Jaime Zulaika Knihy

Passionate, perceptive and eloquent, the short stories of Truman Capote are among the greatest works of twentieth century American fiction. This new collection gathers them all together for the first time: from early, eerie Southern Gothic tales such as 'Miriam' and 'The Headless Hawk', to the brilliantly evocative 'Children On Their Birthdays' and the tenderly autobiographical 'A Christmas Memory' - an affectionate portrayal of Capote's own Alabama upbringing. Whether describing the Deep South of his childhood, or considering city life with the penetrating gaze of an outsider - as in 'Among the Paths to Eden' and the hitherto unpublished 'The Bargain' these stories rank among Capote's finest work: acutely observed tales from a unique and brilliant mind.

„V priebehu niekoľkých mesiacov som sa stal svedkom dvoch udalostí, ktoré ma desia najviac na svete: smrť dieťaťa pre jeho rodičov a smrť mladej ženy pre jej deti a manžela. Niekto mi vtedy povedal: ty si spisovateľ, prečo nenapíšeš náš príbeh? Bola to objednávka, ja som ju prijal. A tak sa stalo, že som začal rozprávať o priateľstve medzi mužom a ženou. V tejto knihe sa hovorí o živote a smrti, o chorobe, o krajnej chudobe, o spravodlivosti a najmä o láske. Všetko je v nej pravdivé...“

Dokonale zvládnutý príbeh, inšpirovaný skutočnou udalosťou. Jean-Claude Romand, hlavná postava diela Protivník, 9. januára 1993 zavraždil svoju ženu, svoje dve deti, svojich rodičov a potom sa neúspešne pokúsil o samovraždu. Vyšetrovanie odhalilo, že Romand nebol lekárom, ako to o sebe tvrdil, a čo bolo ešte neuveriteľnejšie, nemal ani nijaké iné povolanie.

Julian Barnes vo svojom diele – ostatne, britská kritika ho označila za jeho najlepšiu knihu – Arthur & George ponúka čitateľovi kriminálny román, ktorý sa zakladá na skutočných udalostiach. V edwardovskom Anglicku bola táto kauza známa ako Výčiny v Great Wyrley. Julian Barnes oživí tento dávno zabudnutý prípad so zmesou intenzívneho výskumu a živej predstavivosti, no ponára sa aj do sveta týchto veľmi dvoch odlišných mužov. Je to román, v ktorom udalosti spred storočia vyvolávajú okamžité súčasné ozveny, román o podlom zločine a hlbokej spiritualite, vine a nevinnosti, identite, národnosti a rase. Väčšina z toho je prenikavá a dojímavá úvaha o osudných rozdieloch medzi tým, v čo veríme a čo môžeme dokázať.

Clive Dunlop was a masseur of exceptional talents. His 'services' were much in demand amongst the great and the good and after his untimely death at the age of 34 they - the film stars and politicians, the writers and publishers, the TV pundits and celebrity chefs - are gathered for his memorial service. The conduct of the service is a great worry for the priest taking the service but it proves to be a test for the congregation. This is Alan Bennett at his absolute best with an exceptional satire. It is a perfect work of fiction but it will give readers the extra frisson of pleasure of identifying many of the characters, including even the masseur. This is a small masterpiece.

Gore Vidal, one of the master stylists of American literature and one of the most acute observers of American life and history, turns his immense literary and historiographic talent to a portrait of the formidable trio of George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson.<p>In Inventing a Nation, Vidal transports the reader into the minds, the living rooms (and bedrooms), the convention halls, and the salons of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and other key figures who helped found the American Republic. Vidal's splendid and percipient prose animates key moments of decision in the birthing of our nation, and we come to know these men in ways we have not until now - their opinions of each other, their worries about money, their concerns about creating a viable democracy. Vidal brings them to life and illuminates the force and weight of the documents they wrote, the speeches they gave, and the institutions of government they fashioned. Above all, Inventing a Nation presents a powerful, compassionate, immensely moving portrait of George Washington, whose resolution, integrity, and intelligence rescued the fledgling Republic many times in its early days.</p>