Alexander Larman - Böcker

An Independent Book of the Month“A superb biography” William Boyd“(A) bold and enlightening exploration of Bowie's later career. Sensitive, witty and often very affecting” The Times“A genuine must buy, as rich in critical appraisal as it is in personal history *****” Classic Pop“An engrossing, entertaining and informative read” Classic RockA major new biography of David Bowie on the 10th anniversary of his death, exploring the second half of his career from commercial failures to critical rebirth in the 21st century.When David Bowie died on 10 January 2016, aged 69, his death was greeted with the greatest display of public mourning since Princess Diana three decades before.Twenty-five years before, Bowie appeared to be washed up. His Eighties career had been a slow descent into self-parody, his attempts to diversify into hard rock with the had been disastrous, and the art-rock music with which he had made his name was badly out of fashion. The Thin White Duke needed a miracle if he was not only going to be able to assume his rightful place at the top of the rock music firmament, but even to continue his career. And a miracle – a resurrection from the dead – is precisely what happened.Lazarus: The Second Coming of David Bowie is the first biography of Bowie that tells the full and candid story of what happened in between those two apparently unbridgeable points. With new and exclusive interviews with the musicians, filmmakers and cultural figures who worked with and befriended Bowie throughout this period, Lazarus is the definitive account of the previously overlooked and fascinating latter half of a great and distinguished career. A career that climaxed with his final masterpiece, Blackstar, and the unprecedented theatrical flourish of his departure from the stage as he passed into legend.

The book that inspired the major documentary Edward vs George: The Windsors at WarPower and Glory begins with the fallout from the revelation of the Duke of Windsor's wartime treachery, and ends with the Coronation of Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. In between, it depicts a monarchy - and a country - struggling to cope with the aftermath of World War Two, in an era where old certainties have been replaced by the rise of a new, uncertain world, and where love, tragedy and modernity battle for supremacy.The book draws on extensive unpublished correspondence between major members of the Royal Family including George VI, Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Windsor, the Prime Ministers Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, and previously unseen diaries and memoranda from courtiers, personal secretaries and leading politicians, exploring everything from the King's declining health to the (often negative) reactions to Elizabeth's marriage to Prince Philip and Coronation.Power and Glory features the same intricately researched and incisively written account of Britain's most famous family as Larman's previous books, but on an epic international scale. It covers everything from the end of British rule in India to the foundation of the United Nations, and the crucial role that monarchy played in the ever-shifting era - as well, naturally, as the way in which the Duke and Duchess of Windsor attempted to return to relevance, whatever the cost might be to the wider Royal Family.

Power and Glory begins with the fallout from the revelation of the Duke of Windsor's wartime treachery, and ends with the Coronation of Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. In between, it depicts a monarchy - and a country - struggling to cope with the aftermath of World War Two, in an era where old certainties have been replaced by the rise of a new, uncertain world, and where love, tragedy and modernity battle for supremacy.The book draws on extensive unpublished correspondence between major members of the Royal Family including George VI, Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Windsor, the Prime Ministers Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, and previously unseen diaries and memoranda from courtiers, personal secretaries and leading politicians, exploring everything from the King's declining health to the (often negative) reactions to Elizabeth's marriage to Prince Philip and Coronation.Power and Glory features the same intricately researched and incisively written account of Britain's most famous family as Larman's previous books, but on an epic international scale. It covers everything from the end of British rule in India to the foundation of the United Nations, and the crucial role that monarchy played in the ever-shifting era - as well, naturally, as the way in which the Duke and Duchess of Windsor attempted to return to relevance, whatever the cost might be to the wider Royal Family.

The book that inspired the major documentary Edward vs George: The Windsors at WarPower and Glory begins with the fallout from the revelation of the Duke of Windsor's wartime treachery, and ends with the Coronation of Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. In between, it depicts a monarchy - and a country - struggling to cope with the aftermath of World War Two, in an era where old certainties have been replaced by the rise of a new, uncertain world, and where love, tragedy and modernity battle for supremacy.The book draws on extensive unpublished correspondence between major members of the Royal Family including George VI, Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Windsor, the Prime Ministers Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, and previously unseen diaries and memoranda from courtiers, personal secretaries and leading politicians, exploring everything from the King's declining health to the (often negative) reactions to Elizabeth's marriage to Prince Philip and Coronation.Power and Glory features the same intricately researched and incisively written account of Britain's most famous family as Larman's previous books, but on an epic international scale. It covers everything from the end of British rule in India to the foundation of the United Nations, and the crucial role that monarchy played in the ever-shifting era - as well, naturally, as the way in which the Duke and Duchess of Windsor attempted to return to relevance, whatever the cost might be to the wider Royal Family.

