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This Royal Breed
by Judith SaxtonA SAGA OF A YOUNG GIRL'S STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL ON THE ISLAND OF JERSEY DURING THE NAZI SECOND WORLD WAR OCCUPATION. After the death of Rochelle Dubois's parents, she is adopted by their employer, Charles Laurient, and together she and Charles work to rear his treasured rare orchids. But when war breaks out, Rochelle is left to do her best for herself and her precious seedlings, for Charles is taken away by the Germans. The arrival of his son Laurie from America could be her salvation.
This Side of Paradise (Penguin Modern Classics)
by F. Scott FitzgeraldAmory Blaine, intent on rebelling against his staid, Midwestern upbringing, longs to acquire the patina of Eastern sophistication. In his quest for sexual and intellectual enlightenment, he progresses through a series of relationships, until he is cast out into the real world.
This Sovereign Isle: Britain In and Out of Europe
by Robert TombsTHE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERGeography comes before history. Islands cannot have the same history as continental plains. The United Kingdom is a European country, but not the same kind of European country as Germany, Poland or Hungary. For most of the 150 centuries during which Britain has been inhabited it has been on the edge, culturally and literally, of mainland Europe.In this succinct book, Tombs shows that the decision to leave the EU is historically explicable - though not made historically inevitable - by Britain's very different historical experience, especially in the twentieth century, and because of our more extensive and deeper ties outside Europe. He challenges the orthodox view that Brexit was due solely to British or English exceptionalism: in choosing to leave the EU, the British, he argues, were in many ways voting as typical Europeans.
This Strange Eventful History
by Claire Messud*A TIME MAGAZINE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024 **AN OPRAH DAILY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024**AN OBSERVER 2024 PICK**A GUARDIAN 2024 PICK*'One of those rare novels which a reader doesn't merely read but lives through with the characters . . . Claire Messud is a magnificent storyteller' Yiyun LiJune 1940. As Paris falls to the Germans, Gaston Cassar - honorable servant of France, devoted husband and father, currently posted as naval attache in Salonica - bids farewell to his beloved wife, aunt and children, placing his faith in God that they will be reunited after the war. But escaping the violence of that cataclysm is not the same as emerging unscathed. The family will never again be whole.A work of breathtaking historical sweep and vivid psychological intimacy, This Strange Eventful History charts the Cassars' unfolding story as its members move between Salonica and Algeria, the US, Cuba, Canada, Argentina, Australia and France - their itinerary shaped as much by a search for an elusive wholeness, as by the imperatives of politics, faith, family, industry and desire.
This Strange Eventful History
by Claire Messud*A TIME MAGAZINE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024 **AN OPRAH DAILY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2024**AN OBSERVER 2024 PICK**A GUARDIAN 2024 PICK*'One of those rare novels which a reader doesn't merely read but lives through with the characters . . . Claire Messud is a magnificent storyteller' Yiyun LiJune 1940. As Paris falls to the Germans, Gaston Cassar - honorable servant of France, devoted husband and father, currently posted as naval attache in Salonica - bids farewell to his beloved wife, aunt and children, placing his faith in God that they will be reunited after the war. But escaping the violence of that cataclysm is not the same as emerging unscathed. The family will never again be whole.A work of breathtaking historical sweep and vivid psychological intimacy, This Strange Eventful History charts the Cassars' unfolding story as its members move between Salonica and Algeria, the US, Cuba, Canada, Argentina, Australia and France - their itinerary shaped as much by a search for an elusive wholeness, as by the imperatives of politics, faith, family, industry and desire.
