Francis King

A tragicomic novel of unrequited love by “one of the finest and most remarkable of English novelists of our time.” (The Scotsman) Antonio Valli, a gifted Italian philosopher in his thirties, has left his wife and children behind in Florence for a one-year research fellowship at a provincial English university. Handsome and charming, Antonio is irresistible to men and women both; something he knows how to use to his advantage, even if he professes to be resolutely heterosexual. One who falls helplessly under his spell is Dick Thompson, the successful middle-aged novelist in whose house Antonio rents a room. For the first time in fourteen years, Dick finds himself desperately, passionately in love, but the games the manipulative, ruthless Italian plays with him, throws the older man’s previously calm, ordered life into chaos, and sees him spiralling into a morass of covetousness, frustration and despair. Published only three years after the decriminalization of homosexuality in the UK and based on the author’s own obsession with a younger, unobtainable man, A Domestic Animal is Francis King’s most intimately and daringly autobiographical novel. It’s also “one of the best things he ever did” (D. J. Taylor, Times Literary Supplement): a “wry, anguished study . . . of love and jealousy [that] is hard to forget” (Robert Baldick, Daily Telegraph).

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

A gripping murder mystery and a profound meditation on the nature of evilThe scene is 1930s India during the waning days of British colonization. The Thompsons, a prosperous and respectable English family, are enjoying a summer at their beautiful villa when a brutal murder is committed that will tear the family apart. But what seems at first to be an act of terrorism against British rule will turn out to be something much more sinister. After a series of surprising twists and turns, the truth behind the abominable crime will at last be revealed, an explanation far more shocking than anyone could have ever imagined ... One of the most distinguished English novelists of the 20th century, Francis King (1923-2011) wrote fifty books over a sixty-five year career. Act of Darkness (1983) was the author's best-selling and most universally acclaimed work, a remarkable achievement that is both a beautifully written literary novel and a gripping, page-turning thriller that is almost impossible to put down.'A terrific mystery . . . Unfolds like an evil blossom, each layer of petals curling down to reveal another layer of ambiguity and menace' - New York Times'Dark, lurid and shattering . . . he is a master novelist' - Melvyn Bragg 'Unputdownable' - Paul Bailey, Evening Standard'Beautifully written . . . brilliantly successful' - Auberon Waugh, Daily Mail

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Self-initiation into practical magic with clear instructions on how to perform invocation and evocations, achieve astral projection, make effective talismans, or practice divination using either geomancy, tarot or I Ching. Useful for a complete beginner or those further along the path.

'A skilful, confident tale of modern Greece ... brilliantly successful ... There is indeed no fault to find with this book.' - David Williams, Guardian 'Mr. King is masterly ... he is exact, moving and funny ... a very enjoyable book.' - Angus Wilson, The Observer 'Constructed with unobtrusive mastery ... has the quality of readability which can only be achieved by the highest type of professional skill.' - Francis Wyndham, The Spectator 'Serious, skilful, intelligent.' - Times Literary Supplement Spiro Polymerides is a con artist, petty thief, and parasite who survives only by means of his youthful beauty and natural cunning. Restlessly, he drifts from one victim to another: Irvine Stroh, an American relief worker and repressed homosexual; Helen Bristow, a wealthy, middle-aged widow; and Kiki, the young daughter of a Greek shipping magnate. As he exploits, betrays, and ultimately destroys each of the people who love him, Spiro will come to find that the final victim is himself . . . The Man on the Rock (1957) was the seventh novel by the prolific Francis King (1923-2011), who was hailed by Beryl Bainbridge as 'one of our great writers, of the calibre of Graham Greene and Nabokov'. One of King's most popular and best-reviewed novels, it returns to print in this edition, which features a new introduction by Gregory Woods.