Whether you're planning your first seige, building a fortress or just looking for a way to escape the peasants below, 'Castles: A Very Peculiar History' is full of tips, tricks and horror stories from the castle-building trade. We can't all match up to the combined beauty and danger of the Tower of London, but in this title you'll learn who developed the world's first flat-pack castle, the difference between donjeons and dungeons (it's important, trust us) and even the best time of year for a siege. Discover how a fortress was brought down by forty pigs and even how to use a common plant to defect lightning! Gasp in horrible glee at the many horrid substances poured onto beseigers through those dastardly trebuchets (there are things worse than boiling hot oil!). From the keep to the bailey, 'Castles: A Very Peculiar History' is all you need to learn how to build, manage and defend a mighty fortress.

EIIR Queen Elizabeth II, 60 Years a Queen, A Very Peculiar History' uniquely explores the life and times of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as we approach her 2012 Diamond Jubilee. The story that unfolds is one of doughty determination - the story of a young monarch who finds herself thrust into a new world of relentless public exposure, whose own family turns out to be as frail as everyone else's, but who somehow, for a full 60 years and counting, manages to steer the institution through the choppy waters intact. David Arscott provides an eccentric account of the trials and tribulations that have beset the Queen's reign, from the glamour of her coronation, through the gloom of her 'annus horribilis' to the impending dawn of her Diamond Jubilee.

A New York Times bestseller életrajzírójának, J. Randy Taraborrellinek minden részletet felvillantó, briliánsan megírt k?tete nem egyszer?en a legsikeresebb popsztárok egyikének, Beyoncénak az életrajza. Bepillantás egy olyan világba, ahová szinte mindenki vágyik, de csak nagyon kevesen juthatnak el; az amerikai show-business világába. A végtelenül tehetséges Beyoncé Knowles már nyolcéves korában ebben a világban él, gyerek szépségversenyek és tehetségkutató vetélked?k résztvev?je. Egy pillanatra sem szakad el a színpadtól, és tizenhat évesen a Destiny's Child énekeseként már világsztár. Ontja a slágereket, 2014-ben a Forbes magazin szerint a világ leggazdagabb és legkeresettebb sztárja, az ? fényképével jelenik meg a híres Time magazin. Ez a k?nyv megmutatja a sikereket, de az emberfeletti er?feszítést is, az ?r?k?s harcot az érvényesülésért, az áskálódásokat, pletykákat; beszámol viharos és vad szerelmér?l a híres rapperrel, Jay-Z-vel, a csalódásokról és a meghatározó pillanatokról. ?s mik?zben olvassuk ezt a nyílt, olykor szívszorító, olykor felemel? beszámolót, ?r?kre megváltozik a véleményünk Beyoncéról és a távoli és csillogó show-businessr?l. A szerz?r?l J. Randy Taraborrelli a New York Times bestseller szerz?je, írt már k?nyvet Michael Jacksonról, Marilyn Monroe-ról, Madonnáról, és a Kennedy famíliáról is. K?ztiszteletben álló író, újságíró, a szórakoztatóipar jó nev? és állandó szerepl?je, és jó néhány televízióm?sor, k?ztük a Today, a Good Morning America, a CBS This Morning, az Entertainment Tonight és a CNN Headline News s?r?n felt?n? vendégszerepl?je.