This Strange Eventful History: A Novel
by Claire MessudOne of Oprah Daily's Most Anticipated Books of 2024 • One of New York magazine's "23 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2024" • One of The Guardian's "Books to Look Out for in 2024" • One of The Globe & Mail's Most Anticipated Books of 2024 • One of BookPage's Most Anticipated fiction of 2024 • One of Literary Hub's “Most Anticipated Books of 2024” • One of Book Riot's "Most Anticipated Books of 2024" An immersive, masterful story of a family born on the wrong side of history, from one of our finest contemporary novelists. Over seven decades, from 1940 to 2010, the pieds-noirs Cassars live in an itinerant state—separated in the chaos of World War II, running from a complicated colonial homeland, and, after Algerian independence, without a homeland at all. This Strange Eventful History, told with historical sweep, is above all a family story: of patriarch Gaston and his wife Lucienne, whose myth of perfect love sustains them and stifles their children; of François and Denise, devoted siblings connected by their family’s strangeness; of François’s union with Barbara, a woman so culturally different they can barely comprehend one another; of Chloe, the result of that union, who believes that telling these buried stories will bring them all peace. Inspired in part by long-ago stories from her own family’s history, Claire Messud animates her characters’ rich interior lives amid the social and political upheaval of the recent past. As profoundly intimate as it is expansive, This Strange Eventful History is “a tour de force…one of those rare novels that a reader doesn’t merely read but lives through with the characters” (Yiyun Li).
This Summer Will Be Different
by Carley FortuneA glorious and tantalizing new escape from #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune.This summer they&’ll keep their promise. This summer they won't give into temptation. This summer will be different.Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn&’t know he&’s her best friend&’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix&’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.It&’s easier said than done.Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won&’t wind up in Felix&’s bed. Again.If Lucy can&’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she&’s always kept her heart out of it.When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she&’s never been able to. But Felix&’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy&’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.
This Summer Will Be Different
by Carley FortuneA glorious and tantalizing new escape from #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune.This summer they&’ll keep their promise. This summer they won't give into temptation. This summer will be different. Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn&’t know he&’s her best friend&’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix&’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.It&’s easier said than done.Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won&’t wind up in Felix&’s bed. Again.If Lucy can&’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she&’s always kept her heart out of it.When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she&’s never been able to. But Felix&’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy&’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.
This Time Next Year: A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)
by Sophie CousensTHE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER IS NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICKTheir lives began together, but their worlds couldn't be more different. After thirty years of missed connections, they're about to meet again...Minnie Cooper knows two things with certainty: that her New Year's birthday is unlucky, and that it's all because of Quinn Hamilton, a man she's never met. Their mothers gave birth to them at the same hospital just after midnight on New Year's Day, but Quinn was given the cash prize for being the first baby born in London in 1990--and the name Minnie was meant to have, as well. With luck like that, it's no wonder each of her birthdays has been more of a disaster than the one before.When Minnie unexpectedly runs into Quinn at a New Year's party on their mutual thirtieth birthday, she sees only more evidence that fortune has continued to favor him. The gorgeous, charming business owner truly seems to have it all--while Minnie's on the brink of losing her pie-making company and her home. But if Quinn and Minnie are from different worlds, why do they keep bumping into each other? And why is it that each fraught encounter leaves them both wanting more?A moving, joyful love story, This Time Next Year explores the way fate leads us to the people we least expect--no matter what the odds.
