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Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death (Jewish Lives)
by Lillian FadermanHarvey Milk—eloquent, charismatic, and a smart-aleck—was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, but he had not even served a full year in office when he was shot by a homophobic fellow supervisor. Milk’s assassination at the age of forty-eight made him the most famous gay man in modern history; twenty years later Time magazine included him on its list of the hundred most influential individuals of the twentieth century. Before finding his calling as a politician, however, Harvey variously tried being a schoolteacher, a securities analyst on Wall Street, a supporter of Barry Goldwater, a Broadway theater assistant, a bead-wearing hippie, the operator of a camera store and organizer of the local business community in San Francisco. He rejected Judaism as a religion, but he was deeply influenced by the cultural values of his Jewish upbringing and his understanding of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. His early influences and his many personal and professional experiences finally came together when he decided to run for elective office as the forceful champion of gays, racial minorities, women, working people, the disabled, and senior citizens. In his last five years, he focused all of his tremendous energy on becoming a successful public figure with a distinct political voice.
Hashim Amla: Road to Glory
by Jeremy DanielHashim Amla began his career in Tongaat, Durban, where he and his brother played cricket in the street in front of their neighbourhood mosque. Hashim was noticed by scouts and won a place at the prestigious DHS school, where he made a name for himself as a schoolboy cricketing prodigy. Through many highs and lows, he developed into an international sporting star – one who stayed true to his background while changing the nature of South African cricket for the better.
Hashish: A Smuggler's Tale
by Henry De MonfreidNobleman, writer, adventurer and inspiration for the swashbuckling gun runner in the Adventures of Tintin, Henri de Monfried lived by his own account ‘a rich, restless, magnificent life’ as one of the great travellers of his or any age. Infamous as well as famous, his name is inextricably linked to the Red Sea and the raffish ports between Suez and Aden in the early years of the twentieth century. This is a compelling account of how de Monfried seeks his fortune by becoming a collector and merchant of the fabled Gulf pearls, then is drawn into the shadowy world of arms trading, slavery, smuggling and drugs. Hashish was the drug of choice, and de Monfried writes of sailing to Suez with illegal cargos, dodging blockades and pirates.
Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh
by Joyce TyldesleyQueen - or, as she would prefer to be remembered King - Hatchepsut was an astonishing woman. Brilliantly defying tradition she became the female embodiment of a male role, dressing in men's clothes and even wearing a false beard. Forgotten until Egptologists deciphered hieroglyphics in the 1820's, she has since been subject to intense speculation about her actions and motivations. Combining archaeological and historical evidence from a wide range of sources, Joyce Tyldesley's dazzling piece of detection strips away the myths and misconceptions and finally restores the female pharaoh to her rightful place.
Hatching Twitter: A True Story Of Money, Power, Friendship, And Betrayal
by Nick BiltonNew York Times BestsellerWall Street Journal Business BestsellerEvening Standard pick Favourite Books of 2013, Sunday Business PostTHE ULTIMATE 21ST CENTURY BUSINESS STORYEv told Jack he had to 'chill out' with the deluge of media he was doing. 'It's bad for the company,' Ev said. 'It's sending the wrong message.' Biz sat between them, watching like a spectator at a tennis match.'But I invented Twitter,' Jack said.'No, you didn't invent Twitter,' Ev replied. 'I didn't invent Twitter either. Neither did Biz. People don't invent things on the Internet. They simply expand on an idea that already exsists.'Since 2006, Twitter has grown from the accidental side project of a failing internet start-up, to a global icon that by 2013 had become an $11.5bn business. But the full story of Twitter's hatching has never been told before.In his revelatory new book, New York Times journalist Nick Bilton takes readers behind the scenes of Twitter as it grew at exponential speeds, and inside the heads of the four hackers who created it: ambitious millionaire Evan Williams; tattooed mastermind Jack Dorsey; joker and diplomat Biz Stone; and Noah Glass, the shy but energetic geek who invested his whole life in Twitter, only to be kicked out and expunged from the company's official history.Combining unprecedented access with exhaustive investigative reporting, and drawing on hundreds of sources, documents and internal e-mails, HATCHING TWITTER is a blistering drama of betrayed friendships and high-stakes power struggles. A business story like no other, it will shock, expose and inspire.
