Biographien

Austerlitz is W. G. Sebald's haunting novel of post-war Europe.In 1939, five-year-old Jacques Austerlitz is sent to England on a Kindertransport and placed with foster parents. This childless couple promptly erase from the boy all knowledge of his identity and he grows up ignorant of his past. Later in life, after a career as an architectural historian, Austerlitz - having avoided all clues that might point to his origin - finds the past returning to haunt him and he is forced to explore what happened fifty years before. Austerlitz is W.G. Sebald's melancholic masterpiece.'Mesmeric, haunting and heartbreakingly tragic. Simply no other writer is writing or thinking on the same level as Sebald' Eileen Battersby, Irish Times'Greatness in literature is still possible' John Banville, Irish Times, Books of the Year'A work of obvious genius' Literary Review'A fusion of the mystical and the solid ... His art is a form of justice - there can be, I think, no higher aim' Evening Standard'Spellbindingly accomplished; a work of art' The Times Literary Supplement 'I have never read a book that provides such a powerful account of the devastation wrought by the dispersal of the Jews from Prague and their treatment by the Nazis' Observer'A great book by a great writer' Boyd Tonkin, IndependentW . G. Sebald was born in Wertach im Allg u, Germany, in 1944 and died in December 2001. He studied German language and literature in Freiburg, Switzerland and Manchester. In 1996 he took up a position as an assistant lecturer at the University of Manchester and settled permanently in England in 1970. He was Professor of European Literature at the University of East Anglia and is the author of The Emigrants, The Rings of Saturn, Vertigo, Austerlitz, After Nature, On the Natural History of Destruction, Campo Santo, Unrecounted, A Place in the Country. His selected poetry is published in a volume called Across the Land and the Water.

Lab Girl is a book about work and about love, and the mountains that can be moved when those two things come together. It is told through Jahren's remarkable stories: about the discoveries she has made in her lab, as well as her struggle to get there; about her childhood playing in her father's laboratory; about how lab work became a sanctuary for both her heart and her hands; about Bill, the brilliant, wounded man who became her loyal colleague and best friend; about their field trips - sometimes authorised, sometimes very much not - that took them from the Midwest across the USA, to Norway and to Ireland, from the pale skies of North Pole to tropical Hawaii; and about her constant striving to do and be her best, and her unswerving dedication to her life's work.Visceral, intimate, gloriously candid and sometimes extremely funny, Jahren's descriptions of her work, her intense relationship with the plants, seeds and soil she studies, and her insights on nature enliven every page of this thrilling book. In Lab Girl, we see anew the complicated power of the natural world, and the power that can come from facing with bravery and conviction the challenge of discovering who you are.

'I was spotty, wore an anorak, had biro-engraved flared blue jeans with "purple" and "Sabbath" written on the thighs, and rode an ear-splittingly uncool moped. Oh yes, and I wanted to be a drummer...' Bruce Dickinson - Iron Maiden's legendary front man - is one of the world's most iconic singers and songwriters. But there are many strings to Bruce's bow, of which larger-than-life lead vocalist is just one. He is also an airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, motivational speaker, beer brewer, novelist, radio presenter, film scriptwriter and an international fencer: truly one of the most unique and interesting men in the world. In What Does this Button Do? Bruce contemplates the rollercoaster of life. He recounts - in his uniquely anarchic voice - the explosive exploits of his eccentric British childhood, the meteoric rise of Maiden, summoning the powers of darkness, the philosophy of fencing, brutishly beautiful Boeings and firmly dismissing cancer like an uninvited guest. Bold, honest, intelligent and funny, this long-awaited memoir captures the life, heart and mind of a true rock icon, and is guaranteed to inspire curious souls and hard-core fans alike.

Efter lange overvejelser valgte den unge Tove fra Aarhus i 1981 at flytte til DDR for at blive gift med sin østtyske kæreste. Hun tilbragte de næste otte år i landet, og historien om mødet mellem den ukuelige danske pige og det lukkede og stærkt overvågede system skildrede hun veloplagt og indsigtsfuldt i bogen "Kærlighed i kommunismens tid - et dansk liv i DDR", som udkom i 2017. Bogen fik en rosende modtagelse i pressen: "En særdeles læseværdig bog." (Jyllands-Posten) "Kærlighed i kommunismens tid er et fint og af og til morsomt indblik i et liv, der for mange af os naboer i årevis var et mysterium." (Politiken) "Forfatteren finder en fin balance mellem det private og det, der er af interesse for andre." (Kristelig Dagblad) "Dette er simpelthen en pragtfuld bog." (Historie Online)

