‘Most directors have one film for which they are known or possibly two’, Francis Ford Coppola has said. ‘Akira Kurosawa has eight or nine.’ Through his many masterpieces such as Rashomon, Seven Samurai, High and Low, Yojimbo, Kagemusha and Ran, Kurosawa’s (1910–1998) work has influenced the most acclaimed directors working today, from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg to Martin Scorsese. His groundbreaking innovations in both cinematogr...

Peter Wilding offers an arresting answer, plotting out a new course for Britain's troubled relationship with Europe. He channels the pride Britain draws from its heritage through the prejudice Britain has historically had against Europe, and proposes a new popular-based platform for British influence in Europe: 'smart power'. Wilding identifies how British leaders from Pitt to Cameron have attempted to use exactly this 'smart power' in their approach to Europe. He tells the story of their ...

The opalescent deserts of the American Southwest have become romantic icons in the public imagination through the words of writers, the images of artists and photographers, and the visual storytelling of filmmakers. In this spirited, personal, beautifully written book, Peter Wild explores the lives and works of sixteen writers whose words have shaped our visions of the opal desert.Wild begins with Cabeza de Vaca, whose Relación of his desert wanderings sent treasure-hungry...

This volume presents the papers from the seventh North-European Symposium for Archaeological Textiles (NESAT), held in Edinburgh in 1999. The themes covered demonstrate a variety of scholarship that will encourage anyone working in this important and stimulating area of archaeology. From the golden robes of a Roman burial, to the fashionable Viking in Denmark, through to the early modern period and more technological aspects of textile-research, these twenty-four papers (five of which are ...

Naked we come into the world, but we are extraordinarily unlucky if naked we leave it. It is a human reaction to cover the dead with textiles. This volume presents the results of new and ground-breaking research in the UK and abroad on clothing and textiles in the context of death and burial in Classical Antiquity, from the fifth century BC to the fifth century AD. The geographical scope encompasses the Mediterranean, as well as the European, Asian, Egyptian and North African lands that we...

Ever wondered whether plant-based commercial products really are the healthy option? Or why some people consider margarine to be plastic? And do we really need to supplement our diet with extra vitamins? Is paying more for organic foods worth the price?Consumers who want to make informed food choices may do so on purported health claims or ethical grounds, but the information is often confusing and contradictory. The authors explore common perceptions about different foods, delving...

A perfect depiction of fin-de-siècle decadence, Oscar Wilde's only novel cuts beneath the polished surface to the murky depths of Victorian high society.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics bound in real cloth with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. Featuring an afterword by the playwright and actor Peter Harness.Dorian Gray is young,...

A vintage BBC suspense thriller from the creator of The Archers and Dick BartonWhen David Conway attends a birthday party for his beautiful fiancée Pat, he expects a few drinks and a good time, but what he discovers is that his beloved is in fact in terrible danger. Following the clues, and a tip off about her missing bracelet, David and Pat are led first to a steel works, then a circus, but instead of finding the bracelet, they uncover both a body and a r...

A fashionable young man sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty in Oscar Wilde's fascinating gothic tale.The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde’s only full-length novel, is the enduringly eerie story of a naïve and irresistible young man lured by decadent Lord Henry Wotton into a life of depravity. Though Dorian is steeped in sin, his face remains perfect, unlined as years pass—while only his portrait, locked away, reveals the blackness of his soul. T...

Jane Austen is famous for such books as Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, and Emma. Now learn about the author’s journey through a life spent making up stories that touched the lives of millions.Jane Austen is now what she never was in life, and what she would have been horrified to become--a literary celebrity. “Janeia” is the author’s term for the mania for all things Austen. Dive into Jane Austen: A Literary Celebrity and discover:...

Compo, Foggy and Clegg wreak havoc in four vintage episodes from the world's longest-running comedy series. Only a man with a ferret down his trousers could love Nora Batty. So lock up your ferrets (and Nora Batty!), here come Yorkshire's hilarious adventurers - three pensioners in four classic capers from the BBC television series which kept the nation laughing for more than twenty-five years. Nora goes on the rampage when one of Compo's ferrets escapes into her house, Sid decides to inst...

Yorkshire’s hilarious adventurer-pensioners wreak havoc in twelve classic TV episodes from the world’s longest-running sitcom, presented as audio soundtracks with linking narration by Peter Sallis.The story centres on a trio of older men in the Yorkshire town of Holmfirth whose attempts to inject adventure into retirement routinely descend into farce. Across its long run, the central trio evolved, but the combinations of Compo (Bill Owen), Clegg (