The Hate Race
by Maxine Beneba ClarkeShortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for Non-FictionShortlisted for the Stella Prize 2017'Against anything I had ever been told was possible, I was turning white. On the surface of my skin, a miracle was quietly brewing . . .'Suburban Australia. Sweltering heat. Three bedroom blonde-brick. Family of five. Beat-up Ford Falcon. Vegemite on toast. Maxine Beneba Clarke's life is just like all the other Aussie kids on her street.Except for this one, glaring, inescapably obvious thing.From one of Australia's most exciting writers, and the author of the multi-award-winning FOREIGN SOIL, comes THE HATE RACE: a powerful, funny, and at times devastating memoir about growing up black in white middle-class Australia.
Hatred of America's Presidents: Personal Attacks on the White House from Washington to Trump
by Lori Cox HanThis work examines expressions of personal hostility and animosity toward presidents—even beloved ones—throughout American history and their impact on policymaking, politics, and culture.People involved or simply interested in politics often ask whether today's political environment is more toxic than ever before. Hatred of America's Presidents: Personal Attacks on the White House from Washington to Trump presents an impartial and authoritative history of invective toward the White House so readers can determine the answer for themselves.The book focuses on the most representative and commonplace attacks of a vitriolic and personal nature, detailing who instigated and trafficked in the attacks and how presidents, administrations, and political parties defended themselves. It also illustrates how honest disagreements about policy—such as FDR's New Deal, Ronald Reagan's Central America policies, George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq, and Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act—fueled expressions of hatred and condemnation. Finally, the book includes perspectives from both the right and the left on the legitimacy of these attacks and the victims' defenses as well as their impact on American politics and policy.
Hatred of America's Presidents: Personal Attacks on the White House from Washington to Trump
by Lori Cox HanThis work examines expressions of personal hostility and animosity toward presidents—even beloved ones—throughout American history and their impact on policymaking, politics, and culture.People involved or simply interested in politics often ask whether today's political environment is more toxic than ever before. Hatred of America's Presidents: Personal Attacks on the White House from Washington to Trump presents an impartial and authoritative history of invective toward the White House so readers can determine the answer for themselves.The book focuses on the most representative and commonplace attacks of a vitriolic and personal nature, detailing who instigated and trafficked in the attacks and how presidents, administrations, and political parties defended themselves. It also illustrates how honest disagreements about policy—such as FDR's New Deal, Ronald Reagan's Central America policies, George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq, and Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act—fueled expressions of hatred and condemnation. Finally, the book includes perspectives from both the right and the left on the legitimacy of these attacks and the victims' defenses as well as their impact on American politics and policy.
Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire: Partner and Rival of Ramesses the Great
by Trevor BryceThis gripping biography documents the life and reign of Hattusili, one of the most famous and well-documented Hittite rulers. Hattusili ruled over the ancient kingdom of Anatolia (modern Turkey) during the 2nd millennium BC and was a political rival and, at the same time, treaty-partner of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses the Great. Trevor Bryce offers a chronological account of Hattusili, charting the rise of the Bronze Age Hittite prince from a sickly childhood to become – by ruthless ambition, an illegal coup and a civil war – the most powerful ruler of the ancient Near East.Incorporating the most up-to-date archaeological material, including the archive of clay tablets and new information about the astonishingly small size of the Hittite capital Hattusa, Bryce provides the reader with a detailed examination of Hattusili's policies and military strategies. Alongside these historical accounts, Bryce weaves in imaginative reconstructions of pivotal moments in the ruler's life, giving you a complete picture of Hattusili's remarkable military skills and impressive political prowess.
Hattusili, the Hittite Prince Who Stole an Empire: Partner and Rival of Ramesses the Great
by Trevor BryceThis gripping biography documents the life and reign of Hattusili, one of the most famous and well-documented Hittite rulers. Hattusili ruled over the ancient kingdom of Anatolia (modern Turkey) during the 2nd millennium BC and was a political rival and, at the same time, treaty-partner of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses the Great. Trevor Bryce offers a chronological account of Hattusili, charting the rise of the Bronze Age Hittite prince from a sickly childhood to become – by ruthless ambition, an illegal coup and a civil war – the most powerful ruler of the ancient Near East.Incorporating the most up-to-date archaeological material, including the archive of clay tablets and new information about the astonishingly small size of the Hittite capital Hattusa, Bryce provides the reader with a detailed examination of Hattusili's policies and military strategies. Alongside these historical accounts, Bryce weaves in imaginative reconstructions of pivotal moments in the ruler's life, giving you a complete picture of Hattusili's remarkable military skills and impressive political prowess.
