Search results for ""author roy"

Chess world champion Mirko Czentovic is travelling on an ocean liner to Buenos Aires. Dull-witted in all but chess, he entertains himself on board by allowing others to challenge him in the game, before beating each of them and taking their money. But there is another passenger with a passion for chess: Dr B, previously driven to insanity during Nazi imprisonment by the chess games in his imagination. But in agreeing to take on Czentovic, what price will Dr B ultimately pay? A moving portrait of one man's madness, The Royal Game: a chess story is a searing examination of the power of the mind and the evil it can do.

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The self-propelled or locomotive torpedo was probably the greatest game-changer in the history of naval warfare. For the first time the largest warship could be sunk by a weapon carried by the smallest, and most navies were quick to see the potential. Although the 19th-century Royal Navy had a reputation for technological conservatism, it was an early adopter' of the torpedo and was instrumental in the development of the small fast craft that became the delivery system of choice, the steam torpedo boat. Britain's most important contribution to torpedo warfare, however, was the invention of its antidote, the torpedo boat destroyer, or destroyer' as it came to be called. This often-told story has overshadowed the earlier but no less significant history of the torpedo boat itself in the Royal Navy, an injustice set to right by this new book. Torpedoes were derived from earlier underwater explosive devices - mines, spar and towed torpedoes, and the like - so the first chapter briefly reviews their history before moving on to Robert Whitehead's revolutionary invention that made the self-propelled torpedo a practical weapon. The Admiralty was so impressed it purchased the rights to Whitehead's device, and thereafter the Royal Navy made much of the early running in torpedo boat design. In this they were greatly assisted by existing boatbuilders like Thornycroft and Yarrow who already specialised in small fast craft. The core of this book is a detailed developmental history of British torpedo craft, from the early experiments like Vesuvius and Polyphemus, through the 1st Class TBs to the so-called Coastal Destroyers of the early 20th century. There are also separate chapters on 2nd Class boats, on Torpedo Gunboats and on the Torpedo Depot Ships' Hecla and Vulcan. The book concludes with a number of appendices devoted to background issues like quick-firing guns and reports on performance of the boats in various circumstances. As it fills a surprising gap in the technical history of British warships, this book will be welcomed by naval enthusiasts, modelmakers and historians.

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Despite being one of the most successful motorcycles of all time, the Royal Enfield Bullet has had a very chequered history. Its story begins in the 1930s and by the 1950s it was at the height of its popularity in post-War Britain. Then it became a stalwart of the Indian Army and manufacture transitioned from Britain to India. The near-collapse of the Royal Enfield marque in the 1990s almost meant the end of this classic motorbike, but with the involvement of the Eicher Group from 2001 onwards, the updated Bullet generated new interest and renewed its original commercial success, just like a phoenix rising from the ashes. With over 200 photographs, this book describes the origins of the Royal Enfield company and the pre-war Bullets from 1932 and the relaunch of the Bullet in 1949 with its radical swinging-arm frame. Derivative models such as the 350 and 500, as well as those for competition and road are covered as well as specials such as diesels, V-twins, Egli and big-bore Bullets. The development story behind the lean-burn, electric-start and 5-speed updates is discussed as well as the UCE - the all-new Bullet from 2008 and the Classic and its design story. Finally, the evolution beyond the Bullet is covered which includes the Continental GT and Himalyan 650 twins.

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Polite and perfect Princess Hannah has been so well behaved that the King and Queen have decided to get her a very special birthday present: The Marvellous Magical Pudding Machine! How can she possibly be expected to share such a wonderful thing with her friends? Discover the fanciful and vivid picture book that gives hope that even those with the sweetest tooth might learn to share...

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This beautiful Royal Ballet 2025 wall calendar celebrates one of the most elegant dances in the world. Enjoy a host of stunning images of ballet performances, together with spacious date grids for your notes. This calendar is free of plastic packaging.

