Other books that might interest you

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  The Roots That Clutch - Based On...

  Beth Ann Hooper

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  Secrets have a way of being found out. 
  Uncovering the hidden secrets of her literary heroes was the last thing Jane expected when she began her PhD research on T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound. But as she delves deeper into the prestigious universities and dusty manuscript libraries, she discovers a shocking truth: her own family may have been involved in a scandalous affair with another titan of American Modernism, William Carlos Williams. 
  Guided by her unwavering intuition and the support of a few exceptional mentors, Jane's quest for the truth takes her on a journey spanning continents and decades, navigating the treacherous waters of academic politics along the way. But as she unearths the buried secrets of her ancestors, she realizes that sometimes, the truth we seek lies hidden within the very words that have shaped our world. 
  For fans of historical fiction and literary mysteries, The Roots That Clutch is a hauntingly true story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. 
  Winner Best Book Cover Design and Distinguished Favorite in World Literature 2024 Independent Press Award 
  Distinguished Favorite in World Literature 2024 NYC Big Book Award

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  Peer Gynt

  Henrik Ibsen

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  Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen is a sweeping dramatic poem that blends folklore, fantasy, satire, and psychological insight into a timeless exploration of identity and ambition. First published in 1867, this imaginative and thought-provoking work stands as one of Ibsen's most celebrated creations, capturing the restless spirit of a man who spends his life fleeing responsibility while chasing illusions of greatness.
  
  The story follows Peer Gynt, a charming yet reckless dreamer whose boundless imagination and inflated self-belief propel him on a lifelong journey of adventure and self-deception. From the rural landscapes of Norway to distant deserts and surreal realms of trolls and mythic beings, Peer's travels are as fantastical as they are symbolic. Along the way, he seeks wealth, power, admiration, and meaning—yet continually avoids commitment, honesty, and accountability.
  
  At its heart, Peer Gynt is a profound meditation on the question: What does it mean to truly be oneself? Peer prides himself on his individuality, but his constant shape-shifting—adapting to circumstance, pursuing selfish desires, and evading consequences—raises doubts about whether he possesses any authentic core at all. Ibsen masterfully contrasts illusion with reality, fantasy with truth, and ego with integrity.
  
  Interwoven with the grand and surreal episodes of Peer's adventures is the quiet, enduring presence of Solveig, whose unwavering love stands in stark contrast to Peer's restless wandering. Through this emotional counterpoint, Ibsen deepens the play's moral and philosophical dimensions, exploring themes of redemption, faithfulness, and the cost of a life lived without genuine self-knowledge.
  
  Rich in symbolism and infused with elements of Norwegian folklore, Peer Gynt moves fluidly between satire and seriousness. Ibsen critiques romantic nationalism, societal ambition, and the human tendency toward self-delusion, all while crafting a dramatic work of poetic beauty and theatrical spectacle. The play's imaginative scope is matched by its psychological depth, making it both an entertaining adventure and a searching inquiry into the human condition.
  
  Often performed alongside Edvard Grieg's iconic musical score, Peer Gynt has secured its place as a cultural landmark. Yet beyond its famous scenes and fantastical episodes lies a deeply human story about fear, longing, and the search for meaning.
  
  Bold, imaginative, and philosophically resonant, Peer Gynt remains a powerful exploration of identity and accountability—an enduring reminder that the greatest journey is not across the world, but within the self.

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  The Poetry of John Gould...

  John Gould Fletcher

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  John Gould Fletcher was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on the 3rd of January 1886 to a socially prominent family.  
   
  He was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover before advancing to Harvard University, which he attended from 1903 to 1907, before dropping out after his father's death. 
   
  As a young man Fletcher spent many years in England where he became part of the influential Imagist group of poets together with Amy Lowell and Ezra Pound.   
   
  His first marriage came from a resumed relationship with the now married Florence Emily ‘Daisy’ Arbuthnot.  Her adultery with Fletcher was the grounds for her divorce.  They married on 5th July 1916 but later divorced.  
   
