Hammill provides a literary, linguistic and cultural route from the Romantics, via the emergence of the Dandy and then of Modernism, to that most sophisticated of figures, Noel Coward, and on to the meaning of sophistication in the twenty-first century.
Kingston wrestles with the enduring legacy of colonial rags and riches, episodes of political strife and turf rivalry. This guide charts a course through the city's offerings, from the division between uptown modernity and downtown's swashbuckling past, to local legends and popular culture.
Bangkok stands out as a place of extraordinary allure. This book is a cultural and literary history of Thailand's capital, tracing its development from a centre of religious and royal tradition into a modern megalopolis.