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A FLAME TREE NOTEBOOK. Beautiful and luxurious the journals combine high-quality production with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for writers, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed on foil paper, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and rose red end-papers. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. PRACTICAL, EASY TO USE. Flame Tree Notebooks come with practical features too: a pocket at the back for scraps and receipts; two ribbon markers to help keep track of more than just a to-do list; robust ivory text paper, printed with lines; and when you need to collect other notes or scraps of paper the magnetic side flap keeps everything neat and tidy. THE ARTIST. Mabel Allington Royds (1874–1941) was born in Bedford. At age 15 she won a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy but opted to study at the Slade. She is famed for her colourful woodcuts of flowers, along with Biblical and Indian scenes, her technique was indebted to Japanese woodcuts. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

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A century, a hundred, a ton, whether in sport, in life or an exam result raises expectations and interest. When it is a celebration of a leading yacht club’s longevity, pens descend on paper. From small beginnings after the First World War the Royal Lymington Yacht Club has become one of the UK’s leading sports clubs. The Club’s patron, HRH Princess Anne, has seen the Club lead the way in a UK-wide recognised sailing programme for local youngsters, resulting in many of them winning Olympics medals. Other members have cruised round the world for fun, some more than once, while others have risen to be world champions in a variety of racing classes, up to and including the America's Cup. This snapshot of a hundred years of a Royal Club is an absorbing collage of yachting, educational and social events in a thriving club that is at the epicentre of the boating world of the New Forest, the Solent and Lymington River.

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Combining the incisive pen of a newspaperman and the compassionate soul of a poet, Mike Royko became a Chicago institution - in Jimmy Breslin's words, 'the best journalist of his time'. "Early Royko: Up Against It in Chicago" will restore to print the legendary columnist's first writings, which chronicle 1960s Chicago with the moral vision, ironic sense, and razor-sharp voice that would remain Royko's trademark. This collection of early columns from the "Chicago Daily News" ranges from witty social commentary to politically astute satire. Some of the pieces are falling-down funny and others are tenderly nostalgic, but all display Royko's unrivaled skill at using humor to tell truth to power. From machine politicians and gangsters to professional athletes, from well-heeled Chicagoans to down-and-out hoodlums, no one escapes Royko's penetrating gaze - and resounding judgment. "Early Royko" features a memorable collection of characters, including such well-known figures as Hugh Hefner, Mayor Richard J. Daley, and Dr. Martin Luther King. But these boldfaced names are juxtaposed with Royko's beloved lesser-knowns from the streets of Chicago: Mrs. Peak, Sylvester 'Two-Gun Pete' Washington, and Fats Boylermaker, who gained fame for leaning against a corner light pole from 2 a.m. Saturday until noon Sunday, when his neighborhood tavern reopened for business. Accompanied by a foreword from Rick Kogan, this new edition will delight Royko's most ardent fans and capture the hearts of a new generation of readers. As Kogan writes, "Early Royko" 'will remind us how a remarkable relationship began - Chicago and Royko, Royko and Chicago - and how it endures'.

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When Oliver rescues Pierre, a small puppy, he has no inkling that this small act of kindness will trigger the start of a great cosmic drama. For far out in space, higher powers are about to assess human dominance on planet Earth. Oliver unexpectedly finds himself as the chosen representative of humanity at the upcoming cosmic enquiry that will judge humans against artificial Intelligence. To gather his evidence he sets off, with Pierre in tow, transiting first to the Shadow-side (Earth’s twin) to meet Lord Sebastian – an advocate for humanity – and Galactic controller Ovoid – who is most certainly not. Encounters with angry centaurs, a Were-cat, a trans-avian falcon and a shrub spirit are only some of the unusual characters he encounters, as he moves ever closer to the final countdown… The Royal Road to the Stars is the story of a man facing a task chosen for him – to undertake the greatest earthly journey ever made, with the future of humanity at stake.

