The recent rise of Francophone studies within French studies has created the need for a one-volume exploration of the range of expression in the French language following the colonial period. Francophone Post-Colonial Cultures collects discussions of literary texts and cultural identity from Europe, North Africa, the Caribbean, and South Asia-regions of the world that seem to have only the French language in common. Despite enormous differences among all the countries where French is spoken, Francophone literatures tend to deal with a similar spread of issues. This volume positions the study of the Francophone world and its cultures as a comparative project, in which post-colonial Francophone cultures and the specific alterity of these cultures emerge as inextricable from and essential to an understanding of modern France. Organized by region, boasting an international roster of contributors, and including summaries of selected creative and critical works and a guide to selected terms and figures, Francophone Post-Colonial Cultures is an ideal resource for scholars of French literature and advanced students looking to read beyond the French literary canon.

An Economist Best Book of 2007, Jonathan Carr's The Wagner Clan was roundly acclaimed upon its publication in hardcover. Hailed as "fiendishly enjoyable" by Salon.com and "masterly" and "enthralling" by The Daily Telegraph, it proves that the history of Europe and that of the Wagners are inextricably intertwined. Carr presents not only Richard Wagner himself--composer, philosopher, philanderer, failed revolutionary, and virulent anti-Semite--but also a colorful cast of historical figures who feature in Wagner's story: Franz Liszt (whose illegitimate daughter Cosima married Wagner); the "mad King" Ludwig II, who saved Wagner from penury by becoming his sponsor; Friedrich Nietzsche; Arthur Schopenhauer; Richard Strauss; Gustav Mahler; Arturo Toscanini; Joseph Goebbels; Hermann Goring; and the "Wolf" himself, Adolf Hitler, a passionate fan of the Master's music and an adopted uncle to Wagner's grandchildren. Wagner's British-born daughter-in-law, Winifred, was a close friend of Hitler's and seemed momentarily positioned to marry him after the death of her husband. All through the war the Bayreuth Festival, begun by the Master himself, was supported by Hitler, who had to fill the audience with fighting men and SS officers. After the war's devastation, the festival was dark for a decade until Wagner's offspring--with characteristic ambition and cunning--revived it. With the sweeping scope of a Wagnerian opera, The Wagner Clan is a riveting chronicle of the ascent, decline, and rehabilitation of the German nation and its most infamous family.

A TIMES BOOK OF THE MONTH. It is 1800, and the future of Chicago hangs in the balance, to be decided on the outcome of a game of chess. Win or lose, the result will reverberate through the next 100 years of history, and the players' lives, the lives of their descendants, and the city itself will never be the same again ...

Inspired by the full flavours emanating from their idyllic ciderhouse located in the heart of a rustic New England apple orchard, Jonathan Carr and Nicole Blum's recipes celebrate the versatility of fresh cider in all its forms. Ciderhouse Cookbook teaches home cooks how to make a full array of traditional cider products, including cider syrups, molasses, vinegars, shrubs, and switchels, as well as apple preserves. The 127 cider-enriched recipes that follow are simple yet elegant, ranging from Oven-Roasted Asparagus with Garlicky Apple Vinaigrette to Braised Lamb Stew with Apples, Switchel, and Yogurt Mint Sauce; Cider Mimosas; Apple Pommeau Cake; and Crepes with Fried Apples and Cider Caramel Sauce. With beautiful photography that captures the ambiance of the ciderhouse, this book is a deliciously loving tribute to America's favourite fruit.