Aproape c? nu a existat epoc?, de la primele texte scrise p?n? azi, ?n care s? nu se vorbeasc? despre o criz? a literaturii. Periodic, fie regimul politic, fie situa?ia economic? ori exuberan?ele filozofarde au f?cut s? fie puse semne de ?ntrebare dup? cuv?ntul ?literatur?“. Timp de cinci ani, o serie de ?nt?lniri organizate ?n spa?ii neconven?ionale la Bucure?ti (?i, de c?teva ori, ?n afara Rom?niei) a ?ncercat s? adune scriitori de toate v?rstele pentru a-i pune fa?? ?n fa?? cu publicul lor. Nici acum, dic?ionarul limbii rom?ne nu include termenul ?performare“, dar, dac? ?n cazul artelor spectacolului traducerea ?interpretare“ poate s? func?ioneze, atunci c?nd este vorba despre literatur?, limba rom?n? nu ofer? dec?t termenul ?lectur?“. Acest cuv?nt nu acoper? complexitatea unei prezent?ri ce implic? ?i publicul ?n calitate de participant activ la ?nt?lnirea cu scriitorul, ?i cu textul acestuia. Ini?iat ca un proiect de promovare a literaturii contemporane pentru un public larg, ?Poeticile cotidianului“ s-a transformat, dup? ani de ?nt?lniri s?pt?m?nale, ?ntr-un eveniment literar cu propria sa concep?ie despre literatur?: poetica rela?ional?.

Márton László új regénye, A mi kis k?ztársaságunk a t?kéletes állam megalapításának groteszk-tragikus kísérletét jeleníti meg. 1944 végén, amikor a felszabadító és egyben megszálló szovjet csapatok megérkeztek a Viharsarokba, az ott él? agrárproletárok létrehozták a saját kis k?ztársaságukat. A regényben a t?rténelmi tények és az írói képzelet t?rténetei keverednek – a keser? szatírában tegnapi-mai ?nmagunkra ismerhetünk és saját kisszer?ségünk?n nevethetünk.

Ez volt ám az ember, ha kellett, a gáton, Nem terem ma párja hetedhét országon; Ha most feltámadna s elj?ne k?zétek, Minden dolgát szemfényvesztésnek hinnétek. Hárman sem birnátok súlyos buzogányát, Parittyak?veit, ?klel? kopjáját; Elhülnétek, látva rettenetes pajzsát, ‘?s, kit a csizmáján viselt, sarkantyúját.’ […] He was brave and fearless, always ready for fight, There’s nobody like him here and there and world-wide; If he would rise from dead and would come to your ranks, You’d believe all his things to be fancies and cranks. Neither three of yours could raise his ponderous mace And his sling-stones and pike and his iron sword-lace; You’d be well dumbfounded looking at his grand shield, ‘And at spurs he had on his boots in battle-field.’ ?

Kívánom, adjanak er?t ezek a k?ltemények sokaknak! Azokhoz szólok most, akiknek valamikor, valamije fájt már életében, és/vagy ismernek olyan embert, aki tudja, hogy a szó szoros értelmében mit jelent az a szó: jaj! Tetovált társaim! Ti egyt?l egyig tisztában vagytok ennek a fogalomnak a jelentésével, és azzal is, hogy ez a választott életérzés megéri, méghozzá busásan. Akiknek jelen pillanatban is fáj valami, azoknak pedig… Nekik drukkolok leginkább!

Un b?iat de ?ase ani care a impresionat-o pe ?mp?r?teasa Austriei cu geniul s?u muzical Un compozitor care a scris peste 600 de concerte, sonate, simfonii ?i opere ?n cei treizeci ?i cinci de ani c?t a tr?it Un muzician serios c?ruia ?i pl?cea s? spun? glume stupide Toate cele de mai sus! ? Afl? mai multe despre adev?ratul Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ?n aceast? biografie amuzant? ?i minunat ilustrat?!

Un copil care a ?nv??at s? deseneze ?nainte s? ?nve?e s? vorbeasc?. Un iubitor de animale care avea un ?oricel, o broasc?-?estoas?, o maimu?? ?i o mul?ime de pisici ?i c?ini. Cel mai celebru artist al secolului al XX-lea. Toate cele de mai sus! Afl? mai multe despre adev?ratul Pablo Picasso ?n aceast? biografie amuzant? ?i minunat ilustrat?!

