Search results for ""Crown""

Europe's social model – its system of welfare and social protection – is regarded by many as the jewel in the crown. It is what helps to give the European societies their distinctive qualities of social cohesion and care for the vulnerable. Over recent years, however, the social model has come under great strain in many states within the European Union – unemployment, for example, remains stubbornly high. The resulting tensions have fuelled dissatisfaction with the European project as a whole, culminating in the rejection of Europe's proposed new constitution. Reform of the social model is therefore a matter of urgency. It has to go hand in hand with the quest to regenerate economic growth. The weaker performers in Europe over the past few years can learn a good deal from states that have coped more effectively. But more radical changes need to be contemplated in the face of the impact of globalization, rapidly increasing cultural diversity and changing demography. The author argues that the traditional welfare state needs to be rethought. We have to bring lifestyle change into the heart of what welfare means. Moreover, environmental issues must be directly connected to other citizenship obligations. These innovations have to be made at the same time as Europes competitive position is upgraded. This original and path-breaking book will rank alongside Beyond Left and Right, The Third Way and other works by Anthony Giddens that have helped reshape social and political thinking over recent decades.

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Yellowstone holds a special place in America's heart. As the world's first national park, it is globally recognized as the crown jewel of modern environmental preservation. But the park and its surrounding regions have recently become a lightning rod for environmental conflict, plagued by intense and intractable political struggles among the federal government, National Park Service, environmentalists, industry, local residents, and elected officials. The Battle for Yellowstone asks why it is that, with the flood of expert scientific, economic, and legal efforts to resolve disagreements over Yellowstone, there is no improvement? Why do even seemingly minor issues erupt into impassioned disputes? What can Yellowstone teach us about the worsening environmental conflicts worldwide? Justin Farrell argues that the battle for Yellowstone has deep moral, cultural, and spiritual roots that until now have been obscured by the supposedly rational and technical nature of the conflict. Tracing in unprecedented detail the moral causes and consequences of large-scale social change in the American West, he describes how a "new-west" social order has emerged that has devalued traditional American beliefs about manifest destiny and rugged individualism, and how morality and spirituality have influenced the most polarizing and techno-centric conflicts in Yellowstone's history. This groundbreaking book shows how the unprecedented conflict over Yellowstone is not all about science, law, or economic interests, but more surprisingly, is about cultural upheaval and the construction of new moral and spiritual boundaries in the American West.

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Selected by Jos Charles as the winner of the 2021 Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry, Return Flight is a lush reckoning: with inheritance, with body, with trauma, with desire—and with the many tendons in between. When Return Flight asks “what name / do you crown yourself,” Huang answers with many. Textured with mountains—a folkloric goddess-prison, Yushan, mother, men, self—and peppered with shapeshifting creatures, spirits, and gods, the landscape of Jennifer Huang’s poems is at once mystical and fleshy, a “myth a mess of myself.” Sensuously, Huang depicts each of these not as things to claim but as topographies to behold and hold. Here, too, is another kind of mythology. Set to the music of “beating hearts / through objects passed down,” the poems travel through generations—among Taiwan, China, and America—cataloging familial wounds and beloved stories. A grandfather’s smile shining through rain, baby bok choy in a child’s bowl, a slap felt decades later—the result is a map of a present-day life, reflected through the past. Return Flight is a thrumming debut that teaches us how history harrows and heals, often with the same hand; how touch can mean “purple” and “blue” as much as it means intimacy; and how one might find a path toward joy not by leaving the past in the past, but by “[keeping a] hand on these memories, / to feel them to their ends.”

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You cannot create good without also creating evil.'DAZZLING' Chloe Gong'GRIM, LUSH, FASCINATING' Guardian Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she's trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table - resurrecting the dead, for a price.When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she'll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it's only a matter of time before they - and secrets of Zilan's past - catch up with her.A dark YA fantasy duology set in an alternate Tang Dynasty China, where alchemy has led to income inequality as the rich eat gold to achieve eternal youth, and a poor biracial girl with the ability to raise the dead gets caught up in the dangerous political games of the royal family.

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Enemies to lovers, found family and heart-breaking romance comes All This Twisted Glory, the highly anticipated third novel in the Persian inspired mythology This Woven Kingdom series As the long-lost heir to the Jinn throne, Alizeh has finally found her people—and she might’ve found her crown. Cyrus, the mercurial ruler of Tulan, has offered her his kingdom in a twisted exchange: one that would begin with their marriage and end with his murder. Cyrus’s dark reputation precedes him; all the world knows of his blood-soaked past. Killing him should be easy—and accepting his offer might be the only way to fulfill her destiny and save her people. But the more Alizeh learns of him, the more she questions whether the terrible stories about him are true. Ensnared by secrets, Cyrus has ached for Alizeh since she first appeared in his dreams many months ago. Now that he knows those visions were planted by the devil, he can hardly bear to look at her—much less endure her company. But despite their best efforts to despise each other, Alizeh and Cyrus are drawn together over and over with an all-consuming thirst that threatens to destroy them both. Meanwhile, Prince Kamran has arrived in Tulan, ready to exact revenge… Layered with exquisite tension and heart-stopping romance, All This Twisted Glory is the explosive third book in the captivating, bestselling This Woven Kingdom series.

