A private spy: the letters of john le carre 1945-2020 - john le carré

John le Carre was a defining writer of his time. This enthralling collection letters - written to readers, publishers, film-makers and actors, politicians and public figures - reveals the playfully intelligent and unfailingly eloquent man behind the penname. _____'The symbiosis of author and editor, father and son, has resulted in a brilliant book, le Carre's final masterpiece' 5*, Jake Kerridge, Sunday Telegraph_____A Private Spy spans seven decades and chronicles not only le Carre's own life but the turbulent times to which he was witness.Beginning with his 1940s childhood, it includes accounts of his National Service and his time at Oxford, and his days teaching the 'chinless, pointy-nosed gooseberry-eyed British lords' at Eton. It describes his entry into MI5 and the rise of the Iron Curtain, and the flowering of his career as a novelist in reaction to the building of the Berlin Wall. Through his letters we travel with him from the Second World War period to the immediate moment in which we live.We find le Carre writing to Sir Alec Guinness to persuade him to take on the role of George Smiley, and later arguing the immorality of the War on Terror with the chief of the German internal security service. What emerges is a portrait not only of the writer, or of the global intellectual, but, in his own words, of the very private, very passionate and very real man behind the name. _____Includes letters to:John BanvilleWilliam BurroughsJohn CheeverStephen FryGraham GreeneSir Alec GuinnessHugh LaurieBen MacintyreIan McEwanGary OldmanPhilip RothPhilippe SandsSir Tom StoppardMargaret ThatcherAnd more... (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The never-before-seen correspondance of John le Carré, one of the most important novelists of our generation, are collected in this beautiful volume. During his lifetime, le Carré wrote numerous letters to writers, spies, politicians, artists, actors and public figures. This collection is a treasure trove, revealing the late author's humour, generosity, and wit--a side of him many readers have not previously seen. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A mole, implanted by Moscow Centre, has infiltrated the highest ranks of the British Intelligence Service, almost destroying it in the process. And so former spymaster George Smiley has been brought out of retirement in order to hunt down the traitor at the very heart of the Circus - even though it may be one of those closest to him. The first part of le Carré's acclaimed Karla Trilogy, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy sees the beginning of the stealthy Cold War cat-and-mouse game between the taciturn, dogged Smiley and his wily Soviet counterpart. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Secrecy came naturally to John le Carré, and there were some secrets that he fought fiercely to keep. Nowhere was this more so than in his private life. Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over four decades.To keep these relationships secret, he made use of tradecraft that he had learned as a spy: code names and cover stories, cut outs, safe houses and dead letter boxes. Such affairs introduced both jeopardy and excitement into what was otherwise a quiet, ordered life. Le Carré seemed to require the stimulus they provided in order to write, though this meant deceiving those closest to him.It is no coincidence that betrayal became a recurrent theme in his work. Adam Sisman's definitive biography, published in 2015, revealed much about the elusive spy-turned-novelist; yet le Carré was adamant that some subjects should remain hidden, at least during his lifetime. The Secret Life of John le Carré is the story of what was left out, and offers reflections on the difficult relationship between biographer and subject.More than that, it adds a necessary coda to the life and work of this complex, driven, restless man. The Secret Life of John le Carré reveals a hitherto-hidden perspective on the life and work of the spy-turned-author and a fascinating meditation on the complex relationship between biographer and subject. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The classic Cold War thriller, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time. Alec Leamas is tired. It's the 1960s, he's been out in the cold for years, spying in Berlin for his British masters, and has seen too many good agents murdered for their troubles. Now Control wants to bring him in at last - but only after one final assignment. He must travel deep into the heart of Communist Germany and betray his country, a job that he will do with his usual cynical professionalism. But when George Smiley tries to help a young woman Leamas has befriended, Leamas's mission may prove to be the worst thing he could ever have done. In le Carre's breakthrough work of 1963, the spy story is reborn as a gritty and terrible tale of men who are caught up in politics beyond their imagining. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

To catch a criminal, he must become oneJonathan Pine, night manager of a luxury Swiss hotel, has a secret. He knows that the guest he awaits, billionaire trader Richard Roper, is the worst man in the world. And he knows why. Pine will do whatever it takes to help the Intelligence services bring Roper down even if it means going deep undercover into a ruthless, lawless world, up against forces more dangerous than he can imagine. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Nat, a veteran of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, thinks his years as an agent runner are over. But MI6 have other plans. To tackle the growing threat from Moscow Centre, Nat is put in charge of The Haven, a defunct substation of London General with a rag-tag band of spies. His weekly badminton session with the young, introspective, Brexit-hating Ed, offers respite from the new job. But it is Ed, of all unlikely people, who will take Nat down the path of political anger that will ensnare them all. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