n lucrarea sa, care a ctigat premiul Pulitzer n 1981, Robert K. Massie prezint detaliat viaa acestui captivant personaj istoric i evideniaz evenimentele cruciale care au transformat un biat ntr-o legend, inclusiv cltoriile sale incognito prin Europa, curiozitatea sa de nepotolit fa de obiceiurile occidentale, obsesia pentru mare i constituirea mreei flote ruseti, modul n care a creat o armat de nenvins i relaiile sale cu cei pe care i-a iubit cel mai mult: Ecaterina, iubita sa tandr, i Menikov, prinul fermector i lipsit de scrupule care a ajuns la putere prin intermediul prieteniei cu Petru. Un loc special n carte l ocup relaia dificil a lui Petru cu fiul su Aleksei, care a fost judecat i condamnat la moarte n 1718. Autorul nu neglijeaz nici viaa politic, social, cultural i religioas din Rusia pe parcursul jumtii secunde a secolului al XVII-lea i primei pri a secolului al XVIII-lea. Astfel, Massie i conduce cititorii n lumea ruseasc medieval i premodern schimbat iremediabil, uneori n mod violent, de reformele iniiate de monarhul autocrat Petru cel Mare. Fie c sunt schimbri care au afectat n primul rnd individul, precum obligativitatea tierii brbilor, sau iniiative care au vizat consolidarea forei statului, de exemplu, nfiinarea marinei ruseti i a Sankt-Petersburgului, reorganizarea administrativ inspirat de modelul occidental, toate acestea au transformat Rusia medieval ntr-un stat modern. n acelai timp, multe dintre reformele din timpul lui Petru au avut o influen ndelungat asupra societii ruseti. Cartea lui Massie nu ofer doar o perspectiv intern a societii ruseti, ci urmrete i aciunile lui Petru n planul politicii externe, la nivel european sau chiar global. Astfel, dou dintre cele cinci seciuni ale lucrrii se ocup de relaiile Rusiei cu celelalte state europene. Poate cel mai important conflict din timpul domniei lui Petru a fost cel mpotriva Suediei. n urma Marelui Rzboi Nordic (1700-1721), Rusia a obinut o serie de teritorii (Estonia, Livonia i Ingria). Totodat, deznodmntul acestui lung rzboi a nsemnat i ascensiunea Rusiei la rangul de putere continental. Pe plan militar, ns, domnia lui Petru nu a fost scutit de eecuri. Campania arului din Moldova, pornit mpotriva Imperiului Otoman, s-a terminat prin nfrngerea de la Stnileti (1711). Nu de puine ori, autorul american i aduce n prim-plan pe actorii politici importani din Europa sfritului secolului al XVIII-lea i nceputului secolului al XVIII-lea. Regi, comandani militari, nobili, toi sunt prezentai cititorilor, care pot astfel nelege mai bine aciunile sau atitudinile lor. arul Aleksei, tatl lui Petru, Ludovic al XIV-lea, Wilhelm de Orania, Carol al XII-lea, Augustus de Saxonia, ducele de Marlborough, prinul Eugeniu de Savoia sau feldmarealul Rehnskild se numr printre figurile ilustre descrise de Massie. De regul, atunci cnd analizeaz anumite perioade, istoricii pun accentul pe rolul proceselor i al fenomenelor de lung durat, lsnd cumva n umbr personalitile excepionale. Tocmai pentru a sugera impactul lui Petru cel Mare asupra istoriei Rusiei, n special, putem face apel la istoria contrafactual i s ne ntrebm: Cum ar fi artat Rusia contemporan dac n-ar fi existat Petru cel Mare

