Weatherland : Writers and Artists Under English Skies

La 4e de couverture indique : "Writers and artists across the centuries, from Chaucer to Ian McEwan, and from the creator of the Luttrell Psalter in the 14th century to John Piper in the 20th, looking up at the same skies and walking in the same brisk air, have felt very different things and woven them into their novels, poems and paintings. Alexandra Harriss subject is not the weather itself, but the weather as it is daily recreated in the human imagination. She builds her remarkable story from small evocative details and catches the distinct voices of compelling individuals: Bloody cold, says Jonathan Swift in the slobbery January of 1713; Percy Shelley wants to become a cloud and John Ruskin wants to bottle one ... Weatherland is both a sweeping panorama of cultural climates on the move and a richly illustrated, intimate account for although weather, like culture, is vast, it is experienced physically, emotionally and spiritually; as Harris cleverly reveals, it is at the very core of what it means to be English." Writers And Artists Across The Centuries, From Chaucer To Ian Mcewan, And From The Creator Of The Luttrell Psalter In The 14th Century To John Piper In The 20th, Looking Up At The Same Skies And Walking In The Same Brisk Air, Have Felt Very Different Things And Woven Them Into Their Novels, Poems And Paintings. Alexandra Harriss Subject Is Not The Weather Itself, But The Weather As It Is Daily Recreated In The Human Imagination. She Builds Her Remarkable Story From Small Evocative Details And Catches The Distinct Voices Of Compelling Individuals: Bloody Cold, Says Jonathan Swift In The Slobbery January Of 1713; Percy Shelley Wants To Become A Cloud And John Ruskin Wants To Bottle One...weatherland Is Both A Sweeping Panorama Of Cultural Climates On The Move And A Richly Illustrated, Intimate Account For Although Weather, Like Culture, Is Vast, It Is Experienced Physically, Emotionally And Spiritually; As Harris Cleverly Reveals, It Is At The Very Core Of What It Means To Be English. A Mirror In The Sky -- Tesserae -- The Winter-wise -- Forms Of Mastery -- Imported Elements -- Weathervane -- 'whan That Aprill ... -- Month By Month -- Secrets And Signs -- A Holly Branch -- 'why Fares The World Thus?' -- Splendour And Artifice -- Shakespeare: Inside-out -- Two Anatomists -- Sky And Bones -- Milton's Temperature -- A Pause: On Freezeland Street -- Method And Measurement -- Reasoning With Mud -- A Language For The Breeze -- Dr Johnson Withstands The Weather -- Day By Day -- Coleridge And The Storm -- Wordsworth: Weather's Friend -- A Flight: In Cloudland -- Shelley On Air -- The Stillness Of Keats -- Clare's Calendar -- Turner And The Sun -- Companions Of The Sky -- 'drip, Drip Drip' -- Varieties Of Gloom -- Ruskin In The Age Of Umber -- Rain On A Grave -- Bright New World -- Greyscale -- Too Much Weather -- Flood. Alexandra Harris. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. A lively look at the English literary and artistic responses to the weather from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Keats and Ian McEwan In a sweeping panorama, Weatherland allows us to witness Englands cultural climates across the centuries. Before the Norman Conquest, Anglo-Saxons living in a wintry world wrote about the coldness of exile or the shelters they had to defend against enemies outside. The Middle Ages brought the warmth of spring; the new lyrics were sung in praise of blossoms and cuckoos. Descriptions of a rainy night are rare before 1700, but by the end of the eighteenth century the Romantics had adopted the squall as a fit subject for their most probing thoughts. The weather is vast and yet we experience it intimately, and Alexandra Harris builds her remarkable story from small evocative details. There is the drawing of a twelfth-century man in February, warming bare toes by the fire. There is the tiny glass left behind from the Frost Fair of 1684, and the Sunspan house in Angmering that embodies the bright ambitions of the 1930s. Harris catches the distinct voices of compelling individuals. Bloody cold, says Jonathan Swift in the slobbery January of 1713. Percy Shelley wants to become a cloud and John Ruskin wants to bottle one. Weatherland is a celebration of English air and a life story of those who have lived in it. 60+ illustrations An account English weather, which is at the very heart of English life and culture, as it is experienced physically, emotionally and spiritually. It catches the distinct voices of compelling individuals: 'Bloody cold', says Jonathan Swift in the 'slobbery' January of 1713; Percy Shelley wants to become a cloud and John Ruskin wants to bottle one. The story of English culture over a thousand years can be told as the story of changing ideas about the weather. Writers and artists across the centuries, looking up at the same skies and walking in the same brisk air, have felt very different things. This book is a celebration of English air and a life-story of those who have lived in it.