Min oldefar (min morfars far), Jens Jacobsen, blev født i 1831 i Alken nær Skanderborg og døde i 1907, 76 år gammel. Han var landsoldat i krigen i 1864, og efter at være såret ved det skæbnesvangre slag ved Dybbøl den 18. april, kom han til København, hvor han tilbragte 4 måneder på et lazaret. Det er af denne grund, at der findes disse breve; for normalt skrev fattige folk på landet jo ikke breve til familien, men når man var så langt væk så længe, var det jo den mulighed for kontakt, man havde. De fleste af brevene er naturligt nok til hans kone, men her er også korrespondance til og fra andre i familien og flere af hans krigskammerater. Alle disse gamle breve - 34 ialt - er her transkriberet fra gotisk håndskrift, og de er skrevet nøjagtigt som de oprindeligt er skrevet med stavefejl, manglende tegnsætning osv. Nogle steder er brevene svære at læse. Brevene har givetvis været læst mange gange, og det er ofte i papirets folder, de har været umulige at tyde. Det er ikke kun interessant at læse beretningerne om landsoldaternes dagligdag og de egentlige krigshandlinger såvel i Fredericia i marts 1864 som ved Dybbøl i april, men vi får også en del at vide om livet hos den fattige landbefolkning.

»Der er en revne, en revne i alting. Det er sådan lyset kommer ind« Leonard Cohen. Sårbarheden har kvaliteter i sig, som det menneskelige øje har svært ved at se. Gud ser det! Han bruger det uperfekte og skrøbelige, og sådan kommer den guddommelige herlighed til syne i verden. Del 1 indeholder en personlig fortælling om en barndom på landet, om vovemod i ungdommen og et voksenliv med mange udfordringer. Dilemmaer og personlig udvikling kommer bl.a. til udtrykt gennem breve og dagsbogsnotater. Del 2 blev skrevet under et ferieophold i byen Torrox i Andalusien, Spanien. Her udspilles en dramatisk virkelighed, krydret med detaljerede beskrivelser af tanker, drømme, og oplevelser. Del 3 er en personlig fortælling, om det der ramte familien, da vores ældste søn begik selvmord. Med udgivelsen af bogen håber jeg, at historien må være med til at åbne, så mennesker kan se hinanden i øjnene, og tale om alt det skrøbelige og tabubelagte. Det perfekte findes ikke, der er skår i alting. Men vores sammenbrud og skår er ikke meningsløse, de kan bruges i al sin ufuldkommenhed i kærlighedens tjeneste.

Grevinde Danner, født Louise Rasmussen, er en af danmarkshistoriens mest berømte kvinder. Hun brød samtidens strenge moral, da hun i 1840’erne indledte et kærlighedsforhold til og siden giftede sig med Frederik VII, som på det tidspunkt allerede havde to ægteskaber bag sig. Det vakte skandale, fordi Louise ikke alene var fra arbejderklassen, men tillige havde et barn uden for ægteskab med Carl Berling, som hun elskede og gennem hele livet bevarede en tæt forbindelse med.Bodil Wamberg går i sit portræt ind under huden på den kloge, sensible kvinde, hvis liv på var præget af drama. Vi ser hende blomstre og siden lide som elskerinde til en mand, der ikke turde gifte sig med hende, og vi følger hende i rollen som kongens store kærlighed, der i årevis var hans holdepunkt og forhindrede ham i at gå til grunde i druk.Grevinde Danner betalte en høj pris for at følge sit hjerte og have et selvstændigt liv, og hun kæmpede for både sin egen og det spirende demokratis fremtid.Forfatteren Bodil Wamberg (f. 1929) er uddannet cand.mag. i dansk og engelsk og arbejdede i en lang årrække som lektor på Danmarks Lærerhøjskole. Hun er særligt kendt for sine mange biografier om historiske personer, heriblandt Leonora Christine, H.C. Andersen, Grevinde Danner og Mathilde Fibiger."En smuk bog om et bevægende menneske." – Information"Endnu en gang lever Bodil Wamberg op til sit ry som "de store damers skildrer" ved at gå bag om storheden og ind i mennesket." – Jyllands-Posten

