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The City and University of Oxford

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Books

All things bookish

Oxford is a city that treasures books. Within the city walls one can find the first library in the English speaking world (Merton College),one of the world's great libraries (Bodleian), and many outstanding bookshops.
Bodleian Library - Homepage
Since 1602 the Bodleian Library has been preserving the written heritage of the world. Its publications bring this heritage to you.
Merton College, Oxford: the library
The Merton Library and Archive have formed a part of the life of the college since the 13th century. The library building in Mob Quadrangle, dating from 1373, is the oldest continuously functioning library for university academics and students in the world.
The Inner Bookshop
The Inner Bookshop in Oxford's Cowley district is off of the tourist trail. However, if you enjoy offbeat esoteric books, then The Inner Bookshop is worth the detour.
Blackwell's
If you have travelled to Oxford to meet other tourists, or to buy books you can find at home, go to Borders. If not, then visit Blackwell's.

There are, of course, tourists that find their way to Blackwell's, but there is more to its Broad Street shop than bestsellers and coffee.

Blackwell's on Broad Street (next to Trinity College) is arguably the best academic bookshop in the world. I've spent many happy days browsing its shelves, and when my budget permits even buying books. When you are there, be sure to make your way up to the third floor where secondhand books are bought and sold.

For more on the history of Blackwell's click on the above link.

Oxford's Dreaming Spires and Domes

The Radcliffe Camera

Behind St Mary's (the University church) lies Radcliffe Square. This cobble stone area enveloped by Brasenose, Exeter, and All Souls Colleges, surrounds James Gibb's architectural masterpiece, the Radcliffe Camera. The Camera, now an extension of the University's Bodleian Library, was the first round library in the world.
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From Inkling Pens

Novels by C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Charles Williams

Encounter Aslan, Gandalf and other new friends
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Great Stuff on Amazon

The Inklings

Oxford's enchanted twentieth-century authors
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Musical Oxford

All things musical

Oxford is a small but cosmopolitan city, and its musical calendar reflects the city's international standing.
Music
Latvian Radio Chamber Singers
Composer Gavin Bryars collaborates with Oxford Contemporary Music to bring one of the most distinctive choirs in Europe to Oxford, known for their experimentation with timbre and colour in voice and with ways of staging their performances. Conductor Kaspars Putnins received the Latvian Music Grand Prix in 1999, the highest honour in Latvia for professional achievement in music
Oxford Philomusica
Programme:Saturday 17 December 2005 8pm
Sheldonian Theatre
HAYDN Symphony No. 44 in E minor (Trauersinfonie)
wagner Complete Act III from Die Walkure'

Marios Papadopoulos conductor
Oxford International Piano Festival
During the summer months, the dreaming spires of Oxford dream less peacefully. The tour groups come, the scholars leave, and, overnight, the ancient colleges turn into bustling, money-making summer schools, mostly for visiting Americans and Japanese. Signs welcome a delegation from Georgia Tech or greet the Okinawa English Course.

But last month at St. Hilda's - one of Oxford's quieter colleges, created in the 19th century for the education of respectable young ladies - the signs related to something quite different from run-of-the-mill language courses and exam support. They welcomed the performers, tutors, students, lecturers and resident observers to the Oxford International Piano Festival, in its seventh year, under the direction of the Greek-born conductor and pianist Marios Papadopoulos.

The next festival begins on 23 July 2006.
Mainly Mozart Festival 2006
In 2006 the musical world celebrates Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born 250 years ago and described, definitively, by the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians as the most universal composer in the history of modern music'. Indeed, Mozart's musical Midas touch turned to gold every known musical form - masses, symphonies, opera, concerti and chamber music. But perhaps more importantly, successive generations of music lovers have sensed, intuitively, that more than any other composer, Mozart merged mastery of form with expression of emotion. It is our mission, in this Mainly Mozart Festival, to take our audiences on a musical journey to explore and experience that uniquely satisfying quality to the full.

The festival begins on Mozart's 250th birthday (27 January 2006) at Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre.

Oxford's Sheldonian Theatre

Designed by Sir Christopher Wren

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Oxford Authors

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British Prime Ministers Educated at Oxford University

Tony Blair (St John's College) is the twenty-fifth British Prime Minister to have been educated at Oxford.

He is preceeded by:

24. Margaret Thatcher (Somerville)
23. Harold Wilson (Jesus)
22. Edward Heath (Balliol)
21. Sir Alec Douglas-Home (Christ Church)
20. Harold Macmillan (Balliol)

19. Anthony Eden (Christ Church)
18. Clement Atlee (Christ Church)
17. H. H. Asquith (Balliol)
16. Marquess of Salisbury (Christ Church)
15. Earl of Rosebery (Christ Church)

14. William Ewart Gladstone (Christ Church)
13. Earl of Derby (Christ Church)
12. Sir Robert Peel (Christ Church)
11. George Canning (Christ Church)
10. Earl of Liverpool (Christ Church)

9. Henry Addington (Brasenose)
8. Lord Grenville (Christ Church)
7. Earl of Shelburne (Christ Church)
6. Duke of Portland (Christ Church)
5. Lord North (Trinity)

4. Earl of Chatham (Trinity)
3. George Grenville (Christ Church)
2. Henry Pelham (Hertford)
1. Earl of Wilmington (Trinity)

There you have it: 13 excellent reasons to avoid Christ Church; 3 each to avoid Trinity and Balliol; and one reason to avoid Brasenose, Hertford, Jesus, St John's, Somerville and University.

Harold Wilson (Jesus) was also a tutor at Magdalen, so you might want to add it to this list.

Unfortunately, political types can now be found in most colleges and halls. Sigh.

The Key to No. 10

Oxford

Lord Rees-Mogg
For generations, a single university has had a grip on the keys to No 10. What is its secret?
WHY IS Oxford always top in politics? The figures are remarkable. Since 1945 there have been ten Prime Ministers, of whom seven were educated at Oxford. Oxford Prime Ministers have held office for 46 of the past 60 years. The three non-Oxford Prime Ministers of the period were Churchill, Callaghan and Major, of whom only Churchill was a great figure.

Oxford Politicians

Lady Thatcher (Somerville College, Oxford)

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Oxford Authors

Graham Greene (Balliol College, Oxford)

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Oxford Authors

John le Carre (Lincoln College, Oxford)

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beta5955

I am an American living in the UK - a Mid-Westerner in Oxford - the
city of dreaming spires'. My introduction to Oxford and the UK, over
thirty years... more »

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