The seventeenth century allegory ‘The Pilgrim's Progress’ is widely regarded as one of the most significant religious works of English literature. The satire constructs a symbolic vision of the good man’s pilgrimage through life and was at one time second only to the Bible in popularity. This comprehensive eBook presents John Bunyan’s complete works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts appearing in digital print for the first time, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Bunyan’s life and works * Concise introductions to the satires and other texts * ALL the satires and religious works, with individual contents tables * Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Contemporary illustrations for ‘The Pilgrim's Progress’ * Includes the poetical works, with alphabetical contents table * Easily locate the poems you want to read * Special criticism section, with five essays evaluating Bunyan’s contribution to literature * Features two biographies - discover Bunyan’s intriguing life * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Satires THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS: PART I THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MR. BADMAN THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS: PART II THE HOLY WAR The Tracts and Sermons LIST OF TRACTS, DOCTRINES AND OTHER PIECES The Autobiographical Works GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS A RELATON OF THE IMPRISONMENT OF MR. JOHN BUNYAN A CONTINUATION OF MR. BUNYAN’S LIFE The Poetry SCRIPTURAL POEMS; BEING SEVERAL PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE DIGESTED INTO ENGLISH VERSE ONE THING IS NEEDFUL A BOOK FOR BOYS AND GIRLS OR, TEMPORAL THINGS SPRITUALIZED A CAUTION TO STIR UP TO WATCH AGAINST SIN A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, NATURE, EXCELLENCY, AND GOVERNMENT OF THE HOUSE OF GOD LIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER The Criticism JOHN BUNYAN by John Kelman BUNYAN by George Edward Woodberry JOHN BUNYAN: FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT by Osgood E. Fuller JOHN BUNYAN by Andrew Lang JOHN BUNYAN by Robert Lynd The Biography MEMOIR OF JOHN BUNYAN by George Offor THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN by Edmund Venables Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

Three wishes are granted to the owner of the monkey's paw, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate.

Celebrated as one of the most influential writers of the Modernist movement, T. S. Eliot was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his outstanding contribution to poetry. The Delphi Poets Series offers readers the works of literature's finest poets, with superior formatting. This volume presents the most complete collection possible of Eliot’s poetry in the US, with beautiful illustrations, bonus texts and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Eliot's life and works * Concise introductions to the poetry books * Images of how the poetry books were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the poems * Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry * Easily locate the poems you want to read * Includes Eliot's early essay collection THE SACRED WOOD * Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please note: the collection presents the most complete collection of Eliot’s poetry possible, complying with US copyright laws. Once new texts enter the public domain, they will be added to the eBook as a free update. Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The Poetry Collections PRUFROCK AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS POEMS, 1920 THE WASTE LAND The Poems LIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER LIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER The Essays THE SACRED WOOD Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles

International Journal on Multicultural Literature (IJML) Volume 7 Number 1 (January 2017) ISSN 2231-6248. Highlights include ·Transgressive Gender Discourse in Anita Nair's Ladies Coupe' by Seema Bansal Somani & Rohit Phutela ·The Poetic Art and Vision of Wole Soyinka by C. Ramya ·Displacement and Morality in Sunetra Gupta's The Memories of Rain by Ruby Vaneesa and S. Ayyappa Raja ·A Feminist Analysis of the Love Poems of Taslima Nasrin by Sigma G. R. ·The Hero as a Weather Shaman in Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist by A. Vanitha ·Revisionist Myth Making: Meena Kandasamy's Defiance of Male Hegemony in Her Select Poems by Jibin Baby and S. Ayyappa Raja ·Multiculturalism in Lakshmi Raj Sharma's The Tailor's Needle by Abhimanyu Pandey IJML is a peer-reviewed research journal in English literature published from Thodupuzha, Kerala, India. The publisher and editor is Prof. Dr. K. V. Dominic, renowned English language poet, critic, short story writer and editor who has to his credit 27 books. He is also the secretary of Guild of Indian English Writers, Editors and Critics (GIEWEC). Since 2010, IJML is a biannual journal published in January and July. The articles are sent first to the referees by the editor and only if they accept, the papers will be published. Although based in India, each issue includes worldwide contributors. Although IJML concentrates on multiculturalism, it also encompasses other literature. Each issue also includes poems, short stories, review articles, book reviews, interviews, general essays etc. under separate sections. IJML is available in paperback, Kindle, ePub, and PDF editions. Distributed by Modern History Press Learn more at www.profKVDominc.com

