Search results for ""little, brown book group""

A Brief History of Secret Societies examines the significant hidden power wielded by clandestine organisations from ancient times right up to the present day. Throughout history, humankind's search for knowledge has revealed strange truths. Barrett explores the powerful attraction of esoteric religious beliefs and reveals how such societies have gained a powerful hold on the popular imagination. He presents an unbiased and balanced history of humanity's desire to uncover secret knowledge, and of the societies that seek to preserve such knowledge.

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Into the eye of danger with the men who put the 'special' in special forcesThe once shadowy activities of special forces have grown into an increasingly exposed element of 21st century warfare and anti-terrorist activity. Here, in one giant unputdownable volume, are 30 of the most dangerous special operations of modern times.Drawn from the flashpoints of the world, and above all Iraq and Afghanistan, these first-hand and reported accounts of missions by the SAS, Delta Force, Green Beret, Commandos and other forces will leave you on the edge of your seat.The accounts include:• Blackhawk Down - the US Delta forces debacle in Mogadishu, Somalia, 1993• British Special forces fight Al Qaeda at close quarters in Afghanistan 2003• Task Force Raider - US Special forces teams track down Saddam Hussein, 2003• The British 'Blackhawk Down' - Paras shoot their way out of trouble in Majar, Iraq 2003• The capture of insurgent leader Chemical Evil Fat Mama, Fallujah, November 2003

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If you're renting out a spare room ths book will tell all about taking in a lodger, including how to advertise the room and then draw up the contract. It also explains the the tax and financial issues involved, and much more.For those looking for a flatshare you'll find out where to look, how to pick the best flatmates and then how to avoid conflict and keep your flatshare harmonious. If you are looking for a new flatmate, you'll discover how to advertise, what to look for to pick the right person and also everything you need to know about dealing with money.

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Today's families are busy families, with parents juggling jobs, lifestyle and growing families. This book shows you how to manage your time whilst still providing healthy home-cooked meals for your growing family.- Fill your freezer with portions of home-made ready meals for your hungry teenager.- Dust off your slow cooker for those days when you are going to be tied up late at work. - Use a pressure cooker for great meals in a fraction of the time.- Fill your fridge with home-made pasta sauce for the quick and easy meal when you are tired and hungry.The emphasis of the whole book is on planning and making the most of all the time-saving appliances you have at your disposal in the kitchen.For example, whilst the Sunday roast is cooking, you fill the cooker with cakes and savouries to last you the week.The roast chicken leftovers are used to make a chicken pie, curry or stir-fry.Make use of your freezer - it takes no more time to double up a recipe to make 2 or 3 extra portions, creating your own store of home-made ready meals.

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If you've published an e-book, or are planning to do so, you'll need this essential guide. It provides expert advice on every step of the process, from production through to all-important promotion. To ensure your e-book reaches its intended audience, at the very least you have to: - design and format the cover a certain way - know your options in terms of publishing platforms and choose the right one for your book - price and promote it appropriately - know which social networking, bookmarking and cataloguing sites are best suited to showcase it. This book will give your e-book its best chance of becoming a best seller.

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For the property investor France has it all – a uniquely stable housing market, a vast long-term rental market and 70-80 million tourists a year looking for short term accommodation.But that is not all. Property prices and mortgage interest rates are much lower in France and UK Capital Gains tax on holiday lettings in France can be as low as 10%!Whether the aim is to buy a second home or build a property portfolio abroad, France has to be the number one choice.The product of 12 years experience in buying, managing and letting properties in France, this guide leaves nothing to chance. It covers:• Hotspot locations and property prices• Setting up and running a holiday letting business• Investing for profit in the long-term rental sector• Raising the finance to buy• Finding the property• The buying process from offer to completion• Buying off-plan and leaseback• Buying an apartment• Taxation – French and UK

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If you are thinking about leaving the rat race to run your own pub, but don't know how to go about it, this book is for you. How to Run a Successful Pub provides you with all the information and advice you need to make your dream a reality. It will help you to: FIND YOUR IDEAL PUB PLAN AND SET UP YOUR BUSINESS TARGET YOUR CUSTOMERS MAKE MORE MONEY CONTROL YOUR SALES MAXIMISE YOUR PROFITS This book is packed with practical, up-to-date advice on marketing, managing staff, bookkeeping, licensing law, food, fruit machines, raising finance and the necessary regulations.Contents: Acknowledgments; Preface; 1. All about you; 2. What kind of pub?; 3. Finding the right pub; 4. Funding the business; 5. Licensing law; 6. Planning for success; 7. Applying for a tenancy or new lease; 8. Buying a freehold property; 9. Professional services; 10. Business structure 11. Opening a bank account; 12. Arranging insurance; 13. Book-keeping and accounts; 14. Marketing; 15. Staff; 16. Drinks; 17. Pub food 18. Amusement machines; 19. Complying with other regulations; Appendices; Index.

