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Oxford University Press
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'My object is to have you fit to live; which, if you are not, I do not desire that you should live at all.' So wrote Lord Chesterfield in one of the most celebrated and controversial correspondences between a father and son. Chesterfield wrote almost daily to his natural son, Philip, from 1737 onwards, providing him with instruction in etiquette and the worldly arts. Praised in their day as a complete manual of education, and despised by Samuel Johnson for teaching 'the morals of a whore and the manners of a dancing-master', these letters reflect the political craft of a leading statesman and the urbane wit of a man who associated with Pope, Addison, and Swift. The letters reveal Chesterfield's political cynicism and his belief that his country had 'always been goverened by the only two or three people, out of two or three millions, totally incapable of governing', as well as his views on good breeding. Not originally intended for publication, this entertaining correspondence illuminates fascinating aspects of eighteenth-century life and manners. |
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'The first and greatest of English detective novels' of T.S.Eliot. A fabulous yellow diamond becomes the dangerous inheritance of Rachel Verinder. Outside her Yorkshire country house watch the Hindu priests who have waited for many years to reclaim their ancient talisman, looted from the holy city of Somnauth. When the Moonstone disappears the case looks simple, but in mid-Victorian England no one is what they seem, and nothing can be taken for granted. Witnesses, suspects, and detectives take up the story in turn. The bemused butler, the love-stricken housemaid, the enigmatic detective Sergeant Cuff, the drug-addicted scientist, each speculate on the mystery as Collins weaves their narratives into a masterpiece of construction and suspense. But The Moonstone is more than just a detective novel or a murder mystery and this new edition features a fascinating introduction by John Sutherland which discusses the themes of Imperialism, Sensationalism and Mesmerism and the way in which they operate in the novel and within its cultural context. |
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'One ought to choose something very deliberately, and be faithful to that.' Isabel Archer is a young, intelligent, and spirited American girl, determined to relish her first experience of Europe. She rejects two eligible suitors in her fervent commitment to liberty and independence, declaring that she will never marry. Thanks to the generosity of her devoted cousin Ralph, she is free to make her own choice about her destiny. Yet in the intoxicating worlds of Paris, Florence, and Rome, her fond illusions of self-reliance are twisted by the machinations of her friends and apparent allies. What had seemed to be a vista of infinite promise steadily closes around her and becomes instead a 'house of suffocation'. Considered by many one of the finest novels in the English language, this is Henry James's most poised achievement, written at the height of his fame in 1881. It is at once a dramatic Victorian tale of betrayal and a wholly modern psychological study of a woman caught in a web of relations she only comes to understand too late. This edition reproduces the revised New York Edition, with James's own Preface. |
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Resurrection, the last of Tolstoy's major novels, tells the story of a nobleman's attempt to redeem himself for the suffering his youthful philandering caused a peasant girl. Tolstoy's vision of redemption achieved through loving forgiveness, and his condemnation of violence dominate the novel. An intimate, psychological tale of guilt, anger, and forgiveness, Resurrection is at the same time a panoramic description of social life in Russia at the end of the nineteenth century, reflecting Tolstoy's outrage at the social injustices of the world in which he lived. |
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In The Sea-Wolf, London's most gripping novel, Humphrey Van Weyden is rescued from the freezing waters of San Francisco Bay by a demonic sea captain and introduced to fates far worse that death. Through this story London recalls his own adventures on a sealing vessel at the age of seventeen. John Sutherland's notes include a history of pelagic seal hunting and an account of the many cinematic versions of this novel. |
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'Other works may excel this in depth of thought and knowledge of human nature: other books may rival it in originality and size; but, for hopeless and incurable vivacity, nothing yet discovered can surpass it.' (Jerome, Preface to Three Men in a Boat). Three Men in a Boat describes a comic expedition by middle-class Victorians up the Thames to Oxford. It provides brilliant snap-shots of London's playground in the late 1880s, where the fashionable steam-launches of river swells encounter the hired skiffs of city clerks. The medley of social vignettes, farcical incidents, descriptions of river fashions, and reflections on the Thames's history, is interspersed with humorous anecdotes told by a natural raconteur. Three Men on the Bummel records a similar escapade, a break from the claustrophobia of suburban life some ten years later; their cycling tour in the Black Forest, at the height of the new bicycling craze, affords Jerome the opportunity for a light-hearted scrutiny of German social customs at a time of increasing general interest in a country that he loved. This account of middle-aged Englishmen abroad is spiced with typical Jeromian humour. |