Haughey
by Gary MurphyWith exclusive access to the Haughey archives, Gary Murphy presents a reassessment of Charles Haughey’s life and legacy.Saint or sinner? Charles Haughey was, depending on whom you ask, either the great villain of Irish political life or the benevolent and forward-thinking saviour of a benighted nation. He was undoubtedly the most talented and influential politician of his generation, yet the very roots of his success – his charisma, his intelligence, his ruthlessness, his secrecy – have rendered almost impossible any objective evaluation of his life and work.That is, until now. Based on unfettered access to Haughey’s personal archives, as well as extensive interviews with more than eighty of his peers, rivals, confidants and relatives, Haughey is a rich and nuanced portrait of a man of prodigious gifts, who, for all his flaws and many contradictions, came to define modern Ireland.’A superbly balanced exploration of the life and politics of one of the most fascinating figures in 20th century Ireland.’ Professor John Horgan‘An indispensable read for anyone with an interest in modern Irish history.’ David McCullagh‘Offers much new detail – and not a few surprises – about the personality and career of a political titan who is still, in equal measure, revered and reviled in 21st century Ireland.’ Conor Brady
Haughey’s Millions – On the Trail of Charlie’s Money: The Bestselling Exposé of the Life and Debts of an Irish Taoiseach
by Colm KeenaUntangle the financial history of Charlie Haughey, Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, in Haughey’s Millions, the must-read, bestselling exposé of one of Ireland’s most controversial politiciansColm Keena, acclaimed Irish Times investigative journalist, examines the extraordinary career of Charlie ‘the Boss’ Haughey, the backbench TD who became Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and left a financial legacy that lingered long after his retirement from political life.As a politician, Haughey made a huge contribution to Irish life: he played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process and he laid the foundations for the prosperity that arrived with the Celtic Tiger. But Haughey’s Millions does not deal with Haughey’s political history; instead Keena uncovers the subject that Haughey most wanted to avoid and you’ll most want to read: the truth about his money.From elections to tribunal appearances, Haughey dominated the Irish political landscape from the ’60s to the ’90s and always lived visibly beyond his means. From his princely accommodation in Kinsealy to his penchant for horses, Haughey’s extravagant spending made him look like a rich man on a TD’s salary.In Haughey’s Millions, Keena traces the origins of Haughey’s lavish lifestyle back to the ’50s and to his early life as a partner in Haughey, Boland & Co. Moving chronologically forward, Keena looks at Haughey’s early involvement with Des Traynor and his developing relationships with property developers and other key entrepreneurs and business figures. Keena’s investigations take him up to the Moriarty and McCracken tribunals of the mid-’90s, set up to investigate the alleged financial corruption at the heart of Haughey’s infamous political reign.Under the microscope of Keena’s investigations, Haughey’s financial dealings are revealed. In Haughey’s Millions, Keena gives you the whole tangled story of a politician who lived like a prince, from beginning to ignominious end.Haughey’s Millions: Table of ContentsIntroductionPart One: 1925–1987A Descendant of KingsThe Tax Commissioner’s ResidenceThe Wilderness YearsBanking SecretsHorse Dealers and HoteliersHelping CiaránPart Two: 1987–1992Back in BusinessTralee AgainA New DiscipleMoney for the BossBrian LenihanFinancial ServicesTaxing the TaoiseachPart Three: 1992–Bowing Out GracefullyHelicopters AgainAn Innocent BystanderDisclosureEndgameThe Case for the Defence
The Haunt of Home: A Journey through America's Heartland
by Zachary Michael JackWhat does it mean to deeply love a home place that haunts us still? From Mark Twain to Grant Wood to Garrison Keillor, regionalists from the Gilded Age to the Digital Age have explored the American Gothic and the homegrown fatalism that flourish in many of the nation's most far-flung and forgotten places. The Haunt of Home introduces us to a cast of real-life Midwestern characters grappling with the Gothic in their own lives, from promising young professionals debating the perennial "Should I stay or should I go" dilemma, to recent émigrés and entrepreneurs seeking personal reinvention, to faithful boosters determined to keep their communities alive despite the odds. In The Haunt of Home Zachary Michael Jack considers the many ways a region's abiding spirit shapes the ethos of a land and its people, offering portraits of others who, like himself, are determined to live out the unique promise and predicament of the Gothic.