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This book tells you how to build a successful freelance business around supplying publishing services. The publishing industry depends on freelancers: writers and editors, proofreaders and designers, PR and typesetters. For those in the know, there is a wealth of opportunities on offer. Graduates, retired professionals, in-house editors, career-changers - more and more people are taking the plunge and going freelance. You can succeed as a freelancer in publishing, and this book shows you how. It includes top tips; insider knowledge and case studies; information on how to market yourself, deal with finance and find out what your clients are looking for - plus invaluable insights from other successful freelancers and industry experts.Contents: Acknowledgements; Introduction; What's this book about?; Who's this book for?; Why did we write this book?; Who are the authors?; How do I use this book?; How can I find out more about freelancing?; 1. Suits You, Sir?; Having the necessary ability; Drawing on experience; Thinking about qualifications; Loving your job; Donning your business cap; Being your own boss; Dealing with financial uncertainty; Handling technology; Coping with ebb and flow; Organizing your workload; Handling rejection; Being a people-person; Working from home; Balancing home and work; Considering your health; 2. Setting Up Shop; Considering your timing; Checking that you will be self-employed; Determining your business structure; Registering as self-employed; Setting up Class 2 National Insurance payments; Choosing a business name; Preparing your work environment; 3. Running Your Business; Protecting yourself with terms and conditions; Setting clear boundaries: the project agreement; Signing confidentiality agreements; Understanding copyright; Safeguarding your data; Managing your workload; Keeping happy, healthy, and productive; Going in-house; Evolving your business; Taking time off; Summary; 4. Money, Money, Money; Setting your rates; Charging clients; Getting paid on time; Deducting business expenses; Filing your tax return; Paying your taxes; Opening a business bank account; Finding help; 5. Marketing Your Business; Defining your marketing strategy; Representing your business; Sending mailshots; Building your own website; Selling yourself; Working for free; 6. Keeping Up with the Kids: Digital Marketing; Getting ranked; Socializing virtual-style; Going viral; Paying for the privilege; Maintaining your digital presence; Blogging for your supper; Seeing is believing; Over to the experts: The freelancer's guide to building their reputation on the internet; Case study: Creative marketing; 7. Working with Frenemies; Collaborating with your competitors; Researching your competition; Establishing contact; Passing the buck; Branching out; Finding a mentor; Motivating each other; Ranting about rates; Working together; Case study: Contacts, contacts, contacts; 8. Dealing with Different Types of Clients; Taking a professional approach; Accepting and following the brief; Being friendly - to a point; Dealing with difficult clients; Working with different clients; Case study: Standing in the author's shoes; Case study: Seeing clients from both sides of the fence; 9. Exploring All Avenues; Which is the best role for you?; Choosing your freelance role; Over to the experts; 10. Inspirational Stories; A journey through publishing; The accidental freelancer; Calling all freelancers!; Is it catching? Viral and digital marketing in the book world; If at first you don't succeed...; Useful Contacts; Index.

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Weddings have come a long way since the first etiquette books were written. Today families come in such variety that more and more couples are sensibly throwing etiquette to the wind and relying instead on their own common sense. So where does the father of the bride fit into all of this? There are so many ways you can help, both emotionally and practically. You'll find that one of your responsibilities - apart from walking your daughter down the aisle and making a speech - is ensuring that the chaos of wedding details, and any family feuds or financial stress, don't ultimately get in the way of making your daughter's wedding day the happiest time in her life. This will be a big day for you, too, with the speech playing an important part in the proceedings. You'll want to get it just right so that you speak from the heart but enliven sentiment with humour, and your speech is remembered for years to come - for all the right reasons. This book is packed with valuable tips and advice about: - Conveying just the right messages to your daughter and her husband-to-be - Understanding what is traditionally expected of you - Keeping everyone calm and defusing any pre-wedding tensions and conflicts - Making a memorable speech - Helping everyone have a great time!

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This book will lead you through the entire process and help you with all the decisions you'll need to make along the way, such as researching your market; setting your objectives and making a plan; finding the right property; cooking and menu planning; dealing with reservations, reception and billing; purchasing and serving delicious food and wine; managing your cash flow and accounts; and creating the WOW factor.Contents: 1. Substantiating the Dream; 2. Which Property and Which Business Format?; 3. Getting Started; 4. Setting Your Standard;5. Reservations and Reception; 6. Food and Beverage; 7. Housekeeping Issues; 8. Marketing and Advertising; 9. Bookkeeping and Financial Aspects; 10. Ancillary Departments; 11.Staffing; Appendix; Index

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Now filmed as Obsession on Netflix - starring Richard Armitage and Charlie MurphyThe New York Times bestselling masterpiece - a daring look at the dangers of obsession and the depth of its shattering consequences'Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive.'Damage is the gripping story of a man's desperate obsession and scandalous love affair. He is a man who appears to have everything: wealth, a beautiful wife and children, and a prestigious political career in Parliament. But his life lacks passion, and his aching emptiness drives him to an all-consuming and ultimately catastrophic relationship with his son's fiancée.'A taut, sinister tale of erotic obsession' Vanity Fair'The effect is powerful: here is naked obsession, sulfurous, total, scarcely possible to live with' Financial Times'The reader looks on with mingled shock and fascination. A tour de force' New York Times'Unputdownable is here, for once, not hyperbolic' Ruth Rendell 'Damage is a masterpiece' Washington Post'Passionate, elegant, ruthless' Iris Murdoch

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This is a novel about two very different girls, and how sometimes, the sum can be more terrifying than each of its parts.'You may think you know what they do in the dark . . . But who are "they"? . . . Set in the mid-1970s, What They Do in the Dark combines cosy nostalgia (jumbo lollies, gas fires) with rumbles of apprehension. Something awful's going to happen, but it's not clear what . . . A terrific debut, full of energy and colour; as propulsive as a thriller' Carrie O'Grady, Guardian