El Doctor Frankl, psiquiatra y escritor, suele preguntar a sus pacientes aquejados de multiples padecimientos: Por que no se suicida usted? Y muchas veces, de las respuestas extrae una orientacion para la psicoterapia a aplicar: a este, lo que le ata a la vida son los hijos; al otro, un talento, una habilidad sin explotar; a un tercero, quizas, solo unos cuantos recuerdos que merece la pena rescatar del olvido. Tejer estas tenues hebras de vidas rotas en una urdimbre firme, coherente, significativa y responsable es el objeto con que se enfrenta la logoterapia. En esta obra, Viktor E. Frankl explica la experiencia que le llevo al descubrimiento de la logoterapia. Prisionero, durante mucho tiempo, en los desalmados campos de concentracion, el mismo sintio en su propio ser lo que significaba una existencia desnuda. Como pudo el que todo lo había perdido, que habia visto destruir todo lo que valia la pena, que padecio hambre, frio, brutalidades sin fin, que tantas veces estuvo a punto del exterminio, como pudo aceptar que la vida fuera digna de vivirla? El psiquiatra que personalmente ha tenido que enfrentarse a tales rigores merece que se le escuche, pues nadie como el para juzgar nuestra condicion humana sabia y compasivamente. Las palabras del doctor Frankl alcanzan un temple sorprendentemente esperanzador sobre la capacidad humana de trascender sus dificultades y descubrir la verdad conveniente y orientadora.

After nearly a decade of climbing to reach all 82 summits over 4000m, Ben Tibbetts sets out his selection of the most compelling routes in the Alps. He describes his journey on each ascent through a series of stirring adventures, into which are woven threads of historical ascents from the earliest days of alpine climbing to its present day.

From the writer of the classic Letters to a Young Poet, reflections on grief and loss, collected and published here in one volume for the first time.“A great poet’s reflections on our greatest mystery.”—Billy Collins“A treasure . . . The solace Rilke offers is uncommon, uplifting and necessary.”––The Guardian Gleaned from Rainer Maria Rilke’s voluminous, never-before-translated letters to bereaved friends and acquaintances, The Dark Interval is a profound vision of the mourning process and a meditation on death’s place in our lives. Following the format of Letters to a Young Poet, this book arranges Rilke’s letters into an uninterrupted sequence, showcasing the full range of the great author’s thoughts on death and dying, as well as his sensitive and moving expressions of consolation and condolence.Presented with care and authority by master translator Ulrich Baer, The Dark Interval is a literary treasure, an indispensable resource for anyone searching for solace, comfort, and meaning in a time of grief.Praise for The Dark Interval “Even though each of these letters of condolence is personalized with intimate detail, together they hammer home Rilke’s remarkable truth about the death of another: that the pain of it can force us into a ‘deeper . . . level of life’ and render us more ‘vibrant.’ Here we have a great poet’s reflections on our greatest mystery.”—Billy Collins “As we live our lives, it is possible to feel not sadness or melancholy but a rush of power as the life of others passes into us. This rhapsodic volume teaches us that death is not a negation but a deepening experience in the onslaught of existence. What a wise and victorious book!”—Henri Cole

An illustrated account of the film and fashion icon whose legacy has endured long after her death.

From the man behind the infamous @GSElevator Twitter account, true stories from the wild world of international finance.

Discover the number one bestselling phenomenon that is a powerful and profound mediation on grief expressed through the trials of training a goshawk. As a child, Helen Macdonald was determined to become a falconer, learning the arcane terminology and reading all the classic books.

"When I go, I want to go doing what I do best. If I died tomorrow, I couldn't complain. It's been good!". The updated autobiography of the greatest frontman of the loudest rock band there has ever been. Accept no other story from journalists. This is Lemmy's story from his own mouth.

A graphic novel version of the dramatic life and untimely death of German revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg

Andy Warhol kept these diaries faithfully from November 1976 right up to his final week, in February 1987. With appearances from and references to everyone who was anyone, from Jim Morrison, Martina Navratilova and Calvin Klein to Muhammad Ali, these diaries are the most glamorous, witty and revealing writings of the twentieth century.

Nothing To Envy, a compelling book authored by Barbara Demick, is a captivating exploration into the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Published by Granta Books in 2010, this piece of literature is a must-read for those interested in understanding the humanistic perspective of life under severe conditions. The genre of the book is hard to pin down, as it skillfully intertwines elements of biography, history, and social commentary. Demick, an award-winning journalist, brings to life the stories of six North Koreans over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the unchallenged rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and the devastation of a far-ranging famine that killed one-fifth of the population. The book is a remarkable testament to the spirit of the human will and the enduring desire for freedom. So, if you're looking for a thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page, Nothing To Envy is the book for you.