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At the height of the Russian Civil War in 1919 Britain poured in thousands of troops and vast amounts of munitions to assist the White Russian opponents of Lenin's Communist forces. This was despite exhaustion following the Great War and the Spanish flu epidemic. One man involved was 23-year-old Royal Marines officer, Thomas Henry Jameson. His mission took him and his men on a journey of 5,000 miles from Vladivostok to the battlegrounds not far from Moscow. As part of a White Russian Flotilla they steamed down the huge Kama River and fought a series of successful battles against superior Bolshevik gunboats. Later they were forced to retreat and, becoming cut off behind enemy lines, had to fight their way out knowing that, if captured, they faced summary execution. Eventually after a long and hazardous journey they made it back to their parent ship. Jameson and his Marines faced a multitude of hazards in this cruel civil war including disease which he described as the biggest challe

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This book seeks to refresh and retell the story of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots through their own words. Accompanying a major British Library exhibition, Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens brings new insights to the familiar tale of two powerful women whose relationship dominated English and Scottish politics for thirty years. Their personal history and struggle for dynastic pre-eminence are described and explained against the backdrop of religious conflict, rebellion, fear of foreign invasion, espionage and treason. Twelve insightful chapters from leading Tudor scholars and 145 illustrated primary sources chart the queens' relationship as it evolved from mutual curiosity, to suspicion, to lethal enmity. Reproduced in full colour, the sources include letters and documents written in the queens' own hands and recording their speeches and conversations: Mary's ten-page letter written to Elizabeth during captivity and the sonnet she penned the night before her execution, verses composed by Elizabeth in 1569 in response to the Northern Rebellion, and a recently discovered letter sent by Elizabeth to Mary in 1584 in response to her cousin's request for reconciliation. Alongside the letters and documents that bring their story vividly to life are many personal objects closely associated with the two queens, among them an exceptional portrait of Elizabeth I only recently rediscovered and one of her most treasured and personal rings, as well as a hanging embroidered by Mary during her long imprisonment, and the Penicuik Jewels she gave away before her execution.

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The legend continues! Stand by for more adventures with the world's greatest secret agent, as some of his most thrilling missions are collected for the first time ever! When SPECTRE contact the Secret Service, offering information about a soon-to-be-launched nuclear-powered airship called "The Golden Ghost", Bond is sent to investigate. But is the airship really in danger, or is Madame Spectra luring 007 into a death trap? This new, never-before-collected edition also collects "Fear Face" and "Double Jeopardy". Plus a new introduction and exclusive feature material!

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How and why did painters centre sensory experience, enchanting emotions, and cultural landscapes in South Asia? A Splendid Land is the first exhibition to address this question through dazzling paintings made over a period of two hundred years, spanning from Mughal to colonial India, that have never been published or exhibited in the United States. Around 1700, artists in Udaipur began creating large, immersive paintings to convey the mood (bhava) of the city’s palaces, lakes, and mountains. A Splendid Land explores how painters depicted places, mapped terrains, and triggered memories to foster political and personal attachments to land. By examining social networks, ecological relations, and pleasurable pursuits, and by drawing upon previously untranslated sources and engaging with the history of the senses, A Splendid Land opens early modern art history to new interpretative possibilities.

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Join two best friends as history is made in 1585. When Nell and Kat - who work in rivalling courts - meet by chance, an unlikely friendship blossoms. But tensions are high and the rivalry between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots is at breaking point... Can Nell and Kat keep their friendship alive and trust one another, even when so many of those around them are losing their heads? Packed with fascinating historical details Filled with fantastic black-and-white line illustrations throughout a first chapter book for children setting off on their reading journey

