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Lost Empires
Lost Empires
Author: J. B. Priestley
In 1913 young Richard Herncastle joins his Uncle Nick's famous magic act and is introduced to the enchanted world of the British music hall. Traveling from one city to the next, assisting at conjuring acts and disappearing acts, Richard comes to know romance, politics, and high adventure. The next year, in a true and terrifying vanishing act...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780394746869
ISBN-10: 0394746864
Publication Date: 1/1987
Pages: 346
Edition: 1st Vintag
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 1

4 stars, based on 1 rating
Publisher: Vintage
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

fibrogal avatar reviewed Lost Empires on + 180 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is from the internet, but I thought it too good to not put here for you to find:

"Lost Empires" takes us back into the world of the music hall in England in the early part of this century. Mr. Priestley's gift is characterization and here he takes us on a merry dance around the traps with as fell a cast as ever graced the none-too-genteel provincial stage. It is a book with laughter for itself and for its comic characters and, as always with J. B. Priestley, it has its moments of social satire in which we can all, perhaps, feel we might be at home. Like the longer, sturdier tale, "Good Companions," "Lost Empires" will leave you on a high, having completed a very satisfactory tour of a world long vanished, but whose echoes are still recognizable today. Language and craft, satire and straight-out good fun all abound here. Happily, Mr. Priestley does not leave us dangling for want of more; numerous other works of his are still in print today, which I suppose is the proof of this particular pudding.
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reviewed Lost Empires on + 10 more book reviews
Fascinating glimpse into the life of variety halls in England just before the first World War (1913). Richard, a would-be painter, joins his uncle's magic act. On the road he learns about women and life in general.


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