Writers: Their Lives and Works

Description

Incredible stories about the best loved writers Explore the fascinating lives and loves of the greatest novelists, poets, and playwrights. From William Shakespeare and Jane Austen to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Toni Morrison, Writers explores more than 100 biographies of the world's greatest writers. Each featured novelist, playwright, or poet is introduced by a stunning portrait, followed by photography and illustrations of locations and artefacts important in their lives - along with pages from original manuscripts, first editions, and their correspondence. Trace the friendships, loves, and rivalries that inspired each individual and affected their writing, revealing insights into the larger-than-life characters, plots, and evocative settings that they created. You will also uncover details each writer's most famous pieces and understand the times and cultures they lived in - see how the world influenced them and how their works influenced the world. Writers introduces key ideas, themes, and literary techniques of each figure, revealing the imaginations and personalities behind some of the world's greatest novels, short stories, poems, and plays. A diverse variety of authors are covered, from the Middle Ages to present day, providing a compelling glimpse into the lives of the people behind the page.

James Naughtie is an award-winning radio presenter and broadcaster. He began his career as a journalist before moving to radio presenting in 1986. For more than 20 years he co-presented BBC Radio 4's Today programme, and he has chaired Radio 4's monthly book-club since it began in 1998. James Naughtie has chaired both the Man Booker and Samuel Johnson judging panels and has written a number of books including The Rivals- The Intimate Story Of A Political Marriage, The Accidental American- Tony Blair And The Presidency, The Making Of Music, The New Elizabethans, and two novels- The Madness of July and Paris Spring.