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"Royalty." A single word that invokes daydreams of champagne, lavish lifestyles, and extravagant parties. In How to Drink Like a Royal, Albert W. A. Schmid offers readers a taste of how the other half lives, with cocktail recipes inspired by some of the world's most famous dynasties. To ensure that you will delight even royal guests, Schmid also provides tips for proper etiquette, such as the requirement to stand if the Monarch is standing and to never, ever try to take a selfie. Discover cocktails like the Golden Doublet, created to celebrate the marriage of England's Princess Anne to Captain Mark Phillips, or the Savoy Royale created for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on her visit to the Savoy Hotel, London. Other recipes give ode to royal families from works of literature, like the Beowulf Cocktail honoring King Hrothgar of the Danes. Even the royalty of the United States is featured through the Hawaiian Martini, an homage to the Hawaiian royal family who reigned from their palaces until 1893.With easy-to-follow glossaries for both royal and cocktail-making terms alongside 180 reciepes for a wide array of drinks that will quench any sort of thirst, How to Drink Like a Royal is an informative and light-hearted manual to help you cultivate your inner prince or princess.

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The most scandalous Royal book of the year In a rapidly changing world the Royal Family own swathes of the country, most of the seabed and more money than anyone could ever spend. It is the role of the Chamberlain of the NDAs to keep things that way. From transgressions to successions, travesties to majesties, follow eighteen months in the life of trusted toady Fenton Footlicker Esquire as he takes Queen Elizabeth to rehab, foils a breakout from the Balmoral Labour Camp and runs a counter-espionage unit of royal lookalikes – the Crown Duals. Fenton knows better than anyone that without the monarchy UK tourism would instantly collapse. Which is why he calls himself the Royal Flush: because he always cleans up the messes his charges leave behind.

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Acclaimed historian Max Arthur pays tribute to the Royal Navy from 1914 to 1945. Drawing on the personal stories of those who have served during this period, he has created a unique narrative history of the senior service.FORGOTTEN VOICES: THE ROYAL NAVY is a memorable and moving testament to the courage, spirit, skill and irrepressible humour of those who served in the Royal Navy during these crucial years.

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Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore. From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending. Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good. And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions? Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed? Love is in the heir in this royally good rom com – perfect for anyone who likes relatable heroines (with great hair), hot and aloof book boyfriends (with great hats), near misses, almost kisses and a corgi or two. Readers are loving Falling Hard for the Royal Guard: ‘As light and airy as meringue’ Entertainment Weekly ‘A towering love story’ Daily Express ‘A perfect royal rom com’ Bella ‘Readers will be charmed’ Publishers Weekly ‘I fell hard for this book… The setting and the storyline were totally refreshing’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely devoured this book. There are not many books that I sacrifice sleep for, but this one had me up until nearly 3am!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book made me feel fuzzy and brought back my love of romance’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A jewel of a five-star read … there are some perfect British moments that will keep you hooked and make you smile. It made me so desperate to go and visit the Tower again’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What a fabulous debut for Megan Clawson. A heart-warming romance, this was a cute, memorable read. Highly recommend!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I haven’t laughed so much in ages … I thoroughly enjoyed the romantic comedy.’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The characters really captured my heart. Very excited to see what Megan Clawson writes next!’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Three theories vie to explain the causes, characteristics and chronology behind the emergence of Iron Age Cypriot city-kingdoms: Achaean, Phoenician and autochthonous. Privileged by scholars until as recently as the 1980s, the first linked the emergence of the Cypriot city-state to the great Achaean migrations at the end of the second millennium. Epic foundation myths, telling of cities founded by Achaean heroes returning from Troy, were seen as fabled versions of events unfolding ostensibly at the outset of the Iron Age. The writings of D.W. Rupp cast doubt on the Achaean theory, by placing these developments at a much later date (8th c. BCE) and tracing their origins to the growing influence of the Phoenicians. This hypothesis was hotly contested, giving rise to a third theory, according to which the Cypriot Iron Age was essentially a continuation of the island’s Bronze Age civilisation. The latter theory now holds sway and is scarcely ever contested. The Cypriot city-kingdoms that we observe in the historical period (7th-4th c. BCE) are said to have arisen, after a few decades of instability, as early as the 11th century. Their political and administrative structures would have undergone little more than consolidation in the 8th century, before enjoying their floruit during the Archaic and Classical periods and finally disappearing amid the Wars of the Diadochi at the start of the Hellenistic period. By recasting these developments within the broader context of the re-emergence of state structures in the eastern Mediterranean, La naissance des cités-royaumes cypriotes reassesses the arguments advanced by champions of the received theory. It likewise situates the phenomenon within a firmer theoretical (i.e. anthropological) framework, intended to establish well-defined distinctions. Furthermore, it proposes a shared typology that can accommodate other political entities, traces of which are found throughout the Geometric period (11th-8th c. BCE). Not only does the archaeological evidence compel us to question whether events unfolded as suggested, it reinforces a more nuanced variant of the Phoenician theory. Various state markers, though abundant in the 8th century (Cypro-Geometric III), seem indeed conspicuously absent during Cypro-Geometric I and II. Excavations at one such city-state, the palace of Amathus, have yielded compelling indications as to when a lasting dynasty originally arose. From them, we can surmise that the Kingdom of Amathus was the first of its kind. While the process no doubt took several decades, under no circumstances did it occur before the 9th century BCE. This coincides, moreover, with the wave of resurgent state-building that swept the eastern Mediterranean and engulfed even more westerly regions like the Aegean.

