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Sarah Churchwell

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Sarah Bartlett Churchwell is a professor of American Literature and Public Understanding of the Humanities at the University of London, UK. Her expertise is in 20th- and 21st-century fiction.
8 books on the list
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Rule, Nostalgia book cover
Rule, Nostalgia
Hannah Rose Woods - 2022-05-26
Goodreads Rating
Britain is an island ruled by nostalgia, but nostalgia today isn't what it used to be... Longing to go back to the 'good old days' is nothing new. For hundreds of years, the British have mourned the loss of older national identities and called for a revival 'simple', 'better' ways of life - from Margaret Thatcher's call for a return to 'Victorian v...
Sarah Churchwell
2023-03-02T09:51:06.000Z
This is a really smart book. 👇      source
Fascist Mythologies book cover
Fascist Mythologies
The History and Politics of Unreason in Borges, Freud, and Schmitt (New Directions in Critical Theory, 79)
Federico Finchelstein - 2022-07-05 (first published in 2015)
Goodreads Rating
Explore the perilous intersection of politics and myth in this captivating analysis of fascist mythology. Drawing on the work of Borges, Freud, and Schmitt, the author delves into the mythic imagery and violent ideals that characterized fascism, emphasizing the importance of understanding the relationship between myth and reason to fully grasp this dangerous ideology. With its timely relevance in today's political climate, this book is a must-read for those seeking to better understand the perils of myth in modern politics.
Sarah Churchwell
2022-05-18T17:49:22.000Z
Such a great feeling - I’m looking forward to sharing it soon! Meanwhile this is a terrific book that I was lucky to read early. Mythmaking is central to how fascism works but still underexamined. FF offers great insight into why fascism needs myths👇      source
Lincoln at Gettysburg book cover
Lincoln at Gettysburg
The Words that Remade America (Simon & Schuster Lincoln Library)
Garry Wills - 2006-11-14 (first published in 1992)
Goodreads Rating
Explore how Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address came to be the greatest speech in American history. In this masterful work, the author delves into Lincoln's background, political experience, and cultural frame to show how he crafted a revolutionary masterpiece. Through his analysis, the power of Lincoln's words reaches new depths and readers learn more about the president and his enduring impact on American society.
Sarah Churchwell
2022-05-05T18:03:39.000Z
@StigAbell That’s a terrific book. I also love Wills’s Lincoln at Gettysburg if we’re reading classics.      source
Team of Rivals book cover
Team of Rivals
The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Doris Kearns Goodwin - 2006-09-26 (first published in 2005)
Goodreads Rating
Discover the inspiring leadership techniques of one of America's greatest presidents with this bestselling and award-winning book. Team of Rivals is a thrilling narrative history that shows how Abraham Lincoln saved America by appointing his fiercest rival to key cabinet positions. This book was so impactful that it inspired Barack Obama during his presidency. Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of the most acclaimed non-fiction authors, presents a compelling portrait of Lincoln as a virtuosic politician and managerial genius.
Sarah Churchwell
2022-05-05T18:03:39.000Z
@StigAbell That’s a terrific book. I also love Wills’s Lincoln at Gettysburg if we’re reading classics.      source
Palace of the Peacock book cover
Palace of the Peacock
Wilson Harris - 1988-05-01 (first published in 1960)
Goodreads Rating
Embark on a voyage through the rainforests of Guyana with a crew of men on a mission to find a mysterious woman. As tragedies unfold and drowned ghosts haunt them, their journey takes on a spiritual dimension leading them to a new destination - the Palace of the Peacock. This modernist fever dream is a masterpiece defying definition for over sixty years. Experience the poetic intensity of Wilson Harris' work and revel in its inviolate, ever-deepening mystery.
Sarah Churchwell
2021-10-21T09:54:46.000Z
This book is a stone cold masterpiece, thrilled it’s being reissued. One I’ve thought before about bringing to my friends at @BacklistedPod …      source
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day book cover
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Winifred Watson - 2000-01-01 (first published in 1938)
Goodreads Rating
A prim governess is mistakenly sent to the wrong address and ends up working for a glamorous nightclub singer. In just one day, their lives are transformed in unexpected ways. Join them on a journey of self-discovery and newfound adventure in this delightful novel.
Sarah Churchwell
2021-07-08T12:18:57.000Z
@chiggi @georgettedaily @johnmitchinson @PhilipHensher Oh what a treat you have in store! Truly you must read it at once. Miss Pettigrew is just divine, my favorite book about female friendship by a country mile, wonderfully funny and kind.      source
A Countess Below Stairs book cover
A Countess Below Stairs
Eva Ibbotson - 2007-05-10 (first published in 1981)
Goodreads Rating
A young Russian Countess flees to England after the Russian revolution and takes a job as a servant. She must keep her past a secret, but she's instantly attracted to the handsome Earl of Westerholme. As their attraction grows, keeping her secrets becomes more difficult, especially with Rupert's mean-spirited fiancée in the picture.
Sarah Churchwell
2021-04-15T09:01:17.000Z
@AmandaPCraig Thanks to the splendid @mrstrefusis I have belatedly been initiated into the joys of Eva Tibbotson and loved, loved, loved The Secret Countess. If only my teenaged self could have read that book. Thank you for your intro. Which next, please? xx      source
The Great Gatsby book cover
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald - 1925-01-01
Goodreads Rating
Step into the glamour and intrigue of the roaring 20s with a masterpiece novel that defies classification. Follow the enigmatic Jay Gatsby as he rises to wealth and power, throwing elaborate parties and chasing his elusive love, Daisy Buchanan. Filled with both lyrical beauty and stark realism, this captivating tale reveals a hero like no other who will live on in readers' memories long after the final page. Prepare for a reading experience that blends irony, romance, and mysticism for an unforgettable literary journey.
Sarah Churchwell
2021-04-10T11:52:19.000Z
@robinince @Janeannie Thank you, and doesn’t it just. - I can definitely recommend re-re-re-re-re-reading etc. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve read it and I still find new phrases. Astonishing that such a short book can contain such multitudes.      source