This Year's For Me and You: The heartwarming and uplifting story of love and second chances
by Emily BellFall in love with the most heartwarming and uplifting story of love and second chances set between London and Dublin, from the author of BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE 'A beautifully poignant read. I thoroughly enjoyed every page' 5***** Reader Review 'I adored this book. Beautiful, heartbreakingly sad, laugh-out-loud funny and scorchingly romantic. This will be a huge hit this winter' 5***** Reader Review**WINNER OF ROMANTIC NOVEL AWARD FOR BEST FESTIVE ROMANTIC NOVEL** ________When Celeste loses her best friend Hannah, she'll do anything to keep her spirit alive.So when she uncovers her friend's old list of New Year's resolutions, Celeste vows to complete them all.One adventure at a time, she rediscovers how wonderful life can be.But when one resolution leads her to someone from her past, Celeste can't help but wonder . . .Could the biggest adventure of all be falling in love?________'A lovely story of friendship and love. Heartwarming and thought-provoking' 5***** Reader Review'A perfect novel to cosy up with a nice cuppa' 5***** Reader ReviewPRAISE FOR EMILY BELL:'The perfect festive treat! A charming love story' KATE EBERLEN, bestselling author of Miss You'The perfect uplifting Christmas read, Emily is this year's Queen of Christmas!' VERONICA HENRY'Baby It's cold Outside captures the magic of Christmas in Dublin perfectly! A heartfelt and irresistibly romantic read to cosy up with over the festive season' CARMEL HARRINGTON'I did not have the opportunity to devour this book - it devoured me. I loved the descriptions of Dublin, I felt like I could have been there myself' 5***** READER REVIEW'I read this in a day and loved every single page. A wonderful, heartwarming, festive tale of love, loss and finding what really matters' 5***** READER REVIEW'A flipping fantastic five-star read. Norah Jones you are my hero' 5***** READER REVIEW'A beautiful, atmospheric read that has stolen my heart' 5***** READER REVIEW 'It will leave you smiling from ear to ear!' 5***** READER REVIEW
Thomas Adès: Conversations With Tom Service
by Thomas Adès Tom ServiceComposer, conductor, and pianist, Thomas Adès is one of the most diversely talented musical figures of his generation. His music is performed by great opera companies, symphony orchestras, chamber groups, and music festivals throughout the world. But Adès has resisted public discussion of the creative process behind his musical compositions. Until now, the interior experience that has fired the spectrum of his work—from his first opera, Powder Her Face, to his masterpiece The Tempest and his acclaimed orchestral works Asyla and Tevot—has largely remained unexplained. Here, in spirited, intimate, and, at times, contentious conversations with the distinguished music critic Tom Service, Adès opens up about his work. "For Adès, whose literary and artistic sensibilities are nearly as refined and virtuosic as his musical instincts," writes Service, "inhabiting the different territory of words rather than notes offers a chance to search out new creative correspondences, to open doors—a phrase he often uses—into new ways of thinking in and about music."The phrase "full of noises," from Caliban's speech in The Tempest, refers both to the sounds "swirling around" Adès's head that are transmuted into music and to the vast array of his musical influences—from Sephardic folk music, to 1980s electronica, to Adès's passion for Beethoven and Janácek and his equally visceral dislike of Wagner. It also suggests "the creative friction" essential to any authentic dialogue. As readers of these "wilfully brilliant" conversations will quickly discover, Thomas Adès: Full of Noises brings us into the "revelatory kaleidoscope" of Adès's world.
Thomas And Jane Carlyle: Portrait of a Marriage
by Rosemary AshtonThey were the most remarkable couple in London: the great sage Carlyle, with his vehement prophecies, and his witty, sardonic wife Jane. It was a strong, close, mutually admiring yet often mutually antagonistic partnership, fascinating to all who observed it. The Carlyles lived at the heart of English life in mid-Victorian London, but both were outsiders, a largely self-educated Scottish pair who took a sometimes caustic look at the society they so influenced - Carlyle through his copious writings, and both through their network of acquaintances and correspondents. Carlyle's fame was confirmed by his Sartor Resartus of 1843, The French Revolution, his lectures on heroes and hero-worship and by his radical account of contemporary industrial Britain in Past and Present, 1843. Both husband and wife were great letter-writers, Carlyle commenting on the matters of the day, dashing off pen portraits of those he met and Jane with her brilliant stories and her sharp, dry humour. Yet despite her brilliance, Jane suffered, especially from Carlyle's infatuation with the lion-hunting Lady Ashburton, and the tensions in their marriage grew. The letters they wrote, both to each other and to others, make theirs the most well-documented marriage of the nineteenth century and give us an unequalled portrait of a famously unhappy marriage. This moving and vivid biography describes their relationship with each other, from their first meeting in 1821 to Jane's death in 1866, and also their relationship with the world outside. Rosemary Ashton's inimitable blend of rigorous scholarship, warm sensitivity and lively wit makes this not only a portrait of a marriage but a picture of a whole age, elegant, erudite and entertaining.