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‘Engaging and highly entertaining’ Sunday Times The dramatic confrontation between the two 'mighty opposites' of the Victorian age, brilliantly recreated by a talented young historian. Gladstone and Disraeli were the fiercest political rivals of the modern age. Their intense hatred was ideological and deeply personal. Victorian Britain ruled the oceans and vast territories 'on which the sun never set'. The vitriolic duel between Gladstone and Disraeli was nothing less than a battle to lead the richest and most powerful nation on earth. To Disraeli, his antagonist was an 'unprincipled maniac' characterised by an 'extraordinary mixture of envy, vindictiveness, hypocrisy and superstition'. For Gladstone, his rival was 'The Grand Corrupter' whose destruction he plotted 'day and night, week by week, month by month'. Victorians were electrified by the confrontation. No wonder that when Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass appeared in 1871, so many readers recognised the great adversaries as the warring lion and unicorn 'fighting for the crown'. Richard Aldous gives us the first modern telling of this dramatic story of an intense and momentous rivalry. His vivid narrative style - at turns powerful, witty, stirring and theatrical - breathes new life into a familiar, half-remembered tale that is pivotal in Britain's island history. The Lion and the Unicorn is a brilliant rethinking of the Gladstone and Disraeli story for a new generation.Richard Aldous confirms a perennial truth: in politics, everything is personal.

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The first in the Echoes of the Fall series, The Tiger and the Wolf is an epic fantasy novel by Adrian Tchaikovsky, winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and British Fantasy Award for Best Novel.‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher PaoliniIn the bleak northern crown of the world, war is coming . . .Maniye’s father is the Wolf clan’s chieftain, but she’s an outcast. Her mother was queen of the Tiger and these tribes have been enemies for generations. Maniye also hides a deadly secret. All can shift into their clan’s animal form, but Maniye can take on tiger and wolf shapes. She refuses to disown half her soul so escapes, rescuing a prisoner of the Wolf clan in the process. The killer Broken Axe is set on their trail to drag them back for retribution.The Wolf chieftain plots to rule the north, and controlling his daughter is crucial to his schemes. However, other tribes also prepare for strife. Strangers from the far south appear too, seeking allies in their own conflict. It’s a season for omens as priests foresee danger and a darkness falling across the land. Some say a great war is coming, overshadowing even Wolf ambitions. A time of testing and broken laws is near – but what spark will set the world ablaze?Continue this sweeping coming-of-age fantasy with The Bear and the Serpent.

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Eight kings of England were the named Henry, but only two of them were born as heirs to the throne and these – the third and sixth – proved to be the weakest. Two seized the crown by force of arms, one by craft and opportunistic speed, and one by skilful diplomacy and an early flowering of that great British virtue, compromise. Among their number are saints and monsters, the best known and the least known of English kings. One was a storybook hero, leading an army to triumph against overwhelming odds. Another sat out a battle, singing to himself and playing with his fingers while the arrows flew. Half of them have been accused of murder, though in general the actual killings were carried out by others. When we look at the contributions made by the eight kings of that name, we find they underpin almost every aspect of our nation and its institutions. To the first two we owe our legal system and department of finance, to the third, intentionally or otherwise, the origins of our parliament. The fifth decreed the widespread use of English in official documents, leading to dramatic developments in that language. The seventh transformed the tax system and introduced legal reforms that curbed the power of the nobility. The eighth, again arguably unintentionally, brought into being the Church of England. Between them, these English monarchs represent every possible shade of kingship, and each in his own time was ‘Harry of England’.

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The end is coming.Logen Ninefingers might only have one more fight in him - but it's going to be a big one. Battle rages across the North, the King of the Northmen still stands firm, and there's only one man who can stop him. His oldest friend, and his oldest enemy. It's past time for the Bloody-Nine to come home.With too many masters and too little time, Superior Glokta is fighting a different kind of war. A secret struggle in which no-one is safe, and no-one can be trusted. His days with a sword are far behind him. It's a good thing blackmail, threats and torture still work well enough.Jezal dan Luthar has decided that winning glory is far too painful, and turned his back on soldiering for a simple life with the woman he loves. But love can be painful too, and glory has a nasty habit of creeping up on a man when he least expects it.While the King of the Union lies on his deathbead, the peasants revolt and the nobles scramble to steal his crown. No-one believes that the shadow of war is falling across the very heart of the Union. The First of the Magi has a plan to save the world, as he always does. But there are risks. There is no risk more terrible, after all, than to break the First Law...

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Recent challenges to the traditional site of the Battle of Hastings have led to a surge of interest in the events surrounding England's most famous battle. This, in turn, has increased speculation that the titanic struggle for the English crown in 1066 did not take place on the slopes of what is today Battle Abbey, with a number of highly plausible alternative locations being proposed. The time had clearly come to evaluate all these suggestions, and Robert Allred decided to take on that task. Taking nothing for granted, Robert hiked round the sites of the three battles of 1066 - Fulford, Stamford Bridge and Hastings. Armed with the medieval sources and much of the current literature, he set out to appraise the evidence and to draw his own unbiased conclusions. Following in the footsteps of the Viking warriors of Harald Hardrada, the knights of William of Normandy and the Anglo-Saxon soldiers of King Harold, the reader is taken on a journey from Yorkshire to the South Coast and down through the ages to re-examine what has been written about that momentous year - the intrigues, preparations and manoeuvres - which culminated on 14 October 1066, on a bloody hill somewhere in Sussex. Whether this will settle the debate over the site of the Battle of Hastings or prompt further investigations remains to be seen, but it will be a book which cannot be ignored and which the reader will be unable to put down!