Winner of the first Pulitzer Prize for poetry, the American poet Sara Teasdale composed short, personal lyrics, noted for their classical simplicity and quiet intensity. In 1918 she won the Columbia University Poetry Society prize (forerunner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry) and the annual prize of the Poetry Society of America for her pioneering collection of verse, ‘Love Songs’. The Delphi Poets Series offers readers the works of literature's finest poets, with superior formatting. This volume presents Teasdale’s collected poetical works, with related illustrations and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Teasdale's life and works* Concise introduction to Teasdale’s life and poetry* Include all the poems available in the US public domain* Images of how the poetry books were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts* Excellent formatting of the poems* Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry* Easily locate the poems you want to read* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to see our wide range of poet titles CONTENTS: The Life and Poetry of Sara TeasdaleBrief Introduction: Sara TeasdaleSonnets to Duse and Other Poems, 1907Helen of Troy and Other Poems, 1911Rivers to the Sea, 1915Love Songs, 1917Flame and Shadow, 1920 The PoemsList of Poems in Chronological OrderList of Poems in Alphabetical Order Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of poetry titles or buy the entire Delphi Poets Series as a Super Set

"The Duchess of York wished to have the portraits of the most beautiful women at Court," Anthony Hamilton wrote in the Memoirs of Count Grammont. "Lely painted them, and employed all his art in the execution. He could not have had more alluring sitters. Every portrait is a masterpiece." The original set of "Beauties" painted by Lely were, as we find from James II's catalogue, eleven in number, their names being Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland (ne'e Villiers); Frances, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox (ne'e Stuart); Mrs. Jane Myddleton (ne'e Needham); Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland (ne'e Wriothesley); Elizabeth, Countess of Falmouth (ne'e Bagot); Elizabeth, Lady Denham (ne'e Brooke); Frances, Lady Whitmore (ne'e Brooke); Henrietta, Countess of Rochester (ne'e Boyle); Elizabeth, Countess de Grammont (ne'e Hamilton); and Madame d'Orleans. It will be seen that in this list of "Beauties" Anne Hyde, Duchess of York, does not figure; but since she was responsible for the collection, it would be peculiarly ungracious to omit her from a volume that treats of it. Also, she deserves inclusion for her supreme courage in selecting the sitters--for what must the ladies who were not chosen have said and thought of her? Nor in the series are Nell Gwyn, Louise de Ke'roualle, and the Duchess Mazarin; but no account of the social life of the Court of Charles II can possibly omit mention of them, and therefore something has been said about each of these ladies. The new Revised Edition restores Melville's masterpiece of the intricate relationships and day-by-day account of court life in the reign of Charles II of England. This edition also adds a new glossary, bibliography, and extended footnotes for the lay history reader. Also included are first-ever translations of French language poems, letters, and epitaphs completed by Coby Fletcher. More information at www.VictorianHeritage.com

Winner of the first Pulitzer Prize for poetry, the American poet Sara Teasdale composed short, personal lyrics, noted for their classical simplicity and quiet intensity. In 1918 she won the Columbia University Poetry Society prize (forerunner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry) and the annual prize of the Poetry Society of America for her pioneering collection of verse, ‘Love Songs’. The Delphi Poets Series offers readers the works of literature's finest poets, with superior formatting. This volume presents Teasdale’s complete poetical works, with related illustrations and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Teasdale's life and works* Concise introduction to Teasdale’s life and poetry* Images of how the poetry books were first printed, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts* Excellent formatting of the poems* Special chronological and alphabetical contents tables for the poetry* Easily locate the poems you want to read* Features Teasdale's last three poetry collections for the first time in digital publishing* Teasdale's last poetry collection, her masterpiece ‘Strange Victory’* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to see our wide range of poet titles CONTENTS: The Life and Poetry of Sara TeasdaleBrief Introduction: Sara TeasdaleSonnets to Duse and Other Poems, 1907Helen of Troy and Other Poems, 1911Rivers to the Sea, 1915Love Songs, 1917Flame and Shadow, 1920Dark of the Moon, 1926Stars To-night, 1930Strange Victory, 1933 The PoemsList of Poems in Chronological OrderList of Poems in Alphabetical Order Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of poetry titles or buy the entire Delphi Poets Series as a Super Set

