Oneworld Publications

Lavishly produced and elegantly set, with a wealth of material which will please opera lovers, academics and general readers. Includes articles by some of the leading music specialists in the world. Includes more than twenty black-and-white and colour pictures printed on special glossy paper in a separate plate section. Contains a thematic guide, and an up-to-date bibliography, select discography and website guide. Acclaimed by today's most exacting music critics. In this guide there is an article comparing Pushkin's original with its treatment in the opera, a detailed musical analysis and an appreciation of Tchaikovsky's particular skill as a word-setter. An essay on its performance history details the contributions of the most notable artists who have taken part in productions of the work. Illustrations, a thematic guide, the full libretto with English translation and reference sections are also included.

Fathers and Children, arguably the first modern novel in the history of Russian literature, shocked readers when it was first published in 1862 — the controversial character of Bazarov, a self-proclaimed nihilist intent on rejecting all existing traditional values and institutions, providing a trenchant critique of the established order. Turgenev's masterpiece investigates the growing nihilist movement of mid-nineteenth-century Russia — a theme which was to influence Dostoevsky and many other European writers — in a universal, and often hilarious, story of generational conflict, and the clash between the old and the new.

Tolstoy's first published work, completed in 1856, Childhood, Boyhood, Youth recounts his early life up to his university days. These are not memoirs in the strict sense of the word, as the author's Stendhalian take on the autobiographical genre confronts and blurs the notions of reality and imagination, combining nostalgic anecdote with frank personal assessment and philosophical extrapolation. An early display of Tolstoy's storytelling genius, written in his classically simple yet colourful language, these chronicles provide the reader with invaluable insight into the personal and literary development of one of the greatest writers of all time.

Considered to be Leo Tolstoy's most personal novel, Anna Karenina is an epic tale which scrutinizes fundamental moral and theological questions through the impassioned and tragic story of its eponymous heroine. Anna is desperately pursuing a good, moral life, standing for honesty and sincerity, but this flies in the face of the morally corrupt Russian bourgeoisie. In the background to Anna's tale, the aristocrat Konstantin Levin is struggling to reconcile reason with passion, espousing a Christian anarchism that Tolstoy himself believed in. Championed by Nabokov and adored by Doestoevsky, Anna Karenina displays a poignant realism and innovative lyricism that makes it one of the most perfect, enduring novels of all time.

Quite simply, this is a collection of Michel Roux's finest recipes — devised, refined and perfected during the course of his illustrious career. Recipes for all seasons and to suit all occasions are covered in this generous compendium, which contains over 250 recipes plus numerous variations. The book is divided into 9 chapters: Breakfast and brunch; Starters; Fish and shellfish; Poultry, meat and game; Vegetables, eggs and cheese; Desserts; Baking; Party food; Stocks and sauces. Mouthwatering contemporary dishes are featured, along with Michel's interpretations of the great classics. Step-by-step illustrated sequences guide you through specific techniques throughout the chapters. Presented in a generous format, designed in a clear, easy-to-follow style and illustrated throughout with stunning photographs, this is a must-have recipe collection from one of our greatest chefs.

Boutique Baking has an unrivalled range of recipes that combines traditional baking with chic, simple finishing touches. It captures the essence of Peggy's technical skill and inspired use of colour while also ensuring that each cake is both achievable and delicious to eat.

Only beauty can save the world, proclaims the hero of The Idiot, perhaps Dostoevsky's most personal and intense work of fiction. But in the brutally materialistic world of late nineteenth-century Petersburg, infested with greed and vulgarity, Prince Myshkin's naive beliefs can only be the subject of mockery and ultimately lead to failure and tragedy. Populated by an unforgettable cast of characters that covers the entire gamut of Russian society — from the arrogant rich merchant's son Rogozhin and the beautiful but wanton Nastasya Filippovna to the student Kirillov, who aspires to become the man-God by killing himself — Dostoevsky's masterpiece, brilliantly captured in this new translation by Ignat Avsey, is a book that leaves a permanent mark on its readers' minds.