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A sparkling magical adventure from a Hugo Award-winning author. In Zen Cho's The True Queen we travel to Regency London, Fairyland and an enchanted island. Sisters are separated, plots thicken and there's a new contender for the throne of Fairy.‘A sheer delight from beginning to end' – Samantha Shannon, author of The Bone Season.Fairyland’s future lies in doubt . . .The enchanted island of Janda Baik, in the Malay Archipelago, has long been home to witches. And Muna and her sister Sakti wake on its shores under a curse, which has quite stolen away their memories. Their only hope of salvation lies in distant Britain, where the Sorceress Royal runs a controversial academy for female magicians. But the pair travel via the formidable Fairy Queen’s realm, where Sakti simply disappears.To save her sister, Muna must learn to navigate Regency London’s high society and trick the English into believing she’s a magical prodigy. But when the Sorceress Royal’s friends become accidentally embroiled in a plot – involving the Fairy Queen’s contentious succession – Muna is drawn right in. She must also find Sakti, break their curse and somehow stay out of trouble. But if fairyland’s true queen does finally return, trouble may find her first . . .'A joyous mash-up of Jane Austen and high fantasy’ – M. R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts.This standalone adventure is set in the same world as Zen Cho's award-winning novel - The Sorcerer to the Crown.

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'A spellbinding read ... the glamour of early Sixties showbiz' LOUISE CANDLISH'Mesmerising and powerful ... an extraordinary sense of time and place' ELLY GRIFFITHS'A stylish and page-turning mystery' RACHEL HORE'Gripping ... her portrait of Sixties London is terrific' ELIZABETH BUCHANLONGLISTED FOR THE HWA GOLD CROWN AWARD 2021Set in Sixties London, a gripping drama of past secrets revealed, of manipulation and revenge for fans of Daphne du Maurier and noir movies like All About Eve and A Star is BornDelia Maxwell is an international singing sensation, an icon of 1950s glamour who is still riding high on the new 60s scene. Adored by millions, all men want to be with her, all women want to be her. But one woman wants it maybe a little too much...Lily Brooks has watched Delia all her life, studying her music and her on-stage mannerisms. Now she has a dream job as Delia's assistant - but is there more to her attachment than the admiration of a fan? Private investigator Frank is beginning to wonder.As Lily steps into Delia's spotlight, and Delia encourages her ambitious protegée, Frank's suspicions of Lily's ulterior motives increase. But are his own feelings for Delia clouding his judgement? The truth is something far darker: the shocking result of years of pain and rage, rooted in Europe's darkest hour. If Delia thought she had put her past behind her, she had better start watching her back.

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A lavishly illustrated reference on a little-known chapter in art history – the art of the three Baltic States, covering a wide range of mediums, movements and styles. The Baltic States – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – retain strong cultural identities that have survived despite centuries of colonization by powerful neighbouring lands. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, artists and writers were starting to reclaim and promote their own artistic heritage as radically distinct from that of the invading nations, with pioneers such as M. K. Ciurlionis and Vilhelms Purvitis demonstrating rare originality in their work. In the wake of the First World War, the three Baltic countries regained their autonomy, and the 1920s and 30s became a rich period of openness and international artistic exchange. Modernism in all its forms flourished, not only in painting but in sculpture, printmaking, photomontage and the decorative arts, ranging from the elegant abstraction of Arnold Akberg to the provocative figuration of Karlis Padegs and the experimental photography of Domicele Tarabildiene. Art of the Baltic States is organized into three main chapters, documenting the history of art in each country. Enriched with illustrations from important museum collections, Fauchereau covers key art movements as well as their complex historical background, from time under the Czars and the German crown to the invasion by the Soviet Union and beyond. With each country showcased in its own lavishly illustrated section, this is a wonderful guide to a vibrant field in European art history that is often overlooked but deserves rediscovery and a place on the global stage.

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Truth in Many Tongues examines how the Spanish monarchy managed an empire of unprecedented linguistic diversity. Considering policies and strategies exerted within the Iberian Peninsula and the New World during the sixteenth century, this book challenges the assumption that the pervasiveness of the Spanish language resulted from deliberate linguistic colonization.Daniel I. Wasserman-Soler investigates the subtle and surprising ways that Spanish monarchs and churchmen thought about language. Drawing from inquisition reports and letters; royal and ecclesiastical correspondence; records of church assemblies, councils, and synods; and printed books in a variety of genres and languages, he shows that Church and Crown officials had no single, unified policy either for Castilian or for other languages. They restricted Arabic in some contexts but not in others. They advocated using Amerindian languages, though not in all cases. And they thought about language in ways that modern categories cannot explain: they were neither liberal nor conservative, neither tolerant nor intolerant. In fact, Wasserman-Soler argues, they did not think predominantly in terms of accommodation or assimilation, categories that are common in contemporary scholarship on religious missions. Rather, their actions reveal a highly practical mentality, as they considered each context carefully before deciding what would bring more souls into the Catholic Church.Based upon original sources from more than thirty libraries and archives in Spain, Italy, the United States, England, and Mexico, Truth in Many Tongues will fascinate students and scholars who specialize in early modern Spain, colonial Latin America, Christian-Muslim relations, and early modern Catholicism.

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'Historical fiction at its most sumptuous' Rory Clements'S. J. Parris fans will be pleased' Publishers WeeklyFrom the bestselling, CWA Historical Dagger Award-nominated author of The Angel's Mark comes a gripping and atmospheric new mystery . . . ______________The Elizabethan world is in flux. Radical new ideas are challenging the old. But the quest for knowledge can lead down dangerous paths...London, 1594. The Queen's physician has been executed for treason, and conspiracy theories flood the streets. When Nicholas Shelby, unorthodox physician and unwilling associate of spymaster Robert Cecil, is accused of being part of the plot, he and his new wife Bianca must flee for their lives. With agents of the Crown on their tail, they make for Padua, following the ancient pilgrimage route, the Via Francigena. But the pursuing English aren't the only threat Nicholas and Bianca face. Hella, a strange and fervently religious young woman, has joined them on their journey. When the trio finally reach relative safety, they become embroiled in a radical and dangerous scheme to shatter the old world's limits of knowledge. But Hella's dire predictions of an impending apocalypse, and the brutal murder of a friend of Bianca's forces them to wonder: who is this troublingly pious woman? And what does she want?More praise for S. W. Perry's Jackdaw Mysteries: 'Engaging' Sunday Times'Beautiful writing' Giles Kristian'Brilliantly evokes the colours, sights and sounds of the Elizabethan era' Goodreads review'Gripping, packed with twists and turns!' Goodreads review'Spellbinding . . . I fell in love with every character' Goodreads review

