Taggart, Caroline – The Bell Bookshop

The book lover’s European bucket list

Emma — Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Following the success of The Book Lover’ s Bucket List, Caroline Taggart sets off on a tour of Europe to select 100 literary landmarks across the continent to describe and provide practical advice for visiting. Discover the inspirations in Austria for Mary Shelly and in Sweden for Astrid Lindgren; visit Cervantes’ statue in Madrid dating back to 1835 and explore the French Riviera through the eyes of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The entries stretch from Homer in the eighth century BCE all the way to modern-day Scandi Noir, Sally Rooney’ s Dublin and Elena Ferrante’ s Naples. Accompanied by colour destination photographs and illustrations, mainly from the British Library Collections, this book is sure to inspire real travel and vicarious vacations alike. Lose yourself in the Venice of Thomas Mann, Edith Wharton and Donna Leon, then retreat by train to the romantic streets of Verona in search of Romeo and Juliet.

The book lover’s bucket list

Emma — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Exploring the gardens, monuments, museums, and churches with walks both urban and rural, from the BrontÃ« parsonage in Haworth to Zadie Smith’s North London and Shakespeare’s Stratford, The Book Lover’s Bucket List takes you through some 100 wonderfully described literary sites and landscapes, complete with color destination photographs and illustrations from the British Library collections.

Start with Chaucer, Dickens, and Larkin in Westminster Abbey. Spend an afternoon at Colliers Wood Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire and take in the lake D. H. Lawrence described as “all grey and visionary, stretching into the moist, translucent vista of trees and meadow.” Venture south to Cornwall and work your way up to the Scottish Highlands, taking detours to Northern Ireland in the west and Norfolk in the east.

There are gardens, monuments, museums, churches, and a surprising quantity of stained glass. There are walks both urban and rural, where you can explore real landscapes or imaginary haberdasher’s shops. There’s the club where Buck’s Fizz was invented and a pub where you can eat Sherlock’s Steak & Ale Pie. And there’s a railway station where you can stroke the muzzle of one of the world’s most famous and endearing bears.

Wherever you are in the United Kingdom, you’re never far from something associated with a good book.

Around Britain By Cake

Emma — Mon, 01 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

If there's one thing we Brits never say no to, it's stopping at four o'clock for a cup of tea and a slice of something tasty. After all, we invented afternoon tea. Ours is a land rich in moist, mouth watering flavours, of sponges and scones, fruitcakes and fancies. So what better way to tour Britain than to devour its many teatime treats, slice by sumptuous slice? That's what Caroline Taggart set out to do one day - nothing more energetic than taking a table by the window, and investigating one mouthful at a time what (other than geography) separates a Coventry God Cake from an Eccles Cake, or Grantham Gingerbread from Whitby Gingerbread. In her encounters with those people making traditional cakes, she unravels the stories behind why they originated, where and when they did, and meditates on their resurgence today, as we look to revive and celebrate local produce.

Classical Education

Emma — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

‘See if you can tell your Tantalus from your Tacitus!’ – The Daily Telegraph

‘This book aims to fill you in on the stuff you wish you’d been taught at school’ – The Times
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A Classical Education is a must-have for anyone feeling let down by modern schooling.

How many times have you wished that your history stretched all the way back to Greek and Roman myths and legends? Or that you’d been taught Latin at school? Or perhaps you wish you knew all about the great inventions and medical developments that have made our world what it is today? A Classical Education provides all of these classical facts that modern schooling leaves out, and many more.

Perfect for parents who wish to broaden their children’s education, as well as for those who would simply like to learn or relearn the facts themselves, A Classical Education is informative and educational, but above all accessible. Subjects include: Latin and Greek; Logic and philosophy; Natural sciences; Art and architecture; Poetry and drama; History and Classical literature.

Book Of English Place Names

Emma — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Take a journey down winding lanes and Roman roads in this witty and informative guide to the meanings behind the names of England’s towns and villages. From Celtic farmers to Norman conquerors, right up to the Industrial Revolution, deciphering our place names reveals how generations of our ancestors lived, worked, travelled and worshipped, and how their influence has shaped our landscape.

From the most ancient sacred sites to towns that take their names from stories of giants and knights, learn how Roman garrisons became our great cities, and discover how a meeting of the roads could become a thriving market town. Region by region, Caroline Taggart uncovers hidden meanings to reveal a patchwork of tall tales and ancient legends that collectively tells the story of how we made England.