Duncan McLaren Knihy

Duncan McLaren has produced a remarkable new account of the early life of the writer Evelyn Waugh. After serious and objective biographies by Martin Stannard and Selina Hastings in the 1990s, Evelyn! provides a more personal take on its subject. In doing so it hopes to bring the reader closer to the spirit of the young Evelyn Waugh s novels and personality, his highs and his lows. By visiting the places Waugh knew, and by reading what Waugh wrote about his friends and lovers in these surroundings, the narrator gets to know Evelyn Waugh at various stages in his development. Three sets of players the narrator and his partner, Evelyn and his companions, the characters in Waugh s novels come in and out of focus, ultimately to show how life feeds into art, both yesterday and today.

If you are willing to acknowledge that Enid Blyton once mattered to you, you are warmly invited to accompany Duncan McLaren on an adventure to investigate what made Enid tick and to endeavour to reach the source of her stories.

The book presents a poignant exploration of the decaying grandeur of Russia's rural aristocratic estates, reflecting on the impact of historical upheaval on the landscape. Through the lens of photographer Simon Marsden and author Duncan McLaren, it captures the stark contrast between thriving urban centers and the desolate countryside. The narrative reveals the haunting beauty of abandoned structures and the efforts of some to restore them amidst widespread neglect. Each photograph serves as a testament to a rich heritage, evoking both beauty and melancholy in the face of modern decline.

Sharing Cities is a wake-up call to policy makers, businesspeople, and community leaders: There has never been a better - or more urgent - time to build a shared urban future. - Stanford Social Innovation Review