Cum ?i-au crescut regii britanici copiii din 1066 p?n? ?n prezent Lumea ?ntreag? a fost uimit? c?nd Prin?esa Diana s-a dovedit a fi o mam? bun? ?i afectuoas?. Ea a constituit o excep?ie: Familia Regal? a Marii Britanii este cunoscut? mai cur?nd pentru rela?iile reci ?i chiar tensionate dintre genera?iile de p?rin?i ?i copii. ?nc? din vremea Reginei Victoria ?i a Regelui George al VI-lea, p?rin?ii ?i-au exprimat ?n mod f??i? dezam?girea fa?? de mo?tenitori. David Cohen folose?te materiale noi ?i documente descoperite recent, ce dateaz? ?nc? din vremea dinastiei Tudor, ?i realizeaz? ?n Educa?ia regal? o combina?ie captivant? ?ntre istorie ?i telenovel?. ?O bog??ie de anecdote – de la lec?iile de scrim? p?n? la faptul c? Prin?ul Charles a avut valet de la v?rsta de trei ani.“

O carte-eveniment, alc?tuit? din dialoguri cu Ana Blandiana, Nicolae Breban, Augustin Buzura, Ion Iano?i, Gabriela Melinescu, Irina Petra?, Dumitru Radu Popa, Alex ?tef?nescu ?i Ion Vianu. Un manual indirect de istorie, realizat de cunoscuta scriitoare (romanciera, poeta ?i eseista) ?n baza m?rturiilor unor oameni de cultur? de prima m?n?, posibile modele europene, care – ?n falsa tranzi?ie interminabil? – aleg, iar ?i iar, voca?ia, atipica meserie de scriitor, r?m?n?nd – martori impar?iali ?i aten?i – mereu ?n prim plan. O carte extrem de dens?, actual?, un fragment dintr-o posibil? istorie a mentalit??ilor. ?Aceast? carte a ap?rut din nevoia de prietenie; a fost adunat?, treptat-treptat, ?n ritmurile felului meu de a fi, uneori-adeseori, catastrofic de ?ncet. Interlocutorii mi i-am ales, i-am c?utat, am ?ncercat s?-i "tachinez" cu ?ntreb?ri, temele discu?iilor converg?nd, firesc, de fiecare dat?, spre o arie de preocup?ri, care ne unesc mai mult dec?t ne despart. Fie ca dialog?m cu Ion Iano?i, fie cu Nicolae Breban, fie cu Ana Blandiana, fie cu Augustin Buzura, fie cu un alt interlocutor, de fiecare dat?, voiam s? aflu – folosind ca instrument, iar uneori ca arm? (din apanajul retoricii, de buna seam?) ?ntreb?rile; unele dintre acestea, da, naive, st?ngace, ?n schimb vii, mereu vii! – cum a rezistat fiecare dintre ei, cum a reu?it s?-?i construiasc? un destin, cum a izbutit s? fie, sa r?m?n? el ?nsu?i/ea ?ns??i ?i s? nu se pr?bu?easc?, cum a izbutit fiecare s? nu renun?e la lupta pentru sine ?nsu?i, pentru cultura rom?n?? Cu unele dintre personajele acestei c?r?i – dac? acceptam ca fiecare scriitor e un personaj, iar literatura este o singur? carte unic? – vreau s? cred c? m-am ?mprietenit, descoperindu-le, redescoperindu-le de fiecare dat?; ?mi place s? cred c? fiecare, aproape fiecare dintre invita?ii mei – ?ntr-un fel sau altul – m-a marcat, m-a f?cut s? m? reapropii altminteri de literatur?, de lectur?, de carte, s? v?d altminteri c?teva lucruri nelipsite pentru mine de greutate, sau – ?i mai important ! – m-a ajutat (uneori, f?r? s? ?tie!) sa r?m?n aceea?i, adic? s? nu m? schimb. Adesea, c?ut?nd prezen?a scriitorilor, de fapt c?utam o calitate la care ?ntunecat?, ?ntortocheat? de mine ajunge greu, c?teodat?, foarte greu: senin?tatea. Apoi… c?utam oameni de litere vii, scriitori ?n carne ?i oase – cum spuneam ?n adolescen??, ?i, iat?, mai spun ?i la cei circa patruzeci de ani – c?rora nu le este str?in cultul prieteniei, cultul voca?iei, cultul lucrului bine f?cut, al lucrului "rotund", cum afirm? un personaj din unul din romanele mele. Apoi… da, nu ascund, c?utam ceea ce se nume?te "complicitate" ?ntr-o lume cultural? postdecembrist? pestri?-amar?, desp?r?it? ?n grupuri, biserici, pui de catedrale. Marea majoritate a protagoni?tilor acestei c?rti de altminteri sunt mari lupi singuratici; ?i mi-a f?cut pl?cere s?-i ?ndemn s? vorbeasc? despre felul ?n care trateaz? solitudinea, via?a, literatura, contemporaneitatea. (Aura Christi)