Haunted by Harvard: Continents of Exile: 8
by Ved MehtaBook 8 in Ved Mehta's Continents of Exile series. Nearly 50 years in the making, Continents of Exile is one of the great works of twentieth-century autobiography: the epic chronicle of an Indian family in the twentieth century. From 1930s India to 1950s Oxford and literary New York in the 1960s-80s, this is the story of the post-colonial twentieth century, as uniquely experienced and vividly recounted by Ved Mehta.Veritas continues Mehta's journey through education: this time as a Ph.D. student and Residential Fellow at Harvard. His experience illustrates the dramatic changes in institutional habits and behaviour that were to take places in the late 1960s, as well as how dramatically out-of-touch many senior lecturers were to the societal mood around them.
Haunting Cries: Stories of child abuse in Catholic Ireland
by Karen Coleman‘I hear people say now, “Oh, this is an historical thing.” It’s not historical for me. I can reach out my hand and touch it.’ Survivor of child abuse at Daingean reformatoryIn their own words, survivors of institutional abuse outline how they suffered years of mistreatment while incarcerated in industrial schools throughout Ireland. Their experiences reflect what happened to thousands of children who were locked up in institutions run by religious orders. Their stories also illustrate the power of the human spirit and the extraordinary survival instincts of those who endured these schools.Written by Karen Coleman, one of Ireland's finest broadcasters and journalists, this important book highlights the full scale of the physical, emotional and sexual abuse that took place in Irish religious institutions. Haunting Cries brings this tragic tale of systemic abuse up-to-date to include the publication of, and fall-out from, the Ryan Commission Report and the set-up of the Residential Institutions Redress Board.
The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story
by Kate Summerscale'A page-turner with the authority of history' PHILIPPA GREGORY'As gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read' SARAH WATERS'An empathetic, meticulous account of a spiritual unravelling; a tribute to the astonishing power of the human mind - but also a properly absorbing, baffling, satisfying detective story' AIDA EDEMARIAMLondon, 1938. Alma Fielding, an ordinary young woman, begins to experience supernatural events in her suburban home. Nandor Fodor – a Jewish-Hungarian refugee and chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical research – begins to investigate. In doing so he discovers a different and darker type of haunting: trauma, alienation, loss – and the foreshadowing of a nation's worst fears. As the spectre of Fascism lengthens over Europe, and as Fodor's obsession with the case deepens, Alma becomes ever more disturbed. With rigour, daring and insight, the award-winning pioneer of historical narrative non-fiction Kate Summerscale shadows Fodor's enquiry, delving into long-hidden archives to find the human story behind a very modern haunting.
