Exploring the evolution of British literature and culture over the past forty years, this volume delves into various facets such as painting, poetry, and the contrasting tones of serious novels versus postmodern irony in the digital age. Each chapter offers a focused analysis, highlighting significant cultural shifts and their impact on artistic expression, providing a comprehensive understanding of contemporary British cultural dynamics.
Exploring the eerie and macabre aspects of London, this work delves into the city's rich tapestry of Gothic literature and its dark history. Clive Bloom intertwines real figures and events, such as Jack the Ripper and Aleister Crowley, with fictional characters like Sweeney Todd and those from Neil Gaiman's works. The narrative presents London as a haunting space where reality and fantasy collide, revealing a metropolis defined by murder, vice, and the supernatural, ultimately crafting a unique vision of a city steeped in both wonder and madness.
Focusing on the 2010 and 2011 riots, this book provides a multifaceted exploration of the events through the eyes of protesters, rioters, police, and government officials. Utilizing a blend of reportage, parliamentary records, and security briefings, it delves into the dynamics of modern protest and the underlying motivations of those involved. The narrative offers a comprehensive understanding of the social and political landscape surrounding the riots, highlighting the complexities of dissent and authority.
Provides a fascinating testament to the fact that from the 1790s to the present day over 23,000 British subjects have fought and died for the ideal of a fair republic
Provides a fascinating testament to the tens of thousands of British subjects who have fought and died for the ideal of a fair republic
Expertly juxtaposing notable events with today's political arena, author Clive Bloom surmises that the United Kingdom is rapidly changing and that although Thatcher's ideals seem to have vanished, one remains: the power and importance of the extra-parliamentary state and its surveillance methods and hidden powers in a new age of terrorism.
This book charts the publishing industry and bestselling fiction from 1900, featuring a comprehensive list of all bestselling fiction titles in the UK.
The complex and fascinating nature of London has provided fertile ground for bestselling social histories by writers like Roy Porter and Peter Ackroyd. For the first time a book explores the capital's secret history - the underground world of radicals and subversives from Boudicca and Wat Tyler to the anti-globalization riots of the Chartists, Suffragettes, Mosleyites and IRA. Violent London is an account of political activism expressed in street fighting and slum warfare, assassinations and bombings. The main characters are demagogues and democrats, lunatics and libertarians, bigots and social revolutionaries. The story traces the growth of London as a capital adn as a major city, following the people who live, work, demonstrate, fight and die in its violent byways. With its strong characters and dramatic narrative, Violent London is a riveting examination of past and present conflict, revealing a hidden thread in London's living history.
This anthology offers a comprehensive exploration of Gothic literature, featuring both classic and contemporary writings alongside critical essays. The thoroughly revised second edition includes early Gothic works and a new selection of essays, complemented by a supporting timeline and engaging introductory material, making it an essential resource for understanding the genre's evolution and significance.
By explaining the international dimension of Gothicism and dealing with German, French and American authors, this guide demonstrates the development of the genre in many areas of art and includes original research on Gothic theatre, spiritualism, 'ghost seeing' and spirit photography and the central impact of penny-dreadful writers on the genre.