Martin Booth was een productieve Britse romanschrijver en dichter. Zijn werk kenmerkt zich door rijk taalgebruik en diepgaande verkenning van de menselijke ervaring. Hij werkte ook als leraar en scenarioschrijver, en richtte Sceptre Press op, waarmee hij een blijvende stempel op de literatuur drukte.
Set against the backdrop of 1950s Hong Kong, the memoir recounts the unique childhood experiences of a young boy who navigated a vibrant yet complex world. Through encounters with colorful characters like the plink plonk man and the Queen of Kowloon, the narrative reveals not only the charm of a bustling colony but also the turmoil of his parents' troubled relationship. This intimate reflection captures the essence of a bygone era while exploring themes of innocence, cultural clash, and personal upheaval.
Step away from the obvious – the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain, or the wonderful We The Curious where science and art collide – and discover unexpected treasures such as secret gardens, hidden memorials to the past and unusual modes of transport. Journey through the old haunts of world famous pirates; past the Oscar-winning animation studio home to Morph and Wallace & Gromit; along shopping streets that sell everything from handcrafted vioin bows to locally-made gin. If you know where to look, Bristol will unravel its secrets in front of your eyes.
Welcome to the home of Wallace and Gromit, and Blackbeard and Banksy. The city has a hidden castle and secret vaults underneath the Clifton Suspension Bridge only rediscovered recently after being hidden for more than 100 years. If water is your thing, you can surf guaranteed waves at an inland surfing lake or take a trip in a boat that used to fight fires. Science and art collide at We The Curious, which has the UK’s only 3D planetarium. If you think you know Bristol, think again. Allow this book to be your guide to Bristol’s best bits for kids.
With unflinching candor, Martin Booth -- Booker Prize nominee and author of the critically acclaimed Opium: A History -- here unfolds the full story of the Chinese Triads, which, according to UN sources, now pose the greatest potential criminal threat the world has ever known. From San Francisco to Amsterdam to Bangkok to Johannesburg, everywhere, everyday, the Triads are turning crimes like extortion, gambling, international prostitution, illegal immigrant smuggling, money laundering, fraud, corruption, arms, and narcotics into vast profits. This comprehensive history of the Triads traces their evolution over more than two thousand years from obscure parochial Chinese brotherhoods to an international criminal organization. It examines the archaic quasi-religious rituals that have for centuries bound the members of this now global fraternity. It recounts the exploits of patriots and outlaws. It explores the Triads' instigation of the Tong Wars in America, their collaboration with the Allies against the Japanese in Malaya, their collusion with the CIA in Vietnam. It chronicles their escalation of the heroin trade to Europe and the United States. It shocks, and it compels.
Martin Booth looks at the history of the oldest known, and most widely used narcotic drug. He considers religious associations, medical aspects and the influence of opium on the arts, as well as the drug's addictive effect
Set against the backdrop of the summer of 1914, the story follows Alec Marquand, a recent college graduate hired to survey ancient brochs in the Scottish Highlands. His discovery of Eileen Tosdach, the Island of Silence, is abruptly interrupted when he is sent to fight in the Gallipoli campaign. The narrative explores themes of war, loss, and the quest for redemption, offering a profound journey through the horrors of battle and the search for meaning amidst chaos, from the acclaimed author of The Industry of Souls.
Shadowed by the unhappiness of his warring parents, a broad-minded mother who,
like her son, was keen to embrace all things Chinese, and a bigoted father who
was enraged by his family's interest in 'going native', Martin Booth's
compelling memoir is a journey into Chinese culture and an extinct colonial
way of life.
Captured by Hirohito's soldiers at the fall of Hong Kong and transferred to a Japanese slave camp outside Hiroshima, Captain Joe Sandingham was present when the bomb was dropped. Now a shell of a man, he lives in a cheap Hong Kong hotel, scrounging for food and the occasional bar girl. The locals call him "Hiroshima Joe" with a mixture of pity and contempt. But Joe—haunted by the sounds and voices of his past, debilitated by illness, and shattered by his wartime ordeal—is a man whose compassion and will to survive define a clear-eyed and unexpected heroism. One of the most powerful novels about the experience of war, first published in 1985.
This study offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the world's most controversial weed, examining its cultural, social, and historical significance. It delves into its status as the most widely consumed drug after tobacco, alcohol, and aspirin, providing readers with insightful perspectives on its impact and the debates surrounding its use. The book aims to make complex topics accessible, blending entertainment with education.