The unnamed narrator of the novel, a former government official, has decided to retire from the world and lead a life of inactivity and contemplation. His fiercely bitter, cynical and witty monologue ranges from general observations and philosophical musings to memorable scenes from his own life, including his obsessive plans to exact petty revenge on an officer who has shown him disrespect and a dramatic encounter with a prostitute. Seen by many as the first existentialist novel and showcasing the best of Dostoevsky's dry humour, Notes from under the Floorboards was a pivotal moment in the development of modern literature and has inspired countless novelists, thinkers and film-makers.

A short collection showing Chekhov in an amusing, playful light, poking fun at his characters, with the moral detachment that also characterizes his major, serious works In The Death of a Civil Servant, an administrative clerk accidentally sneezes on a hierarchical superior at the opera, which results in great embarrassment and hilarious and futile attempts at atonement. The other short stories included in this volume, A Calculated Marriage, The Culprit, The Exclamation Mark, The Speechmaker, Who Is to Blame, and A Defenceless Creature are in the same absurdly comical vein.

Through surreal, often grotesque humour, Bulgakov gives an ingenious new twist to the «Frankenstein» parable, in a new translation of one of the most popular satires on the Russian Revolution and on Soviet society. Having been scalded by boiling water earlier that day, and with little chance to survive the severe winter night, a stray dog is left for dead on the streets. Lamenting his fate, he is ill-prepared for the chance arrival of a wealthy professor who befriends him and takes him home. However, it seems the professor's motives are not entirely altruistic — an expert in medical experimentation, he sees his new charge as the potential subject for a bizarre operation, and implants glands from a dead criminal in the dog. The resulting half-man, half-beast is, as to be expected, a monstrosity, yet one that fits in remarkably well with Soviet society.

Presented as a series of letters between the humble copying-clerk Devushkin and a distant relative of his, the young Varenka, Poor People brings to the fore the underclass of St Petersburg, who live at the margins of society in the most appalling conditions and abject poverty. As Devushkin tries to help Varenka improve her plight by selling anything he can, he is reduced to even more desperate circumstances and seeks refuge in alcohol, looking on helplessly as the object of his impossible love is taken away from him.

Drawing on evolution, cognitive science, and neuroscience, Matthew Hutson takes us on this fascinating tour of magical thinking in everyday life. So-called cognitive biases are crucial to our survival, Hutson shows, whether we're deciding where to invest our money or avoiding awareness of our own mortality. Everyone — even the most rational, jaded, and sceptical thinkers — believe in magic, whether that be luck, mind over matter, jinxes, evil, or heavenly helpers. The key to happiness, health, creativity, social intelligence, and good fortune is knowing when you don't have free will and then embracing magical thinking instead.

From a Palaeolithic farmer living by the sun and stone plinths to the factory worker logging into an industrial punch clock to the modern manager enslaved to Outlook's 15-minute increments, our relationship with time has constantly evolved alongside our scientific understanding of the universe. And the latest advances in physics — string-theory branes, multiverses, clockless physics — are positioned to completely rewrite time in the coming years. Weaving cosmology with day-to-day chronicles and a lively wit, astrophysicist Adam Frank tells the dazzling story of humanity's invention of time and how we will experience it in the future.

You are shrunk to the height of a ten-pence piece and thrown in a blender. The blades start moving in 60 seconds. What do you do? If you want to work at Google, or any of the world's top employers, you'll need to have a convincing answer to this and countless other tricky puzzles. Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google? reveals the new extreme interview questions in the post-crash, hypercompetitive job-market and uncovers the extraordinary lengths the best companies will go to find the right staff. William Poundstone guides readers through the surprising solutions to over a hundred of the most challenging conundrums actually used in interviews, as well as covering the importance of creative thinking, what your Facebook page says about you, and much more.

