This historical novel tells of three families, British, Hungarian and Russian, whose lives are linked for 50 years during and after the Cold War. Their experiences reflect the danger, bravery, heartbreak, joy, and sorrow of those days when Europe was divided by the Iron Curtain. Four 11-year-olds spend an idyllic seaside holiday in England in August 1956, just before the Suez crisis and the Hungarian Uprising intensify the Cold War. John Symons skillfully portrays how world events, including the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the Solidarity movement in Poland in the early 1980s, the end of Communism in Eastern …

This book is based on a three-year course prepared by MacLaren for the School of Economic Science in London in the late 1960s. The editor, Raymond Makewell, presents the original subject matter revised with more recent examples and statistics from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and USA. Instead of making supply and demand the starting point, it begins with the simple observation that all material wealth is ultimately derived from land, and, where goods are exchanged, the first requirement is trust or a system of credit. From this starting point, the major characteristics of the modern economy such as banking, …

This book explores the nature of human language, its relation to truth and to the natural laws of the universe. It focuses on truth according to DaVita (non-dualism), and concentrates mainly on the Sanskrit language. The author draws on his long experience as a student and teacher of both DaVita and Sanskrit. He identifies some principles of Advaita which are particularly relevant to human language, such as the primacy of consciousness, unity in diversity, and sound as the basis of the universe. He then compares Sanskrit, English and Mandarin in the light of these principles. What follows is an investigation …

This authorised biography of poet Kathleen Raine tells the story of how she developed from a small girl, who knew at the age of eight that she wanted only to write poetry, into a world-renowned poet and literary scholar. Philippa Bernard follows Kathleen Raine’s struggle against the constrictions of her suburban childhood to her exciting days at Girton College in the 1920s, where she became friends with many brilliant writers, artists, and scientists, whose friendships lasted all her life. After a short marriage to Hugh Sykes Davies, she eloped with the poet Charles Madge to live in Blackheath, where two …

After several decades of historical revisionism, Winston Churchill remains one of the most controversial figures in modern history. Critics allege he was a diehard imperialist and warmonger, a bitter opponent of the working classes and a maverick opportunist with an insatiable appetite for power. Despite his record as "the man who won the war," he is often accused of being a war criminal. This book sets out to correct the historical record in a stimulating collection of essays. Arranged in chronological order to show his life in the context of 20th century world history, these essays are both detailed and …

Having correctly forecast the timing of the global crisis, the author now extends that same analysis to the future of the West, to evaluate fears from distinguished commentators who claim that European civilisation is in danger of being eclipsed. He concludes that the West is at a dangerous tipping point, and provides empirical and theoretical evidence to warrant such an alarming conclusion. But he also explains why it is not too late to prevent the looming social catastrophe. Attributing the present crisis to a social process of cheating, he develops a synthesis of the social and natural sciences to show …

Originally published in 1959, this book has long been out of print and largely neglected by Shakespearean scholars. It offers a viewpoint seldom considered: an unusual and exceptionally clear insight into Shakespeare’s philosophy. It does so with freshness, modesty and conviction. Appreciating the danger Shakespeare faced in writing at a time of major religious intolerance, Vyvyan shows how subtly the plays explore aspects of the perennial philosophy allegorically. In doing so, Shakespeare raises the fundamental question of ethics: What ought we to do? Says the author, "Shakespeare is never ethically neutral. He is never in doubt as to whether the …

In rhyming couplets, these wry and witty poems ponder the foibles and vanities of mortals. Some of these are captured in pen and ink drawings that caricature the subject of the poems. Each character is given an amusing name, beginning with Master Cecil Abercorn, Serena Huff, the Marchioness of Mal de Mer, Major Houghton Reid, Thomas Tinkham Tattersall, and Roland Washburn White. There are 70 poems, of which 10 are illustrated. The illustration on the front cover relates to Rupert Ashe: "The greatest pride of Rupert Ashe was his luxuriant moustache. He took great care to keep it groomed, And …

Arguing that an efficient economic system can be compatible with a fair share for all, this novel centers on a United States president who changes his mind about his policies. A deliberate parable about today’s political wars, the novel illustrates the reforms posed by a real 19th-century figure, the American economist Henry George. Accordingly, this fictional reelection campaign provides a convenient stage for speeches and debates when the incumbent president goes missing, only to return with a platform for social justice that enrages those with vested interests and confounds his party operatives.

Fred Harrison draws on global-wide case studies to show how the violent birth of nation-states, whether the result of territorial conquests or colonialism, splits the population into two classes, victors and vanquished. This division is perpetuated and legitimated through the system of land tenure. The pathological consequences – as diverse as failed states, organised crime (mafia), religious fundamentalism and the re-emergence of piracy – are the result of the violent uprooting of the original inhabitants from their homelands. Understanding the territorial basis of political power and wealth is the pre-requisite, Fred Harrison argues, for making sense of issues as diverse …