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Valaida listened hard. After the melody's intro and Earl's left-hand-to-right-hand cascades of piano sound, her space opened, and Valaida jumped in. She blew. She entered the music, saw the chords, embellishes, the references to other songs as plain as day behind her eyeballs, and she used them. She jumped from bar to bar like a benzine-fueled billy goat. She didn't miss. She hit her peaks and whinnied in triumph. In the nebular light of the Terrace's mirror ball, she flew with the men who had backed Louis Armstrong at his best.'From a childhood in Chattanooga, to a debut at one of the swankiest clubs in Harlem in its heyday; from touring in the Jim Crow south, to showcasing in Shanghai and London in the 30s, the story of Valaida Snow is breathtaking. With a storyteller's ear and a blessed ability to transport her reader, Candace Allen has written a sweeping tale of love, degradation, laughter and longing - with a trumpet accompaniment you swear you can hear.

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In the aftermath of a brutal war, Gereint of Casmantium watches his city crumble. He knows little of how his king sought, unwisely, to use griffins as pawns in a human conflict. Yet Gereint does know that his kingdom's defeat offers him a chance to escape from servitude.But now that the griffins find themselves in a position of strength, they are not inclined to forgive, and the entire kingdom finds itself in deadly peril. Willing or not, Gereint will find himself caught up in a desperate struggle between the griffins and the last remaining Casmantian mage.Time is short, for the fiery wind of the griffins is already burying Casmantium beneath burning sands . . .

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Araldis is still under occupation by hostile forces, and with the Orion League of Sentient Species seemingly unable - or unwilling - to help, Mira Fedor is forced to turn to the mercenary captain, Rast Randall, if she is to save her planet. But while Rast's contacts may be free of political constraints, what they lack in red tape they more than make up for in ruthlessness. As some of their hidden strategies are revealed, others become even more opaque. Why have the philosophers of Scolar been targetted? How far does the Extropist influence extend into Orion space? From Lasper Farr, the Stain War veteran and ruler of the junk planet Edo, to the Sole initiates at Belle Monde to Rast herself, everyone is pursuing their own agenda. But are they really separate goals? Or are events rushing to a single, terrifying conclusion . . . ?

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Meet Dante Valentine. Necromance. Bounty Hunter. Dante Valentine is short on sleep and far from happy.She's just signed away seven years of her life - and her partner's - to hunt down four rogue demons that have escaped from hell. Maybe she'll find them. Maybe they'll find her. Nobody said it was easy being the Devil's right hand.Dante Valentine is licensed to raise the dead: a fully accredited Necromance in an world where a range of psionic Talents have been harnessed to help mankind. Not that mankind always appreciates this. She's one of the best in her field to survive training, and has an emerald embedded in her forehead to prove it. She's also dangerous and prickly with a suicidal streak. Who better to make a contract with the Devil - but what will happen when the deal turns sour and all hell breaks loose?

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Many of us in the modern world are unhappier than they need to be, and mindfulness offers a solution that works. Science and clinical practice have only recently 'discovered' the profound potential of mindfulness-based practices for increasing our wellbeing. However, mindfulness has been practised for thousands of years as an attention-training technique that can reduce physical and psychological suffering and enhance health and happiness. Derived from ancient contemplative practices in many cultures and wisdom traditions, mindfulness practice simply involves directing our attention to what is (reality), rather than to what isn't (our ideas of reality).Mindfulness for Life is written by two experts on mindfulness with many years of personal and clinical experience. The authors have come together to provide both a medical and a psychological perspective on mindfulness and related conditions such as depression and substance abuse. The result is a book that translates the scientific principles underlying mindfulness into a simple, practical and accessible life manual.

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A comprehensive guide to P. G. Wodehouse's two best-loved comic characters, Bertram Wilbeforce Wooster and his valet ('Reggie') Jeeves, Bertie's friends and relatives and their world of sunshine, country houses and champagne. Although the stories may seem quintessentially English, they were for the most part written in the United States by a man who spent more than half his adult life there, eventually becoming a citizen in 1955. The first stories involving the two characters are even set in New York, while those that aren't are set in an England that has never existed, contrived to appeal to an American audience. Cawthorne offers fascinating insights into Wodehouse's world, his life - on Long Island and elsewhere - the wonderful short stories and novels and the many adaptations for stage and screen.

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A battle royal between two warring sisters...Upon the death of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary assumes the Tudor throne.Her first order of business is to wed the Catholic King Philip of Spain, creating a powerful alliance that will transform Mary's fanatical dream of ridding England of Protestantism into terrifying reality.And so begins her bloody reign...Even as she plans for her own nuptials, Isabel Thornleigh is working on various plots to overthrow Mary and bring her sister Elizabeth to power.But none of the secrets Isabel has discovered compares to the truths hidden in her own family.With her beloved father imprisoned by Queen Mary, only Carlos Valverde - a Spanish mercenary - can help her.And now with England's future at stake, Isabel is prepared to risk all to change the course of history...

