Mike Read

Rupert Brooke, strikingly good-looking, effortlessly charming and prodigiously gifted, has become the tragic embodiment of the generation lost between 1914 and 1918. Upon the poet's tragic untimely death, Winston Churchill declared that 'we shall never see his like again', yet Brooke immortalised himself in his own poignant verse: If I should die, think only this of me:That there's some corner of a foreign field that is forever England. Brooke died serving king and country on the anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, St George's Day 1915, en route to fight at Gallipoli. As the tributes poured in and the war gathered momentum, the press heralded him as a hero - a focal point for the nation's grief.Already an acclaimed poet and dramatist in his youth, his romantic war poetry contrasts starkly with the work of some of his more disillusioned contemporaries. But the private letters of 'the handsomest man in all of England' reveal a far more troubled, and often misunderstood, individual... In this updated edition of Forever England, Mike Read, founder of the Rupert Brooke Society, explores the poet's fascinating life and legacy.From a tangled web of secret affairs, literary circles, mental illness and a previously unknown lovechild emerges the intriguing personality and enduring poetry of Rupert Brooke - the voice of a country torn apart by war.

The Life of Rupert Brooke

Forever England

Contains works chosen by Classic FM listeners in the poll to discover their favourite poems. This book includes poems by Betjeman, Kipling, Shakespeare, Yeats, Wordsworth and Auden, among many others, as well as biographies of the poets.

Classic FM One Hundred Favourite Poems

South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s

Physicist and civil engineer Dr. Richard St. James lives on the Mars Settlement and works for the Mars Administration. A failed relationship on the Moon propelled him to seek out a new beginning on the Red Planet. Now he must contend with the ever-changing face of science. But it is a new galaxy. Following the economic and political collapse of Earth's governments, powerful groups organize the Economic Zones to replace national boundaries. The Economic Council promulgates facts, forbids the teaching of history, philosophy, metaphysics, and spiritual faith, instead channeling their energy into fielding planetary colonies and space stations. A generation grows up that has never seen the sun from Earth, or experienced any culture other than the self-centered, hard-scrabble struggle to survive in the darkness of space. It is this very darkness that St. James must confront, especially when he meets the beautiful and exotic Socorro, a chemist recently transferred to the Mars Administration. Memories return to haunt him as he struggles to understand his place in this new world, one far removed from his humble Southern U.S. beginnings. A mysterious artifact found during an exploration propels Socorro and St. James into an uncertain future, one guaranteed to change their lives forever.

Terminus

A blue plaque is a recognized symbol of the United Kingdom's national heritage; a living footprint of history, with each one serving as a permanent reminder of an important contribution to the history of the country. The blue plaques commemorate notable, influential, and successful people from all walks of life. They are erected in the present to celebrate the past and inspire the future. This book covers one hundred blue plaques and shares the people and stories behind them, from across the United Kingdom, each linking, through a common denominator, to the next. From David Bowie to William Shakespeare, these plaques run the gamut, commemorating kings, actors, singers, explorers, footballers, cricketers, writers, inventors, scientists, politicians, musicians, reformers, broadcasters, songwriters, comedians, pioneers, artists, soldiers, athletes, dancers, activists, poets, and educators. From Lennon and McCartney to the victims of Jack the Ripper, this is an eclectic representation of British life, as told through blue plaques, from the 1500s to the present day, and accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations and a foreword by Earl Spencer.

101 Iconic Blue Plaques Commemorating Britain's History

The Writing on the Wall

Iolo Williams

Colin Woolf

Red Kite Country is a celebration of the wildlife and landscape of Mid Wales. Through their superb photographs and beautiful watercolor paintings, Mike Read and Colin Woolf have captured the essence of this unspoiled area, bringing its many moods and seasons to life in a collection of stunning images. Their aim was to show the reader not only Mid Wales' large-scale scenic beauty but also the fascinating smaller details that are so often overlooked: this book will open your eyes to the hidden treasures of the Mid Wales countryside. Red Kite Country is the culmination of four years' work for Read and Woolf, who have spent many hours waiting patiently and observing their subjects, in many cases returning to a site several times in order to catch that perfect moment when the weather or light conditions were just right. The authors' love of their subjects--from delicate, humble mosses underfoot to the majestic Red Kite soaring overhead--is evident in the superb quality of the images. The text is light and easy to absorb, written to inform but also to provoke further thought and exploration. The precious environment of Mid Wales is under threat, and some important conservation issues are highlighted: the constantly changing landscape reflects the shifting patterns of farming, the increase in leisure pursuits, and growing demands for the supply of power. Described as "Wales' best-kept secret," Mid Wales remains undiscovered--an oasis of calm. Red Kite Country will convince you of its unique and outstanding beauty. It is lavishly illustrated with photographs, paintings, and sketches, and includes a whole section on the Red Kite, a rare native of Mid Wales. The printing and production of this book are of the highest quality, and great care has been taken to reproduce the images as faithfully as possible.

A Celebration of the Wildlife and Landscape of Mid Wales

Red Kite Country

This book is intended to be the first of a series documenting London Streets and a thousand years of their respective histories. Clearly some routes were only trackways, pathways or even fields but where Londoners have existed, worked, fought, traded, played, lived and died on the site it's fascinating to mark the journey, growth, sights and sounds of these iconic London thoroughfares. Denmark Street wasn't built until the 1680s, but fascinating characters from all walks of life have been active on the site since the 1000s at least. Royalty, singers, musicians, highwaymen, murderers, thieves, arsonists, inventors, pioneers, regicides, politicians, revolutionaries, songwriters, poets and artists are all part of the colourful past of the street that became known as Tin Pan Alley.

Mike Read

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