  Fletcher first published in 1912, with ‘The Dominant City’ to much praise and admiration and followed this with other well-regarded volumes such as ‘Irradiations: Sand and Spray’, and ‘Goblins and Pagodas’. 
   
  In the late 1920s and 1930s Fletcher became increasingly active with a group of Southern writers and poets known as the Southern Agrarians. They published the classic ‘I'll Take My Stand: The South and the Agrarian Tradition’. 
   
  Although he was highly regarded as a poet, he was not very prolific.  However, such was the undoubted quality that in 1939 he received the Pulitzer Prize for his work ‘Selected Poems’.  He was the first poet from the south to receive such an accolade.  Fletcher’s other passion and pursuit was as an authority on modern painting, a subject on which he also published. 
   
  A second marriage followed in 1936 to the children’s author, Charlie May Simon.  They built ‘Johnswood’, a residence on the bluffs of the Arkansas River and travelled frequently to New York for shots of modern culture and intellectual stimulation as well as to the American West and South for the climate after Fletcher developed chronic arthritis. 
   
  In 1937 he wrote his autobiography, ‘Life is My Song’. 
   
  His developing passion for his roots and background resulted in the writing of a history of his State and published in 1947; ‘Arkansas’. 
   
  By now Fletcher was suffering from bouts of depression and on 10th May 1950, he committed suicide by drowning himself in a pond near his home in Little Rock, Arkansas.  He was 64.

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  King Arthur

  John Nicholson, Bete Le Navet

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  Camelot is in trouble. If King Arthur doesn't turn things around soon, his reign will be remembered as nothing more than a rather dull period in British history. Enter three hapless squires with a plan... and a legend is born.
  This hilarious retelling of the Arthurian legends brings to life King Arthur (obvs), the lovely Guinevere, the enigmatic Merlin, the Lady of the Lake and the Lady of Shalott, the evil Morgana and her troublesome son Mordred, and more Knights than you can fit round an oblong table.
  Following in the hoofsteps of Le Navet Bete's previous hit adaptations, Dracula: The Bloody Truth, The Three Musketeers and Treasure Island, all co-created with John Nicholson (The Hound of the Baskervilles), it toured the UK in 2023 and 2024.
  Originally performed by three actors playing several dozen characters, King Arthur offers rich opportunities for any theatre company, drama group or Round Table to create their own legendary production and a spectacular knight to remember.

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  Yarns and Threads - A collection...

  John Barnett

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  What makes a good yarn? Is it spun with a strong thread running through it, or does it need more than one thread? And how do you know a real yarn from a fake one? Does the difference really matter? After all, as soon as you open this book and start reading it, all the yarns and threads, the short stories and poems, they become yours. You can make of them what you will.
  
  Everything in this book comes from the heart. All the stories and poems were written with the hope that they will make you, the reader, smile or laugh, reflect or be moved. Perhaps the poems and stories will even encourage you to think about which yarns and threads you might like to spin as well.

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  Your Heart My Soul - Piece by Piece

  Claudine (Dean) Donaldson

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  This book will be different, but unique. 
  For my poetry is real and somewhat sheik. 
  They’re all short stories about my past. 
  Family, loved ones, and dreams that couldn’t last. 
    
  Freedom of speech {so called} I am blunt. 
  I can write about anything and everything I want. 
  Fighting for life, children, and my rights has been a hassle. 
  Throughout my life it’s been a long battle. 
    
  Reading these poems are pieces of me. 
  Funny, sad, about love, and eternity. 
  Opening to others is new for me as well. 
  Hopefully, guide, or give you relief, time will tell. 
    
  Thank you to those who gave me the chance. 
  Thanks to my Family and Kids for the influence. 
  Thanks to my Husband for dealing with my crap. 
  Thanks to God for getting me out of those traps. 
  - Claudine Donaldson

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