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A history and analysis of one of the most dramatic moments in both air power and naval history. With the sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse, no battleship was safe on the open ocean, and the aircraft took its crown as the most powerful maritime weapon In late 1941, war was looming with Japan, and Britain's empire in southeast Asia was at risk. The British government decided to send Force Z, which included the state-of-the-art battleship Prince of Wales and the battlecruiser Repulse, to bolster the naval defences of Singapore, and provide a mighty naval deterrent to Japanese aggression. These two powerful ships arrived in Singapore on 2 December - five days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But crucially, they lacked air cover. On 9 December Japanese scout planes detected Force Z's approach in the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike at Pearl Harbor, battleships at sea could manoeuvre, and their anti-aircraft defences were ready. But it did no good. The Japanese dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers were the most advanced in the world, and the battle was one-sided. Strategically, the loss of Force Z was a colossal disaster for the British, and one that effectively marked the end of its empire in the East. But even more importantly, the sinking marked the last time that battleships were considered to be the masters of the ocean. From that day on, air power rather than big guns would be the deciding factor in naval warfare.

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Alfonso X 'the Learned' of Castile (1252-1284) was praised in his lifetime as a king who devoted himself to discovering all worldly and divine knowledge. He commissioned chronicles and law codes and composed poems to the Virgin Mary, he gathered together Jewish scholars to translate works of Arab astrology and astronomy, and he founded a university of Latin and Arabic studies at Seville. Moreover, according to his nephew Juan Manuel, Alfonso was careful to ensure that 'he had leisure to look into things he wanted for himself'. The level of his personal involvement in this literary activity marks him out as an exceptional patron in any period. However, Alfonso's relationship with the arts also had much in common with that of other thirteenth-century European royal patrons, among them his first cousin, Louis IX of France. Like his contemporaries, he relentlessly used literary works as a vehicle to promote his royal status and advance his claim to the imperial crown. His motivation for the foundation of the university at Seville was arguably political rather than educational, and instead of promoting institutional learning during his reign, Alfonso preferred to direct the messages about his kingship in the lavish manuscripts he patronized to a restricted, courtly audience. Yet such was the interest of the works he commissioned, that those who could obtain copies did so, even if these were still incomplete drafts. Three codices traditionally held to have been copied for Alfonso in fact show how this learning reserved for the few began to filter out beyond the Learned King's immediate circle.

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The Thoroughly Updated Guide to Reducing Tax Liability for the Trader and Serious Investor What would you do to increase your trading profits by as much as 50%? Most traders and investors would do whatever it takes. Those same traders will much to often what the profits earned with their blood, sweat and tears shrink considerable as they prepare their tax returns. You have in your hands the easy-to-use tools that will protect your hard earned assets. Packed with proven strategies that reduce your tax exposure this comprehensive guide is completely updated with information and strategies for the most recent tax changes. Here are invaluable business, estate, retirement planning, and tax-saving strategies that virtually anyone can implement within the new tax laws. It is simple to use and includes specific information to help traders reduce their tax liability, with individual case studies, real-world examples, and model tax returns. CPA and expert tax consultant Ted Tesser provides current solutions for the tax problems facing most U.S. traders, investors, and income earners today-excessive tax payments to federal and local governments, insufficient preparation for retirement, and , ultimately, the fate of bequests. In this book, Tesser shows everyone concerned: How to disinherit the federal government How Trader Status is upheld, even under audit How to augment underfunded retirement plans How to master the basiscs of estate tax planning How to integrate the "triple crown"-Tesser's latest strategy for tax avoidance and wealth accumulation-into your trading plan and much more. Keep the profits you work so hard to earn, whether from trading, investing, or hard work-and take control of your financial destiny. The NEW Trader's Tax Solution has puts years of experience at your fingertips. With the "triple crown," you will learn how to unleash the full power of Trader Status by combining it with a Trading Entity. You will also learn how to establish a Wlfare Benefit Trust to accomplish all these goals and more. This program enables you to take advantage of little known facets fot he tax law that have been on the books for almost three-quarters of a century. You'll learn how to: Contribute and deduct substantial amounts of money over any period of time Grow the principle in a fully tax-defered, 100% secure environment Access the money at a future date, not limited by age, income, or retirement plan status Avoid the restrictions of ordinary retirement plans by using the same techniques that have been used by America's largest corporations since 1928 Whether you are looking for last minute tax saving tips or trading techniques that position you for the optimal tax reduction, The NEW Trader's Tax Solution is a must-have addition to any trading library. Get the government to pick up the tab on this years trading profits, foot the bill for any trading losses, and increase your wealth by 50%, instantly. After putting Trader Status on the map, Tesser now takes it to another dimension, complete with real world case studies, illustrations, templates, and filled-out, ready to be filed tax forms.