International Journal on Multicultural Literature (IJML) Volume 7 Number 2 (July 2017) ISSN 2231-6248. Highlights include ·Solutions to Religious Communalism as Projected in Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions: An Analysis by S. Chelliah ·K.V. Dominic's Winged Reason: A Portrait of Social Realism by D.C. Chambial ·Tracing Political Bricoleurs in Winston Churchill's Thoughts and Adventures and Khushwant Singh's The End of India by Sreedevi R. & Raichel M. Sylus ·Play/Games as Sublimation of Juvenile Delinquency: An Exploration into the World of Children's Literature by Sijo Varghese ·Intrinsic Journey into the Epic, Savitri: A Symbolic Exploration by Santanu Basak ·Feminine or Feminist: Ambiguous Women in The Moor's Last Sigh by Sharmila Bhattacharjee ·Element of Grotesque in Carson McCullers' The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Sarika Tiwari ·Alec Derwent Hope on Poet and Art of Poetry by Amodini Sreedharan ·Women as Victims: A Study of Nalini Sharma's Strange Equations by S. Barathi ·Mahesh Dattani's Final Solutions: Deconstruction of Communalism - Nidhish Kumar Singh ·Authenticity of Rural Life in the Novels of Chinua Achebe, Kamala Markandaya and Ramesh K. Srivastava by Smita Das ·Lives on Pyre: A Socio-realistic Portrayal in D.C. Chambial's The Cargoes of the Bleeding Hearts by Parthajit Ghosh & Madhu Kamra ·An Evolution of His Demography: A Socio-cultural Flow in the Fictional World of Manoj Das by Suresh Bera & Somali Gupta ·Maya Angelou's Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?: a Paroxysm of Confession by Ishita Pramanik & Shukla Banerjee ·Fruits of Delight in the Fields of Despair in Manas Bakshi's Dance of Satan and Other Poems by T.V. Reddy IJML is a peer-reviewed research journal in English literature published from Thodupuzha, Kerala, India. The publisher and editor is Prof. Dr. K. V. Dominic, renowned English language poet, critic, short story writer and editor who has to his credit 27 books. He is also the secretary of Guild of Indian English Writers, Editors and Critics (GIEWEC). Since 2010, IJML is a biannual journal published in January and July. The articles are sent first to the referees by the editor and only if they accept, the papers will be published. Although based in India, each issue includes worldwide contributors. Although IJML concentrates on multiculturalism, it also encompasses other literature. Each issue also includes poems, short stories, review articles, book reviews, interviews, general essays etc. under separate sections. IJML is available in paperback, Kindle, ePub, and PDF editions. Distributed by Modern History Press Learn more at www.profKVDominc.com

The novel follows the character David Copperfield, and is written in the first person, as a description of his life until middle age, with his own adventures and the web of friends and enemies he meets along his way. Copperfield finds career success as an author, and is a person of deep emotions. Many elements of the novel follow events in Dickens's own life, and it is often considered his veiled autobiography. It was Dickens' favourite among his own novels.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Complete Works World's Best Collection This is the world’s best Longfellow collection, including the most complete set of Longfellow’s works available plus many free bonus materials. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator, a Professor at Harvard College. Longfellow wrote predominantly lyric poems, known for their musicality, presenting amazing stories of mythology and legend. He became the most popular American poet of his day and also had success overseas. The ‘Must-Have’ Complete Collection In this irresistible collection you get a full set of Longfellow’s work - more than 600 works, including All his poems, All his Epic Poetry, All his Prose, and All his poetry collections. Plus this collection includes a comprehensive biography so you can experience the life of the man behind the words. There is also free bonus material. Works Including: Prose Works, Including: Kavanagh Hyperion Poetical Works, Including: Evangeline Hiawatha The Wayside In Paul Revere’s Ride Legend Of Rabbi Ben Levi Christus: A Mystery Part I. The Divine Tragedy Part Ii. The Golden Legend Part Iii. The New England Tragedies Other Works, Including: Ultima Thule In The Harbor Birds Of Passage Flight the First to Flights the Fifth Voices Of The Night The Spanish Student Juvenile Poems. Translations - Full set of all Longfellow’s translations from Italian, French, Portuguese, German and Anglo-Saxon sources. Your Free Special Bonuses The Divine Comedy?- Longfellow’s translation of Dante’s Vision Of Inferno, Purgatory And Paradise, including Six Sonnets On Dante’s Divine Comedy By Longfellow himself. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Life?- A biography of Milton’s intriguing life. A Visit To Hiawatha’s People?- Written by Alice Longfellow. Get This Collection Right Now This is the best Longfellow collection you can get, so get it now and start enjoying and being inspired by his world like never before!