In this irreverent and witty book BBC foreign correspondent Nick Bryant casts a scathingly honest eye on this hugely influential profession, from the heart of Washington, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, India, and Australia — revealing the fascinating and sometimes shocking behaviour of media hounds desperate for a scoop. Since making his journalistic debut breaking into Piers Morgan's office, Nick reveals how he rattled Donald Rumsfield, slept through 9/11, and got a free lunch out of the Tamil Tigers. Providing a compelling insider perspective on the international events and people that have defined our times, this is the perfect holiday read.

The world's greatest importer and exporter, the European Union is an economic heavyweight with a GDP even larger than the US. But how much do we really know about the nature and aims of the EU, the benefits and costs membership brings, and its impact on peoples' everyday lives? And, in an increasingly multipolar world, can it ever emerge as a global superpower, or do widespread concerns about national sovereignty and serious questions about the Euro's stability mean that it is destined for an uncertain future? Featuring the most up-to-date assessment of the EU, its inner workings, external relations, and likely future development, this is the perfect introduction for anyone seeking to better understand European integration and what it means for Europeans as well as the rest of the world.

The Philip K. Dick android looked eerily like the iconic science fiction writer and counter culture guru. The android would watch people as they approached, hear their voices, answer their questions in Dick's own words. Then, a young roboticist on his way to Google headquarters lost the android head on a flight to Las Vegas. It has never been recovered. In a story that could have been lifted from one of Philip K. Dick's celebrated novels, which have been made into such blockbuster films as Blade Runner and The Adjustment Bureau, David Dufty brings to light the incredible events surrounding the creation of the android replica and its disappearance. Along the way, he explores how the science fiction of artificial intelligence will soon meet the very real future.

In this incredible expedition into the origins, workings, and evolution of our planet, John Gribbin, bestselling author of In Search of Schrodinger's Cat, The Scientists, and In Search of the Multiverse, does what he does best: taking 4.5 billion years of mind-boggling science and digging out the best bits. From the physics of Newton and the geology of Wegener, to the environmentalism of Lovelock, this is a must read for Earth's scientists and residents alike.

Since news broke of Bernie Madoff's world-circling $65 billion Ponzi scheme, many have speculated about how he did it. But no reporter has been able to get the full story — until now. Based on award-winning reporter Diana Henriques' unprecedented access to Madoff, including extensive correspondence and his first interviews for publication since his arrest, Bernie Madoff, The Wizard of Lies is the ultimate true-life financial thriller.

From the introduction of Greek Philosophy into the Muslim world in the eighth century, right through to modern times, Majid Fakhry charts the evolution and interaction of philosophy, theology, and mysticism in the Islamic context. Highlighting key individuals, movements, concepts and writings, Fakhry also explores the conflicts and controversies between anti and pro-philosophical parties that have characterised the development of Islamic thought. This book also features coverage of: the translation of ancient texts and their transmission to the Muslim world; the development of a systematic philosophy in Islam; theology, mysticism and the development of Sufism; Islam's interaction with western philosophy and theology; and, contemporary trends.

This collection of lesser-known of short stories — ranging from absurd humorous sketches to psychological pieces and tragic stories — demonstrates Anton Chekhov's mastery of the genre. Although varying in tone and purpose, what these tales have in common is a profound and subtle understanding of the human condition, in its farcical and melancholy aspects, couched in Chekhov's trademark minimalist style.

Packed with fascinating facts and insight, this book will fuel dinner party debate, and provide readers with the science and politics behind the world's most controversial resource. Without oil, there would be no globalisation, no plastic, little transport, and a global political landscape that few would recognise. It is the lifeblood of the modern world, and humanity's dependence upon it looks set to continue for decades to come. In this captivating book, the author of the acclaimed Energy: A Beginner's Guide, Vaclav Smil, explains all matters related to the 'black stuff', from its discovery in the earth, right through to the political maelstrom that surrounds it today.