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The Victorian era is significant for the rise of the middle classes and marked changes in social relationships, both in the home and in wider society, with the proliferation of domestic help and the development of increasingly rigid gender roles. These are romances that chafe against the restrictions of the period, with heroes and heroines who defy social convention, igniting firestorms of gossip. The aristocrats, impostors, social climbers, domestic workers and undercover agents of these stories exist in an authentically lush world, depicted here with telling attention to detail. While most of the stories are strongly realistic, some incorporate elements of fantasy.

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The haughty Beverley family is obsessed with regaining Mannerling, the exquisite seventeenth-century mansion gambled away by their now-deceased father, Sir Beverley. Three of the six Beverley daughters have failed to win back their ancestral estate - settling for love matches over mere bricks and mortar. Now it is Rachel's turn to woo the latest eligible bachelor-in-residence, handsome widower Charles Blackwood. Yet her plan to win the autocratic Charles almost comes to naught: At their first meeting, Rachel forgets herself and admonishes Charles for neglecting his two small children. The antics of young Beth and Mark Blackwood successfully throw Charles and Rachel together, but does Rachel love Charles for himself or for Mannerling?

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A new translation for the 21st century.The Art of War by Sun Tzu is one of the most influential political and business books of our era. This gateway edition for the 21st century reader rediscovers the essential clarity of the ancient masterpiece, cited by generals from a dozen Chinese dynasties, international business leaders, and modern military field manuals.This edition also contains a full commentary on Sun Tzu, the man and his ideas, contemporary of Confucius and Buddha; and a critical guide to further reading. This is the perfect introduction to one of the world's best-known classics.

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Hunted by 9 international Intelligence Agencies for a terrorist atrocity he did not commit, hostage negotiator Danny Shanklin is now the world's most WANTED man, with a reward of $10,000,000 being offered for his capture dead or alive.Trapped in a deadly race against the clock, as well as protecting his family, Danny's got to track down the terrorists who framed him. And stop them before they get their hands on 6 lethal smallpox formulations, any one of which could trigger a global pandemic, which would leave only 1 in 3 people alive.With just a 7 foot Ukrainian mercenary and a ruthless female assassin hell-bent on avenging her father's death to help him, Danny soon finds himself being forced into becoming both predator and prey as he desperately tries to win the fight of his life.Praise for Hunted:'Hunted gives new meaning to the phrase "fast-paced". Filled with clever twists, stylishly written and populated with characters who are as real as our friends and family (and enemies!), this thriller moves at breakneck pace from first page to last. Bravo!' - Jeffery DeaverFast and furious from the very start, Hunted is a shot of pure adrenalin. - Sam BourneAn explosive and adrenaline-charged thriller - The Bookseller

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The next action-packed adventure from Asterix and Obelix!The roads across Italy are in disrepair. Defending his name, and to prove Rome's greatness, Senator Lactus Bifidus announces a special one-off chariot race. Julius Caesar insists a Roman must win, or Bifidus will pay. Open to anyone from the known world, competitors arrive from far and wide, including Asterix and Obelix. With Bifidus secretly scheming, who will win this almighty chariot race?

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Asterix, the Gaul is back for more funny, fast-paced adventure in this cheeky and energetic comic, the New York Times bestselling thirty-sixth Asterix album.Julius Caesar has finished writing the history of his campaigns in Gaul. His publisher, Libellus Blockbustus, foresees a huge success ... but there's a snag. The chapter about Caesar's defeats by the indomitable Gauls of Armorica. Cut it, Blockbustus advises, and everyone will believe that Caesar conquered all Gaul!Or will they? Newsmonger and activist Confoundtheirpolitix takes the chapter to Asterix's village. Can the Gauls make sure the truth is revealed?Multi-million selling Asterix is much loved across the world, perfect for children age 7-11 and hilarious for kids and parents alike. Following in the footsteps of Goscinny and Uderzo, the thirty-sixth Asterix album by Ferri and Conrad is a number 3 New York Times bestselling title.

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No one knows more about everything - especially everything rude, clever, and offensively compelling - than John Waters. The man in the pencil-thin mustache, auteur of the transgressive movie classics Pink Flamingos, Polyester, the original Hairspray, Cry-Baby, and A Dirty Shame, is one of the world's great sophisticates, and in Mr. Know-It-All he serves it up raw: how to fail upward in Hollywood; how to develop musical taste from Nervous Norvus to Maria Callas; how to build a home so ugly and trendy that no one but you would dare live in it; more important, how to tell someone you love them without emotional risk; and yes, how to cheat death itself. Through it all, Waters swears by one undeniable truth: "Whatever you might have heard, there is absolutely no downside to being famous. None at all."Studded with cameos of Waters's stars, from Divine and Mink Stole to Johnny Depp, Kathleen Turner, Patricia Hearst, and Tracey Ullman, and illustrated with unseen photos from Waters's personal collection, Mr. Know-It-All is Waters's most hypnotically readable, upsetting, revelatory book - another instant Waters classic.'Waters doesn't kowtow to the received wisdom, he flips it the bird . . . [Waters] has the ability to show humanity at its most ridiculous and make that funny rather than repellent' Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post'Carsick becomes a portrait not just of America's desolate freeway nodes - though they're brilliantly evoked - but of American fame itself' Lawrence Osborne, The New York Times Book Review

