Paul Theroux je americký autor cestopisů a románů, jehož dílo se vyznačuje pronikavým pozorováním a osobitým stylem. Ve svých knihách zkoumá nejen geografické vzdálenosti, ale především lidskou povahu a kulturní rozdíly, které objevuje během svých cest. Jeho psaní je často ironické, vtipné a plné postřehů, které čtenáře vtahují do atmosféry navštívených míst. Theroux dokáže mistrně propojit osobní zážitky s širšími společenskými a filozofickými úvahami.
Hlavním tématem je Patagonie, krajina netušených možností a nových poznání, ale také hozená rukavice všem, kteří touží nalézat souvislosti, odkazy z minulosti i výzvy pro budoucnost. Tento beletristicky pojatý cestopis mísí prosté vyprávění s nejrůznějšími úvahami spíše meditativního charakteru z oblasti historie, filosofie, biologie, antropologie či literární historie, a bude tak cenným doplňkem všem, kteří v knize hledají víc nežli pouhý příběh.
Kniha předního představitele literární formy travelog navazuje na knihu V Patagonii, je jakousi její zhuštěnou verzí.
The thrilling story of the critical naval battle that not only changed the
Civil War but the future of all sea power with the advent of the iron-clad
ship
Exploring complex themes, this collection of short stories delves into the intricacies of human relationships and societal issues. It addresses the challenges of a failing marriage, the hidden prejudices of a troubled poet, and the late-blooming guilt experienced by a Hindu character. Each narrative is infused with keen observations and sharp wit, offering readers a captivating glimpse into diverse emotional landscapes and moral dilemmas.
In this journey, Paul Theroux embarks on an adventurous trek from Cape Town, exploring South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana before venturing into Angola and aiming for the Congo. His quest is not just geographical but also a search for deeper insights and experiences as he navigates diverse landscapes and cultures, reflecting on the complexities of the regions he traverses.
A provocative study of current approaches to and theories regarding the
character, location, social and physical context and object histories of
specialised deposits in the European archaeological record
This heartfelt and revealing account of Paul Theroux's thirty-year friendship with the legendary V. S. Naipaul is an intimate record of a literary mentorship that traces the growth of both writers' careers and explores the unique effect each had on the other. Built around exotic landscapes, anecdotes that are revealing, humorous, and melancholy, and three decades of mutual history, this is a personal account of how one develops as a writer and how a friendship waxes and wanes between two men who have set themselves on the perilous journey of a writing life.
Contemporary / American English Allie Fox hates the United States and he hates
the twentieth century. He takes his wife and children to the jungle in
Honduras to find a new, simpler way of living. But things go wrong, and their
lives become much worse and more frightening than anything back home.
Ten holders of the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour - for 'valour in the face of the enemy' - are associated with the Borough of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK. They include the very first VC to be awarded (in the Crimea, 1856). The lives of the recipients were played out worldwide - from Russia to New Zealand, Mesopotamia to North Africa, Italy to Canada and Afghanistan, as well as the UK, from Scotland to Surrey. The settings of their valiant acts, on land and sea, ranged from the Maori Wars to Tibet and the two World Wars. Using a vast array of historical and contemporary material, Richard Snow has painstakingly and skilfully pieced together the lives of these Ten Brave Men. Markedly different in background and personality, they had one thing in common - extraordinary courage when unexpectedly faced with the ultimate threat to comrades and country. These highly charged stories are in turn astounding, poignant, shocking, funny and sad, and will enthral and inspire all those interested in extreme bravery. Each story has a Foreword written by a member of the respective family and each Victoria Cross holder's monuments, memorials and tributes are included, together with the location of their medals, where known. Copiously and evocatively illustrated, this book explores the intense emotions and challenges of life in combat.
A merchant sailor works for a decade, captaining a yacht up and down the coasts of Malaysia, in the hope that his crooked employer will stay true to a promise... Years after a pandemic sweeps across Europe, wiping out its all-white population, a pilgrim returns to his Polish birthplace in search of the only other non-white kid he knew at school... An inscrutable hotelier loses his composure when a secret passage is discovered in his hotel, leading to a mysterious room and a previously hidden existence... Born in what is now Ukraine to Polish parents, naturalised as a British citizen, and schooled on the high seas of international commerce, Joseph Conrad was a true citizen of the world. His novels bore witness to the dehumanising repercussions of empire, explored a world in which state-sponsored terrorism ruined individuals' lives, and pioneered complex narrative structures and subjective points-of-view in what was to become the first wave of literary modernism. To mark his 160th birthday, 14 authors and critics from Britain, Poland and elsewhere have come together to celebrate his legacy with new pieces of fiction and non-fiction. Conrad felt that the writer's task was to offer 'that glimpse of truth for which you have forgotten to ask.' In an age of increasing isolationism, these celebrations remind you of the value of such glimpses.