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'Anyone who wants to gain a quick idea of how before me everything was topsy-turvy should make a start with this work. That which is called idol on the title-page is quite simply that which was called truth hitherto. Twilight of the Idols — in plain words: the old truth is coming to an end...' Nietzsche intended Twilight of the Idols to serve as a short introduction to his philosophy, and as a result it is the most synoptic of all his books. Continuing in the spirit of its immediate predecessors On The Genealogy of Morals and The Wagner Case, it is a masterpiece of polemic, targeting not only 'eternal idols' like Socratic rationality and Christian morality but also their contemporary counterparts, as Nietzsche the 'untimely man' goes roaming in the gloaming of nineteenth-century European culture. He allies philosophy with psychology and physiology, relentlessly diagnozing the symptoms of decadence, and his stylistic virtuosity is such that the sheer delight he takes in his 'demonic' mischief-making communicates itself on every page. A brilliant new translation, this edition provides detailed commentary on a highly condensed and allusive work. |
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'New eyes were opened in her soul. She saw a strange creature from another world, in him. It was as if she were enchanted, and everything were metamorphosed.' In Women in Love (1920), Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, who first appeared in Lawrence's earlier novel, The Rainbow, take centre stage as Lawrence explores their growth and development in their relationships with two powerful men, Rupert Birkin and his friend Gerald Crich. A novel of regeneration and dark, destructive human passion, Women in Love reflects the impact on Lawrence of the First World War in the potential both for annihilation and salvation of the self. Quintessentially modernist, Women is Love is one of Lawrence's most extraordinary, innovative and unsettling works. |
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'I am Heathcliff — he's always, always in my mind...' Discovered on the streets of Liverpool, Heathcliff is rescued by Mr Earnshaw and taken to the remote Yorkshire farmhouse of Wuthering Heights. Earnshaw's daughter Catherine rapidly forms a passionate attachment to him, but when Catherine's brother takes over the Heights, Heathcliff is lowered to the position of a barely-tolerated farmhand. When Catherine decides to marry the refined Edgar Linton instead, Heathcliff turns revenger. He determines to degrade not only those who sought to degrade him, but their children after them. Wuthering Heights is one of the most famous love stories in the English language. It is also, as the Introduction to this edition explores, one of the most potent revenge narratives. Its ingenious narrative structure, vivid evocation of landscape, and the extraordinary power of its depiction of love and hatred have given it a unique place in English literature. This edition reproduces the authoritative Clarendon text, with revised and expanded notes and a selection from the poems of Emily Bronte. |
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Providing a wealth of synonyms and antonyms for everyday use, this revised edition of the Compact Oxford Thesaurus is ideal in helping you find the right word when writing, or for other language queries. The Compact Oxford Thesaurus provides you with the most useful synonym first, so that you can find the information you are looking for easily. It also features a two-colour layout and a very clear, open design, so that you can navigate around the thesaurus quickly. New vocabulary has been added in this revised edition, so you can be sure that your Oxford thesaurus reflects the very latest changes in the English language. Notes on frequently confused words such as affect and effect, or compliment and complement can be found throughout the text, helping you to avoid common pitfalls when writing. The centre section of the thesaurus provides practical help in using a thesaurus to improve your choice of words and to refine your writing style, as well as new material for word game and puzzle enthusiasts.The Compact Oxford Thesaurus is an invaluable tool for anyone who needs to write reports or memos at work, essays at school or college, or letters or emails to friends, and is ideal for creative writing too. It can help to expand your vocabulary, or give you vital clues in solving language puzzles and crosswords. |