Thomas and Mary: A Love Story
by Tim Parks‘Somehow it seemed to him the only thing that would really solve the problem would be to return to the sea and find the old ring with their names and the wedding date engraved inside, in 22-carat gold, and put it on again and then the world would magically return to what it had been before. Many years before.This did not happen.’Thomas and Mary have been married for thirty years. They have two children, a dog, a house in the suburbs. But after years of drifting apart, things – finally – come to a head. In this love story in reverse, Tim Parks recounts what happens when youthful devotion has long given way to dog walking, separate bed times, and tensions over who left the fridge door open. Lurching from comedy to tragedy, via dependence, cold re-examination, tenderness and betrayal, Thomas and Mary is a fiercely intimate chronicle of a marriage – capturing the offshoots of pain sent through an entire family, when the couple at its heart decide it’s all over.
Thomas Paine Reader
by Thomas PaineThis major collection demonstrates the extent to which Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was an inspiration to the Americans in their struggle for independence, a passionate supporter of the French Revolution and perhaps the outstanding English radical writer of his age. It contains all of Paine's major works including The Rights of Man, his groundbreaking defence of the revolutionary cause in France, Common Sense, which won thousands over to the side of the American rebels, and the first part of The Age of Reason (Part One), a ferocious attack on Christianity. The shorter pieces - on capital punishment, social reform and the abolition of slavery - also confirm the great versatility and power of this master of democratic prose.
Thoracic Surgery Clerkship: A Guide for Senior Medical Students (Contemporary Surgical Clerkships)
by Thomas Ng Travis GeraciThis quick-reference guide is the first book written specifically for the many third- and fourth-year medical students rotating on the thoracic surgery service. The book focuses on the diagnosis and management of the most common pathologic entities. Each chapter covers history, physical examination, imaging, and common diagnoses. For each diagnosis, the book sets out the typical presentation, options for non-operative and operative management, and expected outcomes. Chapters include key illustrations, quick-reference charts, tables, diagrams, and bulleted lists. Students can read the text from cover to cover to gain a general foundation of knowledge that can be built upon when they begin their rotation, then use specific chapters to review a sub-specialty before starting a new rotation or seeing a patient with a sub-specialty attending. Topics covered include lung cancer, pulmonary resection, pleural empyema, thoracic outlet syndrome, esophageal disorders, tracheal malignancies, and much more.Practical and user-friendly, Thoracic Surgery Clerkship is the ideal, on-the-spot resource for medical students and practitioners seeking fast facts on diagnosis and management. Its bullet-pointed outline format makes it a perfect quick reference, and its content breadth covers the most commonly encountered problems in clinical practice.
Thorn in the Starfish: The Immune System And How It Works
by Robert S. Desowitz“Gives the reader the feeling of being granted a ringside seat to an exciting series of events. . . .This eminent scientist and writer conveys his enthusiasm for the subject. . . .He has managed to entertain, educate, and enthuse without either trivializing the complexity of the subject or underestimating the intelligence of the reader.” —British Medical Journal Dr. Desowitz describes the revolutionary discoveries made by Jenner, Pasteur, Metchnikoff, and Ehrlich and what we know about immunology today. His topics include the role of nutrition, the challenge of developing an AIDS vaccine, and the potential of genetic-engineering techniques.
Thorn Tree: A Novel
by Max Ludington"Terrifically vivid. . . stirring." - New York Times A beautifully wrought novel on the aftershocks of the heady but dangerous late 1960s and the relationship between trauma and the creative impulse. Now in his late-sixties, Daniel lives in quiet anonymity in a converted guest cottage in the Hollywood Hills. A legendary artist, he’s known for one seminal work—Thorn Tree—a hulking, welded, scrap metal sculpture that he built in the Mojave desert in the 1970s. The work emerged from tragedy, but building it kept Daniel alive and catapulted him to brief, reluctant fame in the art world. Daniel is neighbors with Celia, a charismatic but fragile actress. She too experienced youthful fame, hers in a popular television series, but saw her life nearly collapse after a series of bad decisions. Now, a new movie with a notorious director might reignite her career. A single mother, Celia leaves her young son Dean for weeks at a time with her father, Jack, who stays at her house while she’s on location. Jack and Daniel strike up a tentative friendship as Dean takes to visiting Daniel’s cottage--but something about Jack seems off. Discomfiting, strangely intimate, with flashes of anger balanced by an almost philosophical bent, Jack is not the harmless grandparent he pretends to be. Weaving the idealism and the darkness of the late 1960s, the glossy surfaces of Los Angeles celebrity today, and thrumming with the sound of the Grateful Dead, the mania of Charles Manson and other cults, and the secrets that both Jack and Daniel have harbored for fifty years, Thorn Tree by Max Ludington is an utterly-compelling novel.
