(Paperback)

The year is 1795: George III is dabbing the walls of Windsor castle with spittle, Goya is deaf, De Quincey is a depraved pubescent and young Ludwig van Beethoven is wowing them in Vienna with his second piano concerto.

(Paperback)

Felix was a quitter: he quit the Boy Scouts, the glee club, the marching band. Gave up his paper round, turned his back on the church, stuffed the basketball team. Dropped out of college, side-stepped the army, abandoned school. Got married, separated, divorced. Quit smoking, quit jogging, quit work.