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Power, passion and a devastating fight for the crown - discover the gripping story of Oliver Cromwell's youngest daughter. Perfect for fans of Anne O'Brien, Alison Weir and Philippa Gregory 'A powerful and superbly researched historical novel' Andrew Taylor, author of The Last Protector1657. The youngest daughter of Oliver Cromwell, eighteen-year-old Frances is finding her place at England's new centre of power.Following the turmoil of Civil War, a fragile sense of stability has returned to the country. Her father has risen to the unprecedented position of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, and Frances has found herself transported from her humble childhood home to the sumptuous palaces of Hampton Court and Whitehall, where she dreams of romance.But after an assassination attempt on the Cromwell family, Frances realises the precarious danger of her position - and when her father is officially offered the crown, Frances' fate becomes a matter of diplomatic and dynastic importance. Trapped in the web of court intrigue, Frances must make a choice. Allow herself to be a political pawn, or use her new status to take control - of her own future, and of her country's... ***Readers are swept away by The Puritan Princess:'There is much to enjoy in this evocation of a family whose lives are so upended by the convulsions of history' Antonia Senior, The Times'Totally gripping... grab it now. There's a new Cromwell on the shelves!' Minoo Dinshaw, author of Outlandish Knight'The Puritan Princess is a genuinely moving portrait of the tragedy of the Cromwells at the height of their power, and Miranda Malins handles the tumultuous drama of the last days of the Protectorate with incredible aplomb' S G MacLean, author of the Damian Seeker series'A beautifully written and captivating true story of personal love and loss enacted against the backdrop of an England dominated by Frances' father, Oliver Cromwell. Deeply knowledgeable about the politics and desires and ideals of the time, Malins nevertheless inhabits her characters and brings them convincingly to life' James Evans, author of EMIGRANTS'The extraordinary, revealing and moving relationship between Oliver Cromwell and his daughter Frances is brought to vivid life in this masterly historical novel' Paul Lay, author of Providence Lost'Miranda Malins is a real and fresh new talent. This is beautifully written, exciting fiction from a writer in full command of the history' Suzannah Lipscomb'A fine and compelling debut novel, giving a fresh slant on a period of British history still unfamiliar to many. Miranda Malins creates a cast of three-dimensional characters, vividly imagined against a deeply researched historical background. A joy to read' Rowan Williams 'This engaging novel brings one of the most momentous but least well known periods of English history vividly to life.' Carolyn Kirby, author of THE CONVICTION OF CORA BURNS'Miranda Malins has offered us a thrilling debut novel, packed with expert scene-setting and juicy details, bringing to life her characters with aplomb and as a result allowing readers to revel in 17th century England's epicentre of power.' Prof Michael Scott, University of Warwick

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From the internationally renowned bestselling author of Diana: Her True Story and Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, comes the sensational and captivating biography of Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret.They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward VIII decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more, Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called ‘Lillibet’. And bow to her wishes.Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister’s antics with a kind of stoical amusement but Margaret’s struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system – and her fraught relationship with its expectations – was often a source of tension. Famously, the Queen had to inform Margaret that the Church and government would not countenance her marrying a divorcee, Group Captain Peter Townsend, forcing Margaret to choose between keeping her title and royal allowances or her divorcee lover.From the idyll of their cloistered early life, through their hidden wartime lives, into the divergent paths they took following their father’s death and Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne, this book explores their relationship over the years. Andrew Morton’s latest biography offers unique insight into these two drastically different sisters – one resigned to duty and responsibility, the other resistant to it – and the lasting impact they have had on the Crown, the royal family and the way it has adapted to the changing mores of the twentieth century.

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In December 1788, in the northern Peruvian city of Trujillo, fifty-one-year-old Spanish Bishop Baltasar Jaime Martínez Compañón stood surrounded by twenty-four large wooden crates, each numbered and marked with its final destination of Madrid. The crates contained carefully preserved zoological, botanical, and mineral specimens collected from Trujillo's steamy rainforests, agricultural valleys, rocky sierra, and coastal desert. To accompany this collection, the Bishop had also commissioned from Indian artisans nine volumes of hand-painted images portraying the people, plants, and animals of Trujillo. He imagined that the collection and the watercolors not only would contribute to his quest to study the native cultures of Northern Peru but also would supply valuable information for his plans to transform Trujillo into an orderly, profitable slice of the Spanish Empire. Based on intensive archival research in Peru, Spain, and Colombia and the unique visual data of more than a thousand extraordinary watercolors, The Bishop's Utopia recreates the intellectual, cultural, and political universe of the Spanish Atlantic world in the late eighteenth century. Emily Berquist Soule recounts the reform agenda of Martínez Compañón—including the construction of new towns, improvement of the mining industry, and promotion of indigenous education—and positions it within broader imperial debates; unlike many of his Enlightenment contemporaries, who elevated fellow Europeans above native peoples, Martínez Compañón saw Peruvian Indians as intelligent, productive subjects of the Spanish Crown. The Bishop's Utopia seamlessly weaves cultural history, natural history, colonial politics, and art into a cinematic retelling of the Bishop's life and work.

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"A close reading of the plays that tries to map the creases and folds in Shakespeare's mysterious, elusive brain."— New York Times Book Review A. D. Nuttall’s study of Shakespeare’s intellectual preoccupations is a literary tour de force and comes to crown the distinguished career of a Shakespeare scholar. Certain questions engross Shakespeare from his early plays to the late romances: the nature of motive, cause, personal identity and relation, the proper status of imagination, ethics and subjectivity, language and its capacity to occlude and to communicate. Yet Shakespeare’s thought, Nuttall demonstrates, is anything but static. The plays keep returning to, modifying, and complicating his creative preoccupations. Nuttall allows us to hear and appreciate the emergent cathedral choir of play speaking to play. By the later stages of Nuttall’s book this choir is nearly overwhelming in its power and dimensions. The author does not limit discussion to moments of crucial intellection but gives himself ample space in which to get at the distinctive essence of each work. Much recent historicist criticism has tended to “flatten” Shakespeare by confining him to the thought-clichés of his time, and this in its turn has led to an implicitly patronizing view of him as unthinkingly racist, sexist, and so on. Nuttall shows us that, on the contrary, Shakespeare proves again and again to be more intelligent and perceptive than his 21st-century readers. This book challenges us to reconsider the relation of great literature to its social and historical matrix. It is also, perhaps, the best guide to Shakespeare’s plays available in English.

