight into military and civilian test flying of a wide range of aircraft, weapons and systems. As in his previous books, Brooke continues to use his personal experiences to give the reader a unique view of flight trials of the times, successes and failures. More Testing Times and its earlier volumes make for fascinating reading for any aviation enthusiast.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of today's most admired and controversial political figures. She burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened she would be next. An international bestseller, Infidel shows the coming of age of this elegant, distinguished - and sometimes reviled - political superstar and champion of free speech. Raised in a strict Muslim family and extended clan, Hirsi Ali survived civil war, female circumcision, brutal beatings, an adolescence as a devout believer, the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood, and life in four countries under dictatorships. She escaped from a forced marriage and sought asylum in the Netherlands, where she fought for the rights of Muslim women and the reform of Islam, earning her the enmity of reactionary Islamists and craven politicians. Under constant threat, she refuses to be silenced. Ultimately a celebration of triumph over adversity, Hirsi Ali's story tells how a bright, curious, dutiful little girl evolves into a pioneering freedom fighter. As Western governments struggle to balance democratic ideals with religious pressures, no other book could be more timely, or more significant.
In showing how the great philosophers of human history lived and thought - and what they thought about - Peter Cave provides an accessible and enjoyable introduction to thinking philosophically and how it can change our everyday lives. With a lightness of touch, he addresses questions such as: Is there anything 'out there' that gives meaning to our lives? Does reality tell us how we ought to live? What indeed is reality and what is appearance - and how can we tell the difference? This book paints vivid portraits of an assortment of inspiring thinkers: from Lao Tzu to Avicenna to Iris Murdoch; from Hannah Arendt to Socrates and Plato to Karl Marx; from Kierkegaard and Nietzsche to Sartre to Samuel Beckett - and let us not forget Lewis Carroll for some thought-provoking fantasies and Ludwig Wittgenstein for the anguishes of a genius. As well as displaying optimists and pessimists, believers and non-believers, the book displays relevance to current affairs, from free speech to abortion to the treatment of animals to our leaders' moral character. In each brief chapter, Cave brings to life these often prescient, always compelling philosophical thinkers, showing how their ways of approaching the world grew out of their own lives and times and how we may make valuable use of their insights today. Now, more than ever, we need to understand how to live, and how to understand the world around us. This is the perfect guide.
'What joy to be at sea again, adrift on the vast Pacific, in the clutches of a gifted storyteller. Harrison Christian and the mutineers of Men Without Country held me happily captive to the very last page.' - Dava Sobel, author of Longitude 'Men Without Country shows what a writer can produce when he has real skin in the game... Harrison Christian sets the record straight on the Bounty mutiny with forensic fervour, including the before, the during - and the after.' - Adam Courtenay, author of The Ship that Never Was Full of misadventure and mystery, Men Without Country is a sweeping history of exploration and rebellion in the South Seas - told by a direct descendant of Fletcher Christian, the man who led the infamous mutiny on the Bounty A mission to collect breadfruit from Tahiti becomes the most famous mutiny in history when the crew rise up against Captain William Bligh, with accusations of food restrictions and unfair punishments. Bligh's remarkable journey back to safety is well documented, but the fates of the mutinous men remain shrouded in mystery. Some settled in Tahiti only to face capture and court martial, others sailed on to form a secret colony on Pitcairn Island, the most remote inhabited island on earth, avoiding detection for twenty years. When an American captain stumbled across the island in 1808, only one of the Bounty mutineers was left alive. Told by a direct descendant of Fletcher Christian, Men Without Country details the journey of the Bounty, and the lives of the men aboard. Lives dominated by a punishing regime of hard work and scarce rations, and deeply divided by the hierarchy of class. It is a tale of adventure and exploration punctuated by moments of extreme violence - towards each other and the people of the South Pacific. For the first time, Christian provides a comprehensive and compelling account of the whole story - from the history of trade and exploration in the South Seas to Pitcairn Island, which provided the mutineers' salvation, and then became their grave.
Flashes in her Soul is the story of Jabu Ndlovu, a shop steward of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and a community leader in Imbali near Pietermaritzburg. Jabu, her husband and her oldest daughter were killed in a brutal attack on their home in May 1989. This story shows the courage and compassion with which Jabu fought against all forms of exploitation. Her story represents the experiences of thousands of women who struggled and suffered as a result of the war in KwaZulu-Natal in the 1980s and 1990s. Jabu’s story reminds us of the devastation that violence brings to families, communities and organisations. The politics and dynamics behind the violence today are not the same as in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the need remains for strong and moral leaders like Jabu to speak out and organise against the violence and the moral corruption that lies behind it. First published in 1991, this is the second book in the Hidden Voices Series. The Hidden Voices Series emerged out of an interest in left intellectual contributions towards discussions on race, class, ethnicity and nationalism in South Africa. Before and during the apartheid years, many universities were closed to existing local ideas and debates, and critical intellectual debates, ideas, texts, poetry and songs often originated outside academia during the period of the struggle for liberation. The Hidden Voices Series seeks to publish key texts, books, documents and other materials that were never published under apartheid, or seminal books that have gone out of print. We hope that these recovered, lost or forgotten voices will help reinvigorate the humanities and social sciences, and contribute to the decolonisation of knowledge production in South Africa and indeed throughout Africa.
What's the hook? A fascinating and moving autobiographical novel. What are the themes? Different cultures, families/generations, friendship, school life and the individual vs society. Teaching points? Excellent for multicultural work, as it is set against a background of life in Japanese occupied China. Ideal for exploring narrative structure as it is told simply as a series of snapshots. Comparative work opportunities as it includes the original story of Cinderella that originated in the Tang dynasty (AD 618-908).
Containing footnotes and an extensive bibliography, this edition of Franz Mehring's classic biography is designed to assist the English-speaking reader towards a better understanding of Marx, his work and a history of Marxism. The book is divided into parts as follows: Early Years; A Pupil of Hegel; Exile in Paris; Friedrich Engels; Exile in Brussels; Revolution and Counter-Revolution; Exile in London; Marx and Engels; The Crimean War and the Crisis; Dynastic Changes; The Early Years of the International; 'Das Kapital'; The Zenith and Decline of the International; The Last Decade. |
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