United Kingdom Books

Marcus' study of the underbelly of the staid and proper Victorian era is a fascinating look at the rampant pornography, prositution, and licentiousness that bubbled up behind the scenes. Quoting liberally from the writings of Henry Spencer Ashbee (generally ceded to be the author of "My Secret Life"-- Marcus has his doubts) and others, he exposes the boisterous and life-affirming erotic life that sprang up in spite of (because of?) the deeply inhibited society of the time. For those with an interest in Victorian sociology or literature, this will prove a valuable read.

This is a study of pornography in Victorian England. It gave rise to considerable comment when it was first published 40 years ago. It seems to be largely forgotten now, and while I was surprised to find it had not been given a previous notice here I reflected that if my eye had not lit on it by chance in a second-hand bookshop a couple of weeks ago I myself would never have read it to this day. Steven Marcus is or was a professor of English at Columbia. He has written a book on Dickens, but his area of specialisation also includes Freud. Equipped, therefore, with this eminently relevant background he acceded to persuasion, he tells us, to illuminate a murky chapter in English letters, and it seems to me that he has made rather a good job of it.

I trust it hardly needs saying that this is a serious work of scholarship and analysis, not some nudge-nudge production. By `serious' I don't mean or imply that it is solemn. Marcus has a very nice turn of academic sarcasm at times, and I treasure a few gems such as `There is about as little truth in this description as is compatible with the laws of probability'. A sense of humour and a sense of the ridiculous are needed to deal with a topic like this in a satisfactory way, and the author either is or puts up a good show of being a well-adjusted, emotionally balanced and admirably rational human being who has been able to evaluate what the human, or at least the human male, sexual experience amounts to. Pornography seems to be almost entirely written by men for men. A certain amount of the material that Marcus uses as illustration is written in a female persona, but this is usually a pretext for male self-reassurance with the putative women thrilled and amazed at the wondrous male body. A certain amount more is written from the male perspective, but again this seems to be largely concerned with the pornographer's concern to reinforce his estimate, be it actual or hopeful, of his own effectiveness. Such writers claim intimate acquaintance with far more female bodies than it has been my own good fortune to experience, but one really striking feature seems to be basic ignorance of some of the elements of female anatomy - indeed also of their own male anatomy it sometimes seemed to me. Such is the mesmeric power of fantasy, it would appear.

The book is very well put together, and very clear about what topics it wants to address. Marcus begins with three particular works that deserve detailed comment in their own right, and he proceeds via some minor efforts that typify other aspects of the genre to the sort of thing one expects and demands in a serious and professional study - the origins of this kind of writing, its style and the significance of its vocabulary and idiom, the light it sheds on the world it took place in, its relevance to his own era, and, finally and very properly, some generalised reflections of his own regarding sexuality. The obvious place to begin was with Dr William Acton. From what Marcus tells me, Acton's study of prostitution seems surprisingly sympathetic and perceptive. His more generalised study of sexuality is, sadly, something else. In the first place it more or less ignores the entire female sex, and in the second it invites mockery and ridicule for its Victorian attitudes and myths. Masturbation was a cause of not only blindness and madness, one gathers, but also potentially of bankruptcy, so the wonder is not only how the human race survived at all but also how a modern economy can have developed. However behind this absurdity what stares out at us is fear of and disgust at the sexual process in general. This, as I read the book, is the distinctively Victorian side of things. Part of the Zeitgeist was an official culture of cant and hypocrisy, and one does not have to be a professor of English at Columbia to read that loud and clear in Dickens and Thackeray. As a reaction, a subversive counter-culture arose, created and exploited by those with enough money, but with elements of downright courage and defiance too. If the culture demanded official reticence on matters sexual, those matters didn't go away, they went underground and they developed a thrill of the forbidden in the process. Writing in the 60's Marcus is still able to see this continuing into his own time, but in the 50's his depiction of the Victorian scene was virtually unchanged in some quarters. One might be taught by celibate prelates in a claustrophobic atmosphere of guilt-trips and threats of damnation, and even teenagers commonly got the idea was sex per se was best avoided, at least until marriage, in which approved state it was permissible only for procreation. These days the prelates have lost much of their authority and not only because of lapses in celibacy, as much because a lot of what they taught seems mediaeval nonsense, but the awkwardness and embarrassment surrounding sexual matters was far from neutralised by the liberated 60's. In Arthur C Clarke's The City and the Stars human beings are not reproduced sexually but by a computer, and the sexual act remains only as recreation not procreation. It may be some ultimately desirable goal, but it is a thousand million years off.