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'A deeply honest and brave portrait of of an individual sensibility reckoning with her country's violent role in the world.' Hisham Matar, New York Times Book ReviewIn the wake of the 11th September attacks and the US-led invasion of Iraq, Suzy Hansen, who grew up in an insular conservative town in New Jersey, was enjoying early success as a journalist for a high-profile New York newspaper. Increasingly, though, the disconnect between the chaos of world events and the response at home took on pressing urgency for her. Seeking to understand the Muslim world that had been reduced to scaremongering headlines, she moved to Istanbul.Hansen arrived in Istanbul with romantic ideas about a mythical city perched between East and West, and with a naïve sense of the Islamic world beyond. Over the course of her many years of living in Turkey and traveling in Greece, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Iran, she learned a great deal about these countries and their cultures and histories and politics. But the greatest, most unsettling surprise would be what she learned about her own country?and herself, an American abroad in the era of American decline. It would take leaving her home to discover what she came to think of as the two Americas: the country and its people, and the experience of American power around the world. She came to understand that anti-Americanism is not a violent pathology. It is, Hansen writes, 'a broken heart . . . A one-hundred-year-old relationship.'Blending memoir, journalism, and history, and deeply attuned to the voices of those she met on her travels, Notes on a Foreign Country is a moving reflection on America's place in the world. It is a powerful journey of self-discovery and revelation?a profound reckoning with what it means to be American in a moment of grave national and global turmoil.

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A small city in western France,. The early twentieth century. Suzanne Malherbe, a shy 17-year-old with a rare talent for drawing, is entranced by the brilliant but troubled Lucie Schwob, the daughter of a Jewish newspaper magnate, and the two young women embark on a clandestine love affair. Stifled by provincial convention and a society that is overtly patriarchal, they reinvent themselves as Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore and move to Paris, where they are swept up in the most glamorous social circles, meeting everyone from Hemingway and Dalí to André Breton, and produce photographic work of great originality and strangeness. As World War Two looms, they leave for Jersey, and it is here that they confront their destiny, dreaming up a campaign of propaganda against Hitler''s occupying forces.From one of our most celebrated writers, Never Anyone But You explores the gripping true story of two extraordinary women who challenged gender boundaries, and ultim

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'Phenomenally powerful and beautifully written' the GuardianThe women in these stories live lives of privilege and of poverty, are in marriages both loving and haunted by past crimes or emotional blackmail. A pair of sisters, grown now, have been inseparable ever since they were abducted together as children, and must negotiate the elder sister's marriage. A woman married to a twin pretends not to realize when her husband and his brother impersonate each other. A stripper putting herself through college fends off the advances of an overzealous customer. A black engineer moves to Upper Michigan for a job and faces the malign curiosity of her colleagues and the difficulty of leaving her past behind. From a girls' fight club to a wealthy subdivision in Florida where neighbors conform, compete, and spy on each other, Gay delivers a wry, beautiful, haunting vision of modern America.'Gay brings the powerful voice that flows through her work as a novelist and cultural critic to the 21 short stories in her first collection . . . Gay's "difficult women" are unforgettable' BBC.com'Gay's signature dry wit and piercing psychological depth make every story mermerisingly unusual and simply unforgettable' Harper's Bazaar

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This book contains over 200 recipes and tips to help you to introduce healthy meals and snacks to your children, so that eating the right foods soon becomes an intuitive and pleasant experience, without the accompanying battles! Recipe ideas range from brilliant breakfasts to perfect party food, and there is a time-saving, day-by-day meal planner. There is also a chapter dedicated to superfoods to boost children's intake of essential nutrients for energy and growth, and another chapter on gluten free. This book will help families bond during mealtimes and encourage healthy eating habits that can be passed on to the next generation.

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Spiralizing is essentially the art of turning vegetables and fruits into noodles. Spiralized vegetables provide low-carb alternatives to pasta or rice and, therefore, useful for diabetic and weight-reducing diets. But they are much more: they add variety and colour to a healthy balanced diet, together with plenty of nutrients. This book provides innovative but reliable and accessible recipes that will get the best out of your spiralizer, including many international flavours.

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THE PERFECT FATHER'S DAY GIFT!Since the earliest writings of civilization, people have been writing about fish and the pursuit of them. Taut Lines is a book of the present with regular forays into the past, reflecting not on where we're going, but where we've come from.As all anglers know, the fish themselves are only half of fishing. Finding peace, spirituality, or a sense of belonging in nature; the meditative tranquility that settles into the mind and body as you cast into the waters for hours on end; the companionship or, alternately, the solitude: these are some of the things that hook anglers as much as the fish. They are all explored in this book.In the name of variety, coverage has been extended to some fishes typically overlooked in fishing anthologies, up to the great white shark from Jaws, the most famous (and feared) fish in all of film and literature. There are as many types of fishing literature as there are fishermen. One of these is humorous stories about the follies that inevitably plague anglers. Several stories of this type are to be found in Taut Lines, including Rudyard Kipling's 'On Dry-Cow Fishing as a Fine Art' and Eric Witchey's 'Bats, Bushes, and Barbless Hooks.' Fishing is more than folly, however, and so many of the stories tackle more personal and profound subjects. Kevin Maloney's 'Soldiers By the Side of the Road', Gretchen Legler's 'Border Water', and Gabino Iglesias's 'Fourteen Pounds Against the World' are just three of many heartbreaking essays which prove that while fishing is an effective medicine for grief and loss, it can also lead to contemplations of death and mortality, both the fish's and our own. A passion for angling is most often passed down through families, and so many of the pieces in Taut Lines examine familial dynamics in relation to fishing, like 'Fish' by Judith Barrington and 'Unsound' by Nick Mamatas. There are great stories of big fish by angling legends such as Jeremy Wade, Bill Heavey, and Zane Grey, along with stories of daring rescues ('The Man in the Fish Tote' by Tele Aadsen) and war ('I Used to Be a Fisherman' by Weston Ochse), alongside a new modernized version of the first text written about sportfishing, 'Treatise of Fishing with an Angle' by Dame Juliana Berners and 'Fishing for a Cat' by Francis W. Mather, perhaps the earliest known essay devoted to catfish angling. There are also some long-lost classics, like former Atlantic editor Bliss Perry's 'Fishing with a Worm'.

