Iain McCalman Knihy

Strhující kniha australského historika, odborníka na 18. století, vypráví o osudu jedné z nejpozoruhodnějších postav té doby: alchymisty, léčitele, spiritisty, zednáře a „nesmrtelného Velkého Kopta“, Giuseppeho Balsama alias hraběte Cagliostra. Na pozadí takřka neuvěřitelných životních příběhů tohoto muže, jenž prošel Evropou od Palerma po Londýn a od Petrohradu po Lisabon, se před čtenářem odhaluje druhá tvář „věku rozumu“ s jeho zednářskými lóžemi, až dětinskou vírou ve všemocný svět duchů a magických sil, sexuální posedlostí i chorobným intrikařením. Autor Iain McCalman tak znovu poodkrývá, co na Cagliostrovi tolik fascinovalo jeho současníky a též umělce, jako byl Mozart či A. Dumas, kteří se postavou tohoto dobrodruha nechali inspirovat.

A team of prominent historians and curators have produced this innovative cultural history of gold and its impact on the development of Australian society. Throughout history, gold has been the "stuff" of legends, fortunes, conflict and change. The discovery of gold in Australia 150 years ago precipitated enormous developments in the newly settled land. The population and economy boomed in spontaneous cities. The effects on both the environment and indigenous Aboriginal peoples have been profound and lasting.

Sent to Cambridge for the clergy, young Darwin discovered a passion for naturalism and accepted an invitation to sail on a naval survey vessel to South America, New Zealand, and Australia, a journey that would alter his life and modern science. Inspired by Darwin, Joseph Hooker embarked on his own voyage from the Cook Islands to Antarctica, conducting botanical research that provided critical evidence for Darwin's evolving theories and establishing him as Darwin's closest ally. Thomas Huxley, known as "Darwin's Bulldog," championed evolution against the clergy while making significant marine biology discoveries in the Southern Hemisphere, and unexpectedly fell in love in Sydney. Alfred Wallace, the least recognized yet perhaps the most brilliant, spent years collecting specimens in remote jungles and independently developed a theory of evolution by natural selection, prompting a moral crisis for Darwin and leading to the writing of *On the Origin of Species*. This narrative portrays the Darwinian revolution as a collective effort in Australasia, showcasing how these four remarkable men gathered evidence for evolution and engaged in the ensuing social and intellectual battles. Their combined efforts changed the world, making this account both an adventure story and a significant historical work.

Exploring the evolution of visual entertainment since the late 1700s, this book delves into reenactment as a dominant form of popular history. It examines the challenges of defining reenactment and its boundaries, while also addressing the interplay between realism and emotional impact. Through this analysis, it sheds light on how reenactment shapes our understanding of history and nature.