Nicholas Shakespeare Boeken

De liefdesgeschiedenis van een guerillastrijder en een vroom katholiek meisje in de jaren '70 in een stadje in Peru.

This biography offers a fresh portrait of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, revealing his enduring impact on culture. Award-winning biographer Nicholas Shakespeare, with unprecedented access to the Fleming family papers, explores how Bond's representation of masculinity, the British psyche, and global politics has evolved over time, paralleling interpretations of Fleming's own life. Fleming's childhood with his gifted brother Peter and extraordinary mother shaped his ambition to be 'the complete man,' a goal he pursued throughout his life. Although he was a thriller writer for only his last twelve years, his dramatic personal life and career in Naval Intelligence placed him at pivotal moments in history, providing rich inspiration for his fiction. Exceptionally well-connected and widely traveled—from the U.S. and Soviet Russia to his beloved Jamaica—Fleming interacted with powerful political figures during a time of profound change. Shakespeare's talent for uncovering new insights into his subjects shines through in this definitive biography, making it an eye-opening exploration of both Fleming and his iconic creation.

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.

Bruce Chatwin's death in 1989 brought a meteoric career to an abrupt end, since he burst onto the literary scene in 1977 with his first book, In Patagonia.'A magnificent work of empathy and detection'Colin Thubron, Sunday Times'Utterly compelling'Philip Marsden, Mail on Sunday'A fascinating account of the man behind the myth'Ian Thomson, Guardian schovat popis

The Peruvian guerilla leader Ezequiel is responsible for tens of thousands of fiendishly cruel murders, yet he consistently eludes capture. But in Agustn Rejas he has an indefatigable pursuer. From secluded city streets to the paths of a mountain village the policeman persists, tracking and anticipating Ezequiel's every move. Rejas' only reprieve is his love for his daughter's beautiful dance teacher--until he begins to pick up unmistakable signals that her circles--and Ezequiel's--intersect. Based on the extraordinary manhunt for the leader of Peru's notorious guerilla organization, The Shining Path, The Dancer Upstairs is a story reminiscent of Graham Greene and John LeCarr--tense, intricate, and heartbreaking.

Liefde in tijden van cholera is het onvergetelijke liefdesverhaal van Florentino Ariza en Fermina. Op ongeëvenaarde wijze worden grote thema's als liefde, dood, ouderdom, noodlot en begeerte samengebracht in een mild en menselijk universum.

A young Englishman goes to Cold War Leipzig for a weekend with a group of student actors and, during his brief visit beyond the Iron Curtain, falls for an East German girl who is just beginning to be aware of the horrendous way her country is governed. Her misery touches him, her love excites him, but he is too frightened to help. He spends 19 years suppressing the strength of his feelings for the girl he knew only by her nickname 'Snowleg' - until one day, with Germany by now united, he decides to go back and look for her. But who is she now, how will his having once abandoned her have affected her life, and how will he find her? Snowleg is the story of more than one sundered love, of both broken dreams and damaged families. The central figure of the novel, who grows up as an Englishman, chooses to live in Berlin. He is a senior doctor; but his life is a startling mixture of romantic, of erratic, of dissolute behaviour. For long years he nurses the secret of Snowleg and his longing for a love he had the chance to grasp but failed to take.

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?

Thomas Wavery is the new Consul General at Abyla on the tip of North Africa. A career diplomat, Wavery was once a high flyer, but an affair with a younger woman has dashed his dreams of ambassadorship. He arrives in Abyla with his wife suing for divorce, his passport stolen by a Gibraltarian ape and precious little enthusiasm for the task ahead. His one hope of redemption is a visit from his new love.

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.