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Public speaking and presenting rank in the top ten of people's greatest fears. Yet being able to speak coherently and persuasively in a speech, seminar or meeting room is important when progressing our careers and living our lives to the fullest.In this book, 37 pithy, lively and witty mini-speeches tell us how to construct and deliver a speech or presentation. Each example speech follows a simple, perfect structure which will soon become imprinted in your mind. Each focuses on one facet of speaking and gives you the very essentials picked up by the author over 25 years of experience.And each speech will entertain as much as inform you.Stand, Speak, Deliver! will enable you to learn how to use your eyes, vary your voice and move your body. It will also look at how to inform, entertain, humour, persuade, motivate or inspire the audience; how to present, to colleagues or clients; how to introduce a speaker; and how to wow as best man. And you will discover the ultimate secret...!Read the book, enjoy it and you will survive as a speaker. Follow it and you will thrive!

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'Refreshing . . . I look forward to reading more' Alex Gray'First-rate' Sunday SportA seasonal hotel where murder can be made to disappear with the sun . . . Maggie Stewart travels with friends Liz and Harry to the Ice Hotel, a surreal building in Swedish Lapland constructed from ice cut from the nearby river. During the day, it is a museum housing ice sculptures, but at night it becomes a novelty hotel. Shortly after their arrival, the holiday turns into a nightmare. A near-miss snowmobile accident is followed by the discovery of the frozen body of one of the hotel's American guests. Maggie is shocked to learn that this was no accident: the American was drugged and pushed out of his sleeping bag to freeze to death in the room. As the body count rises and Maggie finds herself in mortal danger, she realises that the only person she can trust is Thomas Hallengren, the detective leading the case. But can he uncover the killer's identity before the Ice Hotel and other buildings - the Ice Chapel and Ice Theatre - melt back into the river, taking the clues with them?Praise for Hania Allen'A fresh new find for crime fans' Sunday Post'Nicely nasty in all the right places . . . The story rattles along until bringing the curtain down with an unnerving twist' Craig Robertson'Captivating characters and an intriguing plot. A great new find for crime fans' Lin Anderson'Pitch-perfect . . . a witty, tense crime novel written in a highly readable style' Russel D McLean

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The Garden Visitor's Handbook is the famous yellow 'bible' for anyone interested in gardens and the 2020 edition is now available. Its 744 pages contain descriptions of the 3,700 gardens opening to visitors throughout England and Wales this year, and offers people unique access to the most beautiful gardens in the country. Most are privately owned and never otherwise accessible, so the book offers a magical entré to these wonderful domains.Funds raised at the gardens on their open days come from admissions, teas and plant sales and are donated to the National Garden Scheme which in turn donates the net proceeds every year to a group of nursing and health charities. Currently these donations total £3 million annually and, since its foundation in 1927, the National Garden Scheme has given away a whopping £60 million. The main beneficiaries include some of Britain's best-loved charities including Macmillan, Marie Curie, the Queen's Nursing Institute, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, Parkinson's UK and Horatio's Garden.

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December in Glendara, Inishowen, and solicitor Benedicta 'Ben' O'Keeffe is working flat-out before the holidays; the one bright spot on her horizon is spending her first Christmas with Sergeant Tom Molloy.But on a trip to Dublin to visit her parents, she bumps into Luke Kirby - the man who killed her sister - freshly released from jail. He apologises to her; remorseful, conciliatory ... but as she walks away, he whispers something that chills her to the bone. Back in Glendara, there is chaos. The Oak pub has burned down and Carole Kearney, the Oak's barmaid, has gone missing. And then on Christmas morning, while walking up Sliabh Sneacht, Ben and Molloy make a gruesome discovery: a body lying face-down in the snow ... Soon it becomes clear that these events are part of a plan for revenge that will have devastating consequences for Glendara's residents.

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'An extraordinary book by an extraordinary man' Ken LoachTony Garnett's story begins in working-class, war-torn Birmingham where he movingly describes the trauma of his mother's death following a back-street abortion. Nineteen days later, stricken with grief, Tony's father committed suicide and Tony was sent to live with other family members. He eventually moved to London and was part of the counterculture scene in the 1960s.Tony takes us behind the scenes of a selection of his more famous productions, offering secrets and anecdotes, some moving, some amusing. He gives accounts of angry clashes with the BBC and movie executives as he battles to make films that are thought too controversial. Year after year he fought the BBC and movie bosses to bring to the public films about police corruption and psychiatrists' cruelty; films advocating abortion law reform and the abolition of the death penalty; films about the homeless and the waste of young people in poor schools.

