Penguin

In her magnificent novel, Marguerite Yourcenor recreates the life and death of one of the great rulers of the ancient world. The Emperor Hadrian, aware his demise is imminent, writes a long valedictory letter to Marcus Aurelius, his future successor. The Emperor meditates on his past, describing his accession, military triumphs, love of poetry and...

This collection of essays contains some of the most important pieces of criticism of the twentieth century, including the classics #8216;The Aesthetics of Silence#8217;, a brilliant account of language, thought and consciousness, and #8216;Trip to Hanoi#8217;, written during the Vietnam War. Here too is an excoriating account of America#8217;s...

One gusty morning in March 1016, Earl Uhtred of Northumbria came with 40 followers to a wooden hall at a place called Wiheal outside York, to parley with the recently crowned King Canute who was attempting to bring his mighty northern subjects properly under his control. They were given guarantee of safe conduct, and came unarmed. But they were...

Few writers have expressed loneliness, the need for human understanding and the search for love with such power and poetic sensibility as the American writer Carson McCullers. In The Ballad of the Sad Cafę, a tale of unrequited love, Miss Amelia, a spirited, unconventional woman, runs a small-town store and, except for a marriage that lasted just...

Addictive TV + Excellent Advice = The Diet Sensation of the Year. In the primetime Channel 4 television series You Are What You Eat, Dr Gillian McKeith works closely with eight ordinary people - dubbed Britain's Worst Eaters - to give them a diet makeover. As they get on the path to health their bodies and their lives turn around in amazing ways....

In Crazy is a Compliment, Linda Rottenberg shows that when pursuing our dreams, taking smart risks is the only safe option. These days, taking chances isn't just for Silicon Valley college dropouts in hooded sweatshirts. It's the only safe option for any of us, whether we work at Fortune 500 corporations, non-profits, or low-tech small businesses....