Come, take a peek Behind the Smile; a world you’ve never known before awaits your pleasures for a while … there’s wonderment for you in store. ? From Free Verse poetry to Sonnets, Ballads, and many more poetic forms and styles, this incomparably amazing collection of 145 selected poems by master poet Richard W. Jenkins is not your everyday smattering of poetic jargon. They will captivate and embrace your senses, taking you on a metaphorical journey of inner exploration and sheer enthrallment that will entice you irresistibly back into their pages—time and again. Aficionados will appreciate the author’s breakdowns of the poems’ 52 forms, including some of his widely used originals. This treasure belongs within easy reach of every poetry lover. ? Whom could who feels what all we do not yearn a deeper bite, when each delicious taste we take flavors our world just right?

Suntem pe deplin convini c Nietzsche i Marea Amiaz sau aceast absolut original, curajoas Religie a Viului se vor nscrie nu numai printre exegezele importante, necesare n acest moment literaturii contemporane, ci va propune i un alt stil al interpretrii, repetm nc o dat, extrem de curajos, al autoarei, deoarece se aplic, vine n urma unor mari hermeneui, exersndu-se pe texte despre care nu se mai poate spune nimic!, ar exclama orice neofit. Acest curaj, credem noi, nc o dat, i este druit literalmente Aurei Christi, cci ea nu ezit s se scufunde n ntregime n baia fierbinte sau insuportabil de rece, de glacial, a unor texte, care, dei scrise i publicate cu un secol sau dou nainte, ne apar mereu n fa.“ (Nicolae Breban) Aura Christi construiete un religios redimensionat spre mit: ca i cum, trecnd istmul ontologic dintre pioenie i exuberan, Iisus devine Dionysos, ntr-un palimpsest cultural care pe muli i exaspereaz. Interpretarea operei brebaniene ca propunere mitic face parte din acelai registru, tot aa cum marginea diafan a mitului reapare obsesiv n numeroase alte eseuri, transformnd ntreaga carte ntr-o tulburtoare i foarte vie mitoconstrucie personal.“ (tefan Borbély)http://aurachristi.ro/