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This authoritative and accessible guide to the British monarchy spans the Romano-British rulers of 55 BC to the present day House of Windsor. Generously illustrated with maps, photos, paintings, and genealogies, it contains a wealth of information on the rulers of Britain, including their policies, personalities, key dates, and legacies. There are almost 600 entries, which are organised by regions up to 1066 and by royal lines thereafter. Feature articles throughout the guide provide in-depth information on key royal topics, including Coronations, Regalia, the Tower of London, and — new to this edition — Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral. Revised and updated to include recent events, such as the second marriage of Prince Charles, this new edition also contains a topical introductory article on the changing role of the monarchy. There is a useful glossary, a list of recommended further reading, and a new appendix of recommended web links, accessed and kept up to date via a companion website. Comprehensive and elegantly written, this fascinating guide to the British monarchy is an essential reference resource for teachers and students of British history, and for anyone with an interest in Britain's rulers through the ages. |
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This is a major new edition of the Little Oxford Thesaurus offering the most accurate and up-to-date coverage of essential vocabulary for all your writing needs. It provides 140,000 alternative and opposite words, and gives the closest and most frequently used synonyms first, making the thesaurus quick and easy to use. Thousands of real examples of usage from the Oxford English Corpus show synonyms in context and help you to identify the correct sense. A brand-new Wordfinder centre section provides lists of extra words eg. types of food, clothes, transport and more, and helps you to expand your vocabulary. The Little Oxford Thesaurus is perfect for word games and for anyone who wants to increase their vocabulary or improve their writing skills. Its robust and durable format make it ideal for use at home, school, and the office. |
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Who was the first King of England? What prompted the Cat and Mouse Act? When was Wembley stadium demolished? Where did the Rebecca riots take place? How long did the Hundred Years War last? Containing more than 3,800 authoritative entries written by over 100 specialist contributors, this dictionary describes the people and events that have shaped and defined domestic, political, social, and cultural life in Britain since 55 BC. New entries to this edition include Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Gerry Adams, and Rowan Williams and existing entries on Tony Blair, Iraq, Northern Ireland, and terrorism have been updated. Following the A-Z text is an appendix of recommended web links that provide relevant and useful extra information. Web links are conveniently accessed via the Dictionary of British History companion website, where they are regularly checked and kept up to date. Derived from the highly acclaimed The Oxford Companion to British History, A Dictionary of British History has been a leading historical reference work since its publication in 2001.Now thoroughly revised and fully updated, this handy and invaluable A-Z remains essential for anyone studying or with an interest in British history as well as for those in need of a compact reference book covering 2,000 years of people, events, places, and change. |
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This wide-ranging and authoritative dictionary contains 7,000 entries covering all areas of business and management, including marketing, organizational behaviour, business strategy, law, and taxation. Written by a team of experts, it features the very latest terminology, for example, the recent vocabulary associated with structured finance and the associated subprime lending crisis, including collaterized debt obligation and special purpose vehicle. The new edition of this established bestseller dispels modern financial and management jargon, defining entries in a clear, concise, and accessible manner. It contains US business terms, general management concepts (e.g. competence, knowledge management), named theories (e.g. Tannenbaum and Schmidt, Blake and Mouton) as well as expanded coverage of the contemporary theory of the firm and human resources. New terms are included from the fast-moving areas of current affairs (e.g. MiFID), Internet business and information technology and there is full coverage of the new Companies Act. With recommended web links for many entries, accessible and kept up to date via the Dictionary of Business and Management companion website, this edition is more informative than ever. This A-Z reference work is essential for business students, teachers and professionals, and useful for anyone needing a guide to business terminology. |