In Silverview John le Carré turns his focus to the world that occupied his writing for the past sixty years - the secret world itself. Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. But only a couple of months into his new career, Julian's evening is disrupted by a visitor. Edward, a Polish émigré living in Silverview, the big house on the edge of town, seems to know a lot about Julian's family and is rather too interested in the inner workings of his modest new enterprise. When a letter turns up at the door of a spy chief in London warning him of a dangerous leak, the investigations lead him to this quiet town by the sea . . . Silverview is the mesmerising story of an encounter between innocence and experience and between public duty and private morals. In his inimitable voice John le Carré, the greatest chronicler of our age, seeks to answer the question of what we truly owe to the people we love. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. But after only a couple of months into his new career, Edward, a Polish emigre, shows up at his door with a very keen interest in Julian's new enterprise and a lot of knowledge about his family history. And when a letter turns up at the door of a spy chief in London warning him of a dangerous leak, the investigations lead him to this quiet town by the sea . . . Silverview is the mesmerising story of an encounter between innocence and experience and between public duty and private morals. In this last complete masterwork from the greatest chronicler of our age, John le Carre asks what you owe to your country when you no longer recognise it. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. But after only a couple of months into his new career, Edward, a Polish emigre, shows up at his door with a very keen interest in Julian's new enterprise and a lot of knowledge about his family history. And when a letter turns up at the door of a spy chief in London warning him of a dangerous leak, the investigations lead him to this quiet town by the sea . . . Silverview is the mesmerising story of an encounter between innocence and experience and between public duty and private morals. In this last complete masterwork from the greatest chronicler of our age, John le Carre asks what you owe to your country when you no longer recognise it. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Ani ne tak memoár jako spíše vzpomínání starého přítele, s kterým sedíte nad sklenkou sherry u krbu, a on vám vypráví příběhy ze svého předlouhého života. Pětaosmdesátiletý autor, vlastním jménem David Cornwell, tu v třiceti osmi kapitolách mluví o své práci pro MI6, o svém otci, který byl špatným tátou, velkým šarmérem a také často vězněným podvodníkem, o svých knihách a jednotlivých událostech, jež je ovlivnily, stejně jako o jednotlivcích, které potkal a jimiž se pak nechal inspirovat pro své literární hrdiny. Po dočtení knihy máme pocit, že jsme pochopili, jak se Cornwell - Le Carré stal jedním z nejuznávanějších a nejplodnějších autorů špionážních románů s naprosto pravděpodobnými zápletkami a motivacemi postav. "… zářivá pokladnice skvělých příběhů ze života." - The Seattle Times (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Peter Guillam, kolega a žák George Smileyho z britské tajné služby, známé též jako Cirkus, odchází na odpočinek na rodinnou farmu na jih Anglie, avšak náhle obdrží dopis od bývalého zaměstnavatele, který ho předvolává zpátky do Londýna. Důvod? Studená válka vrhá svůj stín. Zpravodajské operace, jež dříve byly chloubou londýnského centra, jsou nyní hodnoceny generací, která už studenou válku nezažila. Někdo musí zaplatit za prolití nevinné krve ve jménu velké věci. Špion, který se přišel ohřát, znovu ožívá. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Krásná Holanďanka, pohledný Palestinec, mladá anglická herečka. Co mají společného s teroristickým útokem na izraelského úředníka v Německu? Děsivé důsledky. Charlie je najata izraelskou tajnou službou, aby se vydávala za propalestinskou aktivistku a milenku bratra nebezpečného teroristy. Počíná si ve své roli tak dobře, že nakonec už neví, komu být loajální a koho zradit. Čím víc se ponořuje do své role, tím víc jí hrozí, že z ní zcela vypadne. Přestože román vznikl v roce 1983, jeho výpověď je stále platná a veskrze současná. Autor se soustředí především na izraelskou výzvědnou službu a její metody, ale ty jsou kolikrát tak špinavé, že ho nelze podezřívat z toho, že by stranil některému z opozičních táborů tohoto blízkovýchodního konfliktu. V roce 1984 vznikl podle knihy film s Diane Keatonovou v hlavní roli. V roce 2018 odvysílala televize BBC stejnojmenný seriál, který režíroval Park Chan-wook. John Le Carré (1931), autor více než pětadvaceti knih, patří k žijícím klasikům špionážního žánru. Jeho příběhy jsou inspirovány dlouholetou praxí u britské výzvědné služby, nuceně ukončenou po aféře s dvojitým agentem Philbym. Nejde v nich o barvitý děj, ale o hru nervů, plíživou atmosféru a rafinovaný způsob, jak jeden agent napálí druhého. Mezinárodní úspěch a status bestselerového autora mu zajistil Muž, který přišel z chladu (1963). Vybrané autorovy tituly vydává nakladatelství Argo. „Neodolatelná kniha… Hrdinka Charlie je ultimativní dvojitý agent.“ – The New York Times (knihydobrovsky.cz)