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Klein’s madcap romp of a photo-novel brilliantly translates his cult ’60s film into book form Based on the original images and dialogue of William Klein’s 1966 film Who Are You, Polly Maggoo?, this fantastic photo-novel tells the adventures of Polly Maggoo, a star model played by Dorothy McGowan (model for Vogue in the 1960s). The plot unfolds across the fashion world of Polly Maggoo; the world of television (based around the character of director Jean Rochefort); and a magical kingdom of operetta whose crown prince (played by Sami Frey) is in love with the young model. Also featuring in this star-studded cast are Alice Sapritch, Delphine Seyrig, Philippe Noiret, Roland Topor and Jacques Seiler. The publication ingeniously translates into book form the zany universe of the film. Klein’s masterful framing gives exquisite rhythm to its page composition and flow as we follow the crazy adventures of the extraordinary heroine in a madcap race through the streets and rooftops of Paris, all the way up to a distant palace lost in the snow. Born in New York, William Klein (1926–2022) was a multidisciplinary artist whose practice revolutionized photography, particularly fashion and street photography. His fashion work was the subject of several iconic photobooks, including Life Is Good and Good for You in New York (1957) and Tokyo (1964). In the 1980s, he turned to film projects. His works are held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and the Art Institute of Chicago, among others.

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For centuries a bastion of tradition and the jewel in the crown of French viticulture, Bordeaux has in recent years become dogged by controversy, particularly regarding the 2012 classification of the wines of St.-Émilion, the most prestigious appellation of Bordeaux's right bank. St.-Émilion is an area increasingly dominated by big international investors, especially from China, who are keen to speculate on the area's wines and land, some of whose value has increased tenfold in the last decade alone. In the controversial 2012 classification, certain châteaux were promoted to a more prestigious class because of insider deals that altered the scoring system for the classification of wines into premier crus and grand crus. This system now takes into account the facilities of each château's tasting room, the size of its warehouse, and even the extent of its parking lot. The quality of the wine counts for just 30% of the total score for the wines of the top ranking, those deemed premier grand cru classé A. In Vino Business, Saporta shows how back-room deals with wine distributors, multinational investors like the luxury company LVMH, and even wine critics, have fundamentally changed this ancient business. Saporta also investigates issues of wine labelling and the use of pesticides, and draws comparisons to Champagne, Burgundy and the rest of the wine world. Based on two years of research and reporting, Vino Business draws back the curtain on the secret world of Bordeaux, a land ever more in thrall to the grapes of wealth.

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I've never read a writer with a more fertile imagination' DIANA GABALDONAn Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, novella from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author.FOR FANS OF CHARLAINE HARRIS AND ANNE RICE.My name is Anita Blake. I'm a U. S. Marshal for the Preternatural Branch, and I always have my friend's back. Even when they ask me to risk everything...Rafael, king of the wererats, is facing a challenge to his crown. He wants me, one of his closest allies, to help him take down a dangerous opponent unlike any he's fought before. But some of the wererats fear that Rafael is too dependent on me and my ties to the vampire world. They believe that there is only room in America for one supernatural king, and that Rafael will abandon them as prey for the bloodsuckers.A new challenger has arisen among Rafael's enemies... one who is younger, hungrier and has dark secrets that could destroy both the wererats and the vampires. Now, my friend must go into the magical heart of his people to find the power and violence that he needs to save them all - or die trying.Readers can't get enough of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series:'Anita Blake novels are my addiction''Vampires, zombies and guns, oh my!''I have loved every single book in this amazing series, have fallen in love and lust with many characters and desperately hope that there will be more''I am hooked''I couldn't love Anita and her adventures with the supernatural community any more

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Carl Schmitt is one of the most widely read and influential German thinkers of the twentieth century. His fundamental works on friend and enemy, legality and legitimacy, dictatorship, political theology and the concept of the political are read today with great interest by everyone from conservative Catholic theologians to radical political thinkers on the left. In his private life, however, Schmitt was haunted by the demons of his wild anti-Semitism, his self-destructive and compulsive sexuality and his deep-seated resentment against the complacency of bourgeois life. As a young man from a modest background, full of social envy, he succeeded in making his way to the top of the academic world in Germany, and yet he never felt at home in the academic establishment and among those of high social standing. When the Nazis seized power, Schmitt was susceptible to their ideology. He broke with his Jewish friends, joined the Nazi Party in May 1933 and lent a helping hand to Hitler, thereby becoming deeply entangled with the regime. Schmitt was irrevocably compromised by his role as the 'crown jurist' of the Third Reich. After the war, he led a secluded life in his home town in the Sauerland and became a key background figure in the intellectual scene of postwar Germany. Reinhard Mehring's outstanding biography is the most comprehensive work available on the life and work of Carl Schmitt. Based on thorough research and using new sources that were previously unavailable, Mehring portrays Schmitt as a Shakespearean figure at the centre of the German catastrophe.

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The only official sticker book created in collaboration with Mojang! Take your first steps into the Overworld, and learn all about the perils that await with this official Mojang activity book, filled with survival tips, secret tricks and hundreds of stickers. Discover which hostile mobs are best avoided, learn how to build an epic base, and find out where to locate the best blocks and items by completing the exciting activities inside. With so much to do, there’s enough to keep young Minecrafters busy for hours! Collect all of the official Minecraft books to become the best Minecrafter you can be: Minecraft Guide to Exploration Minecraft Guide to Creative Minecraft Guide to Redstone Minecraft Guide to The Nether and the End Minecraft Mobestiary Minecraft Survival Tin Minecraft The Survivors' Book of Secrets Minecraft: Exploded Builds: Medieval Fortress Minecraft Blockopedia Mojang is the Swedish video game developer that introduced the world to Minecraft, the gaming sensation built upon blocks. Markus ‘Notch’ Persson founded the company so that he could give up his day job and go into full-time Creative Mode with his best friend Carl Manneh. The alpha version of Minecraft was launched in 2009, and the official game went on sale in 2011. Since then 70 million copies have been sold. It is now the third best-selling video game of all time. Mojang HQ has also developed Scrolls, Cobalt, and Crown and Council. Mojang was bought by Microsoft in 2014, but remains the hub of the Minecraft empire.