Thorns (Gollancz S. F. Ser.)
by Robert SilverbergThe Science Fiction Grand Master&’s Thorns &“holds up chillingly well after all these decades. A dark pastiche upon Beauty and the Beast&” (SF Reviews). In a world where humanity has colonized the solar system and begun to explore more of the local galaxy, a vast audience follows real-life stories presented by wealthy media mogul Duncan Chalk. To satisfy his audience&’s voyeuristic needs—and his own appetite for others&’ pain—he pairs Minner Burris, an emotionally withdrawn space explorer who was captured and freakishly surgically altered by aliens, with Lona Kelvin, a suicidal seventeen-year-old girl who donated eggs for a fertility experiment that produced one hundred babies, none of whom she has been allowed to adopt or even see. Chalk promises to solve their personal problems in return for a joint performance tour. Though the love affair doesn&’t last, Chalk keeps the couple on the hook by making new offers. While Minner and Lona struggle to cope with their newfound celebrity and Chalk&’s broken promises, they will uncover the true nature of their manipulator—and risk everything to regain the humanity that has been stolen from them . . . An early exploration of media exploitation and a deep look at freak-show entertainment on a mass scale, this novel was one of the earliest of Silverberg&’s mature masterworks. &“Masterful . . . This is a sophisticated novel, beautifully written, intelligent and insightful, with wonderful dialogue and a satisfying conclusion.&” —Fantasy Literature &“Silverberg&’s brooding, post-utopian, rumination has the makings of a great science fiction novel. . . . A worthwhile read which rambles along a dark path . . . Well done.&” —Science Fiction Ruminations
"Those Damn Horse Soldiers": True Tales of the Civil War Cavalry
by George WalshMany accounts of the Civil War battles, armies, and key figures have been written over the years, but none have looked at the bloodiest war in our nation's history through the eyes of the cavalry. The horse soldiers in the Civil War are often referred to as the last of the cavaliers, men who valued their honor as much as their cause. In this sweeping saga George Walsh brings to life anew the gallant horse soldiers of the North and South, showing in dramatic detail how their raids and expeditions affected the outcome of the war and how their fortunes waxed and waned. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Those Darn Squirrels Fly South
by Adam RubinFrom the creators of Dragons Love Tacos comes the third off-the-wall comedy featuring Old Man Fookwire, a lot of birds, and those darn squirrels. Old Man Fookwire's one pleasure in life is painting the birds in his backyard. When fall arrives and the birds fly south, Fookwire is desolate. The squirrels are curious: Where are the birds going, and what do they do once they get there? With their usual ingenuity and engineering skills, the squirrels devise a way to follow the birds to their destination, a tropical paradise. A wonderful time is had by all—all but grumpy Old Man Fookwire, alone at home. But the squirrels have a solution for that, too. Readers will revel in this third off-the-wall comedy featuring Old Man Fookwire, a lot of birds, and those darn squirrels.
Those Harper Women
by Stephen BirminghamFour generations of women grapple with the gilded cage of their family dynasty in this #1 New York Times–bestselling author&’s &“big, bustling novel&” (The New York Times). Meredith Harper made millions in rum before Prohibition ruined the market. When he died, he left behind an estate of such vast wealth that his descendants were set for life—but what sort of life would it be? In Those Harper Women, Stephen Birmingham presents a fictional group portrait of women who pass down both fortunes and misfortunes, who want for nothing save happiness. Across generations, the Harper women seek joy, self-fulfillment, or mere escape from the trappings of their privilege. But through trips to Europe and the Caribbean, through marriage and divorce, the women find themselves returning time and again to the looming shadow of Meredith and his money.