An illegal Muslim immigrant arrives in Hamburg with a traumatic past and the key to a fortune held in a private bank. He says his name is Issa. To the idealistic young human rights lawyer Annabel, determined to save him from deportation, he is a worthy cause. To the intelligence services of Britain, Germany and America, however, he is a potential jihadist - and a pawn between them as they seek to make a kill in the war on terror.A Most Wanted Man is a gripping and disquieting story of paranoia, disillusionment and betrayal in the moral no-man's land of the post-9/11 world. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Nat je veteránem britské tajné služby. V sedmačtyřiceti letech by čekal, že ho pošlou na odpočinek, ale on dostane nový tým a nový úkol: dohlížet na aktivitu ruských agentů řízených Moskvou. Nežije však jen svou prací; stará se o svou maželku, právničku a levicovou intelektuálku, a relaxuje u badmintonu, hry, v níž i přes svůj střední věk exceluje. Právě při badmintonu se seznámí s rozhněvaným mladým mužem, který nenávidí Brexit, Trumpa a vůbec celou post-reaganovskou a post-thatcherovskou konzervativní politiku. Nat mu představí manželku a mladík oba dva přesvědčí svými radikálními postoji, že současná pravicová agenda, jak britská, tak americká, jsou čiré zlo. Navíc Nat zjistí, že za Trumpovým vítězstvím v prezidentských volbách, stejně jako za Brexitem, není nikdo jiný než Putin… Špionážní román Agent na cizím hřišti není jen napínavým vyprávěním osmaosmdesátiletého spisovatele, ale dílem tak aktuálním, že zcela neomylně drží prst na tepu doby - a ten prst se jedinkrát nezachvěje. Nakladatelství Argo vydává autorovy starší i nové romány, naposledy kupř. i "memoár" Holubí tunel v překladu Michaela Žantovského nebo špionážní román Malá bubenice v překladu Jiřího Hanuše. "Přední špionážní autor své doby. Možná všech dob." - Time (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Román, který autora proslavil coby revolucionáře špionážního žánru. Není tu nezničitelný James Bond ani megalomanský padouch jako jeho protivníci, ale je tu jedna bezpečnostní služba stojící proti druhé a někdy i proti třetí. Takhle to ve světě špionáže za studené války opravdu fungovalo, přestože, jak autor tvrdí v brilantním doslovu, je to dílo čisté fikce. Alec Leamas má za úkol dostat z Východního Berlína všechny britské agenty poté, co město rozdělila zeď. Jednoho mu však Němci zastřelí. Po návratu do Londýna přistoupí na riskantní plán obvinit agenta Mundta z toho, že je dvojitý špion -- sám Leamas má totiž tuto roli hrát a získat si důvěru německé tajné služby. Krůček po krůčku se celá hra blíží k překvapivému konci… (patro.cz)

V románu „Jeden musí z kola ven“ se setkáváme s Gorgem Smileym po desetli letech od Špiona, který přišel z chladu a opět v nové, jako vždy nebezpečné situaci. Starý šéf výzvědné služby je po smrti a firmu teď řídí někdo nový spolu s konsorciem vysokých agentů. Z Moskvy přijde informace, že právě v nejvyšších kruzích tajné služby je sovětský špeh. Smiley, kterého předtím vyhodili, je povolán zpět do služby: právě on má dvojitého agenta odhalit. Román se roku 2011 dočkal úspěšné filmové podoby s Garym Oldmanem, Colinem Firthem a Benedictem Cumberbatchem v hlavních rolích. „John Le Carré je velmistr špionážních příběhů.“ – Financial Times (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Román, který autora proslavil coby revolucionáře špionážního žánru. Není tu nezničitelný James Bond ani megalomanský padouch jako jeho protivníci, ale je tu jedna bezpečnostní služba stojící proti druhé a někdy i proti třetí. Takhle to ve světě špionáže za studené války opravdu fungovalo, přestože, jak autor tvrdí v brilantním doslovu, je to dílo čisté fikce.Alec Leamas má za úkol dostat z Východního Berlína všechny britské agenty poté, co město rozdělila zeď. Jednoho mu však Němci zastřelí. Po návratu do Londýna přistoupí na riskantní plán obvinit agenta Mundta z toho, že je dvojitý špion -- sám Leamas má totiž tuto roli hrát a získat si důvěru německé tajné služby. Krůček po krůčku se celá hra blíží k překvapivému konci… (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Peter Guillam, kolega a žák George Smileyho z britské tajné služby, známé též jako Cirkus, odchází na odpočinek na rodinnou farmu na jih Anglie, avšak náhle obdrží dopis od bývalého zaměstnavatele, který ho předvolává zpátky do Londýna. Důvod? Studená válka vrhá svůj stín. Zpravodajské operace, jež dříve byly chloubou londýnského centra, jsou nyní hodnoceny generací, která už studenou válku nezažila. Někdo musí zaplatit za prolití nevinné krve ve jménu velké věci. Špion, který se přišel ohřát, znovu ožívá. (patro.cz)

