Charles Spencer Bücher

In this poignant memoir, Charles Spencer recounts the trauma of being sent away from home at age eight to attend boarding school.A Very Private School offers a clear-eyed, first-hand account of a culture of cruelty at the school Charles Spencer attended in his youth and provides important insights into an antiquated boarding system. Drawing on the memories of many of his schoolboy contemporaries, as well as his own letters and diaries from the time, he reflects on the hopelessness and abandonment he felt at aged eight, viscerally describing the intense pain of homesickness and the appalling inescapability of it all. Exploring the long-lasting impact of his experiences, Spencer presents a candid reckoning with his past and a reclamation of his childhood.

An insider's history of the Spencer family, this book tells the family's story from the sheepfarmers of the 16th century on through the 19th century when the third Earl was one of the architects of the 1832 Reform Bill, to recent years and the death of Princess Diana.

'As gripping as any thriller. History doesn't get any better than this' BILL BRYSON 'A brilliant read ... Game of Thrones but in the real world' ANTHONY HOROWITZ

On August 18, 1648, with no relief from the siege in sight, the royalist garrison holding Colchester Castle surrendered and Oliver Cromwell's army firmly ended the rule of Charles I of England. To send a clear message to the fallen monarch, the rebels executed four of the senior officers captured at the castle. Yet still, the king refused to accept he had lost the war. As France and other allies mobilized in support of Charles, a tribunal was hastily gathered and a death sentence was passed. On January 30, 1649, the King of England was executed. This is the account of the fifty-nine regicides, the men who signed Charles I's death warrant

The narrative paints a vivid picture of Tuscany as a realm of city-states, belltowers, and rich traditions, emphasizing its cultural heritage through the lens of its renowned artists. While Leonardo da Vinci receives no mention and Michelangelo is only briefly referenced, the author delves deeply into the works and influences of Piero della Francesca and Caravaggio, highlighting the region's artistic legacy and its connection to fine red wine and local customs.

In January 1649, King Charles I was executed, leading Britain into a republic. His son, Charles, returned in 1651 to reclaim the throne but faced defeat at Worcester, where thousands of his supporters fell. With his dreams seemingly shattered, capture appeared inevitable. Standing six foot two with dark skin inherited from his mother, Charles was hard to miss. The next six weeks would become a legendary chapter in his life as he evaded Cromwell's soldiers and a hefty bounty on his head. Utilizing disguise, deception, and sheer determination, he endured immense hardships, including hiding in an oak tree—an event so iconic that over 400 pubs are named Royal Oak in tribute. Lesser-known episodes include witnessing a village celebrate his supposed death and a medical student suffering due to their resemblance. He cleverly disguised himself as a servant and as part of an eloping couple. After eventually regaining the throne as Charles II, he recounted his thrilling escape to Samuel Pepys, who documented the adventures. This gripping narrative, based on extensive archival research, draws on Pepys's accounts and others to vividly recount this extraordinary true story.

Detektivní román s již známým hrdinou, divadelním novinářem Willem Bensonem, který tentokrát z existenčních důvodů opouští své prestižní zaměstnání, aby začal psát pro erotický časopis lechtivé příběhy. Will se nachází v choulostivé situaci, během níž vyhledá sympatickou prostitutku Sophii. Nic není tak, jak se může na první pohled zdát... Během své druhé návštěvy najde Sophii s rozbitým obličejem a uříznutým jazykem. Existuje jistá nahrávka, kterou mu důveřivá prostitutka podstrčí, podle které by mohl Will vypátrat podlého násilníka. Sám je však v očích policie podezřelým a proto se musí chovat více než obezřetně.