Cassian Maria Spiridon e un fervent al fragmentului liric, al concentratului capabil a fixa poezia. Spa?iul ?i timpul verbului se contrag astfel la minimalul semn al substan?ei, ungarettian urm?rite ?n sensul unor fugitive contacte ale universului l?untric cu cel exterior, ?nconjurate de magia t?cerii. Pe deasupra oric?rei dezvolt?ri, resim?ite ca parazitare, fragmentul e suveran ca loc privilegiat al poeziei. Dac? Paul Valery afirm? c? partea cea mai profund? a omului e pielea sa, ?n?elegem alarma nivelului senzorial, ?ncordarea sim?urilor ?n vederea ?ntegr?rii ?n real a fiin?ei. Se ajunge astfel la o poetic? a sim?urilor. Aceasta restaureaz? concretul ?n drepturile lui de atotputernic? imaginea a lumii. Cassian Maria Spiridon tr?ie?te liric prin concret, ?nlocuind sublimarea experien?elor sale suflete?ti printr-o decupare ghidat? de acuitatea contemplativ?. (Gheorghe Grigurcu)Pozi?ia individual? a unui Cassian Maria Spiridon, interiorizat, divizat ?i iscoditor (dup? o copil?rie frustrat?), comport? st?ri de opozi?ie, accente de orgoliu ?i tentative (e?uate) de ini?iere ?ntr-un umanism f?r? tenebre. Ca?iva dintre contemporanii s?i mai v?rstnici ?i sunt aproape. (…) Problematiz?nd, la modul ?nalt, d?nd prioritate cerebralit??ii ?i ?nc?dr?ndu-se axial ?n fluxul psiho-nevrotic al momentului sau, Cassian Maria Spiridon opune decorativismului ?i transparen?elor ?nsemnele unei vie?i interioare fr?m?ntate. Poezia sa, de un lirism ideizat, e jurnalul superior-ceremonios al unui melancolic de extrema luciditate. (Constantin Ciopraga)

Volumele de dialoguri (vor fi trei ?n total) socratice adun? convorbiri cu personalit??i ale culturii ?i literaturii na?ionale, realizate ?n libertate, ?ncepind cu 1990. Ele au fost publicate ?n diverse reviste, ?n principal ?Convorbiri literare“ ?i ?Poezia“, dar ?i ?n ?Dacia literar?“, ?Poesis“, ?Hyperion“ ?.a. Dialogurile se succed ?n ordinea apari?ie ?i reflect? fr?m?nt?rile culturale, literare, politice ale momentului, de interes peren ?i constant privind biografia artistic? a personalit??ii intervievate. Dialogurile sunt vii, atractive, instructive ?i mereu actuale prin problematic? abordat?. Participan?ii la acest veritabil banchet platonician din primul volum, Democra?ia oblig? idiotul sa stea al?turi de geniu (310 pagini), sunt: Petre ?u?ea, Ana Blandiana, Alexandru Zub, Ioan Alexandru, Dimitrie Gavrilean, Mihai Ursachi, Cezar Iv?nescu, Svetlana Paleologu-Matta, ?erban Cantacuzino, ?tefan Avadanei, Cristian Simionescu, Luca Pi?u, Lauren?iu Ulici, Corneliu ?tefanache, Ioana Cr?ciunescu, Paul Goma, Monica Lovinescu, Ilie Cleopa, George Astalos, Marin Mincu, Liviu Ioan Stoiciu, Dan M?nuc?, Costache Ol?reanu, Sorin Vieru, Gellu Dorian, Alex ?tef?nescu, Nicolae Manolescu, Ilie Constantin.