Romanele Aurei Christi, ample construc?ii epice, abordeaz?, cu un curaj ?i maturitate rar?, modelul ?i aria expresiv? ?i ideatic? a romanului de reflexivitate ?i problematic? grav?, uman?, de la M. Proust ?i Th. Mann, sub tutela impresionant?, infinit? ?i enorm expresiv? a lui F.M. Dostoievski. Acela?i, Dostoievski, de data asta al?turat lui Friedrich Nietzsche, face obiectul unor ample studii eseistice, pe care Aura Christi le-a conceput ?i publicat ?n ultimii ani, abord?nd teme de o rar? ?ndr?zneal? ideatic?, problematica esen?ial? a individului ?n abisalitatea sa, a Fiin?ei, arta complicat?, prezent?nd ?nc? nu pu?ine mistere ?i paradoxuri psihologice ale tipologiei romane?ti moderne, de la cu adev?rat revolu?ionara ? la recherche du temps perdu la Idiotul ?i Crim? ?i pedeaps?.?n publistica ei curent?, sus?inut?, Aura Christi sprijin?, polemic adeseori, cultul valorilor clasice ?i moderne europene ?i refuz? improviza?iile ?i impostura literar? care, ?n actualitatea post-comunist?, tresare ?n c?mpul literar rom?nesc ?n varii forme, de la contestarea, de plano, a marilor modele moderne lirice ale continentului ?i cultivarea unui mizerabilism ?i a brutalit??ii expresiei ce se cufund? ?i abund? nu rareori ?n tonuri suburbane, sclipind triumf?tor ?n accente arogante ce vor s? instaleze un fel de triumf al tinere?ii ?protestatar-revolu?ionare“ culturale ?i preiau, f?r? sim? critic, ?ntr-o afi?at? incultur? poetic?, cu o anume voluptate, simboluri ?i expresii france, voit pornografice, din recuzita avangardist? ?i futurist? a literaturii ?nceputului de secol XX. (Nicolae Breban)O mistic? de halou dostoievskian domin? obsedant destinele eroilor din romanul Aurei Christi, Cercul s?lbatic. (…) E, ?n felul s?u, un roman al cuplurilor ce se fac ?i se desfac, se men?in c?t ?i cum se men?in ?n virtutea unor automatisme ?n care iubirea este c?utat?, mimat?, tr?dat?, ea r?m?n?nd mereu o iluzie sau o speran?? virtual?, ?ntre via?? ?i moarte. Se vorbe?te mult despre moarte ?n acest roman. Existen?a ?ns??i e parcurs? sub semnul acesteia. (Constantin Cuble?an)Poate aici este imensul merit al Cercului… M-a supus unui exerci?iu deloc facil de a formula motive pentru care merit? s? tr?ie?ti. ?i nu ?n fa?a unui om care ur??te via?a, n?uc, sau e dezgustat de ceea ce i se pare a fi via?a. Ci ?n fa?a acestei fete-femei, Diana, care caut? profund sensul, care iube?te florile, apa, arta. At?t de plin? de via?? e creatura aceasta (…), ?nc?t preaplinul acesta o consum? ?i o arunc? ?n moarte. Diana arat? c? nu e simplu s? tr?ie?ti la altitudinea aceea uria?? a foamei de via??, a puterii uria?e de a tr?i. Setea ei de via?? ?i frumuse?e ?i lini?te o expune, o face fragil?… Naufragiul ei e produs de apele grele ?i ur?te ale unei lumi neatente, nep?s?toare p?n? la agresiune fizic?… O lume de fiare, ?n care nimeni nu ofer? protec?ie puilor. O lume hulpav?, ?n care fluturii ?i puii de c?prioare sunt r?pu?i, ?nghi?i?i, ca ?i c?nd… Poate pentru asta s-au n?scut… Poate Dumnezeu ?i cheam? la el… Sau poate nu! Poate o imens? responsabilitate ar trebui luat? pe umerii mei ?i nu numai ai mei! Poate c? oamenii frumo?i, ca Diana, au o for?? neb?nuit? ?n fragilitatea lor. Poate c? nimic nu se poate face pentru adolescen?ii care aleg moartea… Poate nimic nu se poate face ?mpotriva mor?ii… (Irina Ciobotaru) http://aurachristi.ro/

n noaptea dinaintea zilei n care mplinea 40 de ani, Rich Roll a avut revelaia nspimnttoare a viitorului su. Cntrind cu aproape 25 de kilograme mai mult dect normalul i incapabil s urce cteva scri fr s gfie, a putut s vad care era rezultatul stilului su de via complet sedentar – i ce fel de schimbare trebuie s adopte pentru a obine rezultate reale. Adoptnd o nou rutin care punea pe primul loc nutriia din plante si antrenamentele zilnice, Rich s-a transformat – n doar cteva luni – dintr-un brbat total ieit din form, ntr-o adevrat mainrie“ destinat sportului de anduran. Omul ultra relateaz cltoria remarcabil a lui Rich spre linia de start a competiiei de elit Ultraman, care i supune pe cei mai n form oameni din lume la un calvar de peste 500 de kilometri strbtui not, pe biciclet i n alergare. i, dup acest test, Rich a trecut cu succes de unul chiar mai dificil: EPIC5 – cinci triatloane pe distana folosit la competiia Ironman, fiecare dintre ele pe o insul diferit din arhipelagul Hawaii, toate finalizate n mai puin de o sptmn. Omul ultra este un portret minunat despre ceea ce poate realiza puterea voinei. Ne provoac pe toi s ne gndim din nou la ce suntem capabili s realizm i ne ndeamn, implicit i explicit, s trecem la treab“.

