Set against the backdrop of the mid-1960s and the late 1990s, the story intertwines mystery and comedy as Julian Ramsay investigates the murder of wealthy Virgil D. Everett, Jr., whose death may be linked to the elusive Lampitt Papers. As Ramsay performs his one-man show about James Lampitt, he reflects on a transformative era marked by scientific and theological upheaval. This engaging narrative promises to captivate both fans of the Lampitt family saga and new readers alike, offering a blend of wit and insight.
Pufftail the tabby cat was a prince among strays. He was charming, adventurous, a gentleman of the road - not for him a life purring around the shins of a Two Footer. Now that he's old and grey-whiskered, he can laze in the sun, telling the story of his life to his admiring young grandkitten. But not all of his memories are happy. He's been thrown out of a moving car, been experimented on in a science lab and joined the violent Cat Brotherhood.
Set against the backdrop of modern London, this novel explores the lives of diverse characters navigating ambition, greed, and moral dilemmas. It delves into the complexities of social class and the pursuit of success, highlighting the stark contrasts between wealth and poverty. As the story unfolds, it captures the vibrant yet chaotic essence of urban life, revealing how personal choices intertwine with broader societal issues. Through sharp wit and keen observation, the narrative offers a compelling commentary on contemporary society.
Charles Dickens was a superb public performer, a great orator and one of the most famous of the Eminent Victorians. Slight of build, with a frenzied, hyper-energetic personality, Dickens looked much older than his fifty-eight years when he died--an occasion marked by a crowded funeral at Westminster Abbey, despite his waking wishes for a small affair. Experiencing the worst and best of life during the Victorian Age, Dickens was not merely the conduit through whom some of the most beloved characters in literature came into the world. He was one of them. Filled with the twists, pathos, and unusual characters that sprang from this novelist's extraordinary imagination, The Mystery of Charles Dickens looks back from the legendary writer's death to recall the key events in his life. In doing so, he seeks to understand Dickens' creative genius and enduring popularity. Following his life from cradle to grave, it becomes clear that Dickens's fiction drew from his life--a fact he acknowledged. Like Oliver Twist, Dickens suffered a wretched childhood, then grew up to become not only a respectable gentleman but an artist of prodigious popularity. Dickens knew firsthand the poverty and pain his characters endured, including the scandal of a failed marriage. Going beyond standard narrative biography, A.N. Wilson brilliantly revisits the wellspring of Dickens's vast and wild imagination, to reveal at long last why his novels captured the hearts of nineteenth century readers--and why they continue to resonate today
The narrative explores the profound impact of the "Death of God" on 19th-century thought, highlighting how scientific advancements, particularly Darwin's theories, led to widespread abandonment of traditional beliefs. Through the lives of influential figures like Gibbon, Kant, and Freud, it examines the multifaceted origins of religious doubt. The Church of England, despite its wealth and influence, is depicted as spiritually hollow. This shift sparked revolutionary politics, literary expressions, and the early feminist movement, creating a lasting sense of existential loss that resonates today.
In 'Dante In Love', Wilson presents a study on an artist and his world, arguing that without an understanding of medieval Florence, it is impossible to comprehend the meaning of 'The Divine Comedy'. It also lays bear the enigma of the man who never wrote about the mother of his children, yet immortalized the mysterious Beatrice.
a tale of human courage and resistance' - Lady Antonia Fraser'I loved this
book, not read without shedding a tear, reminding us that true democracy goes
hand-in-hand with true kingship' - Roy Strong
The Jesus of Faith and the Jesus of History are two different beings, with two
different stories. Wilson reappraises our readings of the Gospels and, with
extraordinary insight and clarity, reinterprets the story of Jesus's birth,
his life as a carpenter and the dramatic events surrounding his arrest and
trial. schovat popis
In this landmark biography of Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, A.N. Wilson narrates the complex drama of the writer's life: his childhood of aristocratic privilege but emotional deprivation, his discovery of his literary genius after aimless years of gambling and womanizing, and his increasingly disastrous marriage. Wilson sweeps away the long-held belief that Tolstoy's works were the exact mirror of his life, and instead traces the roots of Tolstoy's art to his relationship with God, with women, and with Russia. He also breaks new ground in recreating the world that shaped the great novelist's life and art--the turmoil of ideas and politics in nineteenth-century Russia and the incredible literary renaissance that made Tolstoy's work possible. 24 pages of illustrations.
This work includes A.N. Wilson on 'The Gospel According to Matthew', Nick Cave on 'The Gospel According to Mark', Richard Holloway on 'The Gospel According to Luke', Blake Morrison on 'The Gospel According to John' and the King James Bible text of all four Gospels.