In his more general observations Marcus strikes me as sound and perceptive, at least in those where I have any interest in what he is saying. He quotes D H Lawrence as saying that pornography is never entirely pornographic, which may be true for all I would know. However Marcus quotes several works in extenso, and these entirely pornographic sequences confirm for me his interesting remarks about the vocabulary - it is only minimally verbal, more a speech-act as the linguistic philosophers used to say, until it has latterly lost even that functionality as the 4-letter words have degenerated into mere punctuation in vulgar utterance. I shall not even try to assess the professor's learned forays into either psychoanalysis or literary criticism, because these are both fields where my attention wanders more than somewhat - I genuinely pick up some perceptions that strike me as valid and significant, others seem contrived to me, and most often of all I just wouldn't be knowing one way or the other. On the other hand my own limitations do not prevent me from agreeing thoroughly with his finding that with Freud, for the first time in human history, it became possible to discuss sexuality in a neutral way. As for his intriguing conclusion of his own, namely that society, like individuals, may be passing through an adolescent phase - well, you never know. I don't understand how this book has lapsed into obscurity as it has.

The author, Jessica Mann, was herself an evacuee as a young child. Her parents, as immigrant German Jews, were themselves refugees from the death camps of Germany. When England suffered military disaster after military disaster, invasion seemed imminent. Jessica's parents were almost resigned to their own eventual murder by the Nazis, but hoped to spare their children the fate of many of their uncles, aunts, and cousins who did not manage to get out of Germany in time.
There was an extensive internal evacuation program within the United Kingdom during the war. Many children and some of their parents were relocated to rural areas where the risk of air raids was much less than the major cities. This aspect of the war and some of the effects on postwar British policy are mentioned in this book.
There was a tendency for the upper class to tap their social and family connections to their peers in the British Dominions and in the United States to arrange for the evacuation of their children. This caused such an outbreak of discontent among the lower classes that arrangements were made for the evacuation of some of their children as well. The evacuation mostly ground to a halt after the loss of many evacuee children when their ship was torpedoed.
This book covers some example experiences from children evacuated to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. Details of various evacuee experiences from departure from home to their evental return to their families is detailed. The political, diplomatic, and social environment in which the evacuees lived is covered in some detail. Some limited discussion about the long-term effects on the children is includes as well.
This book was obviously thoroughly researched and professionally written, as evidenced by the extensive bibliography provided. My only complaint is that the book was written to a required length and many fascinating accounts were omitted to that end. Perhaps the author can remedy this situation with an expanded revision of the book.

Evening Standard, 14 March 2005
A fascinating book...a splendid piece of social history...Mann's witness deserves a distinguished place in 20th-century history

Literary Review, March 5, 2005
'this splendid account of...children in the Second World War provides us with a unique and valuable historical document'

Glasgow Herald
'Mann's book makes for a read that is illuminating and sobering, riveting and sad.'

The Telegraph
'Neither the evacuees nor the reader could ask for a better chronicler than Mann.'

I am frequently called upon by community groups to give a talk on the British royal family, given that I have worked in parliament, studied history in London, and have met several of the royals. This is rare among persons in midwestern America. Fortunately, there is no lack of material, and my talks are never the same.

One of my sources for interesting side notes and comic relief for these talks is 'The Oxford Book of Royal Anecdotes', edited by Lady Elizabeth Longford. Had there been tabloids throughout history many of these stories might have featured prominently (albeit probably with the occasional alien thrown in for good measure of sensationalism).

Longford does not commit the sin of most historians of the royals of beginning with William the Conqueror--there was a Britain before 1066. She includes Celts, Danes, and Saxons. Alas, she does not include Scots or others explicitly after 1066, but their stories are woven into the stories.