Emmanuel Macron, c??tig?torul alegerilor preziden?iale din Fran?a ?i omul nou al politicii europene, ??i spune pentru prima dat? povestea, vorbind despre ideile care ?l inspir?, despre viziunea sa legat? de stat, cet??eni, Uniunea European?, ?ntr-o lume care se confrunt? cu probleme comune – imigra?ia, locurile de munc?, terorismul –, dar pe care trebuie s? le rezolv?m ?mpreun?.?Revolu?ia lui Macron, alternativa electoral? a Fran?ei la na?ionalismul lui Marine Le Pen, a cucerit imediat opinia public? de pe tot continentul european: o provocare deschis? la adresa populi?tilor ?i a acelora care nu mai cred ?n institu?ii, o revolu?ie f?r? promisiuni de?arte, care ar putea schimba pentru totdeauna modul de a face politic? ?n Europa. O carte puternic?, singular?, care pune bazele unei societ??i cu totul noi.?Sunt absolut convins c? secolul XXI, ?n care ?n sf?r?it am intrat, este ?n egal? m?sur? plin de promisiuni ?i de schimb?ri care ne pot face mai ferici?i. ?i asta v? ?i propun.Aceasta va fi lupta noastr? pentru Fran?a ?i nu ?tiu nimic mai frumos de at?t." –?Emmanuel Macron

Far out in the ocean the water is as blue as the petals of the loveliest cornflower, and as clear as the purest glass. But it is very deep too. It goes down deeper than any anchor rope will go, and many, many steeples would have to be stacked one on top of another to reach from the bottom to the surface of the sea. It is down there that the sea folk live. Now don't suppose that there are only bare white sands at the bottom of the sea. No indeed! The most marvelous trees and flowers grow down there, with such pliant stalks and leaves that the least stir in the water makes them move about as though they were alive. All sorts of fish, large and small, dart among the branches, just as birds flit through the trees up here. From the deepest spot in the ocean rises the palace of the sea king. Its walls are made of coral and its high pointed windows of the clearest amber, but the roof is made of mussel shells that open and shut with the tide. This is a wonderful sight to see, for every shell holds glistening pearls, any one of which would be the pride of a queen's crown.

Recapitulm altdat spusele lui Rainer Maria Rilke referitoare la generaii cu un amestec de uimire i spaima; astfel, autorul Elegiilor duineze – scrise, e tiut, pe ntinderea a mai bine de un deceniu – susine c se succed mereu trei generaii:1) cea care l-a gsit pe Dumnezeu;2) cea care construiete temple;3) cea care smulge pietre din templele nlate pentru a ridica colibe.Acum ns, depind uimirea, spaima, susin aceleai lucruri emise i odinioar, lucruri de care sunt aproape sigura mai ales atunci cnd sunt eu nsmi: nu tiu dac l-am gsit pe Dumnezeu; cnd mi se pare ca l simt aproape, n mine, l pierd, l pun la ndoial, m cert“ cu el, imaginez psalmi n rspr; mi-a dori/vreau s cred. Nu sunt sigur c voi avea fora s construiesc n continuare templul meu din cuvinte. Dar tiu ca nu voi smulge pietre din temple strine pentru a construi colibe. Aceasta siguran, chiar dac fragil, chiar dac se susine, se construiete din mers, poate fi semnul unui nceput.Am adunat – la ndemnul editorului meu – aceste dialoguri, selectate din nu puine altele, realizate n timp, ntr-o carte, ntruct ele constituie semnele unei treceri, semnele efortului susinut de a construi un destin; unul literar, desigur. Nu tiu dac aceste dialoguri, constituite n exerciii de destin, fcute n siajul lui Ignaiu de Loyola, pe urmele Sfntului Augustin, sunt convingtoare; pentru mine ele rmn a fi circumscrise foamei (pn la un punct, unamunoiene) de a fi. Ceea ce probabil nu este deloc puin. E limpede ns c timpul, critica, lectorii urmeaz s judece dac aceste exerciii rezist, dac, n adevr, sunt semnele unui destin literar.“ (Aura Christi)O istorie a mentalitilor predominante n perioada post-decembrist.

Un volum de istorie, teorie ?i critic? literar?, strict necesar, ?ntruc?t se refer? la unul dintre cele mai interesante grupuri din istoria literaturii rom?ne, ?i anume Cercul de la Sibiu, care a dat culturii nume de r?sunet ca, de pilda, ?tefan Aug. Doina?, Nicolae Balota, Ion Negoi?escu s.a.Scris? ?ntr-un stil inconfundabil, alert, de o suple?e unica, cartea e destinat? studen?ilor, elevilor, profesorilor, precum ?i publicului larg de cititori.