The Haunting of Alma Fielding: SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2020
by Kate SummerscaleSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 'A page-turner with the authority of history' PHILIPPA GREGORY'As gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read' SARAH WATERS'A wonderful book about the world of mediums' HILARY MANTEL, Open Book, BBC Radio 4London, 1938. Alma Fielding, an ordinary young woman, begins to experience supernatural events in her suburban home. Nandor Fodor – a Jewish-Hungarian refugee and chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical research – begins to investigate. In doing so he discovers a different and darker type of haunting: trauma, alienation, loss – and the foreshadowing of a nation's worst fears. As the spectre of Fascism lengthens over Europe, and as Fodor's obsession with the case deepens, Alma becomes ever more disturbed. With rigour, daring and insight, the award-winning pioneer of historical narrative non-fiction Kate Summerscale shadows Fodor's enquiry, delving into long-hidden archives to find the human story behind a very modern haunting.'An empathetic, meticulous account of a spiritual unravelling; a tribute to the astonishing power of the human mind - but also a properly absorbing, baffling, satisfying detective story' AIDA EDEMARIAMA PICK OF THE AUTUMN IN THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, OBSERVER AND THE GUARDIAN
Haunts of the Black Masseur: The Swimmer as Hero
by Charles Sprawson Amy LiptrotA new re-issue of the cult swimming classic, twenty-five years after its first publication.WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY AMY LIPTROT‘A luminously romantic history of swimming’ GuardianHaunts of the Black Masseur is a dazzling introduction to the great swimming heroes, from Byron leaping into the surf at Shelley's funeral to Hart Crane diving to his death in the Bay of Mexico. Bursting with anecdote, Charles Sprawson leads us into a watery world populated by lithe demi-gods – a world that has obsessed humans from the ancient Greeks and Romans, to Yeats, Woolf, Fitzgerald and Hockney. Original, enticing and dripping with references to literature, film, art and Olympic history, this cult swimming classic pays sparkling tribute to water and the cultural meanings we attach to it.‘This splendid and wholly original book is as zestful as a plunge in champagne’ Iris Murdoch
Have a Butcher's: The Making of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
by Stephen MarcusWhen Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was released in 1998, few would have prophesied quite the impact this low-budget crime comedy would have. Almost overnight it became a cultural phenomenon, launched the careers of Guy Ritchie, Matthew Vaughn and Jason Statham, amongst others, and spawned a television series and numerous British gangster film rip-offs in the process. But box office gold didn’t come without huge upheaval, and the making of the film was often fraught. In Have a Butcher’s, actor Stephen Marcus (Nick The Greek in the film) recounts the on-set dramas, the behind-the-scenes banter, his initial meeting with Guy Ritchie, the subsequent trips to Hollywood as the boys basked in success and critical acclaim, and the numerous financial problems that were only solved when Sting and Trudie Styler came on board. Drawing upon interviews with his co-stars, never-before-seen photos and original storyboards, Stephen tells the story of a film that has become a firm cult favourite.
Have A Cigar!: The Memoir of the Man Behind Pink Floyd, T. Rex, The Jam and George Michael
by Bryan MorrisonWhen the music impresario Bryan Morrison died aged 66 in 2008, after two years in a coma following a polo accident, he left behind his unpublished memoir. As a music publisher, manager and agent, Morrison had represented the Pretty Things, Pink Floyd, T. Rex, The Jam, Wham! and many others. He was the founder and owner of the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club.In this candid and outspoken book, Morrison reveals the true stories behind why Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd once bit his finger to the bone, the Pretty Things were banned for life from New Zealand, and he became involved with the Kray Twins. He also tells how The Jam kissed goodbye to success in the USA, he received death threats when Robin Gibb left the Bee Gees, and signing a publishing deal with George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley as Wham! Spanning the golden age of British rock ’n’ roll from the 60s to the 80s, this is the extraordinary story of a cigar-chomping, East End entrepreneur, with a passion for art and design, fashion, music and polo.
Have I Said Too Much?: My Life In and Out of The Model Agency
by Carole WhiteThere are model agents and there is Carole White …Every decade in Carole White’s life has been extraordinary, from her childhood in Colonial Ghana, her rebellious teenage years and own modelling career, to spending 30 years at the helm of her iconic London agency Premier.Christy, Naomi, Linda, Claudia, Cindy … White has shaped the careers of the most superlative names ever to grace a catwalk and was at the centre of the 90s supermodel storm in all its glory, drama and excess.There have been landmark court cases, size zero debates, tantrums and triumphs. And who could forget her starring role as the much-loved ‘witch’ in award-winning reality show The Model Agency?Carole’s got opinions and she’s not afraid to share them. Have I Said Too Much? is the frank and revealing story of the grande dame of modelling, as well as an exclusive insight in to this thrilling, glamorous and chaotic industry.
Have A Little Faith: A True Story
by Mitch AlbomWill you do my eulogy?With those words, Mitch Albom begins his long-awaited return to non-fiction. His journey to honour the last request of a beloved clergyman ultimately leads him to rekindle his own long-ignored faith. Albom spends years exploring churches and synagogues, the suburbs and the city, the "us" versus "them" of religion. Slowly, he gravitates to an inner-city pastor of a crumbling church that houses the homeless, and is stunned at how similar belief can be. As his own beloved cleric slowly lets go, Albom writes his final farewell, having learned that a faithful heart comes in many forms and places.