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'An utterly captivating insight into these fascinating women and the times they lived in ... it's an absolute page-turner' Irish Independent'Masterfully and glamorously told ... essential reading for history and gossip lovers alike' Sunday Business Post'An enthralling tale that will dazzle and delight ... If you loved the drama of The Crown, then you will adore The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal' Swirl and Thread'Engrossing and page-turning ... I loved it' Louise O'NeillAs Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh - the three privileged Guinness sisters, darlings of 1930s society - settle into becoming wives and mothers, they quickly discover that their gilded upbringing has not prepared them for the realities of married life.At Dublin's Luttrellstown Castle, practical Aileen has already run out of things to say to her husband. Outspoken Maureen is very much in love but feels isolated at the crumbling Clandeboye estate in Northern Ireland. And, as romantic Oonagh's dreams of happiness in London are crushed by her husband's lies, she seeks comfort in her friends - but can they be trusted?As the sisters deal with desire and betrayal amidst vicious society gossip, their close friends, the Mitfords, find themselves under the media glare - and the Guinness women are forced to examine their place in this quickly-changing world.Inspired by true-life events, The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal is a dazzling, page-turning novel about Ireland and Britain in the grip of change, and a story of how three women who wanted for nothing were about to learn that they couldn't have everything.

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'An author who makes history come gloriously alive' The Times'Meticulous research and strong storytelling' Woman & Home 'A sumptuous ride' Toby Clements, Daily Telegraph**********************Eleanor of AquitaineA loving mother. A betrayed wife. A queen beyond compare. Imprisoned by her husband, King Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England, refuses to let her powerful husband bully her into submission, even as he forces her away from her children and her birthright. Freed only by Henry's death, Eleanor becomes dowager Queen of England. But the competition for land and power that Henry stirred up among his sons has intensified to a dangerous rivalry. Eleanor will need every ounce of courage and fortitude as she crosses the Alps in winter to bring Richard his bride, and travels medieval Europe to ransom her beloved son. But even her indomitable spirit will be tested to its limits as she attempts to keep the peace between her warring sons, and find a place in the centres of power for her daughters.Eleanor of Aquitaine's powerful story is brought to a triumphant and beautiful close by much-loved author Elizabeth Chadwick. The first two books - The Summer Queen and The Winter Crown - are available to buy NOW in paperback and ebook.Praise for Elizabeth Chadwick 'Enjoyable and sensuous' Daily Mail 'Stunning grasp of historical details... Her characters are beguiling and the story is intriguing and very enjoyable' Barbara Erskine 'Renowned historical novelist Chadwick tells this battle-of-the-sexes story from a woman's point of view' New York Post

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SOMETIMES, LOVE IS AN APOCALYPSE . . .They Both Die at the End meets All That's Left in the World - a heartbreaking and gripping first love story about courage, hope and holding onto love. Perfect for anyone looking for a big emotional romance of a read. On the morning Avery Byrne plans to end her life, the world discovers there are only nine days left to live: an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery fights her way home to save the girl she has been in love with her whole life. But can Avery also learn to save herself and find hope again in the tomorrows she has left?'An electric, urgent miracle of a book that asks what - and who - we dare to live for. Avery's story will shatter your heart and fill it with light again.' Kelly Quindlen, bestselling author of She Drives Me Crazy'A novel that carves a space in your heart and remains there forever.' Rachael Lippincott, bestselling co-author of She Gets the Girl and Five Feet Apart'Devastatingly brilliant.' Leah Johnson, bestselling author of You Should See Me in a Crown 'An absolute life changer - and lifesaver - of a book.' Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer 'Lush, searching, and ultimately full of hope. I loved it.' Emily M. Danforth, bestselling and award-winning author of The Miseducation of Cameron Post 'Achingly tender and poignantly honest . . . This book is a marvel.' Adrienne Tooley, author of Sweet & Bitter Magic

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Explore the mystical qualities of 45 crystals, gems and minerals, with stunning images to colour that invoke their powerful meanings. Exquisitely crafted by Kate O'Hara, each image showcases a crystal in all its beauty and brings together elements of symbolism that reflect its fascinating history and spiritual meaning. Each intricate illustration sits opposite a page of accompanying text that explores the multifaceted significance of each gem, the guidance it might offer readers and tailored advice on the colours to use. The text also features information about the chakras that are associated with each of the crystals. A page of text at the beginning of the book introduces readers to what a chakra is and includes a summary of the body's seven main chakras. The back cover features colour photos of all the crystals included in the book, so readers know the exact colours of each crystal and can recreate accurate depictions if they wish. All text and illustrations have been checked and approved by an expert consultant. From a fierce dragon protecting its pyrite stones and a bold lion with carnelians erupting from its mane to a majestic sapphire-encrusted crown and a mystical moonstone carving, the images in this book are an empowering and creative introduction to crystal healing.Also available in our Mind, Body and Spirit colouring series:Believe in Magic 9781912785308Astrology Colouring 9781912785537Tarot Colouring 9781912785544Mystic Animals 9781912785735Nature’s Magic 9781912785957 Luna Colouring 9781912785971 (publishing March 2024)Angel Numbers Colouring 9781915751201 (publishing April 2025)