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Did you know that 'flavour of the month' originated in a marketing campaign in American ice-cream parlours in the 1940s, when a particular flavour would be specially promoted for a month at a time? And did you know that 'off the cuff' refers to the rather messy practice of writing impromptu notes on one's shirt cuff before speaking in public? These and many more idioms are explained and put into context in this third edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. The volume takes a fresh look at the idiomatic phrases and sayings that make English the rich and intriguing language that it is. This major new edition contains entries for over 6,000 idioms, including 700 entirely new entries, based on Oxford's language monitoring and the ongoing third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. These include a range of recently established idioms such as 'the elephant in the corner', 'go figure', 'like a rat up a drainpipe', 'sex on legs', 'step up to the plate', 'too posh to push', 'a walk in the park', 'win ugly'. This edition also features a greatly increased number of cross-references, making it ideal for quick reference. Many entries include additional features which give more detailed background on the idiom in question. For example, did you know that 'taken aback' was adopted from nautical terminology that described a ship unable to move forward because of a strong headwind pressing its sails back against the mast? Anyone interested in the colourful side of the English language will get hours of fun browsing from this fascinating and informative volume. |
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A Dictionary of Law Enforcement is the only dictionary available with a primary focus on UK law enforcement terms. Succinct and practical in its approach, it contains over 3,400 entries covering ever aspect of this diverse field, including terms related to law, pathology, forensic medicine, accountancy, insurance, shipping, commerce and trade, criminology, and psychology. Entries are supported by a wealth of practical information, including (where appropriate) citations and references to statutes and legislation. In addition to the definitions, the dictionary also contains five useful appendices: Abbreviations and Acronyms, Recordable Offences, Disclosure Code, Disclosure Guidelines and Disclosure Protocol. Written by two former police officers, both now lecturers in law and criminal investigation, the dictionary fills a significant gap in the law market and will be invaluable to police officers and trainee officers, students and lecturers of criminology, criminal justice, and police studies, and other professionals needing clear definitions of law enforcement terms. |
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Drawing on the unique resources of the Oxford English Dictionary and offering coverage of over 6,000 slang words and expressions from the Cockney 'abaht' to the American term 'zowie', this is the most authoritative dictionary of slang from the 20th and 21st centuries. The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang is a fascinating and entertaining collection, packed with illustrative quotations and providing full details of origins and dates of first printed use. The text contains expressions from around the English-speaking world such as 'dork' and 'cockamamie' (North America) and 'giggle-house' and 'Jimmy Woodser' (Australia). As well as the A-Z listing of terms, the book contains a comprehensive thematic index, enabling users to home in on particular areas of interest, such as the body, food and drink, and human behaviour. Full of surprises, this is an essential read for word lovers and anyone with an interest in language. |
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The Oxford Essential Russian Dictionary is a new compact Russian-English and English-Russian dictionary that offers up-to-date coverage of all the essential day-to-day vocabulary with over 40,000 words and phrases and 60,000 translations. This dictionary is easy to use and ideal for travel, work, or study. The latest words in each language have been added, reflecting all aspects of life today, from computing and technology to lifestyle and business. Additional features include guides to Russian and English pronunciation, as well as help with both Russian and English verbs. The Oxford Essential Russian Dictionary is ideal for anyone in need of a handy quick reference. An essential book for the study of Russian. |
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This brand-new grammar provides clear and simple explanations of today's written and spoken Russian. Comprehensive and easy to use, with coverage of all the key points of Russian grammar, it is the ideal reference tool for beginner and intermediate students, whether at school, college, or learning on their own. Thousands of examples in an instantly accessible layout show how the language works. The verb tables are clear and easy-to-use and all grammatical terms are explained in a glossary. |
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the series of short stories that made the fortunes of the Strand magazine, in which they were first published, and won immense popularity for Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. The detective is at the height of his powers and the volume is full of famous cases, including 'The Red-Headed League', 'The Blue Carbuncle', and 'The Speckled Band'. Although Holmes gained a reputation for infallibility, Conan Doyle showed his own realism and feminism by having the great detective defeated by Irene Adler — the woman — in the very first story, 'A Scandal in Bohemia'. The editor of this volume, Richard Lancelyn Green is editor of The Uncollected Sherlock Holmes and The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. With John Michael Gibson, he compiled the Soho Series Bibliography of A. Conan Doyle. |
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