Nicholas Shakespeare writes with a distinctive style that explores profound human desires and the complexities of relationships. His works are characterized by insightful explorations into character psychology, often delving into themes of identity and one's place in the world. As a storyteller, he masterfully weaves intricate plotlines that draw readers into rich and atmospheric settings. His writing is celebrated for its literary craft and its ability to evoke powerful emotional responses.
Exploring the life of Ian Fleming, this biography delves into the complexities of the man behind James Bond, revealing how his upbringing and career in Naval Intelligence shaped his literary ambitions. Fleming's experiences during pivotal historical moments and his connections with influential figures provide rich context for understanding his work and the evolving cultural significance of Bond. Biographer Nicholas Shakespeare utilizes exclusive access to Fleming's archives, offering a fresh perspective on a man whose quest for 'completeness' influenced both his life and his iconic character.
'A remarkable contemporary thriller - with shades of Graham Greene and Le Carre about it - but also a profound and compelling investigation of a hugely complex human predicament. Brilliantly observed, captivatingly written, grippingly narrated - a triumph' William Boyd When John Dyer returns to Oxford from Brazil with his young son, he doesn't expect to find them both in danger. Every day is the same. He drops Leandro at his smart prep school and walks to the library to research his new book. His time living on the edge as a foreign correspondent in Rio is over. But the rainy streets of this English city turn out to be just as treacherous as those he used to walk in the favelas. Leandro's schoolmates are the children of influential people, among them an international banker, a Russian oligarch, an American CIA operative and a British spook. As they congregate round the sports field for the weekly football matches, the network of alliances and covert interests that spreads between these power brokers soon becomes clear to Dyer,. But it is a chance conversation with an Iranian nuclear scientist, Rustum Marvar, father of a friend of Leandro, that sets him onto a truly precarious path. When Marvar and his son disappear, several sinister factions seem acutely interested in Marvar's groundbreaking research at the Physics Faculty, and what he might have told Dyer about it, given Dyer was the last person to see Marvar alive.
Krimibestenliste Juni und Juli 2020 --- "Absolut packend." William Boyd "Ein Polit-Thriller auf der Höhe der Zeit. Und ein philosophisch gewichtiger Roman." Thomas Wörtche, Deutschlandfunk Kultur Was tust du, wenn du allein die Zukunft der Welt in den Händen hältst? Marvar, iranischer Atomphysiker am Oxforder Clarendon Labor, hat den Algorithmus für die perfekte Kernfusion gefunden. Ein Wissen, das in den richtigen Händen ein Segen, in den falschen ein Fluch ist. Schließlich könnte man damit sämtliche Energieprobleme der Welt lösen oder eine Waffe von größtmöglicher Vernichtungskraft bauen. Dann verschwindet Marvar plötzlich, nicht ohne zuvor seinem Freund Dyer, einem Journalisten, die Formel zu vermachen. Bald darauf gerät Dyer ins Visier unterschiedlichster Gestalten. Der britische Geheimdienst, Bankiers und Ölmanager mit Kreml-Verbindung – sie alle interessieren sich für ihn. Ein riskantes Versteckspiel beginnt.
Eine Sammlung großartig verdichteter Miniaturromane. Sie spielen in Indien oder Argentinien, in Australien oder Bolivien, führen ins südliche Afrika, nach Singapur und Paris. Aber es sind nicht nur die geographischen Orte, die Nicholas Shakespeare auslotet. Er erzählt von mutigen, eigenwilligen Menschen, die vom Leben herausgefordert, überrascht und zu ungewöhnlichen Schritten angespornt werden. - „Acht Goldstücke reinsten, kühnsten Geschichtenerzählens“ (The Telegraph)
London, May 1940. Britain is under threat of invasion and Neville Chamberlain's government is about to fall. It is hard for us to imagine the Second World War without Winston Churchill taking the helm, but in Six Minutes in May Nicholas Shakespeare shows how easily events could have gone in a different direction. It took just six minutes for MPs to cast the votes that brought down Chamberlain. Shakespeare moves from Britain's disastrous battle in Norway, for which many blamed Churchill, on to the dramatic developments in Westminster that led to Churchill becoming Prime Minister. Uncovering fascinating new research and delving into the key players' backgrounds, Shakespeare gives us a new perspective on this critical moment in our history.
London, early May 1940: Britain is on the brink of war and Neville Chamberlain's government is about to fall. It is hard for us to imagine the Second World War without Winston Churchill taking over at the helm, but this book shows how easily events could have gone in a different direction
Im fernen Europa tobt der Erste Weltkrieg, als im australischen Hinterland am Neujahrstag 1915 die Bewohner von Broken Hill unbeschwert zu ihrem traditionellen Picknick vor den Toren der Stadt aufbrechen. Sie ahnen nicht, dass an diesem Tag die angestaute Wut zweier indischer Einwanderer hervorbrechen und ihre Welt in eine Tragödie stürzen wird. Nicholas Shakespeare macht deutlich, was es heißt, fremd in einer anderen Kultur zu sein, und wie Missachtung und Ausgrenzung - vor hundert Jahren wie heute - den Weg zum Fundamentalismus ebnen. Ein Roman, der mehr erklärt als jeder Leitartikel.
Nicholas Shakespeare uncovers a box of documents from his enigmatic late aunt, Priscilla, leading him to a profound exploration of her hidden past. This captivating narrative blends detection and history, presenting a poignant portrait of a flawed woman navigating through challenging times.
Andy Larkham is late. He is due at the funeral of his favourite school teacher. It's especially hard for Andy - stuck in a dead-end job, terminally short of cash and with a fiancee who is about to ditch him. When the funeral leads to unexpected consequences, Andy has to ask himself: how far will he go to change his life?
Following the death of his parents in a car crash, eleven-year-old Alex Dove is torn from his life on a remote farm in Tasmania and sent to school in England. Twelve years on, he must return to Australia to deal with his inheritance. But the timeless beauty of the land and his encounter with a young woman, whose own life has been marked by tragedy, persuade him to stay. They marry, and he finds himself drawn into the eccentric, often hilarious dynamics of island life. Longing for children, the couple open their home to a disquieting guest, a teenage castaway, whose presence on the farm begins to unravel their tenuously forged happiness, while at the same time offering the prospect of a much greater fulfilment. Secrets of the Sea is Nicholas Shakespeare's finest novel to date.
