More than most novelists, Virginia Woolf benefits by an introducer. She is never, either by intention or equipment, the expected novelist. She chose the novel to adapt it deliberately and progressively to be the vehicle of her own subtle perception. Behind this study of the novels is an intense interest in the person revealed in the novelist. The criticism is warm as well as acute and the whole study is felt to be a tribute reasoned and justified - to a woman sensitive, compassionate, passionately honest and eager only for truth; to an artist quite unsparing of her own labour, finely gifted, self-effacing, serious and humourous. Mrs Bennett added two chapters on A Writer's Diary and on Virginia Woolf's critical essays for the second edition. Both can help our understanding of Virginia Woolf the novelist; the Diary by the insight it gives into her creative process and the fuller understanding we can gain of technical problems, the essays because they are about novels and novelists.
Milton's Great Poems--Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes--are here examined in the light of his lifelong commitment to the English revolutionary cause. The poems, Joan Bennett shows, reflect the issues Milton had dealt with in theological and public policy debate, foreign diplomacy, and propaganda; moreover, they work innovatively with these issues, reaching in epic and tragedy answers that his pamphlets and tracts of the past twenty years had only partially achieved. The central issue is the nature and possibility of human freedom, or "Christian liberty." Related questions are the nature of human rationality, the meaning of law, of history, of individuality, of society, and--everywhere--the problem of evil. The book offers a revisionist position in the history of ideas, arguing that Renaissance Christian humanism in England descended not from Tudor to Stuart Anglicanism but from Tudor Anglicanism to revolutionary Puritanism. Close readings are offered of texts by Richard Hooker, Milton, and a range of writers before and during the revolutionary period. Not only theological and political positions but also political actions taken by the authors are compared. Milton's poems are studied in the light of these analyses. The concept of "radical Christian humanism" moves current Milton criticism beyond the competing conceptions of Milton as the poet of democratic liberalism and the prophet of revolutionary absolutism. Milton's radical Christian humanism was built upon pre-modern conceptions and experiences of reason that are not alien to our time. It stemmed from, and resulted in, a religious commitment to political process which his poems embody and illuminate.
This book is a study of Sir Thomas Browne and his work as a whole: of the thinker as he appears in the context of contemporary prejudice on the one hand and the growth of science and scepticism on the other: of the rational man who was at the same time deeply religious, capable of 'being in uncertainties' in a dogmatic age. From this appreciation of Browne's personality, Mrs Bennett leads us to a fresh understanding of his writings. She examines each work in detail, with commentary and quotation where these seem needed. What emerges most clearly from this treatment is the consistency of his thinking, the internal logic of all he wrote; and because Browne wrote to enlighten rather than to entertain, a just appreciation of his style depends on understanding what he was expressing and Mrs Bennett leads us to the central issues of Browne's work.
Who’s Afraid of Classical Music? For years Joan Kennedy, at home, on the campaign trail, and in concert, has shared her love of classical music with adults and children. Now she uses her experience as a teacher and musician to show how you and your family can make music an enriching part of your lives. In this easy-to-understand and reassuring guide, Joan Kennedy explains: • How to start listening to classical music and enjoying what you hear—with a minimum of effort and expense • Creative, fun ways to bring music to your children—both at home and in school • All you and your family will need to enjoy a musical performance: a brief history of classical music, a user-friendly guide to concert rituals, and advice on how to bring your children to concerts—choosing the performances they will enjoy and making sure they get the most out of the experience Also: a glossary of musical terms • lists of the most popular classical pieces and Joan Kennedy’s personal favorites • a guide to further reading • sixteen pages of photographs • foreword by John Williams, former conducter of the Boston Pops and Academy Award–winning composer of the classic film scores for Star Wars, E.T., and Schindler’s List.
Joan M. O'Brien, a fourteen-year breast cancer survivor, lived in New Canaan, CT with her husband of 43 years, Michael. Joan had been writing for two years since she retired as an attorney in 2007. On September 8, 2009, Joan passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family and after completing the writings for this book.Edited by Dr. Alyssa J. O'Brien.Design by Will J. O'Brien.
Molly and Nellie unite for the last time, in this heart-warming saga complete with hilarity, friendship and a perfect wedding. In You Stole My Heart Away, Joan Jonker brings us the final instalment of her hugely popular Molly and Nellie series, as the two friends get up to more mischief in their beloved Liverpool. Perfect for fans of Katie Flynn and Nadine Dorries. Molly Bennett and Nellie McDonough are very happy with their lot in life. Their expanding families and abundance of friends always keep them busy. And as they walk arm in arm to the shops every day they are greeted with warmth by their neighbours, for wherever they go they bring fun and laughter with them. Their rock-solid friendship has lasted over twenty years, through good times and bad, and never once have Molly and Nellie fallen out. The two best mates love a bit of excitement so when they learn there is a wedding in the offing which will bring the Bennett, McDonough and Corkhill families even closer it gives the intrepid pair a good reason to save up for a visit into Liverpool and to the shop selling wedding hats. As Nellie says to Corker: 'It had better be a posh wedding to match me posh new hat.' What readers are saying about You Stole My Heart Away: 'This book was fantastic. I laughed all the way through - walked round the house with a smile on my face. Well done Joan' 'Great book, just what I wanted, a real story to read over and over again
From Joan Medlicott, the nationally bestselling creator of the beloved Ladies of Covington series, comes an inspiring, hope-filled tale of a woman who finds the courage to begin a journey that will lead to a whole new life. When Claire Bennett's husband died, she felt directionless. Their thriving antiques business and beautiful house in the Hamptons, the social scene and her volunteer work -- all seemed empty without Phillip. Estranged from her adult daughter and son, Claire knows that in the depths of her heart she still mourns a terrible loss from a tragic accident years ago. Fleeing her memories, Claire moves to a condo in Florida, then impulsively leaves to visit her engaged daughter in North Carolina. From the sandy beaches of Boca Raton to a tiny farm tucked high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Claire gains self-awareness through the unexpected kindness of strangers, and finally forces herself to confront some hard truths from the past. Finding a joy in life that has been missing for many years, Claire at last reaches out to her son and daughter. And when the healing of old wounds leads her to a new love, Claire realizes that her travels have brought her to a place where she will never again walk alone.
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