Krásná Holanďanka, pohledný Palestinec, mladá anglická herečka. Co mají společného s teroristickým útokem na izraelského úředníka v Německu? Děsivé důsledky. Charlie je najata izraelskou tajnou službou, aby se vydávala za propalestinskou aktivistku a milenku bratra nebezpečného teroristy. Počíná si ve své roli tak dobře, že nakonec už neví, komu být loajální a koho zradit. Čím víc se ponořuje do své role, tím víc jí hrozí, že z ní zcela vypadne. Přestože román vznikl v roce 1983, jeho výpověď je stále platná a veskrze současná. Autor se soustředí především na izraelskou výzvědnou službu a její metody, ale ty jsou kolikrát tak špinavé, že ho nelze podezřívat z toho, že by stranil některému z opozičních táborů tohoto blízkovýchodního konfliktu. V roce 1984 vznikl podle knihy film s Diane Keatonovou v hlavní roli. V roce 2018 odvysílala televize BBC stejnojmenný seriál, který režíroval Park Chan-wook. John Le Carré (1931), autor více než pětadvaceti knih, patří k žijícím klasikům špionážního žánru. Jeho příběhy jsou inspirovány dlouholetou praxí u britské výzvědné služby, nuceně ukončenou po aféře s dvojitým agentem Philbym. Nejde v nich o barvitý děj, ale o hru nervů, plíživou atmosféru a rafinovaný způsob, jak jeden agent napálí druhého. Mezinárodní úspěch a status bestselerového autora mu zajistil Muž, který přišel z chladu (1963). Vybrané autorovy tituly vydává nakladatelství Argo. „Neodolatelná kniha… Hrdinka Charlie je ultimativní dvojitý agent.“ – The New York Times (patro.cz)

Ani ne tak memoár jako spíše vzpomínání starého přítele, s kterým sedíte nad sklenkou sherry u krbu, a on vám vypráví příběhy ze svého předlouhého života. Pětaosmdesátiletý autor, vlastním jménem David Cornwell, tu v třiceti osmi kapitolách mluví o své práci pro MI6, o svém otci, který byl špatným tátou, velkým šarmérem a také často vězněným podvodníkem, o svých knihách a jednotlivých událostech, jež je ovlivnily, stejně jako o jednotlivcích, které potkal a jimiž se pak nechal inspirovat pro své literární hrdiny. Po dočtení knihy máme pocit, že jsme pochopili, jak se Cornwell – Le Carré stal jedním z nejuznávanějších a nejplodnějších autorů špionážních románů s naprosto pravděpodobnými zápletkami a motivacemi postav. (patro.cz)

