Holden's narrative brings to life a pivotal moment in literary and political history--the world of England in the first half of the 19th century and the transition from the Romantics to the Victorians. A tirelessly prolific poet, essayist, editor, and critic, Hunt was the beating heart of a Romantic literary circle, an intimate of Keats and Shelley, Byron, Hazlitt, and Lamb. While campaigning fearlessly for political reform, he invented theater criticism...

The author tests his card skills at a worldwide tournament that pits promising first-timers who have never played except on the Internet with long-standing professionals who are finding themselves outmatched.