Few have doubted Kipling's literary genius but for much of the 20th century progressive opinion has caricatured him as the bard of racism, the poet of savagery, the versifier of militarism. Gilmour focuses on Kipling's complex relationship with the British Empire, and shows that these caricatures do not do justice to the poet's nuanced views. To take only one example, Kipling was perfectly aware of the foibles of his fellow Anglo-Indians, and he often paid tribute to the nobility of ordinary Indians. But he was also aware that British rule over the Subcontinent was a great force for peace and stability. The Bloomsbury set jeered his views but he was proven tragically right after Indian independence, which resulted in a bloodbath. Let us hope that Kipling is not proven even more correct in the event of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan.

Rudyard Kipling was both a great writer and a representative figure of the British Empire, dabbling in both politics and exploration and winning the Nobel Prize in literature. This biography is the first to examine not only his writing, but his world: The Long Recessional considers the history of his times and provides a lively, revealing probe of the man's changes.

The fact that Gilmour explores Kipling's writing in terms of these themes and how they reflected aspects of his character is a clear indication that this book is no hagiography. The focus here is on the subject of empire and as the subtitle says it is all about: "The Imperial Life of Rudyard Kipling". Gilmour quotes Kipling as saying that empire was "the fabric of my mental and physical existence." Kipling seemed to see empire as some divine right of England:

GOD of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine
Lord god of Hosts be with us yet,
Lest we forget - lest we forget!
(Recessional)

It's this thinking that Gilmour focuses on and thus Kipling's life and works can't be seen as anything but a study in THE LONG RECESSIONAL. That's one emphasis; another is what Gilmour identifies as the "two sides to [Kipling's] head". With this he's looking at writings that were chauvinistic, ultra-nationalistic and even racist. Poems such as "The Female of the Species" and "Fuzzy-Wuzzy" being cases in point. Gilmour then shows the other side of the man's head with writings depicting his compassion and humanity - "If" for instance. Kipling's life can't be completely studied outside the context of family and the sadness of losing children and an unhappy marriage. The times and circumstances through which he lived also influenced him. Being born in colonial India and living through the Boer war and WWI all served to paint the lens through which Kipling saw and wrote about life in a rosy imperial tint.

I read this book many years ago when it was first published. It still remains one of my favorite books even as an adult. Jenny truly shows the allure of how many adolescents get involved in drugs and then turns around and shows you what it can do to people. At first it seems to glorify the drug use, until Jenny soon realizes how her drug use almost destroys all that she cares about in her life! A must read!

Ask Me If I Care, by H.B. Gilmour is a must-read by anyone who has ever had any experience in any way around drugs. It tells exactly what it's like being a teenager and being faced with all the dillemas that go along with it. I enjoyed it very much and give it a 5 star rating just because it is the best book I've read in a long time. Anyone who has been in those situations or knows someone personally that has been will be able to relate very well to the perfectly written feelings that Gilmour has relayed to us.

George Curzon was born in the Victorian era with an extremely privileged family background. This excellent biography relates the multiple rises / falls in his career - I enjoyed the book because of the insightful account of the timeless contradictions of Curzon's character; he was born to an aristocratic family, yet worked incredibly hard all his life; he inspired great loyalty amongst those who worked with him, but thoughtless offense to other senior political figures contributed to missed opportunities; hopelessly out-dated on issues such as women's rights and empire, his views on foreign policy issues were well ahead of his time. David Gilmour gives a great overview of a life which started at the time of the Great Exhibition and ended just before Britain's humiliations of the Gold Standard in the 1930s. People who enjoyed Titan (Rockefeller) may well enjoy this account of a flawed but dynamically positive man.

Lord Curzon was a major figure in British politics at the turn of the century. Immensely accomplished as well as ambitious, he served in several of the highest postions in government, including as Foreign Secretary and Viceroy of India. It is Gilmour's achievement that he manages to convey the complexities of the man, his overweening ambition, his insecurities and also, his tremendous drive to succeed. This a greatly detailed biography, but it is at the same time also very readable. It does not bog down in the minutiae of detail, and keeps a very articulately expressed story-line going. A book of immense interest to those keen on the politics and social and cultural history of that era.

Very funny first novel from David Gilmour. As noted above it's a humorous update of Under the Volcanoe.

Arthur Lydiard is the man that pioneered jogging and brought success to a generation of athletes from New Zealand. the author David Wright is a renowned swim coach and in this book he shows how Lydiard's philosophy can be applied to swimming
While this book is gerared to coaches both beginners and experienced even solo swimmers training on their own will get alot out of this book.Not full of drills or learn to swim instruction this book will aid in establishing a good mental approach and more importantly will let swimmers have a plan and sense of direction.
Written in an easy reading style most of Wright's stories or examples are about swimmers in New Zealand and not world house hold name swimmers but this doesn't lessen the relevance or meaning behind then.Wright is an old school coach and his views on training and diet are logical and refreshingly succint in this age of high tech jargonism.photographs are not in huge number but break up the text enough to keep interest high.
The book is if anything a text book on coaching and those looking for a learn to swim will be better steered to other books which deal with this topic.
Overall a good interesting read that will benefit any competitive swim coach or athlete.