Audiokniha:,Musí špehovat špehy. A odhalit krtka tak, aby neodhalil sám sebe. Fiasko operace Svědectví na území normalizačního Československa špičkám londýnské MI6 napoví, že uvnitř něco nehraje. V ústředí jejich zpravodajské služby řádí počátkem 70. let dvojitý agent čili „krtek“ řízený Moskvou. Nové kolektivní vedení instituce proto povolá osobu donedávna nežádoucí: předčasně penzionovaného, manželkou zrazeného, zato ostříleného kozáka George Smileyho. Je na něm, aby s mravenčí pílí i buldočí vervou vyšetřil, ke komu vedou nitky zrady. Špionážní freska z éry klasických telefonů, mikrofilmů a mrtvých schránek, v níž si řadoví agenti vydělávají o dost prozaičtěji než supermani z bondovek, obnažuje soukolí výzvědné centrály důvěrně přezdívané Cirkus. Smileymu a jeho lidem nezbývá než rozpoutat sérii úskoků, neboť vše nasvědčuje tomu, že nitky konspirace vedou k jednomu z nadřízených… Nejslavnější román klasika žánru byl roku 2011 podruhé zfilmován, a to s Garym Oldmanem, Tobym Jonesem, Colinem Firthem, Benedictem Cumberbatchem a Tomem Hardym v hlavních rolích. Snímek Švéda Tomase Alfredsona s působivou výpravou v severském stylu však na rozdíl od předlohy začíná blamáží v Maďarsku. Čte Martin Zahálka (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Audiokniha:,Kdo chce přežít studenou válku, musí být tvrdší než železná opona… Podzim 1961. Protože útěk z čerstvě zazděného východního Berlína skončil katastrofou a tamní rozvědka síť jeho kontaktů postřílela, je agent britské MI6 Alec Leamas nadřízenými poslán k ledu. Přesněji odložen do knihovny. Stane se z něj ztroskotanec s opileckými sklony, který dluží, kam se podívá, a přesto s ním stále cloumá vztek i chuť se úhlavnímu východoněmeckému soupeři Mundtovi pomstít. Jenže to by znamenalo vydat se opět do jámy lvové v roli přeběhlíka a zosnovat v NDR složitou zpravodajskou hru, jež by Mundta v očích jeho tajné služby zkompromitovala coby dvojitého agenta. Kolik vrstev lží a přetvářky bude zapotřebí, aby vyhořelý pěšák studené války v misi uspěl? A neuškodí si za Zdí věčným britským lpěním na morálce? Podle knihy, kterou magazín Time zařadil mezi 100 nejvýznamnějších světových románů, natočil režisér Martin Ritt slavný špionážní thriller ve stylu noir (1965). Hlavní role se ujal Richard Burton, nominovaný za svůj výkon na Oscara. Postavu východoněmeckého vyšetřovatele Kardena ve filmu ztvárnil exulant Jiří Voskovec. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Audiokniha:,Musí špehovat špehy. A odhalit krtka tak, aby neodhalil sám sebe. Fiasko operace Svědectví na území normalizačního Československa špičkám londýnské MI6 napoví, že uvnitř něco nehraje. V ústředí jejich zpravodajské služby řádí počátkem 70. let dvojitý agent čili „krtek“ řízený Moskvou. Nové kolektivní vedení instituce proto povolá osobu donedávna nežádoucí: předčasně penzionovaného, manželkou zrazeného, zato ostříleného kozáka George Smileyho. Je na něm, aby s mravenčí pílí i buldočí vervou vyšetřil, ke komu vedou nitky zrady. Špionážní freska z éry klasických telefonů, mikrofilmů a mrtvých schránek, v níž si řadoví agenti vydělávají o dost prozaičtěji než supermani z bondovek, obnažuje soukolí výzvědné centrály důvěrně přezdívané Cirkus. Smileymu a jeho lidem nezbývá než rozpoutat sérii úskoků, neboť vše nasvědčuje tomu, že nitky konspirace vedou k jednomu z nadřízených… Nejslavnější román klasika žánru byl roku 2011 podruhé zfilmován, a to s Garym Oldmanem, Tobym Jonesem, Colinem Firthem, Benedictem Cumberbatchem a Tomem Hardym v hlavních rolích. Snímek Švéda Tomase Alfredsona s působivou výpravou v severském stylu však na rozdíl od předlohy začíná blamáží v Maďarsku. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Předloha úspěšné televizní série s Tomem Hiddlestonem a Hughem Lauriem Bývalý příslušník britské armády Jonathan Pine – nyní noční recepční v luxusním curyšském hotelu – se nečekaně ocitá tváří v tvář Richardu Onslowu Roperovi, miliardáři a navenek velkému filantropovi, který ve skutečnosti řídí ilegální obchod se zbraněmi. Jeho praktiky odhalil už před lety v Káhiře – a následky nese dodnes. Zpravodajské služby však tentokrát chtějí Ropera dostat za každou cenu. Nebezpečná dvojí hra může začít… (patro.cz)

V románu „Jeden musí z kola ven“ se setkáváme s Gorgem Smileym po desetli letech od Špiona, který přišel z chladu a opět v nové, jako vždy nebezpečné situaci. Starý šéf výzvědné služby je po smrti a firmu teď řídí někdo nový spolu s konsorciem vysokých agentů. Z Moskvy přijde informace, že právě v nejvyšších kruzích tajné služby je sovětský špeh. Smiley, kterého předtím vyhodili, je povolán zpět do služby: právě on má dvojitého agenta odhalit. Román se roku 2011 dočkal úspěšné filmové podoby s Garym Oldmanem, Colinem Firthem a Benedictem Cumberbatchem v hlavních rolích. (patro.cz)

'I think I shall be among the English Poets after my death, ' John Keats soberly prophesied in 1818 as he started writing the blankverse epic Hyperion. Today he endures as the archetypal Romantic genius who explored the limits of the imagination and celebrated the pleasures of the senses but suffered a tragic early death. Edmund Wilson counted him as 'one of the half dozen greatest English writers, ' and T. S. Eliot has paid tribute to the Shakespearean quality of Keats's greatness. Indeed, his work has survived better than that of any of his contemporaries the devaluation of Romantic poetry that began early in this century. This Modern Library edition contains all of Keats's magnificent verse: 'Lamia, ' 'Isabella, ' and 'The Eve of St. Agnes'; his sonnets and odes; the allegorical romance Endymion; and the five-act poetic tragedy Otho the Great. Presented as well are the famous posthumous and fugitive poems, including the fragmentary 'The Eve of Saint Mark' and the great 'La Belle Dame sans Merci, ' perhaps the most distinguished literary ballad in the language. 'No one else in English poetry, save Shakespeare, has in expression quite the fascinating felicity of Keats, his perception of loveliness, ' said Matthew Arnold. 'In the faculty of naturalistic interpretation, in what we call natural magic, he ranks with Shakespeare.' (knihydobrovsky.cz)