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'Lees' strikingly descriptive writing transports you directly to the streets of Jakarta... this will make you want to book a flight right now' IndependentTaut and suspenseful, The Bone Ritual is the first in a crime series set in contemporary JakartaInspektur Ruud Pujasumarta has seen some gang-perpetrated horror crimes in his time, but the slum murder of a middle-aged woman he is called to is both horrifying and baffling. Mari Agnes Liem has not only been choked to death while tied to her bed, but the murderer has amputated her left hand and left a mah jong tile in her throat. And he has taken the hand with him.The only bright spot on Ruud's horizon is the imminent arrival of Imke Sneijder from Amsterdam, whom he hasn't seen for fifteen years, when they were both twelve-year-old neighbours before her family moved back to Holland.As Ruud and his department investigate Mari's murder, it isn't long before they have more than one corpse on their hands . . . and a serial killer to catch. And Ruud begins to realise that the current murderous spree may be linked to events which occured fifteen years ago, at about the time Imke left Indonesia . . .'Julian Lees' lush use of language conjures up the extravagant and the seedy sides of life in modern Jakarta and transports the reader to its steamy slums and palaces, ratcheting up the tension through myriad false trails, keeping the reader enthralled right up until the denouement' Crime Fiction Fix

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This first collection of Pet Tales, compiled by former Life editor Anne Cuthbertson, features a talking dog and a surfboarding cat, a chicken that thinks it's human, a foul-tempered duck called Mussolini, a bear called Tina, and an escaped cornsnake who may still be at large under the floorboards.Readers will adore the cast of quirky, sympathetic, heroic and adorable characters, including Lovable Rogues, Timid Souls, Hunters and Gatherers, Escape Artists, Givers of Joy and Dearly Departed.With a foreword by the dog-lover, television presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle, this heart-warming, hilarious and at times heart-breaking book is a must for anyone who has ever loved a pet.The Pet Tales column of the Sunday Telegraph launched in 2010, giving readers the opportunity to send in their own stories and pictures. It quickly developed a devoted following with close to a thousand submissions to date.

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History is written by the winners. It's the faithful servants, the insiders, the ones who stick around, who can adapt to almost any condition that get to write the official histories. They publish the memoirs, park in the directors' spots, erect the statues, form the new governments, wipe out the pockets of resistance, recruit the new starters, set the agendas, talk on the documentaries and retrospectives. Yet theirs - the official version - is never the whole story. The quitter's tale offers a far more compelling, and often a more honest version of history. The Last Goodbye, Matt Potter collects the pithiest, angriest, most hilarious messages of resignation throughout history, including those whose exits were a springboard to eventual success, such as Steve Jobs, George Orwell and Charlie Sheen.It's full of self-deception, bloody knives, betrayal, honour, disgrace, disgust, thwarted ambition and shattered hopes, and sometimes a wicked sting in the tail . . .

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Incomer Gloria French is at first welcomed in the Cotswold village of Piddlebury. She seems like a do-gooder par excellence, raising funds for the church and caring for the elderly. But she has a bad habit of borrowing things and not giving them back, so when she is discovered dead, poisoned by a bottle of elderberry wine, folk in the village don't mourn her passing too intently. Parish councillor Jerry Tarrant hires Agatha Raisin to track down the murderer. But the village is creepy and secretive and the residents don't seem to want Agatha to find who the murderer is, and Agatha's investigations are hampered by the emotional upset of finding her ex, James Lacey, has fallen in love with young detective Toni Gilmour. And now the murderer is targeting Agatha! Praise for the Agatha Raisin series: 'M.C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem' Publishers Weekly 'Clever red herrings and some wicked unfinished business guarantees that the listener will pant for a sequel' The Times (audio review)

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Acclaimed popular-science writer Brian Clegg and popular TV and radio astronomer Rhodri Evans give us a Top Ten list of physicists as the central theme to build an exploration of the most exciting breakthroughs in physics, looking not just at the science, but also the fascinating lives of the scientists themselves. The Top Ten are: 1.Isaac Newton (1642-1727)2.Niels Bohr (1885-1962)3.Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)4.Albert Einstein (1879-1955)5.James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879)6.Michael Faraday (1791-1867)7.Marie Curie (1867-1934)8.Richard Feynman (1918-1988)9.Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937)10.Paul Dirac (1902-1984)Each of these figures has made a huge contribution to physics. Some are household names, others more of a mystery, but in each case there is an opportunity to combine a better understanding of the way that each of them has advanced our knowledge of the universe with an exploration of their often unusual, always interesting lives. Whether we are with Curie, patiently sorting through tons of pitchblende to isolate radium or feeling Bohr's frustration as once again Einstein attempts to undermine quantum theory, the combination of science and biography humanizes these great figures of history and makes the Physics itself more accessible.In exploring the way the list has been built the authors also put physics in its place amongst the sciences and show how it combines an exploration of the deepest and most profound questions about life and the universe with practical applications that have transformed our lives. The book is structured chronologically, allowing readers to follow the development of scientific knowledge over more than 400 years, showing clearly how this key group of individuals has fundamentally altered our understanding of the world around us.

