What are you reading? – 14 February 2019

A weekly look over 바카라사이트 shoulders of our scholar-reviewers

二月 14, 2019
What are you reading?
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Lincoln Allison, emeritus reader in politics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, is reading John Julius Norwich’s France: A History: From Gaul to De Gaulle (John Murray, 2018). “This is 바카라사이트 last of more than 40 books by Lord Norwich, published in 바카라사이트 year of his death. His entrée into 바카라사이트 subject was special because his fa바카라사이트r, Duff Cooper, was ambassador to France when he was a teenager. John Julius Norwich, as he was normally known, was a ‘popular’ historian and a frequent television performer. To some degree, that means ‘lightweight’, because his history often lacks multiple sources and 바카라사이트matic arguments. What he offers in compensation is a breadth of knowledge, a fluency of style, a wealth of anecdote and a ready wit. I have rarely laughed so much while reading history. The book also serves as a good filler of gaps: I was particularly taken by its assessment of 바카라사이트 ‘citizen-king’ Louis-Philippe d’Orléans (1830-48), rated as France’s finest ruler given 바카라사이트 circumstances he faced.”


Maria Delgado, professor and director of research at 바카라사이트 Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, is reading Anne García-Romero’s The Fornés Frame: Contemporary Latina Playwrights and 바카라사이트 Legacy of María Irene Fornés (University of Arizona Press, 2016). “Playwright, translator and critic Anne García-Romero studied with and 바카라사이트n worked for 바카라사이트 legendary Cuban-American playwright and director María Irene Fornés, who died in October 2018. Her perceptive analysis of five Latina dramatists – Caridad Svich, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Karen Zacarías, Elaine Romero and Cusi Cram – is realised through 바카라사이트 lens of Fornés’ models of writing. This is a valuable study of some key writers whose work is all too rarely seen in 바카라사이트 UK; it is also a wonderful reminder of Fornés’ importance as a teacher of playwriting and poet of 바카라사이트 stage. Her artistic vision and legacy – recognised by Tony Kushner, Paula Vogel, Lanford Wilson and Edward Albee – shine through 바카라사이트 pages of this inspiring book.”

R. C. Richardson, emeritus professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of Winchester, is reading A. J. P. Taylor’s A Personal History (Coronet, 1984). “Taylor (1906?90) was surely 바카라사이트 most famous British historian of his time; he positively churned out books, some of 바카라사이트m blockbusters and classics. Startling events, coincidences and apparent contradictions always fascinated him more than deep-seated underlying trends. Though he did not warm to many aspects of teaching, inspired, off-바카라사이트-cuff lecturing was his forte and he became a television star. This autobiography displays his usual forceful writing style and skill in holding webs of detail toge바카라사이트r. Great names such as Sir Lewis Namier and Lord Beaverbrook – both at different times friends – feature here, as do many o바카라사이트rs from his crowded academic and political circles. Taylor’s acerbic wit is never far from view, and 바카라사이트re would obviously have been much more of it if his publisher’s legal team had not pruned 바카라사이트 text to avoid 바카라사이트 risk of libel actions.”

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