c 1700 to c 1709

‘The Lay-Man's Sermon Upon the Late Storm’ is a thought-provoking political pamphlet written by Daniel Defoe. In this essay, Defoe discusses the Church of England’s reaction to the great storm of 1703 that killed over a thousand people in England. The Church claimed that those who died deserved it for their sins and Defoe smartly and satirically disputes this line of thought. In an original and witty manner, Defoe claims that 18th Century England would put moderates to death as extreme views were the norm. Defoe’s writings on religion and politics were controversial at the time and led to him being imprisoned but they also influenced many other politicians. This book remains relevant as it preaches centrism and peace in a fractured society. ‘The Lay-Man’s Sermon Upon the Late Storm’ should be read by anyone interested in politics and religion as it provides great insight into an interesting time in history.Daniel Defoe (1660 – 1731) is one of the most important authors in the English language. Defoe was one of the original English novelists and greatly helped to popularise the form. Defoe was highly prolific and is believed to have written over 300 works ranging from novels to political pamphlets. He was highly celebrated but also controversial as his writings influenced politicians but also led to Defoe being imprisoned. Defoe’s novels have been translated into many languages and are still read across the globe to this day. Some of his most famous books include ‘Moll Flanders’ and ‘Robinson Crusoe’ which was adapted into a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Damian Lewis in 1997. Defoe’s influence on English novels cannot be understated and his legacy lives on to this day.

Questo romanzo storico eambientato nei primi anni del Settecento, durante il regno della regina Anna di Scozia. Tratto da una storia vera, il dramma narra della tragica storia d'amore tra Edgar e Lucy Ashton, figlia di Sir William. La crudele manipolatrice lady Ashton e intenzionata ad annullare il matrimonio per costringere sua figlia a sposare il signore di Bucklaw. Lucy non ha scelta e deve accettare a malincuore la decisione della genitrice. Tuttavia, il carattere della giovane si rivela tutt'altro che docile e la reazione che ha nei confronti del marito appare davvero come un fulmine a ciel sereno per tutta la sua famiglia... -