Rstimp de douzeci de ani, sub egida acestui prestigios Club de Dialog – Ideea European – au fost organizate numeroase dezbateri, turnee, lecturi publice, conferine, ntruniri, simpozioane, att n ar, ct i peste hotare. M refer, n aceast ordine de idei, la Conferinele Modele Europene. Friedrich Nietzsche, Marx i Nietzsche. Vinovai fr vin, Modele europene. Ion Ianoi, Eugen Negrici. Iluziile literaturii romne sau Nicolae Breban. Trdarea criticii (...) in deopotriv la toate. Unele dintre acestea, multe – majoritatea! – au fost gndite de subsemnata mpreun cu romancierul Nicolae Breban, fiind rodul unei prietenii, al unei compliciti de litere rare – a spune, citnd-o de fapt pe Magda Ursache, unice – cum sunt, de pild, dezbaterile dedicate crilor-eveniment: Iluziile literaturii romne de Eugen Negrici i Trdarea criticii de Nicolae Breban, ca s citez exclusiv dou, oprindu-ne aici. Dar, m ntreb, iar i iar, de ce ne-am opri Nu spunea Blaga, oare, ntr-un vers memorabil: Orice nceput se vrea fecund“ Douzeci de ani sunt un nceput!Destinul nostru este literatura, spuneam ani de-a rndul, parafrazndu-l pe Napoleon, repetnd, iar i iar, aceast afirmaie gnomic, nu rareori, c pe o rugciune, ca pe o litanie, cu smerenie, iar, uneori-adeseori, cu spaim, ntruct – iubindu-l atroce pe sihastrul de la Torino, da, pe Nietzsche cel unic, cel hamletian – tiam, da, tiam, cine se joac de-a destinul... devine destin.“ – Aura Christi

La Zürich, c?nd intri ?ntr-un magazin, spui ?Grüetzi“, la Berlin, ?Hallo“, la Buenos Aires, ?Ola“, un ?Hallo“ ?ntors pe dos, poate unde-i pe emisfera cealalt?, la Viena, ?Grüss Gott“, dar ?i la Sibiu, acum 60 de ani, se spunea tot ?Grüss Gott“. Timi?oara nu cred c? f?cea opinie separat?, c? unde-i unu’ nu-i putere, o ?tie tot rom?nu’, dar nici Budapesta n-avea de ce s? fac? mofturi, de vreme ce Sisi, superba ?mp?r?teas? a Austriei, devenise regina Ungariei, datorit? unui foarte cool conte maghiar... cam a?a se ?ncruci?eaz? ?i limbile. ?Grüss Gott“ ?nseamn?: ?Salut?-l pe Dumnezeu“ sau ?Domnul s? te aibe ?n paz?“. Din binecuv?ntare a ajuns marcaj de grani?? a fostului imperiu habsburgic. Gata. Mi-am f?cut intrarea ?n scen?. De fapt n-am vrut dec?t s? v? spun ?Bun? ziua“. (Nora Iuga 29 decembrie 2009)

Poemele lui Virgil Botnaru au una dintre cele mai rare caliti regsibile la un debutant: anume polifonia. Dei arat numaidect recognoscibil, ele sun diferit de la o seciune la alta a crii; se vede, vreau s spun, c-s produse de un acelai spirit i o aceeai energeia, ns sunetul lor e mereu altul. Uneori, ele par contaminate de un misticism aproape pios, ca-n poemul (aproape un haiku) n care poetul trece dimineaa devreme pe lng catedral i gsete c Dumnezeu doarme; pentru ca dup cteva pagini s gseti o strigtur licenioas de dou versuri, deucheat dar simpatic; iar, dup alte cteva pagini, poemele devin documente ale unei melancolii virile, alcoolizate & depresive. E limpede, pentru mine, c Virgil Botnaru e un poet, al crui instrument acoper cteva octave bune; i c tie, de la bun nceput, cum s i-l exploateze. E, adic, un poet despre care tiu sigur c voi mai vorbi–cu ncredere & apreciere.“ – Radu Vancu