An expose of what goes on behind the ancient walls of London's inns of court, Harry Mount's account of his hellish year as a "pupil" - a trainee barrister in The Temple - dares to reveal the grim secrets of one of England's most archaic institutions.
"There are so many Latin phrases in everyday use that often we use them without understanding the background and context within which they were actually used. 'Carpe diem'; 'Stet'; 'Memento mori'; 'Et tu Brute' - examples would fill a book. And often these phrases are also used in English translation: 'The die is cast'; 'crossing the Rubicon'; 'Rome was not built in a day'. Many of these phrases are humorous, but they are also a rich source of wisdom: the wisdom of the ancients. The chapters of this book include: Latin for Gardeners, the Great Latin Love Poets, Cicero on How to Grow Old Gracefully and Seneca's Stoic Guide to Life. Each chapter starts with a quotation and is lightly sprinkled with many more, with accompanying English translations and entertaining cartoons and illustrations dotted throughout. The background to each quotation is explained so that the context is fully understood. Who crossed the Rubicon and why, for example? At a time of great political and social turbulence, more and more people are turning back to ancient wisdom as a guide to life. Here they are in touch with two classical scholars of distinction who have the common touch and can help make Latin accessible to all, not to mention fun!"-- From Amazon
"If you know someone who missed out on Latin at school and wants to live a happier life, you could do no better than give them Harry Mount's entertainingly educative Latin primer." Know Latin and - mirabile dictu - you will know Wilfred Owen's misery, Catullus's aching heart and the comedy of a thousand bachelor schoolmasters.
"In this fascinating and witty book, Harry Mount explains how our national characteristics - our sense of humour, our hobbies, our favourite foods and our behaviour with the opposite sex - are all defined by our nation's extraordinary geography, geology, climate and weather. You will learn how we would be as freezing cold as Siberia without the Gulf Stream; why we drive on the left-hand side of the road; why the Midlands became the home of the British curry. It identifies the materials that make England, too: the faint pink Aberdeen granite of kerbstones; that precise English mix of air temperature, smell and light that hits you the moment you touch down at Heathrow." -- Provided by publisher
The Top Ten Sunday Times Bestseller How to put a little Latin in your life, from bestselling author and journalist Harry Mount
Harry Mount's exploration of English identity is filled with astonishing facts and captivating stories. For instance, the narrowness of English train seats traces back to the Romans, as early Victorian trains were built to match horse-drawn wagons that fit the ruts left by Roman chariots. This witty examination reveals how national characteristics—humor, hobbies, favorite foods, and social behaviors—are shaped by England's unique geography, geology, climate, and weather. Readers will discover why the Gulf Stream prevents England from being as frigid as Siberia, the rationale behind driving on the left, and how the Midlands became the heart of British curry. The book also highlights the materials that define England, from the faint pink granite of kerbstones to the distinctive air and light that greet travelers at Heathrow. Praised for its readability and depth, Mount’s work is described as illuminating, intelligent, and charmingly fact-stuffed. An accomplished author and journalist, Mount has written extensively, including on Latin and British architecture, and has a background in classics and history from Oxford. He currently resides in north London.
Die Welt ist noch nicht am Ende ihres Lateins! Latein ist hip wie nie zuvor: David Beckham trägt lateinische Tattoos, und 'Quo vadis?'-Smalltalk à la Asterix ist auf jeder Party ein Hit. Passend dazu kommt der ultimative Führer durch die lateinische Sprache. Doch keine Angst – oder wie der versierte Lateiner sagen würde: 'Nil desperandum!' Harry Mount präsentiert die angestaubte Sprache der alten Römer trendy und modern. Wer hat nicht gelacht, als in Monty Pythons 'Life of Brian' der römische Zenturio 'Römer, geht nach Hause!' 100-mal korrekt an die Mauer schreiben ließ? Und wer hat beim ersten Sonnenstrahl nicht schon einmal 'Carpe diem!' gedacht? Latein begegnet uns auf Schritt und Tritt, oft unbemerkt. Mount nimmt uns mit auf eine unterhaltsame Reise durch die Sprachwelt von Cäsar, Cicero & Co. – mit anschaulichen Beispielen aus dem Alltag, einem klar strukturierten Leitfaden durch die unverzichtbare Grammatik und nützlichen Lateinphrasen für alle Eventualitäten. Egal, ob man Latein in der Schule geliebt oder gehasst hat oder noch nie damit zu tun hatte, Mounts inspirierende Herangehensweise macht uns alle im Nu zu wahren 'Latin Lovers'!