Michael's newfound career started with an impulsive move to Barcelona, a vanished job assignment, no work visa, and an Hermes scarf sold on eBay to generate some quick cash. But soon the resourceful Michael discovered the truth about the waiting list and figured out the secret to getting Hermes to part with one of these precious bags.

Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamor and style, with tribute paid everywhere from Lord Byron to Casablanca. But who was this young widow - the 'Veuve' - Clicquot, whose champagne sparkled at the courts of France, Britain, and Russia, and how did she rise to celebrity and fortune? This book talks about widow Clicquot.

Now for the first time, Eric tells the story of his personal and professional journeys in this pungent, witty and painfully honest autobiography. These are the memoirs of a survivor, someone who has reached the pinnacle of success, who has had it all, but whose demons have never left him.

She tells of her numerous run-ins with the brutal government of Daniel arap Moi and of the political and personal reasons that compelled her, in 1977, to establish the Green Belt Movement, which spread from Kenya across Africa, and which helps restore indigenous forests while assisting rural women by paying them to plant trees in their villages.

* The extraordinary true life story of songwriter Mark Oliver Everett, lead singer of the band Eels

Murakami tells the true story behind an act of terrorism that turned an average Monday morning into a national disaster. In spite of the perpetrators' intentions, the Tokyo gas attack left only twelve people dead, but thousands were injured and many suffered serious after-effects.

Explosive autobiography of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver bass guitarist Duff McKagan.

He used the attraction of the great fair - and his own devilish charms - to lure scores of young women to their deaths. These two disparate but driven men are brought to life in this mesmerizing, murderous tale of the legendary Fair that transformed America and set it on course for the twentieth century .

En autentisk beretning om en kvinde 50+, der gribes af rejsefeber og beslutter sig for et karriereskift. Hun forlader sin trygge tilværelse i Danmark og rejser til Gambia i Vestafrika for at etablere et rejseselskab midt i og sammen med den lokale befolkning. Undervejs oplever hun Afrikas puls gennem dansen og trommerne, men også gennem fattigdommen, korruptionen og sort magi. Hun møder kærligheden og føres ind i immigranternes ghetto og siden på bryllupsrejse til Guinea Conakry. Hun følger flere private NGO’er i deres forsøg på at give de fattige mulighed for sundhed og uddannelse og for at rejse sig af undertrykkelse. Bogen er fyldt med oplevelser, hvor dansk og afrikansk mentalitet og tankegang både slår klinger med hinanden og danser og ler sammen. Det er en mellemfolkelig bog, der sætter lys på forskelle og ligheder mellem mennesker af to kulturer.

En varm majaften i 1983 trådte en 27 år gammel oversergent fra Forsvarets Lægekorps ud af en lyseblå Maersk maskine i Larnaca lufthavn på Cypern. Fra det øjeblik ændredes hans tilværelse radikalt.Fra en beskyttet tilværelse i en præmieret på Jægersborg kaserne, en med bronzeplade udsmykket bygning, befandt han sig nu pludselig omgivet af nogle bukkede bølgeblikplader viklet om et træskelet i bunden af en dal i en landsby på en østlig middelhavsø. Og det chartrede fly returnerede først om 6 måneder.Fra Signalbefalingsmand i Charliekompagniet og efterfølgende Næstkommanderende i den isolerede Kokkinadeling, til Signalsektionsfører, Sanitetsbefalingsmand, Velfærdsbefalingsmand og Operationbefalingsmand i Stabskompagniet - de planlagte 6 blev hurtigt til 18, og senere til 54 måneder."Er der soldater på Cypern?"At blive mødt med et sådant spørgsmål af en landsmand med stråhat og rød-hvide plastiksandaler på havnefronten i Phaphos, kan lyde ganske harmløst og ligegyldigt. Men for mig, blev det en brat opvågning og et vink med den berømte vognstang om, at interessen for vores tilstedeværelse for længst var blevet fortrængt af andre nyheder.Bagsiden af medaljen?"In the service of peace" står der på medaljen fra Cypern-missionen; for mit vedkommende endte den, i militærkredse så ofte omtalte "badeferie", på Rigshospitalets Krise- og Katastrofepsykiatriske Afdeling.