When a race of elegant, superintelligent dogs arrives in twenty-first-century New York, they become instant celebrities, but, unable to adjust to the modern world and confronted with an incurable disease, they construct a fantastic castle and barricade themselves inside.
'A wonderfully assured and utterly riveting biography that captures not only the much-maligned Machiavelli, but also the spirit of his time and place. A monumental achievement.' – Jessie Childs, author of God's Traitors. ‘A notorious fiend’, ‘generally odious’, ‘he seems hideous, and so he is.’ Thanks to the invidious reputation of his most famous work, The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli exerts a unique hold over the popular imagination. But was Machiavelli as sinister as he is often thought to be? Might he not have been an infinitely more sympathetic figure, prone to political missteps, professional failures and personal dramas? Alexander Lee reveals the man behind the myth, following him from cradle to grave, from his father’s penury and the abuse he suffered at a teacher’s hands, to his marriage and his many affairs (with both men and women), to his political triumphs and, ultimately, his fall from grace and exile. In doing so, Lee uncovers hitherto unobserved connections between Machiavelli’s life and thought. He also reveals the world through which Machiavelli moved: from the great halls of Renaissance Florence to the court of the Borgia pope, Alexander VI, from the dungeons of the Stinche prison to the Rucellai gardens, where he would begin work on some of his last great works. As much a portrait of an age as of a uniquely engaging man, Lee’s gripping and definitive biography takes the reader into Machiavelli’s world – and his work – more completely than ever before.
Capek's best plays, stories, and columns take us from the social contributions of clumsy people to dramatic meditations on mortality and commitment. The Reader includes a new and, at last, complete English translation of R.U.R., the play that introduced the literary robot.
"Letters from England" is a masterpiece of observation written by the famous Czech writer, Karel Capek. These humorous and insightful letters and drawings were designed to describe Europe's oldest democracy to the citizens of Europe's newest; Capek's countrymen. Within its pages he suggests the existence of a deep connection between his people and the those of his study, and writes with a bemused admiration for England and the English. A fascinating and important piece of Czech literature, "Letters from England" would make for a great addition to any bookshelf, and is one not to be missed by fans and collectors of Capek's work. The chapters of this book include: 'First Impressions', 'The English Park', 'London Streets', 'Traffic', 'Hyde Park', 'In the Natural History Museum', 'The Pilgrim Goes Over More Museums', 'The Pilgrim Sees Animals and Famous People', 'Clubs', 'The Biggest Samples Fair', 'The East End', 'In The Country', 'Cambridge and Oxford', etcetera. We are republishing this antiquarian volume now in an affordable, modern edition, complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.
And although originally written in Czech, the book was commissioned by Catbird Press and was therefore written with foreign readers in mind; in other words, no prior knowledge of Capek's writings or his milieu is required."--BOOK JACKET.
Translated from the Czech by Norma Comrada A grand collection of tales and fables from one of Czechoslovakia's most respected writers that approach great events and figures of history, myth and literature in startling ways. Jesus's loves and fishes miracle is described from the viewpoint of a baker. Townspeople argue about who's to blame for the approaching hordes of Attila the Hun. Humorous, thought-provoking, and sometimes frightening, they show Capek at his very best.
The Long War by legendary author and Discworld creator Terry Pratchett and award-winning science fiction novelist Stephen Baxter follows the adventures and travails of heroes Joshua Valiente and Lobsang in an exciting continuation of the extraordinary journey begun in the New York Times bestseller The Long Earth. War has come to the Long Earth.... Humankind has spread across the new worlds opened up by stepping, which Joshua and Lobsang explored a mere decade ago. Now "civilization" flourishes, and fleets of airships link the multiple Earths through exploration, trade, and culture. Humankind is shaping the Long Earth, but in turn the Long Earth is shaping humankind. A new America that has christened itself "Valhalla" has emerged more than a million steps from the original Datum Earth. And like the American revolutionaries of old, the Valhallans resent being controlled from afar by the Datum government. In the intervening years, the song of the trolls—graceful, hive-mind humanoids—has suffused the Long Earth. But in the face of humankind's inexorable advance, they are beginning to fall silent . . . and gradually disappear. Joshua, now married and a father, is summoned by Lobsang. It seems that he alone can confront the perfect storm of crises that threatens to plunge all of the Long Earth into war. A war unlike any that has been waged before... The full list of books in the Long Earth series include: The Long Earth The Long War The Long Mars The Long Utopia The Long Cosmos
A lighthearted mock-treatise reflects upon the pains and rewards of tending a small garden plot. "This very entertaining volume with its delightfully humorous pictures should be read by all gardeners." — Nature.
Karel Capek Fairy Tales is a delightful collection of ten classic children's stories, written by Karel Capek. It is beautifully illustrated throughout, with striking black-and-white images of Karel's brother; Josef Capek. The narratives of 'Capek Fairy Tales' include: 'A Long Tale about a Cat', 'The Dogs' Tale', 'The Birds' Tale', 'The First Bandits' Tale', 'The Water Sprites' Tale', 'The Long Police Tale', and many more. Karel Capek (1890 - 1938) was a Czech writer, best known for his science fiction, including his novel War with the Newts and the play, R. U. R, which introduced the word, 'robot'. He maintained a close relationship with his brother Josef (1887 - 1945), and the two lived and worked together for most of their adult life. Together, the Capeks produced books and plays on themes as diverse as detective stories, full-novels, philosophy, fairy tale collections, theatre plays, and even a book on gardening.