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Coward, scoundrel, lover and cheat, but there is no better man to go into the jungle with. Join Flashman in his adventures as he survives fearful ordeals and outlandish perils across the four corners of the world. A mission calls for a master of disguise, deceit and treachery: there’s only one man for the job. When a legendary femme fatale delivers him into the clutches of the dastardly Otto von Bismarck, Flashman will need all the cunning and seductive charm he can muster to escape this plot.

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"Captures the resilience of the company." – The i newspaper In March 2020, Liam Scarlett's production of Swan Lake opened at the Royal Opera House, beginning its anticipated 3-month run. That same month, the UK government ordered theatres and arts centres across the country to close immediately as the COVID-19 pandemic starting its fast and destructive spread around the world. At the Royal Opera House, The Royal Ballet Company were furloughed and training programmes quickly set up virtually. Audiences who previously crowded into the venue were confined to their homes, with many switching their engagement to streamed digital performances live from the venue. This changed the audience experience significantly - not only because of the nature of the performance dramatically, but because it brought in new international audiences almost overnight. This book of photographs captures a period unlike any other, a journey that starts with the Company in "normal" times and develops into plans being made for a gradual in-person return to the Royal Opera House under strict COVID safety measures, such as mask-wearing, extensive COVID testing and artists working in "bubbles". Through a selection of striking photographs, the book showcases the remarkable resilience of The Royal Ballet throughout this year, a resilience that's shared by so many arts organisations affected equally dramatically by the pandemic. This Season in Pictures volume contains photographs of classic Royal Ballet productions, including Swan Lake, Coppélia and The Nutcracker, dancers engaged in community projects, socially distanced performances on The Royal Ballet stage, performances with totally empty auditoria and dancers in rehearsal wearing face masks.

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A FLAME TREE NOTEBOOK. Beautiful and luxurious the journals combine high-quality production with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for writers, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed on foil paper, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and rose red end-papers. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. PRACTICAL, EASY TO USE. Flame Tree Notebooks come with practical features too: a pocket at the back for scraps and receipts; two ribbon markers to help keep track of more than just a to-do list; robust ivory text paper, printed with lines; and when you need to collect other notes or scraps of paper the magnetic side flap keeps everything neat and tidy. THE ARTIST. The Royal Pavilion, Brighton, was constructed as the seaside pleasure palace of King George IV. The Saloon is one of the oldest surviving parts of the Royal Pavilion and the grandest room in the palace. A formal reception room, it was designed to make an impression. The authentically restored interior is bold and regal, with dramatic colour combinations and rich vivid imagery that appears elsewhere in the Pavilion, including dragons, sunflowers and lotus leaves.The luxurious woven carpet, featured here with details, made by the company that created the original, is just as vibrant. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

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