One of the first four 'Brief Lives' titles, Richard Canning’s brilliant introduction to Oscar Wilde will appeal both to the general reader and those who already hold an interest in this well-known nineteenth-century playwright, novelist and wit.
Well known for his novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and the theatrical comedies 'The Importance of Being Earnest' and 'An Ideal Husband', Oscar Wilde’s story is a colourful and notorious one that is fascinatingly portrayed in this excellent new biography. The author examines Wilde’s writings in the light of his eventful life, resulting in a fresh look at this eccentric and intriguing character.
One of the inaugural titles in our 'Brief Lives' series, this newly commissioned work by writer and translator Patrick Miles is a fascinating introduction to one of Russia’s foremost literary figures.
In his short life, Anton Chekhov, who died aged forty-four, produced such classic plays as 'The Seagull', 'Uncle Vanya' and 'The Cherry Orchard'. This book follows his life from his traumatic childhood through to his establishment as a popular and critically acclaimed author. Complementing the Hesperus titles 'Three Years' and 'The Story of a Nobody', this new biography will set these works in their historical context and portray the extraordinary life of their author.
A perfect companion to Hesperus titles including 'The Wreck of the Golden Mary', 'Somebody’s Luggage', 'Mrs Lirriper' and 'A House to Let', this biography is a highly accessible introduction to Dickens’s life and work.
In this brand new biography, Dickens scholars Melissa Valiska Gregory and Melisa Klimaszewki examine the fascinating life of this hugely popular literary figure. Born in Portsmouth in 1812, Dickens rose to fame within his lifetime and, to the present day, has never been out of print. Exploring such classics as 'Great Expectations' and 'David Copperfield' against the backdrop of Victorian England, this is a book that will appeal to the general reader and literature students alike.
'Essays on India' are the impressions of the sub-continent from the Italian writer, artist and political activist Carlo Levi.
With his typically perceptive insights, Levi writes evocatively on his experiences in India: his interview with Pandit Nehru; his tour of a tent city at a political convention; his meeting with a Hindu nationalist party. This is a new addition to the tradition of Western writing on India, made all the more fascinating by the influence that Levi’s famous 'Christ Stopped at Eboli' has had on many Indian intellectuals.