'I think I shall be among the English Poets after my death, ' John Keats soberly prophesied in 1818 as he started writing the blankverse epic Hyperion. Today he endures as the archetypal Romantic genius who explored the limits of the imagination and celebrated the pleasures of the senses but suffered a tragic early death. Edmund Wilson counted him as 'one of the half dozen greatest English writers, ' and T. S. Eliot has paid tribute to the Shakespearean quality of Keats's greatness. Indeed, his work has survived better than that of any of his contemporaries the devaluation of Romantic poetry that began early in this century. This Modern Library edition contains all of Keats's magnificent verse: 'Lamia, ' 'Isabella, ' and 'The Eve of St. Agnes'; his sonnets and odes; the allegorical romance Endymion; and the five-act poetic tragedy Otho the Great. Presented as well are the famous posthumous and fugitive poems, including the fragmentary 'The Eve of Saint Mark' and the great 'La Belle Dame sans Merci, ' perhaps the most distinguished literary ballad in the language. 'No one else in English poetry, save Shakespeare, has in expression quite the fascinating felicity of Keats, his perception of loveliness, ' said Matthew Arnold. 'In the faculty of naturalistic interpretation, in what we call natural magic, he ranks with Shakespeare.' (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor John Le Carré, 288 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná In Silverview John le Carré turns his focus to the world that occupied his writing for the past sixty years - the secret world itself. Julian Lawndsley has renounced his high-flying job in the City for a simpler life running a bookshop in a small English seaside town. But only a couple of months into his new career, Julian's evening is disrupted by a visitor. Edward, a Polish émigré living in Silverview, the big house on the edge of town, seems to know a lot about Julian's family and is rather too interested in the inner workings of his modest new enterprise. When a letter turns up at the door of a spy chief in London warning him of a dangerous leak, the investigations lead him to this quiet town by the sea. Silverview is the mesmerising story of an encounter between innocence and experience and between public duty and private morals. In his inimitable voice John le Carré, the... (alza.cz)

eBook: Soldier, secretary, Anglican priest, MP, father of 12, Dean of St Paul\'s... it\'s amazing that John Donne had any spare time. But this collection of his poems shows why it is good to give work to a busy person. \'The Poems of John Donne\' is an education and an inspiration, with his signature rhetorical style ever-present. Through love letters, songs, epigrams, satires and memorial verse, Donne reveals a breadth of knowledge and depth of understanding of the human spirit that has hardly been surpassed. This collection is perfect for fans of William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor John Le Carré; John le Carré, 256 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná Alec Leamas is tired. It's the 1960s, he's been out in the cold for years, spying in the shadow of the Berlin Wall for his British masters. Now Control wants to bring him in at last - but only after one final assignment. He must travel deep into the heart of Communist Germany and betray his country, a job that he will do with his usual cynical professionalism. But when George Smiley tries to help a young woman Leamas has befriended, it may prove the worst thing he could ever have done. Le Carre's breakthrough work of 1963 was an award-winning number one global bestseller and brought him international renown, redefining the spy story as a gritty and terrible tale of men who are caught up in politics beyond their imagining. (alza.cz)

When Bill Masen wakes up blindfolded in hospital there is a bitter irony in his situation. Carefully removing his bandages, he realizes that he is the only person who can see. This title expresses many of the political concerns of its time: the Cold War, the fear of biological experimentation and the man-made apocalypse. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Witcher meets Vikings in this new Norse-inspired fantasy series from acclaimed British author John Gwynne, which will thrill his existing fans as well as being the perfect starting point for new readers THE GREATEST SAGAS ARE WRITTEN IN BLOOD. A century has passed since the gods fought and drove themselves to extinction. Now only their bones remain, promising great power to those brave enough to seek them out.As whispers of war echo across the land of Vigrið, fate follows in the footsteps of three warriors: a huntress on a dangerous quest, a noblewoman pursuing battle fame, and a thrall seeking vengeance among the mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn.All three will shape the fate of the world as it once more falls under the shadow of the gods.Set in a brand-new, Norse-inspired world, and packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeance, The Shadow of the Gods begins an epic new fantasy saga from bestselling author John Gwynne.Further praise for The Shadow of the Gods'Visceral, heart-breaking and unputdownable' Jay Kristoff'A satisfying and riveting read. The well-realised characters move against a backdrop of a world stunning in its immensity. It's everything I've come to expect from a John Gwynne book' Robin Hobb'A masterclass in storytelling . . . epic, gritty fantasy with an uncompromising amount of heart' FanFiAddict'Quintessential Gwynne honed to perfection . . . The Shadow of the Gods is absolutely stunning, one hell of an epic series opener and a spectacular dose of Viking-flavoured fantasy' The Tattooed Book Geek'Reminds me of all that I love in the fantasy genre. The Shadow of the Gods is an action-packed cinematic read' Fantasy Hive (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A stunning new clothbound edition of one of the most famous science-fiction novels of the twentieth century, designed by the acclaimed Coralie-Bickford Smith.When Bill Masen wakes up blindfolded in hospital there is a bitter irony in his situation. Carefully removing his bandages, he realizes that he is the only person who can see: everyone else, doctors and patients alike, have been blinded by a meteor shower. Now, with civilization in chaos, the triffids - huge, venomous, large-rooted plants able to 'walk', feeding on human flesh - can have their day... (knihydobrovsky.cz)