As a music fan, there are two things you want to add to your experience, a songlist compilation and a biography. Anything more is really too much, but in the case of groundbreaking album cover art, and knowing Pink Floyd's history of employing visual effects in their shows, a book like this is necessary, especially since albums are gone now, and the tiny graphics you get on a CD jewel case don't compare with the stuff promoters used to jam into album jackets. This book is a trip into Storm Thurgeson's head, not necessarily Floyd's. The difference is not much since Storm was a boyhood chum, and listened so well to his employer's ideas, instead of pushing his own. That's one reason the band was so successful musically as well, was Hypnosis' reliance on the members' themes. This book is not a graphic artist's design book, though I wish it were, but it would be tons bigger. It covers 30 years (and not even all the Floyd's covers (for instance, The Wall)). But you will appreciate the fact that Storm operated more under impluse as a designer than by today's modern design houses which try to render graphics in a production line style...can't be done. The author's bylines give us insight if not in technical process, then in the intellect process, and it's good fun knowing this guy was a friend to the Floyd for a LONG time, even having to uncomfortably stand in the middle of relationships for the 'Is There Anybody Out There?' live Wall issue. All in all, I'd give 5 stars for the artwork and presentation, but lose half of one for lack of technical explanation. Enjoy!

Few people have been more closely associated with Pink Floyd over the band's 30-year career than graphic designer Storm Thorgerson. And virtually no one (outside the band members themselves) has been more responsible for the mystique that shrouds the band and its music.

In "Mind Over Matter", Thorgerson explains in some detail the concepts and techniques behind the creation of some of the most evocative and memorable images in the history of Rock and Roll. With stories and recollections dating back to the band's foundations in the mid-sixties, Thorgerson goes piece-by-piece through most of the band's catalogue, recounting not only how he and his team created the images, but also detailing what they are meant to represent and how they relate to the music.

The book features beautiful color reproductions of the band's album covers, lyrics layouts, and CD booklets. (All but two Floyd albums-- "The Wall" and "The Final Cut"-- are included ; these are omitted because Thorgerson was, in his own words, "temporarily relieved of [his] duties" for these albums.) But the biggest treat to the serious fan are the reproductions and discussionsof lesser-known images, such as a tour promo and program from 1975, and artwork specially conceived for the 'deluxe' boxed set "Shine On". Also included are the designs for the remastered and repackaged CD releases of the Floyd's albums, as well as some art which was apparently created just for this book.

As a full-sized coffee table book, "Mind Over Matter" is gorgeous to look at. Thorgerson's text, which is witty and insightful, makes for a good read. All in all, no Pink Floyd fan should be disappointed.

What do you get when you cross art and the greatest rock band in history? A materpiece! If I had the chance, I would give this book a million stars!

Storm Thorgerson, mastermind behind most of Pink Floyd's album artwork, has compiled almost all of the rare, unusual, interesting, and familiar pieces. It also includes stories on how they (the art) came to be (which, by the way, sheds a light on the innovative genius of the band). It goes from the early years of Syd Barrett to the post-Waters era. This book is a must for any Floyd fan, especially one who is interested in the history and progress of the band.

A collection of Di Lampedusa's writings aside from his great novel. The memoirs of the author's youth in aristocratic Sicily are delightful to read; clearly the atmosphere of the Leopard was taken from Di Lampedusa's own life. The stories are also quite good. The literary criticism is somewhat out of place, in my opinion, alongside a collection of narrative. If you liked the Leopard, this is definitely worth reading.

Everybody has to read this book, especially the siren, this story collect all the dreams of a man, and let us to think that when we find the right woman, the right love, we can't forget it, we can't substitute it, we can't hide it to ourselves.The author with a very simple story express the meaning of the love, the pure love...read it, I can just tell you this...and you'll dream...you'll smile

I think that everybody has to read this book, especially the siren, this story collect all the dreams of a man, and let us to think that when we find the right woman, the right love, we can't forget it, we can't substitute it, we can't hide it to ourselves.The author with a very simple story express the meaning of the love, the pure love...read it, I can just tell you this...and you'll dream...you'll smile.

This book is very interesting to mw because the girl is very different. She does not seem to care what people think of her. I liked the fact that she met Blane but I don't like how his friends pressured him. If they were his friends they did not have to accept his girlfriend becaue she was not their girlfriend.

I loved this book, like the title says. I am very disappointed that the publisher stopped printing it because everyone should read it. The book basically follows the same way that the classic movie does. All the characters and everything that happens is basically the same, i don't really want to give anything away so--read it!

I agree with the previous review - Catcher in The Rye does come to mind. But Lost Between Houses falls short matching the Salinger classic. In fact, the novel read like a comic book at times. True to the cover notes though, the ending is very surprising and represents the best writing in the book. A good, light cottage read.

This book is awesome. I love the fact that he can actually write about a teenager, and make the book seem so real. The relationships that Simon has to deal with, and the things that go on within his life seem so realistic. David Gilmour is an awesome author, because it's like he's a teenager himself. Teenagers have a lot of [stuff] to deal with during those years, and in this book Simon has to confront all of them. Good JOB Mr. Gilmour!!

This book is absolutly amazing. It's similar to the catcher in the rye but the main character is, in my opinion, more complex in that you both hate and love him. This book really touched my heart and brought me to tears, i highly recommend it to anyone interested in psychology, especially in regard to young people. Gilmour made me believe entirely that he was a sixteen year old, mixed up kid. Delicious.

this book is full of self-created misadventures by a love-sick college professor...i am not sure whether or not it is intentionally humorous but i found it to be hilarious in its bleak blackness...one bad thing after another for this poor self-involved creature...well worth reading....slim and captivating.

Very elegant. Very droll. Very Nabokovian.