Havel: A Life
by Michael ZantovskyThis startling biography explores the remarkable life of an iconic figure of the twentieth century, Václav Havel, author and dissident, who became the first president of the Czech Republic.Vaclav Havel: iconoclast and philosopher king, an internationally successful playwright who became a political dissident and then, reluctantly, a president. His pivotal role in the Velvet Revolution and the modern Czech Republic makes him a key figure of the twentieth century. Michael Zantovsky was one of Havel's closest confidants. They lived through the revolution and during Havel's first presidency Zantovsky was his press secretary, speech writer and translator. Their friendship endured until Havel's death in 2011, making him a rare witness to this most extraordinary life.
Having and Being Had
by Eula BissAn incisive collection from award-winning author Eula Biss, Having and Being Had is a personal reckoning with the intricacies of money, class and capitalism.'A major achievement . . . this expansive and intimate accumulation asks the questions that touch all our lives.' CLAUDIA RANKINE'An endlessly absorbing examination of class, our collusion in capitalism and economic inequality. Biss' signature voice is central, pivoting around Woolf, Baldwin and Didion, while proving herself to an extraordinary essayist of their ilk.'SINÉAD GLEESON 'My adult life can be divided into two distinct parts,' Eula Biss writes, 'the time before I owned a washing machine and the time after.' Having just purchased her first home, she now embarks on a roguish and risky self-audit of the value system she has bought into. The result is a radical interrogation of work, leisure and capitalism. Described by the New York Times as a writer who 'advances from all sides, like a chess player', Biss brings her approach to the lived experience of capitalism. Playfully ranging from IKEA to Beyoncé to Pokémon, across bars and laundromats and universities, she asks, of both herself and her class, 'In what have we invested?''Having and Being Had offers us a probing tour of capitalism and class that sidesteps posturing and jargon in favor of clarity, humility, and incitement.' Maggie Nelson'In this witty, genre-bending book, Eula Biss smashes the taboo against talking about money with exhilarating results . . . [and] disarming honesty and grace.' Jenny Offill'Eula Biss's prescient new book gave me new language for things I didn't know I felt . . . A brilliant, lacerating re-examination of our relationship to what we own and why, and who in turn might own us.' Alexander Chee'No contemporary writer I know explores and confronts her own societal responsibilities better than Eula Biss.' Aleksandar Hemon 'A meditation on race, consumerism and the American caste system. And a wry, vivd assessment of our spiritual moment. It is no accident that Having and Being Had reads like the poems money would write if money wrote poems.' Jeet Thayil
Hawker Of Morwenstow: Portrait of an Eccentric Victorian
by Dr Piers BrendonThis illuminating biography of Robert Stephen Hawker (1803-75) unravels fully the famous Cornish parson-poet's rich personality. Drawing on a mass of unpublished material, Piers Brendon re-creates one of the most bizarre of Victorian lives, revealing the mixture of truth, over-simplification and falsehood in the legend which has built up around him. The popular account depicts Hawker as a youth of wild high spirits who delighted in hoaxes and practical jokes. As an Oxford undergraduate he won the Newdigate Poetry Prize and married his rich 41-year-old godmother. In 1834 he became vicar of Morwenstow and spent the rest of his life in his desolate country parish on the storm-swept coast of north Cornwall. He was a charitable, hard-working Anglo-Catholic but, owing to the remoteness of his position and lack of sympathy from his parishioners, his true genius became warped and he succumbed to wayward eccentricity. His dress was, to say the least, unorthodox, and he became obsessed with antiquarian lore, lending a haunting reality to the arcane superstitions which he cultivated. He entertained no doubt whatever about the active agency of demons and angels, ghosts and brownies. He talked to birds, invited his nine cats into church and excommunicated one of them when it caught a mouse on Sunday. Out of the timbers of wrecked ships he built a hut, a forbidding sanctuary perched on the high cliff-edge, where he invoked mystic visions and composed romantic poetry. Piers Brendon here rescues Hawker from legend, and his fascinating book substitutes character for caricature. An even more interesting and idiosyncratic Hawker emerges, scarred and moulded by the stark isolation of his hostile seaboard benefice, a man of remarkable insight and compassion, who submitted in strange ways to his calling, and who, it turns out, proves to have been a true prophet in his yearning exclamation: 'what a life mine would be if it were all written and published in a book.'