The Race Between Britain and Germany to Climb the Himalayan Peaks. A gripping story of Himalayan climbing between the wars, one of the richest and most dramatic periods of mountaineering history. When George Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappeared on...

Original insights on John le Carre by the people who worked with him, illuminating the storied writer's working methods. John le Carre is one of the most significant political novelists in the English language. His early career in the secret service...

A fun, charming romp through the history of seventeen great writers and the cats who captured their hearts. Throughout history, cats and writers have banded together in a magical combination of comfort, companionship, and inspiration. "Great Writers...

An intimate account of Albert Einstein's visit to Oxford in the 1930's, casting new light on why he continues to be the world's most famous scientist. In 1931, Albert Einstein visited Oxford to receive an honorary degree and lecture on relativity an...

Franz Kafka died in 1924, when he was not yet forty. During his life he published only seven small books, but he left behind three unfinished novels and a mass of stories, reflections and personal writings which were published after his death. His no...

Wilfred Owen is the poet of pity, the voice of the soldier maimed, blinded, traumatised and killed, not just in the Great War, but in all wars since, so resonant has his message become. Although he saw only five of his poems published in his lifetime...

These are the memoirs of a cultural icon. Here, told for the first time, is the story of the formative years of Sir Roy Strong, "a young man from nowhere who went somewhere". For nearly half a century, Roy Strong has been at the forefront of the ar...

Published to mark the 200th anniversary of Dickens's birth, this book celebrates the greatest of English novelists by illustrating some of his abiding preoccupations. Prompted by quotations from the novels and other writings, each themed chapter expl...

With complete transcripts of the distress messages, "Titanic Calling" vividly brings to life the voices of the individuals in this drama, retelling the legendary story as it was first heard. The narrative begins with warnings of ice, including sever...

Few families enjoy such a remarkable reputation for their contribution to the literature and intellectual life of Britain as the Godwins and the Shelleys. Yet this reputation was shaped in a subtle way by the selective release of literary manuscripts...