This Secret Garden: Oxford Revisited

by Justin Cartwright

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Oxford is many things. But it has a symbolic meaning well beyond its buildings, gardens, rituals and teaching. It stands for something deep in the Anglo-Saxon mind - excellence, a kind of privilege, a charmed life, deep-veined liberalism, a respect for tradition. Cartwright has spoken to many leading figures, looked at favourite places in Oxford, subjected himself to an English tutorial - he performed very poorly - attended the Freshers' dinner in his old college, studied various works of show more art and museums, investigated the claim that dons like detective novels, and reread many Oxford classics. At the same time he has looked at some of the great debates and reforms which made Oxford what it is, as well as the most recent debate about funding reform, which ended in a resounding defeat for the reformers. He depicts the beauty of this historic city, the landscape of enclosed quads and gardens, and the astonishing collection of buildings. Cartwright concludes that the Oxford myth, while outstripping the reality, is as powerful as ever. This is an enchanting and highly original look at Oxford, indispensable reading for anyone interested in the myth and reality of Oxford. show less

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26+ Works 1,807 Members
Justin Cartwright was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1945. He graduated from Trinity College, Oxford. Before becoming an author, he worked in advertising and in film and documentary directing. He wrote 13 novels including Interior, Look at It This Way, White Lightning, Half in Love, The Promise of Happiness, The Song Before It Is Sung, To show more Heaven by Water, Other People's Money, Lion Heart, and Up Against the Night. In Every Face I Meet won a Commonwealth Writers Prize and Leading the Cheers won the Whitbread Novel Award. He also wrote three non-fiction books entitled Not Yet Home, This Secret Garden, and Oxford Revisited. He died on December 3, 2018 at the age of 73. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

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Canonical title
This Secret Garden: Oxford Revisited

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Genres
Travel, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir
DDC/MDS
914.257404History & geographyGeography & travelGeography of and travel in EuropeEngland and WalesEast Midlands, Chiltern Hills, Trent RiverOxfordshireCity of Oxfordsubdivisions and modified standard subdivisionsTravel; guidebooks
LCC
PR6053 .A746 .Z46Language and LiteratureEnglishEnglish Literature1961-2000
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37
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780,232
Rating
(3.08)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
2