Longford's sources include histories, biographies, poems, newspaper accounts, diaries, and personal correspondence in library and museum collections. Many anecdotes are pulled from other histories--those bits that are neglected because the substance of the weightier matters overpowers them. Thus, this collection helps the hidden jewels to shine.

One example of Longford's treatment would be in recounting the shifting image over time of the reign and fate of Edward II. She gives brief details of biographers from 1313 (during his reign), 1327 (the year of his deposition), a seventeenth century biographer, and a modern biographer. In this we see that while the verdict of history holds sway, it needn't stay constant. Today's hero becomes tomorrow's villain, and yet later tragic character.

Here one can also see various bits about John Brown, friend and servant and supposed lover (even, some speculated, husband) of Victoria--their relationship is presented from many sides, and Longford resists jumping to conclusions herself.

From her epilogue, Longford states: 'This has been the story of many dynasties and one royal line. That line goes back a thousand years, yet it has shown infinite variety rather than recognisable family traits. Indeed it seems to cover the whole human spectrum, though in heightened or exaggerated form because of the royal ambiance.... The hushed abdication broadcast from Windsor Castle has replaced the crunch of the axe on Tower Green. Even anthologists can have no regrets.'

If you've ever had a hankerin' for knowledge, trivia or just an insight into the kings and queens of England, this is the source. Dame Longford has provided historical and contemporary references, sotries and tales of the British royals from Boudiccea, the Warrior Queen to Alfred the Great, from Aethelred to Victoria to Elizabeth II. the Book opens with a detailed genology, including the Saxons and Danes, Normans, Plantagenets, Yorks, Lancastrians,Tudors, Saxe-Coburg-Gothas and Windsors. Each dated entry

My 7-year-old daughter is a ferocious reader who loves non-fiction & fiction. She loves this book; the two-page format with lots of colorful pictures in combination with the inviting, questioning text are great. We love also the Eyewitness books, but this is a winner because it does more than, hypertext style, show pictures with captions -- the continuous narrative builds the bigger picture. I think many children would really enjoy this book; definitely schools would benefit by it.

This is the first of two volumes that cover the history of Britain from the Celts to the modern age. Each 2-page section is illustrated in color and contains a clear overview of even the most complex topics. Photographs of artifacts and sites are included, and the narrative is written in a way that is intended to involve the reader by posing questions and including descriptions of modern archaeological efforts. Suitable for older elementary and middle school students, this would be an excellent classroom resource or core text.

The 1598 loss of their theater's lease should have been a major blow to the Lord Chamberlain's Men, one of Elizabethan England's premier acting troupes, who had gained even more popularity by teaming up with one Will Shakespeare, a Warwickshire glover's son come to London some six years earlier in pursuit of his Muse, leaving behind a wife and three children; daughter Susanna, born but seven months into his marriage, and twins Hamnet and Judith, who'd followed two years later. Yet, what to another company might have spelled "present death" only brought greater fame and fortune to the one boasting, in addition to Master Shakespeare's talents, those of Richard Burbage: not only a superb tragedian but also his troupe's financier and, together with brother Cuthbert, happily able to afford the construction of a new theater in Bankside, on the opposite side of the River Thames. Prophetically, the company named their new home "The Globe" and endowed it with a motto which, in approximate translation, audiences of one of the first plays produced there - "As You Like It" - would soon also hear pronounced from the stage, and which sums up the essence of the Bard's plays better than anything else: "Totus mundus agit histrionem" - "All the world's a stage."

The new playhouse's name and motto were apposite not only because the era did indeed consider a stage a model of the world (the area above was referred to as heaven, the area below as hell, and characters would often appear accordingly: as such, Hamlet's father is heard crying "below [stage]" after his encounter with the Prince), but first and foremost because Shakespeare's plays themselves, individually as well as collectively, represent a microcosm of human relationships and behavior virtually unparalleled to this day: Laced with murderous schemes, revenge, and the search for justice, love, and peace of mind, but also comedy, all-too-human fallibility and great nobility of spirit, they delve into the human mind's darkest recesses and soar to its greatest heights; exploring greed, envy, ambition, guilt, remorse and pure evil, next to compassion, generosity, humility, innocence, fidelity, cleverness, boundless cheers and optimism; all interwoven in timeless plots unmatched in wit, variety, construction, and richness of characters.

