Results for 'michael rosen'

1. Danny , Bate

Why Q Needs U

A twenty-six-chapter journey through the history and working of the English alphabet by linguistic guru Danny Bate.You'll never look at a keyboard the same way after reading Danny Bate's fascinating linguistic history' Sunday Times 'A wonderful achievement! A breath-taking adventure through the alphabet - each letter a hero with a remarkable story to tell. An absolutely delightful read, filled with jewels of lightly worn scholarship and dazzling insight. I just couldn't recommend it more highly.' Stephen Fry Why does 'W' sounds like 'double U'? What has the letter 'Q' got to do with monkeys? Why are the 'C's in circus pronounced differently? What's the point of the second 'N' in the author's first name, 'Danny'? And why does 'Q' need to be followed by 'U'? Every letter you're reading right now has a fascinating story to tell, having been on a long linguistic, historical, political and social journey. In Why Q Needs U, linguistic expert Danny Bate takes readers on a fascinating odyssey through the English alphabet, diving into history, archaeology, politics and linguistics to discover where we get our writing from. Sharing fun facts and revealing the alphabet's hidden mechanisms, he explains where we get our letters from and why the English language uses them so strangely, including: - why a silent final 'E' turns 'hop' into 'hope' - how five English letters come from a single graphic grandparent - why there is an 'L' in 'salmon' and a 'K' in 'know' - how we may know the specific person who invented the letter 'G' - why 'Z' is the sixth letter for the Greeks, yet the last letter for us Explaining - and defending - the peculiar way English today uses our ancient letters, Bate's witty and entertaining book will help readers spot connections in languages across the world and inspire a newfound sense of wonder for the letters we use every day.  

1. Michael Rosen

Getting Better

In some ways, this is a quirky and intimate memoir. But Rosen has become that curious thing, a national treasure, and this book perhaps reflects the national mood - and the national need, even - better than a grander account of Covid might—The TimesLike having a cup of tea and a chat with Michael himself. Just full to the brim with wisdom, truth and beautiful silliness.—Cariad LloydIf I could prescribe Getting Better to the entire nation, I would. It's so gloriously full of the warmth, wisdom and incredible honesty that mean Michael is loved by adults and children alike. It's a book that inspires hope, courage and belief in humanity. Basically, it reminds you how to live. I loved every single word.—Dr Rachel ClarkeFunny and very moving *****—Daily MailA survivor's manual—Guardian

1. Daniel , Defoe

Robinson Crusoe

'I walk'd about on the shore, lifting up my hands, and my whole being, as I may say, wrapt up in the contemplation of my deliverance ... reflecting upon all my comrades that were drown'd, and that there should not be one soul sav'd but my self ... 'Who has not dreamed of life on an exotic isle, far away from civilization? Here is the novel which has inspired countless imitations by lesser writers, none of which equal the power and originality of Defoe's famous book. Robinson Crusoe, set ashore on an island after a terrible storm at sea, is forced to make do with only a knife, some tobacco, and a pipe. He learns how to build a canoe, make bread, and endure endless solitude. That is, until, twenty-four years later, when he confronts another human being. First published in 1719, Robinson Crusoe has been praised by such writers as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Samuel Johnson as one of the greatest novels in the English language.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.

1. Michael Rosen

Words Aloud

1. Michael , Rosenkötter

Familie R. sucht die Weite

Der Zigarrensortierer Heinrich Rosenkötter hatte in den 70er Jahren des 19. Jahrhunderts sein Dorf Südlengern im heutigen Ostwestfalen verlassen und war über Seesen/Harz in die Hafen- und Großstadt Bremen gezogen. Hier gingen seine acht Kinder zur Schule, wurden Schriftsetzer, Architekt, Verwaltungssekretär, Kaufmann, Lademeistergehilfe, Schneiderin und Handlungsvertreter.Ihre Berufe und Freizeitaktivitäten führten sie von Kripp am Rhein und Köln im Westen über Berlin nach Posen im Osten; von Bremen und Hamburg im Norden über Frankfurt und Dresden nach München, Singen am Rhein und Zürich im Süden. Sie besuchten Kongresse in Bremen und Budapest und eine 15-Jährige überquerte den Atlantik, um ihre Verwandten im quirligen New York zu besuchen.Sie engagierten sich in Vereinen, Logen oder politischen Ortsgruppen. Ihre Interessen reichten vom Theaterspiel, dem Kampf gegen den Alkoholmissbrauch und für die Rechte sozial Benachteiligter bis zur Bürgerinitiative für die Einrichtung von Licht-Luftbädern.Die Geschichte dieser Familie ist eingebettet in die allgemeinen politischen und sozialen Veränderungen Preußens und des Deutschen Reiches. Die Franzosenzeit, Missernten und Hungerunruhen, Eisenbahnbau und Arbeitskämpfe, Bevölkerungswachstum und Pauperismus, Krankheiten, gesellschaftliche Konflikte und der Erste Weltkrieg werden ebenso thematisiert wie Freizügigkeit und Chancen, größere Mobilität, sozialer Aufbruch und gesellschaftliche Umbrüche.Auf diese Art und Weise entsteht ein vielfältiges, abwechslungsreiches Bild historischer Entwicklung, einer Geschichte von unten.

1. Michael Rosenthal

Virginia Woolf

First published in 1979, Virginia Woolf is an original critical study of where the author considers Virginia Woolf’s non-fiction as well as fiction, exploring the different ways Woolf sought to embody her artistic vision throughout her remarkable literary career.