NO ONE EVER FORGETS MEETING THE SISTERS STRANGE ...The Furies: mythological snake-haired goddesses of vengeance, pursuers of those who have committed unavenged crimes. Now, private investigator Charlie Parker is drawn into a world of modern furies in two linked stories.In The Sisters Strange, the return of the criminal Raum Buker to Portland, Maine brings with it chaos and murder, as an act of theft threatens not only to tear apart his own existence but also that of Raum's former lovers, the enigmatic sisters Dolors and Ambar Strange.And in The Furies Parker finds himself fighting to protect two more women as the city of Portland shuts down in the face of a global pandemic, but it may be that his clients are more capable of taking care of themselves than anyone could have imagined . . .From the number one Sunday Times and multi-million-copy bestselling author John Connolly comes the most compelling and unsettling Charlie Parker novel yet. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Times Literary Supplement Books of the Year 2015. In The Soul of the Marionette, John Gray draws together the religious, philosophic and fantastical traditions that question the very idea of human freedom. We flatter ourselves about the nature of free wil (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Shocking and controversial when it was first published in 1939, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic, The Grapes of Wrath,remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of the Joad family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision; an eloquent tribute to the endurance and dignity of the human spirit. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

'I've done my damndest to rip a reader's nerves to rags, I don't want him satisfied.' Shocking and controversial when it was first published, The Grapes of Wrath is Steinbeck's Pultizer Prize-winning epic of the Joad family, forced to travel west from Dust Bowl era Oklahoma in search of the promised land of California. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires and powerlessness, yet out of their struggle Steinbeck created a drama that is both intensely human and majestic in its scale and moral vision. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, The Grapes of Wrath is an epic human drama, with a stunning new cover by renowned artist Bijou Karman. 'To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth.' Drought and economic depression are driving thousands from Oklahoma. As their land becomes just another strip in the dust bowl, the Joads, a family of sharecroppers, decide they have no choice but to follow. They head west, towards California, where they hope to find work and a future for their family. But while the journey to this promised land will take its inevitable toll, there remains uncertainty about what awaits their arrival . . . (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Hunger of the Gods continues John Gwynne's acclaimed Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeanceLik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest. As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own - and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance. Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god. Their hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead . . . and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The greatest true-crime story in music history.A GLOBAL SUPERSTARIn the summer of 1980, ten years after the break-up of the Beatles, John Lennon signed with a new label, ready to record new music for the first time in years. Everyone was awestruck when Lennon dashed off '(Just Like) Starting Over'. Lennon was back in peak form, with his best songwriting since 'Imagine'.A DANGEROUSLY OBSESSED FANIn the years after Lennon left the Beatles, becoming a solo artist and making a life with Yoko Ono in New York City, Mark David Chapman had become fixated on murdering his former hero. He was convinced that Lennon had squandered his talent and betrayed his fans. In December 1980, Chapman boarded a flight from Hawaii to New York with a handgun stowed in his luggage. He was never going home again.A MURDER THAT STUNNED THE WORLDEnriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon's friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is a true-crime drama about two men who changed history. One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day, and the other who ended the music with five pulls of a trigger. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The luminous new novel from 'one of the best writers of our time', twice winner of the Booker Prize 'The Death of Jesus is full of truth' -- David Sexton, Book of the Week, Evening Standard In The Childhood of Jesus, Simon found a boy, David, and they began life in a new land, together with a woman named Ines. In The Schooldays of Jesus, the small family searched for a home in which David could thrive. In The Death of Jesus, David, now a tall ten-year-old, is spotted by Julio Fabricante, the director of a local orphanage, playing football with his friends. He shows unusual talent. When David announces that he wants to go and live with Julio and the children in his care, Simon and Ines are stunned. David is leaving them, and they can only love him and bear witness. With almost unbearable poignancy J. M. Coetzee explores the meaning of a world empty of memory but brimming with questions. **A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2020** (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Twice upon a time - for that is how some stories should continue . . .Phoebe, an eight-year-old girl, lies comatose following a car accident. She is a body without a spirit, a stolen child. Ceres, her mother, can only sit by her bedside and read aloud to her the fairy stories she loves in the hope they might summon her back to this world.But it is hard to keep faith, so very hard . . .Now an old house on the hospital grounds, a property connected to a book written by a vanished author, is calling to Ceres. Something wants her to enter, and to journey - to a land coloured by the memories of Ceres's childhood, and the folklore beloved of her father, to a land of witches and dryads, giants and mandrakes; to a land where old enemies are watching, and waiting. To the Land of Lost Things. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Shocking and controversial when it was first published in 1939, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic, The Grapes of Wrath,remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of the Joad family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision; an eloquent tribute to the endurance and dignity of the human spirit. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Phoebe, an eight-year-old girl, lies comatose following a car accident. She is a body without a spirit, a stolen child. Ceres, her mother, can only sit by her bedside and read aloud to Phoebe the fairy stories she loves in the hope they might summon her back to this world.But it is hard to keep faith, so very hard.Now an old house on the hospital grounds, a property connected to a book written by a vanished author, is calling to Ceres.Something wants her to enter, and to journey - to a land coloured by the memories of Ceres's childhood, and the folklore beloved of her father, to a land of witches and dryads, giants and mandrakes; to a land where old enemies are watching, and waiting.To the Land of Lost Things. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Hunger of the Gods continues John Gwynne's acclaimed Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeanceLik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest. As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own - and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance. Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god. Their hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead . . . and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A riveting, revealing and news-making account of the CIA's interrogation of Saddam, written by the CIA agent who conducted the questioning. In December 2003, after one of the largest, most aggressive manhunts in history, US military forces captured Iraqi president Saddam Hussein near his hometown of Tikrit. Beset by body-double rumors and false alarms during a nine-month search, the Bush administration needed positive identification of the prisoner before it could make the announcement that would rocket around the world. At the time, John Nixon was a senior CIA leadership analyst who had spent years studying the Iraqi dictator. Called upon to make the official ID, Nixon looked for telltale scars and tribal tattoos and asked Hussein a list of questions only he could answer. The man was indeed Saddam Hussein, but as Nixon learned in the ensuing weeks, both he and America had greatly misunderstood just who Saddam Hussein really was. Debriefing the President presents an astounding, candid portrait of one of our era's most notorious strongmen. Nixon, the first man to conduct a prolonged interrogation of Hussein after his capture, offers expert insight into the history and mind of America's most enigmatic enemy. After years of parsing Hussein's leadership from afar, Nixon faithfully recounts his debriefing sessions and subsequently strips away the mythology surrounding an equally brutal and complex man. His account is not an apology, but a sobering examination of how preconceived ideas led Washington policymakers-and Tony Blair's government -astray. Unflinching and unprecedented, Debriefing the President exposes a fundamental misreading of one of the modern world's most central figures and presents a new narrative that boldly counters the received account. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

