Nicolas Bentley Reihenfolge der Bücher (Chronologisch)

Thomas Stearns Eliot, nositel Nobelovy ceny za literaturu z roku 1948, je jednou z nejvýznamnějších a nejvlivnějších osobností světové literatury 20. století. Proslul jako rafinovaný básník, dramatik a kritik. Praktická příručka o kočkách se však z celkového obrazu jeho díla výrazně vymyká (dokonce tak, že se o ní mnohé literárněhistorické prameny v přehledech ani nezmiňují). Narušuje totiž dost drasticky jeho celkové důstojně seriózní vyznění, náležíc nesporně k dílkům příležitostným, jednoznačně oddechovým. O životaschopnosti Eliotova kočičího námětu ovšem svědčí samozřejmě muzikál Cats, Eliotovými Kočkami inspirovaný. V historii Broadwaye je to druhý nejdéle uváděný muzikál (po Fantomu opery). Sbírka vychází česky v úplnosti poprvé a je čtvrtým svazkem edice NOS.

George Mikes describes the strange things the English do and say.

The indispensable manual for everyone who longs to attain True Britishness George Mikes's perceptive best-seller provides a complete guide to the British Way of Life. Having been born in Hungary, he eventually spent more than forty years in the field, and the fruits of his labour include insights on important topics including the weather, how to be rude and how to panic quietly. Loved by readers and authors alike, How to Be a Brit contains Mikes's three major works -- How to be an Alien, How to be Inimitable and How to be Decadent. If you're British, you'll love it; if you're a foreigner, you'll appreciate it. How to plan a town: "Street names should be painted clearly and distinctly on large boards. Then hide these boards carefully." Queuing: "An Englishman, even if he is alone, forms an orderly queue of one." Sex: "Continental people have sex lives: the English have hot water bottles."

Over thirty years after George Mikes penned his classic guide for foreigners in Britain, he has felt compelled to create a new edition. This updated version addresses the evolving nature of British identity and culture, recognizing that even the British can change significantly over three decades. Key sections explore themes such as How to Lose an Empire, Become a Colony, and Stop Being an Island, offering fresh insights into these contemporary issues. Familiar topics, like sex, receive more nuanced treatment than before, requiring more than just a brief mention. Navigating London has also grown increasingly complex, and the evolution of language presents its own challenges. While natives may experience some blows to their self-esteem, they ultimately find themselves basking in a sense of self-congratulation. Mikes's enduring relationship with his adopted country shines through, alongside the perfect illustrations by Nicholas Bentley that complement his humor. Together, they create a work that rivals Mikes's most famous writings, capturing the unique chemistry that defines his perspective on Britain.

George Mikes says, 'the English have no soul; they have the understatement instead'. But they do have a sense of humour - they provide it by buying over three hundred thousand copies of a book that took them quietly and completely apart, a book that really took the Mikes out of them.

"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" is the renowned collection of cat poems for children and lovers of the whimsical, in which T. S. Eliot brings cats to life as they dance, purr, and chatter delightfully. Eliot originally wrote these cat poems for his godchildren. First published in England in 1939, the collection also inspired "Cats," the most famous musical of all time. A devoted cat lover himself, Eliot reflects on the nature of cats in general and the essence of each individual cat in particular, gathering them all here: the Grim Tiger, the Rum Tum Tugger, Old Deuteronomy, the Cat that Walks by Himself, Rumpus Cat and Ratter, the magical Mr. Mistoffelees, and Puss in Boots, once famously known as the arch-villain Firefurzfickel and the sweet-talking Schmeckerjan.