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The 18th-century meets the sharp blade of forensic science...Eighteenth-century anatomist Dr Thomas Silkstone travels to the English countryside to unravel a tangled web of mystery, medicine, and murder...A man staggers out of his cottage into the streets of Oxfordshire, shattering an otherwise peaceful evening with the terrible sight of his body shaking and his eyes wild with horror. Many of the villagers believe the Devil himself has entered Joseph Makepeace, the latest victim of a 'great fog' that darkens the skies over England. When Joseph's son and daughter are found murdered - heads bashed in by a shovel - the town's worst suspicions are confirmed: Evil is abroad and needs to be banished.A brilliant man of science, Dr. Thomas Silkstone is not one to heed superstition. But as a natural disaster fills the skies with smoke and ash, clogging the lungs of all who breathe it in, the grisly details of a father's crime compels Dr. Silkstone to look for answers beyond his medical books. It seems that no one, not even Lady Lydia Farrell, is safe from the impending doom.Praise for Tessa Harris:'A densely plotted yarn about a crafty 18th-century poisoner wreaking havoc on the Oxfordshire estate of a noble family . . . we await - indeed, demand - the sequel' New York Times Book Review'Harris' research is meticulous. The results are a historical CSI with a romance and excellent mystery' Romantic Times'Populated with real historical characters and admirably researched, Harris's novel features a complex and engrossing plot' Library Journal'The author will have you flipping the pages at each unexpected turn in the plot. The novel is an absorbing read with a shocking twist at the end' Historical Novel Society'Well-rounded characters, cleverly concealed evidence, and an assured prose style point to a long run for this historical series' Publishers Weekly Starred Review'The exceptionally strong historical background in this 1780s London-set novel makes it impossible to put down. With each book, the mysteries have become stronger . . . Silkstone is an admirable character and he captures readers' emotional interest' RT Book ReviewsThe Dr Thomas Silkstone Mysteries:The Anatomist's ApprenticeThe Dead Shall Not RestThe Devil's BreathThe Lazarus CurseShadow of the RavenSecrets in the Stones

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Our favourite white trash zombie, Angel Crawford, has enough problems of her own, what with dealing with her alcoholic, deadbeat dad, issues with her not-quite boyfriend, the zombie mafia, industrial espionage and evil corporations. Oh, and it’s raining, and won’t let up.But things get even crazier when a zombie movie starts filming in town, and Angel begins to suspect that it’s not just the plot of the movie that's rotten. Soon she's fighting her way through mud, blood, bullets and intrigue, even as zombies, both real and fake, prowl the streets.Angel’s been through more than her share of crap, but this time she’s in way over her head. She’ll need plenty of brainpower to fit all the pieces—and body parts—together in order to save herself, her town, and quite possibly the human race.

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When French gangster Tuco Martinez threatens Carlyle and his family, the inspector has to call on the resources and skills of Dominic Silver to try and see him off. But Dom won’t do all the dirty work and so Carlyle has to go into hiding. Cut off from his home turf, both literally and metaphorically, Carlyle struggles to cope with the situation while meanwhile, back in London, the charismatic major, Christian Holroyd, is finally spiralling completely out of control…

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Kelly Madigan seems to have it all: a fabulous boyfriend, a supportive - if eccentric - family, and a flourishing career as a cookbook ghostwriter. But after finding a letter from her recently-deceased mother, criticising her stable but unexciting life, Kelly knows she needs to make a change. When a mysterious new writing opportunity in London presents itself, she jumps at the chance to get away from it all. Enter Natasha Spencer - Oscar-winning actress and health nut, not to mention a total nightmare. She's working on a new cookbook and has asked for Kelly's help. What Kelly didn't factor in was meeting Natasha's dishy MP husband, Hugh Ballantine. Away from her family, friends, and the life she knows - will this fish out of water ever get back in the swim?

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When Lynne offers money to a homeless man on Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street she is shocked to recognise Angus, her former art tutor from college. Lynne once revered him, even dreamed of becoming an artist under his tutelage. Now, she works as a supervisor at an insurance call-centre. And as for Angus, he has fallen on even harder times . . .She insists on inviting him to stay at her flat, but just as Angus doesn't go out of his way to explain the reasons for his misfortune, neither is Lynne's insistence on taking him in to her home purely altruistic.The Glasgow Coma Scale is a barbed love letter to the city, a dysfunctional romance, and a story about damage: the kind done unthinkingly, the kind done deliberately, and the worst sort - the harm we do even as we're trying to do 'the right thing'.'Neil Stewart is the kind of writer who appears once in a generation, gifts fully formed. Through the unforgettable duo of Angus and Lynne, he takes us to places where other novels fear to treat, from the perils of life on a park bench through the murky grey areas of love to the ineffable mysteries of art. Compassionate, brave, singing with life, The Glasgow Coma Scale is an outstanding debut from an extraordinary talent.' Paul Murray, author of Skippy Dies

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One of us is dead. One of us is broken. One of us will betray the others. And one of us will have to sell her soul to survive . . .It’s been eleven years since South Africa was ravaged by the walking dead. Johannesburg's impoverished survivors are ruled over by a minority of rich self-serving bureaucrats. As the remaining Mall Rats confront the dark heart of the twisted political system - in another part of town, Tommy dreams of joining the Army of the Left, a radical organisation intent on fighting for freedom.While Ash is forced to face his traumatic past, and Ginger struggles to regain his sanity; Lele goes head to head against a powerful foe, and Saint is dead set on a mission of her own: a fight for survival. Welcome back to the Deadlands . . .

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