Author:Luigi Barzini
The 'fatal charm of Italy' has held Lord Byron – and millions of tourists ever since – in its spell. Yet, beneath 'the brilliant and vivacious surface', what are the realities of Italian life? Few writers have ever painted a portrait of their compatriots as crisp, frank and fearless as Luigi Barzini's. Cutting through the familiar clichés, he instructs us with a cascade of anecdotes and provides a marvellous guided tour through centuries of history. He examines Machiavelli and Mussolini, popes, pilgrims and prostitutes, cliques and conspiracies, Casanova and the crippling power of the Church. Yet alongside the Baroque exuberance and spectacular display, the love of life and the life of love, he also shows us a divided nation, injustice, ignorance, poverty and fear. All this is Italy, a country of dazzling achievement and an uncanny aptitude for getting round problems; both its virtues and its vices are celebrated in this sparkling book
An exhilarating journey through the myths, misconceptions and stereotypes of modern Africa. This book is the history lesson that we all need, to understand the damage that has been done by legacies of white supremacy affecting African nations and the whole world.
—— Jeffrey Boakye , GuardianWarm, funny, biting and essential reading.
—— Adam Rutherford, author of How To Argue With A RacistPowerful and heartfelt... A long-overdue and compelling corrective... Faloyin has written a book inspired by love and hope for a much-abused and maligned continent, whose future, he insists, is filled with promise.
—— GuardianFor curious minds... a truly revelatory read... a book that will stay with you long after you've finished - and one that opens a new chapter on the way you'll think about Africa.
—— Mail on SundayImpossible not to relish.
—— New York TimesThis book should be on the curriculum.
—— Nikki May, author of WahalaA necessary book that deserves its place in the canon as essential reading.
—— Sally Hayden , Irish TimesA masterpiece in historical journalism, bristling with insights and perspective widening truths. Anyone seeking enlightenment needs to read this.
—— Jeffrey Boakye, author of I Heard What You SaidHilarious, ferocious, generous and convincing.
—— Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland and Butler to the WorldIncisive, thought-provoking and, above all, beautifully written - effortlessly blends memoir, political analysis and historical nonfiction to create something genuinely compelling and new
—— Zing Tsjeng, author of Forgotten WomenA triumph of a book...charismatic and hugely enjoyable...You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't read this.
—— Nels Abbey, author of Think Like a White ManA brilliant, prescient exploration of a richly complex continent. An antidote for our times.
—— Irenosen Okojie, author of NudibranchImpeccably researched...brimming with humor and intellect. A necessary read.
—— JK Chukwu, author of The UnfortunatesA vital book that offers us new, complex narratives to view African countries and their relationships to Europe and the Global North. Faloyin's stylish, propulsive prose blends history, memoir and opinion, so that reading him has the impression of being at the knee of a great storyteller.
—— Jonathan Nunn, editor of VittlesDemonstrates how that old saying - "this time is different" - is both so true and so wrong!
—— Lord Stephen Green , former CEO and Chairman of HSBC and UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, 2011-2013Crashes are an integral part of the history of capitalism. The last century has seen plenty of them. All crashes begin with debt-fuelled euphoria and end in disappointment. Yet how bad that disappointment turns out to be also depends on where in the economy the crash falls and how determined and credible are the responses. In this lively and blessedly brief book, Linda Yueh does a lovely job of explaining the history and drawing the necessary lessons
—— Martin Wolf , Chief Economics Commentator, Financial TimesThis excellent overview identifies the ingredients that are specific to each crisis and common to all. She provides a lucid assessment of the efficacy of policy responses, high-lighting credibility as a necessary condition for successful resolution
—— Lord Nick McPherson, , former Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury, 2005-2016, and Chairman of C. Hoare & Co."Why did nobody notice?" Was the question the Queen asked about the 2008 financial crisis. It was a good question. All financial crises and crashes have their own characteristics but they also often involve certain common features:- Irrational exuberance, Speculative frenzy, Greed and over confidence usually supported by high levels of gearing.
Linda Yueh's new book will be a timely reminder to governments and regulators of the warning signs of future crises
Timely, entertaining and full of useful insights
—— Gideon Rachman , Chief Foreign Affairs Commentator, Financial TimesRenowned economist Dr Linda Yueh looks at past financial crashes - from the Wall Street Crash to the dot com boom and bust and the Covid pandemic - to explore what we can learn from them in this entertainingly written book.
—— i, Best New Books in MayEntertaining, well-written . . . [Yueh] has come up with a three-step framework to help spot when financial problems are brewing and identifies where the next may occur.
—— Ben Wright , TelegraphA gifted writer (een begenadigd schrijver)
—— De Telegraaf