The Divine Comedy describes Dante's journey through Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio), and Paradise (Paradiso), guided first by the Roman poet Virgil and then by Beatrice, the subject of his love and of another of his works, La Vita Nuova. While the vision of Hell, the Inferno, is vivid for modern readers, the theological niceties presented in the other books require a certain amount of patience and knowledge to appreciate. Purgatorio, the most lyrical and human of the three, also has the most poets in it; Paradiso, the most heavily theological, has the most beautiful and ecstatic mystic passages in which Dante tries to describe what he confesses he is unable to convey (e.g., when Dante looks into the face of God: "all'alta fantasia qui mancò possa" — "at this high moment, ability failed my capacity to describe," Paradiso, XXXIII, 142). His glory, by whose might all things are mov'd,Pierces the universe, and in one partSheds more resplendence, elsewhere less. In heav'n,That largeliest of his light partakes, was I,Witness of things, which to relate againSurpasseth power of him who comes from thence;For that, so near approaching its desireOur intellect is to such depth absorb'd,That memory cannot follow. Nathless all,That in my thoughts I of that sacred realmCould store, shall now be matter of my song. Benign Apollo! this last labour aid,And make me such a vessel of thy worth,As thy own laurel claims of me belov'd.Thus far hath one of steep Parnassus' browsSuffic'd me; henceforth there is need of bothFor my remaining enterprise Do thouEnter into my bosom, and there breatheSo, as when Marsyas by thy hand was dragg'dForth from his limbs unsheath'd. O power divine!If thou to me of shine impart so much,That of that happy realm the shadow'd formTrac'd in my thoughts I may set forth to view,Thou shalt behold me of thy favour'd treeCome to the foot, and crown myself with leaves;For to that honour thou, and my high themeWill fit me. If but seldom, mighty Sire!To grace his triumph gathers thence a wreathCaesar or bard (more shame for human willsDeprav'd) joy to the Delphic god must springFrom the Pierian foliage, when one breastIs with such thirst inspir'd. From a small sparkGreat flame hath risen: after me perchanceOthers with better voice may pray, and gainFrom the Cirrhaean city answer kind. About Dante: Durante degli Alighieri, simply referred to as Dante (1265–1321), was a major Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy, originally called La Comedia and later called Divina by Boccaccio, is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature. In Italy he is known as il Sommo Poeta ("the Supreme Poet") or just il Poeta. He, Petrarch and Boccaccio are also known as "the three fountains" or "the three crowns". Dante is also called the "Father of the Italian language".

A freskó a tarbai református pap vén mindenese, Anzsu házában rejt?zik egy lenvászon leped? alatt a falon. A családját festette meg annak idején rajta Annuska, az esperes lánya. Alakjai a szemünk láttára elevenednek meg. A papné temetésére gy?lnek ?ssze a család tagjai, hazatér Annuska is, aki megsz?k?tt a szül?i házból, hogy fest? lehessen. Megkeseredett apja egyik kezében a Bibliával, a másikban nadrágszíjjal nevelte gyerekeit. A tékozló lány visszatérése felbolydítja a várost és a családot, melynek tagjai magányban, szeretetlenül élnek. Annuska megjelenése arra készteti ?ket, hogy számot vessenek ?nmagukkal. A reggeli és esti harangszó k?z?tt eltel? tizenhárom órában elevenek és holtak hazugságai, álszentsége, képmutatása és ?nzése kerül mérlegre. ?m el?bb vagy utóbb mindenkir?l lehull az álarc.

Aranybilincs

A V?r?s szobában

A v?r?s liliom

Allan felesége

Harun al Rasid