Those In Peril: A dramatic, feel-good and moving WW2 saga, perfect for curling up with
by Margaret MayhewA powerful and emotional saga set in World War Two, perfect for fans of Katie Flynn, Fiona Valpy and Kristin Hannah.READERS ARE LOVING THOSE IN PERIL!"A feel good, love story that maybe we all experience in our lifetime." - 5 STARS"As always...well written in an easy style and I found it hard to put down. The housework had to wait until I had finished it! It is a must for all Mayhew fans." - 5 STARS"loved this book, from beginning to end. I want to read all the books written by Margaret Mayhew now..." - 5 STARS********************************************TWO RESISTANCE FIGHTERS CAUGHT IN A BLOODY, SECRET WAR...AND AN INTENSE LOVE TRIANGLE. June 1940. France has fallen to the Nazis and painter Louis Duval flees his homeland to join the Resistance. He is soon caught up in the movement and finds himself in dangerous circumstances alongside Lieutenant - Commander Alan Powell, unfit for active service and overseeing operations.But that is not the only battle they will fight. For Alan can't help but find himself drawn to Barbara Hillyard, a young widow and Duval's landlady - but she only has eyes for the dashing Frenchman...
Thought for the Day: 50 Years of Fascinating Thoughts & Reflections
by Christine Morgan'A daily taste of eternity in the midst of time'BBC Radio 4 staple Thought for the Day has been running for 50 years, aiming to capture the mood of the country and speak to it in a way that reaches people of all faiths and none.Take a tour of half a century of daily reflections from some of our most prominent and insightful thinkers, including Pope Benedict XVI, Desmond Tutu and Mona Siddiqui. Covering our changing attitudes to sexuality, science, politics, national life, international relations and more, Thought for the Day charts the constant evolution of British society from its uniquely timeless perspective.
Thoughts For The Day
by Charles HandyCharles Handy may well be Britain's only world-class management guru (Director Magazine) but his thoughts about organisations and the role of the individual involve thoughts beyond pay and display. For five years, Handy delivered a series of Thoughts for the Radio 4 Today Programme which addressed spiritual issues. These were collected in a volume called Waiting for the Mountain to Move, originally published in 1991. The distilled essence of Handy's meditations and advice are published now in a new, small Little Book of Calm format, in two colours and with b&w illustrations. 'My concern is only to point to what I see as the meaning in things and to the ultimate purpose in life in order to encourage other people to find their meaning and their purpose' Charles Handy
Thoughts From the Ice-Drinker's Studio: Essays on China and the World
by Liang Qichao'China's first iconic modern intellectual. His lucid and prolific writings, touching on all major concerns in his own time and anticipating many in the future, inspired several generations of thinkers' Pankaj Mishra'A country does not become corrupt and weak overnight. Rather, we are now reaping the evil harvest of what previous generations sowed.'The power, anger and fluency of Liang Qichao's writings make him one of the towering figures in modern Chinese literature. He saw his great, almost unmanageable task as an attempt to write China into the new era - to provide an ancient country, devastated by civil war and foreign predators, with the intellectual equipment to renew itself.Liang said that he wrote from an 'ice-drinker's studio', implying that underneath his dispassionate, disabused and rational tone lay an ardour and passion which only ice could cool. China could only recover through a clear-sighted, informed understanding of its enemies - and by engaging in a thorough-going self-critique. Liang did not propose aping the West but taking only what China needed to 'renew the people' and create 'new citizens'. Then China would be able to expel its invaders, reform its society and become a great power once more.This selection of pieces shows Liang's extraordinary range and the burning sense of mission which drove him on, attempting to galvanize and refresh an entire nation. Blending together Confucianism, Buddhism and the Western Enlightenment, Liang's ideas about nation, democracy, and morality had a profound impact on Chinese visions of the political order, though the China that eventually emerged from the further disasters of the 1930s and 1940s would be a very different one.