Author:Judith Cook
Simon Forman was one of the most extraordinary personalities of Elizabethan and Jacobean London.
Charismatic, volatile and ambitious, he was doctor to the giants of the theatre and his 'playbook' contains the first eye-witness accounts of Shakespeare's plays. Like most doctors he was also an astrologer, reading the stars for all and sundry.
Constantly on the fringes of great events and court intrigues, his name has been linked with Sir Walter Raleigh's mysterious group, 'the School of Night' and with the notorious Overbury poisoning case, in which the beautiful Countess of Essex was accused of murder.
Also uncovered is Forman's private world, that of a compulsive womaniser who kept a coded diary, never fully deciphered before, a record of promiscuity as colourful as the journals of Pepys and Boswell.
Brilliant, written with wit and relish, packed with detail
—— The TimesJudith Cook writes lucidly about Forman and his idiosyncrasies... Her knowledge of the period is extensive and places this strange and fascinating man convincingly in his dramatic times
—— Daily MailAn intriguing and lively study
—— Independent on SundayHer research is thorough and intriguing... Her book enters teh Elizabethan world in media res so that th reader is immediately surrounded by it
—— The TimesImportant and stimulating ... a necessary book for anyone truly interested in what we take from the sea to eat, and how, and why
—— New York Times Book ReviewGreenberg writes with tremendous knowledge and passion to tell the engrossing story of the impact of history, geography and politics on our seafood, and offers a clear-eyed manifesto for the future of fish
—— FTPaul Greenberg observes ... we are at a significant moment
—— EconomistAccessible and enlightening ... It's not Greenberg's way to preach; he's happier letting the facts speak for themselves
—— ObserverRequired reading for anyone who eats seafood ...Greenberg is an unfailingly entertaining writer, and his book arms you with the information you need to make intelligent choices when you are confronted by the ... offerings at the fish counter
—— AtlanticLucid, readable ... a story well told
—— Charles Clover , Sunday TimesAn elegantly composed and strikingly level-headed inquiry into our relationship with the fish we eat and the waters that sustain them
—— Tom Fort , Sunday TelegraphA powerful case for action ... combining on-the-ground and on-the-ocean reporting from the Yukon to Greece, from the waters off New England to the Mekong Delta, along with accounts of some stirring fishing trips, Greenberg makes a powerful argument ... marvellous exploration of that contradiction, a necessary book for anyone interested in what we take from the sea to eat, and how, and why
—— Sam Sifton , ScotsmanOren Harman's outstanding new biography of the American scientist George Price makes the case that Price's theoretical contributions to biology are among the most important of the twentieth century...Price was undoubtedly an opaque figure; Harman has approached his life with sensitivity and intelligence, providing a clearer window into this troubled mind
—— Tom Bailey , TLSMoving biography exploring a geneticst's understanding of human selflessness
—— The TimesAn energetic tale that presents not only the science but the history and politics which produced it
—— Islington Tribune