A collection of verse and prose provides humorous information about opera--explanations of plots, descriptions of world-famous opera houses, and tidbits about singers and opera-goers
Tracing the Pre-Raphaelite movement through its chronological development rather than by artist, this volume concentrates on the vital years from 1848 (when the Brotherhood was formed) to 1860, but also includes a substantial group of works from the following 20 years - a period during which the movement took new directions. The full range of Pre-Raphaelite painting is represented, from the hard-edged style of Millais's early work to the sensuousness of Rossetti's and Burne-Jones's painting in the 1870s. Altogether 250 works from collections all over the world are illustrated and discussed by scholars such as Mary Bennett, Judith Bronkhurst, John Christian, Alastair Grieve, Benedict Read and Malcolm Warner. In his introduction, Sir Alan Bowness surveys the development of Pre-Raphaelitism and examines to what extent it was ever a shared style. The chronological arrangement of the book is designed to focus on the same question and to suggest the numerous cross-currents of the movement.
Succinet and entertaining encapsulations of some of the best-known books in the English language, from Alice in Wonderland to Wuthering Heights
Gathers a variety of tongue twisters and humorous poems about history, religion, politics, mathematics, psychology, and sex.
Dogsbody is an ancient family whose members have stamped their characters on some of the greatest events in history. Their diaries, letters, journals and household accounts were unearthed in the 1950s. Over the past 30 years E.O. Parrott has researched and collated these papers. The end result is a controversial human and historical document which questions accepted academic wisdom. E.O. Parrot's books include "The Penguin book of Limericks", "How to Become Ridiculously Well Read in One Evening", "Limerick Delight", "Imitations of Immortality" and "How to become Absurdily Well-Informed About the Famous and the Infamous".