Yet, for all this, the biggest difficulty remaining to modern editors and readers alike is that while Shakespeare himself didn't seek the publication of his plays, in the absence of anything approximating modern copyright laws, he was unable to prevent their publication by others, in so-called "quarto" editions, often based on unreliable transcripts made during or after a performance. Only after his death, in 1623, his former fellow-actors John Hemmings and Henry Condell published 37 of his plays "cured and perfect of their limbs" - i.e., restored to their author's true intentions - in a volume since referred to as the "First Folio."

Alas, authoritative weight though it has, even the latter doesn't conclusively answer what the Bard intended as the final version of these 37 plays. For one thing, research shows that even some of the Folio texts were edited by others; most prominently so "Macbeth," where Thomas Middleton inserted, inter alia, the witch queen Hecate as an additional character. Secondly, quarto editions of several plays published prior to the "First Folio" (especially of "Henry IV Part 2," "Hamlet," "Troilus and Cressida," "Othello," and "King Lear") are widely believed to represent earlier (or rival) drafts written by Shakespeare himself, and thus accorded considerable authoritative weight of their own. Often, these plays are therefore presented (both in print and on stage) by "conflating" both versions' texts. In the interest of purity, the editors of this particular volume have eschewed that approach, choosing instead to reproduce the Folio text throughout (with gently modernized spelling), because this was probably the text originally used on stage, and appending the passages most frequently added from the rivaling quartos at the end of the respective plays. Thus, this edition's reader will find Hamlet musing in "To be, or not to be" about "enterprises of great pith and moment" whose currents "turn awry and lose the name of action" (not "of great pitch and moment," as in the 1604 "Second Quarto"); he will, however, have to consult the appendix to find the Prince's reflections on that "stamp of one defect" so prominently featuring in Sir Laurence Olivier's movie, or his vows of "bloody thoughts" after encountering Fortinbras. Only in the case of "Lear," the editors chose to fully include both rivaling versions - that of the First Folio and that of the 1608 quarto - because here, the omission of entire scenes and reassignment of numerous pieces of dialogue essentially transforms the Folio text into a new play vis-a-vis the 1608 quarto.

As painstakingly researched and an as obvious labor of love as this work's first edition, the second edition moreover restores the plays' original titles ("All Is True" instead of "Henry VIII," etc.), and also contains Shakespeare's long poems and sonnets, brief accounts on the lost plays ("Cardenio," "Love's Labour's Won"), and - with appropriate caveats - the texts of works of only partial/uncertain attribution, such as "The Two Noble Kinsmen," sundry poetry, and (for the first time) "Edward III," as well as the editorially and topically so problematic "Sir Thomas More."

Background and supplemental materials include introductions to Shakespeare's life, career and language and on the Elizabethan theater, a user's guide, a list of contemporary references to the Bard, commendatory poems and prefaces of his works (including those of the "First Folio"), a glossary, an ample reading list, as well as a short introduction to each work. At well over 1000 pages a brick even in paperback format, this isn't the place to turn for a complete scholarly review of any given play - for that, the reader is well-advised to consult this volume's "Textual Companion" or one of the many excellent editions of the individual plays - but a marvelously-presented one-volume resource on the legacy of the playwright whose works, as already friendly rival Ben Jonson rightly prophesied, would last "for all time."

Also recommended:
William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion (Oxford Shakespeare)
Shakespeare & Co.: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, Ben Jonson, Thomas Middleton, John Fletcher and the Other Players in His Story (Vintage)
Shakespeare: For All Time (Oxford Shakespeare)
The Complete Arkangel Shakespeare: 38 Fully-Dramatized Plays
BBC Shakespeare Tragedies DVD Giftbox
Olivier's Shakespeare - Criterion Collection (Hamlet / Henry V / Richard III)
William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Henry V
Richard III
Peter Brook's King Lear

Great Compilation of the works of Shakespeare. Something my daughter had to have while studying at RADA in London. Great to become familiar with his lesser known plays!

