{"title":"John Worthen","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the profound insights of John Worthen, a distinguished biographer and scholar renowned for his meticulous research and engaging narratives. With a knack for bringing historical figures to life, Worthen has captivated readers with his detailed examinations of significant lives and events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong his acclaimed works is \u003cem\u003eRegicide\u003c\/em\u003e, a compelling exploration of the individuals entwined in the fateful demise of King Charles I. This gripping biography blends thorough research with a storyteller's flair, making it an enlightening read for those fascinated by history's pivotal moments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother notable title by Worthen is \u003cem\u003eRobert Schumann\u003c\/em\u003e, a richly detailed account delving into the intricate life of the famous composer. This biography offers an intimate portrait of Schumann's genius, struggles, and contributions to music, making it a must-read for music enthusiasts and history buffs alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJohn Worthen's works reside in the \u003cstrong\u003eBiography \u0026amp; Memoir\u003c\/strong\u003e category, where they serve as both enlightening resources and captivating stories, drawing readers into the depths of historical narratives with precision and warmth. Whether you're a seasoned historian or a curious reader, Worthen's books offer a blend of academic rigour and storytelling prowess that is sure to enrich your understanding of the past.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"regicide-by-john-worthen-9781913368357","title":"Regicide","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn illuminating biography of a republican convicted of regicide, drawing on the letters he wrote from within the Tower of London.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eHenry Marten\u003c\/i\u003e — soldier, member of parliament, organiser of the trial of Charles I, and signatory of the King’s death warrant — is today a neglected figure of the seventeenth century. Yet his life was both extraordinary and emblematic: he was at the fulcrum of English history during the turbulent years of the civil war, the protectorate, and the restoration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eImprisoned in the Tower of London and tried at the Old Bailey, Marten was found guilty of high treason, only to be held captive for years on the equivalent of death row. While he was in prison, his letters to his mistress Mary Ward were stolen and published in an attempt to destroy his reputation. Witty, clever, loving, sardonic, and never despairing, the letters offer a rare and extraordinary insight into the everyday life of a man in the Tower awaiting a sentence of death. The attempt to expose him as immoral revealed him instead as a tender and brave man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn John Worthen’s revelatory biography, Marten emerges from the shadows as a brilliantly clever, lively-minded man, free of the fundamentalist zeal so common in many of his republican contemporaries. Marten never abandoned his beliefs in equality, in a representative parliament under a constitution (which he had helped to write) without a monarch or a House of Lords, and in that way can be seen as a very modern man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46855827161324,"sku":"9781913368357","price":56.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/6352063482869.jpg?v=1759279894"},{"product_id":"robert-schumann-by-john-worthen-9780300163988","title":"Robert Schumann","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eShattering longstanding myths, this new biography reveals the robust and positive life of one of the nineteenth century's greatest composers.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis candid, intimate, and compellingly written new biography offers a fresh account of Robert Schumann’s life. It confronts the traditional perception of the doom-laden Romantic, forced by depression into a life of helpless, poignant sadness. John Worthen’s scrupulous attention to the original sources reveals Schumann to have been an astute, witty, articulate, and immensely determined individual, who—with little support from his family and friends in provincial Saxony—painstakingly taught himself his craft as a musician, overcame problem after problem in his professional life, and married the woman he loved after a tremendous battle with her father.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSchumann was neither manic depressive nor schizophrenic, although he struggled with mental illness. He worked prodigiously hard to develop his range of musical styles and to earn his living, only to be struck down, at the age of forty-four, by a vile and incurable disease.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWorthen’s biography effectively de-mystifies a figure frequently regarded as a Romantic enigma. It frees Schumann from 150 years of mythmaking and unjustified psychological speculation. It reveals him, for the first time, as a brilliant, passionate, resolute musician and a thoroughly creative human being, the composer of arguably the best music of his generation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46855829455084,"sku":"9780300163988","price":59.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/23637623482294.jpg?v=1759280029"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/john-worthen.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}