In December 1936, Britain faced a constitutional crisis that was the gravest threat to the institution of the monarchy since the execution of Charles I. The ruling monarch, Edward VIII, wished to marry the American divorcée Wallis Simpson and crown her as his Queen. His actions scandalised the Establishment, who were desperate to avoid an international embarrassment at a time when war seemed imminent.An influential coalition formed against him, including the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, his private secretary Alec Hardinge, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the editor of The Times. Edward seemed fated to give up Wallis and remain a reluctant ruler, or to abdicate his throne. Yet he had his own supporters, too, including Winston Churchill, the Machiavellian newspaper proprietor Lord Beaverbrook and his brilliant adviser Walter Monckton. They offered him the chance to remain on the throne and keep Wallis. But was the price they asked too high?Using previously unpublished and rare archival material, and new interviews with those who knew Edward and Wallis, THE CROWN IN CRISIS is the conclusive exploration of how an unthinkable and unprecedented event tore the country apart. This seismic event has been written about before but never with the ticking-clock suspense and pace of the thriller that it undoubtedly was for all of its participants. Painstakingly researched, incisively written and entirely fresh in its approach, THE CROWN IN CRISIS brings the events of that time to thrilling life, and in the process will appeal to an entirely new audience.

'This riotous and engaging biography has it all'GUARDIAN'As much fun to read as a good political thriller'WALL STREET JOURNALThe book that inspired the major documentary Edward vs George: The Windsors at WarAt the outbreak of war, the British monarchy was in turmoil. Edward VIII had abdicated, leaving his brother Bertie to take on a role he never expected: King George VI. Meanwhile, as Edward awaited the decree that would allow him to marry his mistress, Wallis Simpson, he took an increasing interest in Hitler's expansionist plans. How did this squabbling, dysfunctional family manage to unite in the face of the greatest conflict in their lifetimes? And what was the true extent of Edward's betrayal?'Genuinely revealing, politically insightful, scrupulously researched . . . has the narrative pace of a champion thoroughbred'Tina Brown, author of THE PALACE PAPERS

In an England inhabited by Pepys, Evelyn, Dryden, Hobbes and the young Isaac Newton, Charles II is king, and the nation is beginning to relax a little after the tough, joyless years of Cromwell's Protectorate. In RESTORATION, Alex Larman paints a fascinating portrait of a country in the throes of social, political and cultural change following the convulsions of the Interregnum. Exploring every level of English society, from innkeepers and upholsterers to lawyers and courtiers, and examining themes as diverse as marriage, sexuality and religion, he creates a pointilliste and multi-faceted portrait of Restoration England. By looking at the year 1666 through the eyes of the people of the time, by revealing what they ate and drank, how they loved, lived and died and how they interacted, Alex Larman brings alive the England of 300 years ago as you have never seen it before: exciting, tangible, and fully comprehensible.

Beckham traces the rise of a family that came to define modern celebrity. Lifting the lid on the realities behind the image, the book offers a complete, unbiased portrait of a family whose story continues to unfold – and whose influence spans generations.When David Beckham and Victoria Adams first met in the late 1990s, they were already famous in their own right – young, ambitious and operating at the top of their fields. The Spice Girl and the football player – it was a modern love story. Together, they would become something unprecedented: a partnership that fused sport, style and popular culture, and a family whose influence would extend far beyond either of their original worlds.Following their journey from that first meeting through marriage, parenthood and continual reinvention, this biography explores how shared values, discipline and loyalty shaped both their private lives and their public image. Set against decades of global attention, it charts the evolution of the Beckham household as their four children grew up in the spotlight, each finding their own path while carrying one of the most recognizable surnames in the world …Bringing the story fully into the present day, Beckham looks at the family now, with Brooklyn Beckham stepping into adulthood, marriage and public life, and considers how legacy is passed on, reshaped and redefined.

Beckham traces the rise of a family that came to define modern celebrity. Lifting the lid on the realities behind the image, the book offers a complete, unbiased portrait of a family whose story continues to unfold – and whose influence spans generations.When David Beckham and Victoria Adams first met in the late 1990s, they were already famous in their own right – young, ambitious and operating at the top of their fields. The Spice Girl and the football player – it was a modern love story. Together, they would become something unprecedented: a partnership that fused sport, style and popular culture, and a family whose influence would extend far beyond either of their original worlds.Following their journey from that first meeting through marriage, parenthood and continual reinvention, this biography explores how shared values, discipline and loyalty shaped both their private lives and their public image. Set against decades of global attention, it charts the evolution of the Beckham household as their four children grew up in the spotlight, each finding their own path while carrying one of the most recognizable surnames in the world …Bringing the story fully into the present day, Beckham looks at the family now, with Brooklyn Beckham stepping into adulthood, marriage and public life, and considers how legacy is passed on, reshaped and redefined.