Audley’s Cultural Highlights: Summer 2024
Need a book to get lost in on your summer holidays? Or music while relaxing on the beach? The Audley team share their cultural highlights of the summer.
BOOK: Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles by Samuel Graydon
A book that I enjoyed dipping into on holiday, bought after a recommendation from someone at the Chalke History Festival, was Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles, by Samuel Graydon.
It tells the story of Einstein’s life through 99 short chapters – some no longer than a page – to build a mosaic picture of this fascinating genius, full of quirks and contradictions. The format is perfect for holiday reading, and Graydon, a science journalist, captures Einstein’s personality and explains his incredible achievements with an admirably light touch. Harry Wynne-Williams, Director.
MUSIC: Hania Rani
Hania Rani is a Polish pianist and composer whose music has been described as ‘hauntingly beautiful’ and ‘evocative.’ She creates a unique blend of classical and electronic music, using a combination of traditional instruments and cutting-edge technology. One of the aspects of her work I love is her incorporation of sounds from the natural world into her compositions, adding layers of complexity and depth. On her new album Ghosts (linked above) she also sings, and her beautiful voice has an ethereal, enigmatic quality. Annie Coleman, Senior Advisor.
BOOK: The Umbrella Murder by Ulrik Skotte
Waterloo Bridge is just a stone’s throw from Audley’s office. It’s also the scene of one of the Cold War’s most notorious murders: the killing of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov, with a poison dart fired from an umbrella.
The Umbrella Murder became notorious not just for its unorthodox manner, but also because it remained unsolved for so long. Now, Danish journalist Ulrik Skotte has written the definitive account. Part whodunnit and part biography, it’s a fast-paced and very human tale of a 45-year-old mystery. Spend some time this summer with Ulrik, his friend Franco, and their acquaintance Francesco Gullino. You won’t be disappointed. Chris Wilkins, Chief Executive Officer.
THEATRE: Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris at the Noël Coward Theatre
From the opening scene, Jeremy O. Harris’ play subverts all expectations. At times shocking and explicit, at others subtle and thought-provoking, it covers themes of race, identity, and sexuality in modern-day America. Examining three interracial couples in a new style of therapy, conceived by two colleagues whose relationship is as much a subject of the play as the couples themselves, the play’s 12 Tony nominations are well earned. This Robert O’Hara-directed London run features Kit Harington, who might be the biggest name in the play, but whose performance is equalled by every one of his co-stars. Imogen Beecroft, Managing Partner.
BOOK: Thom Gunn: A Cool Queer Life by Michael Nott
Finally, a biography of my favourite poet. Thom Gunn was one of the most praised poets of the twentieth century, and his life was also remarkable. A lover of Shakespeare who published his first book shortly after graduating from Cambridge, he wrote from the centre of San Francisco’s gay community about the rise and fall of the ‘60s counterculture and – in some of his most extraordinary and moving poems – the loss of friends during the AIDS epidemic. Michael Nott has done us all a service by putting the story of this most significant of poets in print. Harri Adams, Associate.
BOOK: Red Notice by Bill Browder
When my father handed me his copy of Red Notice by Bill Browder several years ago, I didn’t expect much — corporate thrillers aren’t my thing. But ahead of interviewing Browder for an Audley breakfast panel in the Spring, I cracked it open and was hooked. Browder’s tale of becoming a top hedge-fund manager in Russia, exposing state corruption, and losing his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky to the brutal Kremlin machine, is as gripping as it is horrifying. Browder’s relentless pursuit of justice since, now more relevant with the recent release of Vladimir Kara-Murza and others in the recent prisoner swap, makes this a must-read for anyone wanting a topical and compelling beach read. Chris Maitland, Policy Director.