Robert McCrum Knihy

Ve své provokativní a neobyčejně zábavné knize nás Robert McCrum provede od mrazivých močálů předřímské Británie do nákupních středisek v Soulu, aby nám ukázal, jak se jazyk angloamerického impéria stal světovou linguou francou. Dozvíme se, jak svět díky imperiálním snahám Británie získal svou ekonomiku, svou politiku a svůj sport – industrializaci, parlamentní demokracii a fotbal. Budeme sledovat, jak americká kultura, film, televize a reklama dále přetvářely svět a jak v nejnovější době síly globalizace a stále se zrychlujícího technologického vývoje učinily z „globish“, globální angličtiny, celosvětový komunikační prostředek třetího tisíciletí. Zdá se to nemožné: malý ostrov v severním Atlantiku kolonizovaný Římany a poté stovky let drancovaný nájezdy svých sousedů se stal v 19. století dominantní světovou velmocí. Na druhém břehu Atlantiku se odehrál ještě jeden nepravděpodobný příběh: na druhé straně Atlantiku ve 20. století vyrostla bývalá kolonie tohoto ostrovního národa do ekonomického, kulturního a vojenského kolosu. Jak se to stalo? Mečem, samozřejmě, obchodem a průmyslovou vynalézavostí… Ale nejpřekvapivější a zcela zásadní složkou úspěchu obou zemí byla síla jejich společného jazyka.

Příběh ředitele tajného dokumentárního střediska, který při vysvětlování vraždy svého podžízeného odhaluje svět korupce a zneužívání důvěrných informací

E. F. Fritz Schumacher was a profound, influential thinker and economist, and this fascinating biography traces his life: from his early years in Germany and his move to England and internment during World War II, through to his later years, with the publication of "Small Is Beautiful" and the worldwide fame that resulted. Schumacher, at a time of unlimited economic growth, challenged this ideology and proposed an approach that recognized the impossibility of continuous growth in a finite world, and warned against the world's increasing dependence on oil. He was a key figure in the development of the environmental movement and was adamantly opposed to what he saw as violent solutions to economic problems, arguing against nuclear energy and advocating human-scale technology and organic cultivation. Schumacher's particular genius was to bring together the theoretical and the practical. He set up the Intermediate Technology Development Group (now Practical Action) to provide small-scale technology for developing countries, and his people-centered approach to development has now been adopted throughout the world. "Alias Papa," written by his eldest daughter, shows how his thinking and beliefs changed and evolved as his rigorous and questioning search for truth caused him to reflect on the events of his life and embark on a spiritual journey which was to change him as an economist and as a person."

LITERARY STUDIES: FICTION, NOVELISTS & PROSE WRITERS. Robert McCrum chooses what he considers to be the 100 best novels chosen from the last 300 years of English language writing. First published in the Observer over a period of 2 years.

Now revised, The Story of English is the first book to tell the whole story of the English language. Originally paired with a major PBS miniseries, this book presents a stimulating and comprehensive record of spoken and written English—from its Anglo-Saxon origins some two thousand years ago to the present day, when English is the dominant language of commerce and culture with more than one billion English speakers around the world. From Cockney, Scouse, and Scots to Gulla, Singlish, Franglais, and the latest African American slang, this sweeping history of the English language is the essential introduction for anyone who wants to know more about our common tongue.

The author's choice of the 100 best nonfiction books in English spanning 400 years. Each entry has a two page critique of the book in question.

Go anywhere in the world today and you'll see or hear English in some form. It may not be the Queen's English that you're hearing, but it is a form of universally recognised English. This title explores the history of English and ponders why, while British and American empires have waxed and waned, the English language, has taken over the world.

The narrative chronicles Robert McCrum's life-altering experience following a sudden stroke that left him paralyzed on one side. As he navigates the challenges of recovery, he confronts the uncertainties of medical science and his altered reality. The journey is fraught with emotional struggles, yet it is also filled with moments of triumph, bolstered by the unwavering support of his dedicated medical team and the profound love of his newlywed wife. Their bond becomes a crucial lifeline amid the chaos and despair of his condition.

An uplifting and moving investigation into how we think about death, Every Third Thought is both guide and companion, always 'wise and humane' (Andrew Marr).

This is a list of major ambition: namely, to select the best 100 novels in the English language, published from the late 17th century to the present day. This list has been built up week by week in the Observer since September 2013. The novelist, critic and literary editor of the Observer, Robert McCrum is uniquely well-placed to make this selection and more importantly to write a short critique on each book. The result, as Observer readers over the past two years will know, is a complete delight. This collection takes the full text of each individual piece (the published versions in the Observer had been cut by about half) and also adds a graphic of the original jacket.