The narrative explores a revolution ignited by Goethe, emphasizing the themes of subjectivism, individualism, and the quest for freedom. Through its characters and philosophical insights, it delves into the transformative impact of these ideas on society and personal identity, showcasing the struggle for self-expression and autonomy. The book invites readers to reflect on the enduring relevance of Goethe's influence in shaping modern thought and the ongoing pursuit of liberation in various forms.
The much-anticipated memoirs of A. N. Wilson, one of Britain's leading contemporary critics, both literary and cultural, and a figure celebrated for his waspish and subversive writing.
a tale of human courage and resistance' - Lady Antonia Fraser'I loved this
book, not read without shedding a tear, reminding us that true democracy goes
hand-in-hand with true kingship' - Roy Strong
Every December, a huge Christmas tree arrives in Trafalgar Square. Bedeckedin lights, it is a shimmering, festive beacon in the heart of London. But evenmore enchanting than the twinkling decorations and scented pine is the storybehind the tree; a story of loyalty, friendship and resistance.On a cold evening in 1940, German w arships made their w ay tow ards Oslo. Itseemed inevitable that Norw ay, like so many other European nations, w ould soonsubmit to the Nazi regime. But the country's indomitable King Haakon VII refused tosurrender. Making his escape through his country tow ards the safe haven of Britain,King Haakon became an icon of hope for his people. And so, over seventy yearslater, the tree in Trafalgar Square remains as an enduring gift of thanks fromNorw ay to the people of Britain.In The King and the Christmas Tree historian A. N. W ilson artfully w eaves togetherthis tale of courage and friendship betw een nations. Richly illustrated andbeautifully told, it is a delightful Christmas cracker for everyone, young and oldalike.
Charles Dickens was a superb public performer, a great orator and one of the most famous of the Eminent Victorians. Slight of build, with a frenzied, hyper-energetic personality, Dickens looked much older than his fifty-eight years when he died--an occasion marked by a crowded funeral at Westminster Abbey, despite his waking wishes for a small affair. Experiencing the worst and best of life during the Victorian Age, Dickens was not merely the conduit through whom some of the most beloved characters in literature came into the world. He was one of them. Filled with the twists, pathos, and unusual characters that sprang from this novelist's extraordinary imagination, The Mystery of Charles Dickens looks back from the legendary writer's death to recall the key events in his life. In doing so, he seeks to understand Dickens' creative genius and enduring popularity. Following his life from cradle to grave, it becomes clear that Dickens's fiction drew from his life--a fact he acknowledged. Like Oliver Twist, Dickens suffered a wretched childhood, then grew up to become not only a respectable gentleman but an artist of prodigious popularity. Dickens knew firsthand the poverty and pain his characters endured, including the scandal of a failed marriage. Going beyond standard narrative biography, A.N. Wilson brilliantly revisits the wellspring of Dickens's vast and wild imagination, to reveal at long last why his novels captured the hearts of nineteenth century readers--and why they continue to resonate today
The first comprehensively researched biography of Queen Victoria ever, by one of Britain's best biographers. This magnificent biography sheds new light on Victoria not just as a queen, but as a woman.
A. N. Wilson has been thinking about the Bible, and reading it, since he read theology for a year at university. Martin Luther King was 'reading the Bible' when he started the Civil Rights movement. When Michelangelo painted the fresco cycles in the Sistine Chapel, he was 'reading the Bible'. In The Book of the People A. N. Wilson explores how readers and thinkers have approached the Bible, and how it might be read today. Charting his own relationship with the Bible over a lifetime of writing, Wilson argues that it remains relevant even in a largely secular society, as a philosophical work, a work of literature and a cultural touchstone that the western world has answered to for nearly two thousand years. He challenges the way fundamentalists whether believers or non-believers - have misused the Bible, either by neglecting and failing to recognize its cultural significance, or by using it as a weapon against those with whom they disagree. Erudite, witty and accessible, The Book of the People seeks to reclaim the Good Book as our seminal work of literature, and a book for the imagination.
Der Roman spielt während des ersten Jakobitenaufstandes von 1715 in den schottischen Highlands. Frank Osbaldistone, der Sohn eines englischen Kaufmanns, reist nach Schottland, um seinen Cousin Rashleigh zu verfolgen, der Papiere des Handelshauses gestohlen hat. Walter Scott gilt als Begründer des historischen Romans und seine Werke sind Klassiker der englischen Literatur.
This work includes A.N. Wilson on 'The Gospel According to Matthew', Nick Cave on 'The Gospel According to Mark', Richard Holloway on 'The Gospel According to Luke', Blake Morrison on 'The Gospel According to John' and the King James Bible text of all four Gospels.
Winifred, anglická dívka, vychovávaná původně v sirotčinci v East Grinsteadu, se v osmnácti letech provdala za syna nejrozporuplnějšího génia Německa. Je to vášnivá germanofilka, snivá wagneriánka a teutonská patriotka. Rodina Wagnerových v Německu, rozvráceném po první světové válce a zdeptaném Versailleskou smlouvou, sní o příchodu ne válečníka, neohroženého Siegfrieda, nýbrž Parsifala, mystického idealisty, vykupitelské postavy. V polovině dvacátých let se se svým Parsifalem setkají. Je jím muž s divýma očima, vídeňský operní fanatik v plstěném klobouku, pršiplášti a špatně padnoucím obleku. V jisté části německé společnosti si Hitler už udělal jméno buřičskými projevy na táborech lidu. Winifred se však domnívá, že mu může pomoci ty spíše básnivé představy uskutečnit. Hned při prvním setkání si začnou tykat, ona ho vyzve, aby jí říkal Winnie, a on se nechá překřtít na Wolfa. I Hitler stejně jako Winnie vyrostl na okraji společnosti, stejně jako ji i jeho skličovalo, že je nemožné spojit usilování o lásku s usilováním o moc, a že když člověk usiluje o moc, dospěje nakonec nevyhnutelně k ničení. Oba poznali pokořující zážitek chudoby, oba v sobě měli hněv a cítili se zneužíváni společností a oba vycítili neobyčejnou blízkost toho druhého, projevující se v lásce k opeře.