eBook: J.M. Synge’s ‘The Well of the Saints’ is a three-act darkly comedic play that explores themes of myth, vision and journeys. Two blind beggars, Martin and Mary Doul, are cured of their blindness by a passing saint. Unable to reckon with the ugliness of a world they have never seen, their relationship is torn apart by their new gift. Now able to integrate into society, they try and live as they have always wanted to, only to be met with cruelty at every turn. ‘The Well of the Saints’ is a hilarious and thought-provoking play that will enrapture fans of Irish literature or comedy. A cross between ‘Waiting for Godot’ and ‘Trading Places’, ‘The Well of the Saints’ is a dark delight to be enjoyed by all. Edmund John Millington Synge (1871 – 1909) was an Irish poet, playwright, and defining figure of the Irish Literary Revival. Born in County Dublin to upper-middle-class Protestants, Synge suffered from Hodgkin’s disease which led to his home-schooling. Soon after graduating from Trinity College Dublin, Synge became a renowned poet and playwright, but his success was short-lived as he passed away from cancer at 37. He is best remembered for his play ‘The Playboy of the Western World’, an incredibly controversial work at the time of its publication and performance. Regarded by Yeats as ‘the greatest dramatic genius of Ireland’, Synge has had a lasting legacy, being a key influence for acclaimed Irish playwright Samuel Beckett and the subject of Joseph O’Connor’s novel ‘Ghost Light’ (2010). (knihydobrovsky.cz)

At a bleak, isolated military school on the fringes of the Austro- Hungarian Empire, four young cadets - Torless, Beineberg, Reiting and their victim Basini - drift even further away from their school- fellows into a private world of ritual, secrecy and torture. First published in 1906. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Phoebe, an eight-year-old girl, lies comatose following a car accident. She is a body without a spirit, a stolen child. Ceres, her mother, can only sit by her bedside and read aloud to Phoebe the fairy stories she loves in the hope they might summon her back to this world.But it is hard to keep faith, so very hard.Now an old house on the hospital grounds, a property connected to a book written by a vanished author, is calling to Ceres.Something wants her to enter, and to journey - to a land coloured by the memories of Ceres's childhood, and the folklore beloved of her father, to a land of witches and dryads, giants and mandrakes; to a land where old enemies are watching, and waiting.To the Land of Lost Things. (knihydobrovsky.cz)