{"title":"Al Alvarez","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the compelling works of \u003cstrong\u003eAl Alvarez\u003c\/strong\u003e, a celebrated English poet, novelist, and critic known for his insightful explorations of the human condition. With a career spanning several decades, Alvarez has contributed significantly to the literary world, offering readers a distinctive blend of intellect and emotional depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of Al Alvarez's notable works, \u003cem\u003ePondlife\u003c\/em\u003e, exemplifies his skill in weaving personal experience with universal themes. A poignant memoir, \u003cem\u003ePondlife\u003c\/em\u003e chronicles Alvarez's reflections on ageing and nature, captured through the intimate setting of his beloved outdoor swimming ponds. The book elegantly combines biography and memoir, offering insights into Alvarez's life while resonating deeply with anyone who has pondered life's fleeting beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're new to Alvarez or revisiting his work, this collection provides an enriching literary journey, combining poetic prose with heartfelt introspection. Dive into the world of Al Alvarez and explore the enduring themes that continue to captivate readers around the globe.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"pondlife-by-al-alvarez-9781408841020","title":"Pondlife","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Savage God\u003c\/i\u003e, a unique memoir of growing old, and a lesson in not going gently into that good night\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe ponds of Hampstead Heath are small oases; fragments of wild nature nestled in the heart of north-west London. For the best part of his life, Al Alvarez – poet, critic, novelist, rock-climber and poker player – has swum in them almost daily.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAn athlete in his youth, Alvarez chronicles what it is to grow old with humour and fierce honesty – from his relentlessly nagging ankle which makes daily life a struggle, to infuriating bureaucratic battles with the council to keep his disabled person’s Blue Badge, the devastating effects of a stroke, and the salvation he finds in the three Ss – Swimming, Sex and Sleep.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs Alvarez swims in the ponds, he considers how it feels when you begin to miss that person you used to be – to miss yourself. Swimming is his own private form of protest against the onslaught of time; proof to others, and himself, that he’s not yet beaten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy turns funny, poetic and indignant, \u003ci\u003ePondlife\u003c\/i\u003e is a meditation on love, the importance of life’s small pleasures and, above all, a lesson in not going gently into that good night.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A beautiful unfolding of a story, told in deceptively simple prose but with a great power to move' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'The adrenalin still flows in lively extracts' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A marvellous book... it has no business to be as invigorating and absorbing – its success is against the odds' \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eObserver\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46845538926828,"sku":"9781408841020","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/16520893482689.jpg?v=1758884817"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/al-alvarez.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}