Robert Irwin Pořadí knih

This is the story of a story that plays out in real life. Tom is a stock controller. Though management of the shelves kept him busy in the daytime, his nights were frightful. Again and again he dreamt of guns, conjuring tricks, car chases, burials, disinterments, Martian landscapes and Molly. Tom is new to the Story as it was known to the sinister crew who first appeared in The Runes Have Been Cast. They make their reappearance in this new novel... Molly is a hoplophiliac, Quentin is the sort of person who knows what a hoplophiliac is (someone who likes the use of guns in sex), Lancelyn is terrified of women, Jaimie has committed murder in order to understand what it is like to be evil, Ferdie is a conjuror with bad breath, Bernard is an expert on ghost stories, Mortimer is a thug who works at the The Times Literary Supplement. But Tom is just so ordinary (apart from his visions of Fairyland). Hovering in the background are the ghostly presences of St Ignatius of Loyola, St Joseph of Copertino, Robert Louis Stevenson and M.R. James. Tom's Version is a lament for the sixties and then a mad race towards old age and death.

The Runes Have Been Cast is a black comedy of darkest hue about academic and literary life set in Oxford and St Andrews in the early 60s. A tin of alphabet spaghetti brought about Lancelyn's first encounter with the apparently supernatural. Unfortunately it was not to be his last. Runes, ghosts and spaghetti apart, there is much for Lancelyn to be afraid of: the future, women, Critical Theory, sex romps, The Times' crossword puzzle, succubi and creative writing classes. The pages of The Runes Have Been Cast are haunted by M.R. James, Thomas de Quincey, Mr. Raven, St. Ignatius of Loyola, Iron Foot Jack, J.R.R. Tolkien and an anonymous tramp. I do not think that I can have read a novel which makes so many references to actual works that I have never heard off. With a fairly complex plot, ghosts popping in and out, strange but colourful academics, much mirth and mockery, two young men too full of themselves, a rampaging sex goddess, lots of interesting books and authors, intertextuality galore, the idea of God as a novelist, immersive literature and Tolkien and his bloody elves, this book is a thoroughly enjoyable read. -John Alvey in The Modern Novel

Set against a backdrop reminiscent of epic historical conflicts, this story weaves a rich tapestry of fantasy and reality. It features complex characters navigating a world filled with political intrigue, magic, and warfare. The narrative captures the essence of power struggles and the human spirit, appealing to fans of intricate plots and immersive settings. With its exhilarating pace and magical elements, it offers a unique twist on the themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the quest for dominance.

Set against the backdrop of the 1960s, the narrative explores the author's captivating experiences traveling between London and Algeria. It delves into the cultural and historical significance of the era, highlighting the spirit of adventure and the transformative nature of the times. Through personal reflections and vivid storytelling, the book captures the essence of a decade marked by change and exploration, offering insights into the interplay between different cultures and the author's own journey of discovery.

A distinct symbol of the desert and the Middle East, the camel was once unkindly described as half snake, half folding bedstead. But in the eyes of many the camel is a creature of great beauty. This book explores why the camel has fascinated so many cultures, including those in places where camels are not indigenous.

'The bride then came surrounded by her slave girls like the moon among stars or a matchless pearl set among others on a string.'When the beautiful Shahrazad gives herself to the bloody-handed King Shahriyar, she is not expected to survive beyond dawn. But using her wit and guile, she begins a sequence of stories that will last 1001 nights: stories of 'ifrits and money-changers, prices and slave girls, fishermen and queens, and magical gardens of paradise. This volume also includes the well-known tale of 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'.Along with this landmark new translation, Robert Irwin's introduction discusses the many cultures The Arabian Nights has drawn on and the elaborate structure of the story-within-a-story that defines the collection, as well as the importance to the Nights of locked doors, sex, and the recurring themes of money, merchants and debts. This edition also contains suggestions for further reading, a glossary, maps and a chronology.

The history of Orientalism shows that, whether making philological comparisons between Arabic and Hebrew, cataloguing the coins of Fatimid Egypt or establishing the chronology of Harun al-Rashid's military campaigns against Byzantium, scholars have been unified by their shared obsession. This book is a work of scholarship.

Saladin, the Kurdish founder of the Ayyubid Dynasty, ruled Egypt and Syria, made enemies of the fabled Assyrians and conquered Jerusalem in 1187, repelling the Crusaders (and prompting their resurgence in the Third Crusade). His chivalry and impeccably honourable conduct became enshrined in European as well as Muslim lore, influencing a long line of poets and historians.Sir Hamilton Gibb’s seminal account of Saladin’s life calls upon the works of two men in particular – Baha’ ad-Din ibn Shaddad (d.1234), a military judge who served under Saladin and ‘Imad ad-Din al-Isfahani (d.1201), Saladin’s private secretary.Carefully researched and thoroughly annotated, Gibb’s classic remains an essential source for historians of the ruler, the region and the period, as well as an excellent introduction for readers whose image of Saladin remains rooted in legend.Sir Hamilton A.R. Gibb (1895–1971) was one of the most learned and passionate scholars of his era. He was Laudian Professor of Arabic at the University of Oxford (1937–55) and J.R. Jewett Professor of Arabic at Harvard University (1955–64). From 1957–66 he was Director of Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies. His other publications include Arabic Literature, The Legacy of Islam and Modern Trends in Islam.

Hrdinou této filosofické grotesky je žena v domácnosti Marcia, jejímž největším nepřítelem je nepořádek. Irwin opět prokázuje jak živou a originální má představivost – jednak volbou neobvyklého námětu, jednak bizarním zpracováním. Marcia je žena v domácnosti a jejím největším nepřítelem je nepořádek. Denně bojuje s prachem, špínou, rzí, prostě vším tím, co vniká do našich životů a působí rušivě. Zosobněním špíny a hnusu je duch jménem Mucor, který ji při jejím ranním úklidu navštíví – proti němu bojuje Marcia s pomocí takových velikánů západního myšlení a umění, jako jsou Darwin, Teilhard de Chardin, Leonardo da Vinci, Blake, Dostojevskij a dokonce i Ježíš Kristus. Jak je tomu u Irwina vždy, i v tomto románu hraje klíčovou roli neotřelý humor vycházející z juxtapozice vysokého, vzletného myšlení a drobných „prkotin“ každodenního života.