This is an outstanding reference for the researcher and patent attorney alike. The book provides a solid overview of patent law in the major markets, with emphasis on pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechhnology patents. What distinguishes this book from others in its class, however, is the emphasis on practical and strategic aspects of patent filing and enforcement. The author has a lifetime's worth of experience in this field, and it shows. Moreover, the book is uncommonly well-written, with clarity and occassional humor. Highly recommmended!

This is quite simply the best general work on patent law and practice I've ever read. Presented in clear, crisp language and with wit and flair, it is essential reading for anyone in the patent and allied professions and I would suggest mandatory reading for any students.

Compared the suggestions to our actual experiences in London and Mr. Cochran has come up with some great ones, off the main tourist track andd seemingly up to date. Will be using this before our next trip.

This is the second time I've been to London, so I wasn't keen on seeing the totally touristy places this time around. This book had some great recommendations for unusual sites (I loved the Hunterian Museum!), lovely restaurants and generally well-priced places-to-stay. The informal but informative style was really great.
Since we went to Paris on this trip, too, I only wish the Paris version had come out before we had gone!

I was lucky enough to go to Paris three times, each time carrying Pauline Frommer's Paris book with me everywhere. Twice I went for less than two days and the third time for five days. The layout of the book is great. She has it broken down by the arrondissements (or districts). In each arrondissement there are recommended places to stay and eat. She is not shy about her recommendations and you get the feeling she actually knows the owners and employees at each establishment. Paris is a huge city and with this book I felt that I had some little connections to the people when I went to the recommended establishments. I went on two of the walks recommended in the walkabout section and each walk I stopped at the recommended cafes and they were wonderfully Parisian, not cafes catering to American tourists but thankfully still spoke English. There is a chapter on Paris' 10 iconic sites but also easy itineraries for one, two, three or 4 + days in Paris, which was very helpful to me since my time was limited. The best recommendation for me was to stop by Quai St.Bernard on a summer evening to watch people dance along the Seine doing the tango, something I would have walked right past if it was not for the book. All of the advice given was worth the $16.99, I have some wonderful memories of Paris and can't wait to go back. I would highly recommend purchasing this book if you are going to Paris. I felt I was given advice from a friend to all of the great spots to see while visiting her city.

I can highly recommend this book for all visitors to Paris. I travel frequently and recently went to Paris with a friend who has never been to France before. We both found the book to be very useful and full of helpful hints. I especially appreciate the way the restaurant section is organized and I also enjoyed the author's personal opinions about her favorite (and/or least favorite) places and activities.

First of all, thanks to Amazon for an excellent service.. I live in Ecuador (South America) and don't have too much chances to get good contemporary art books. This book gives the opportunity to see many of Doig's first works and the recent ones. The buyer won't feel dissapointed. You can get to see the images on a good size, the color reproduction is acceptable. Doig's paintings does not only show a lot of his imagination but also an awesome technique. It is not boring at all to contemplate the million details he makes all over the canvas. Great use of the palette. Excellent resource for painters esentially because in this type of work you get to understand that you have to get over your fears or to make mistakes. Doig's paintings give you a real sense of freedom and the love of the artist for his job.

To Amazon: I gave you my whole trust and you made a perfect job. Congratulations

Doig is really one of the best living artist, and this book really does him justice. The book includes older work as well as recent. Reproduction is excellent. I can not give a better recommendation.

Marvelously thought through analysis of Pictish symbols, primarily those on stone monuments. Cummins draws together a number of Pictish sources and historical records of related cultures to create compelling conclusions from rather sketchy evidence. He recognizes the limitations of the source material and usually admits that future scholars will need to confirm or disprove his guesswork. Occasionally, Cummins asserts unsupported conclusions, but these minor leaps don't detract from his remarkable thesis, which is often brilliant.

One of the best books on deciphering the Pict symbols I've encountered in recent years. He is systematic in his approach and very clear when he proposes a 'guess' for an interpretation. Several very clear photos and drawings help you understand his conclusions.

Read this AFTER you read The Age of the Picts, also by W.A. Cummins