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The Philosopher's English King offers a close reading of the Henriad, presenting Shakespeare's teaching on political authority and contributing to the burgeoning scholarship on Shakespeare as a political thinker. This book on Shakespeare's Henriad studies the tetralogy as a work of political thought. Leon Harold Craig, author of two previous volumes on Shakespeare's political thought, argues that the four plays present Shakespeare'steaching on the problem of legitimacy, or who has the right to rule -- one of the perennial questions of political philosophy. Offering original interpretations of each of the plays, Craig discusses the demise of divine right inRichard II, political upheaval and disputed rule in Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, and the attempt to reestablish legitimacy on a new basis in Henry V. While focusing especially on the plays' various interpretive puzzles,Craig shows how the four plays constitute one narrative, culminating in the rule of England's most famous warrior king, Henry V, whose brilliant achievements were undone by ill fortune. Craig concludes with an epilogue on what might have been had Henry lived to consolidate his conquest of France and unify it with England under a single crown. Supported by a wealth of scholarship, both historical and critical, The Philosopher's English King makes a major contribution to the burgeoning scholarship on Shakespeare as a political thinker, providing further evidence for why the poet deserves to be recognized as a philosopher in his own right. Leon Harold Craig is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alberta.

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At Kingdom's Edge investigates how life in a conquered colony both revealed and shaped what it meant to be English outside of the British Isles. Considering the case of Jeronimy Clifford, who rose to become one of Suriname's richest planters, Jacob Selwood examines the mutual influence of race and subjecthood in the early modern world. Clifford was a child in Suriname when the Dutch, in 1667, wrested the South American colony from England soon after England seized control of New Netherland in North America. Across the arc of his life—from time in the tenuous English colony to prosperity as a slaveholding planter to a stint in debtors' prison in London—Clifford used all the tools at his disposal to elevate and secure his status. His English subjecthood, which he clung to as a wealthy planter in Dutch-controlled Suriname, was a ready means to exert political, legal, economic, and cultural authority. Clifford deployed it without hesitation, even when it failed to serve his interests. In 1695 Clifford left Suriname and, until his death, he tried to regain control over his abandoned plantation and its enslaved workers. His evocation of international treaties at times secured the support of the Crown. The English and Dutch governments' responses reveal competing definitions of belonging between and across empires, as well as the differing imperial political cultures with which claimants to rights and privileges had to contend. Clifford's case highlights the unresolved tensions about the meanings of colonial subjecthood, Anglo-Dutch relations, and the legacy of England's seventeenth-century empire.

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE BETTY TRASK AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWNLONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST NOVEL PRIZESarah Day's MUSSOLINI'S ISLAND is a novel of sexuality and desire, of hidden passions and the secrets we keep locked within us. Based on the true story of the rounding up of a group of Sicilian gay men in 1939, this book is sure to appeal to readers of the Elena Ferrante novels, Anthony Doerr's ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE or Virginia Baily's EARLY ONE MORNING.'A fascinating debut...the setting and characters are strong and the story is written with verve. Day is a talent to watch' - The Times Francesco has a memory of his father from early childhood, a night when life for his family changed. From that night, he has vowed to protect his mother and to follow the words of his father: Non mollare. Never give up.As Francesco is herded into a camp on the island of San Domino, he realises that someone must have handed a list of names to the fascist police. Locked in spartan dormitories, resentment and bitterness between the men grows each day.Elena, an illiterate island girl, is drawn to the handsome Francesco. Sometimes, she is given a message to pass on. She's not sure who they are from; she knows simply that Francesco is hiding something. When Elena discovers the truth about the group of prisoners, the fine line between love and hate pulls her towards an act that can only have terrible consequences for all.

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This work presents the first five hundred of the over 2,000 documents that Robert I. Burns will make available from the registers of Jaume the Conqueror at the Crown Archives in Barcelona--the most impressive archives of this kind outside the papal series, and the first extensive use of paper by a European government. Volume II begins the four planned volumes of documents, which, along with the introduction that makes up Volume I, will constitute a unique corpus of material on Valencia, its place in an expanding Europe, and its status, after its conquest by Jaume of Aragon-Catalonia, as a colonialist world of Christian settlers ruling a Muslim majority and a large Jewish population. Volume II provides a wealth of information on this frontier society during the six years of its final pacification and incipient Europeanization (1257-1263). Affording numerous insights into the military, religious, economic, legal, bureaucratic, and social evolution of the area, the documents are made accessible to a wide readership by extended paraphrases that Originally published in 1991. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

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An unflinching story of ambition and the dangers of loyalty and love in the Soviet Union, by the creator of The Crown, updated and revised for the 2023 West End production.If the politicians cannot save Russia, then we businessmen must. We have not just the responsibility but the duty to become Russian heroes.1991. The Fall of the Soviet Union.With the dawning of a new Russia, there are winners and losers, and today's patriot can fast become tomorrow's traitor. As a new generation of oligarchs fights to seize control, we follow billionaire businessman Boris Berezovsky - the 'kingmaker' behind Vladimir Putin - from the president's inner circle to public enemy number one, in this unflinching story of patronage, ambition and the dangers of loyalty and love.Winner of the Critics' Circle Best New Play Award 2023, Peter Morgan's Patriots opened at the Almeida Theatre, London, in July 2022, and transferred to the West End's Noël Coward Theatre the following year. This is the revised West End edition.'Morgan describes his plays as an "odd collection of pas de deux - dances between very different kinds of people." This chemistry of opposition is the seam out of which he has mined some terrific tales . . . His newest eloquent exercise in warring dualities is Patriots . . . Morgan's unusually absorbing saga of Berezovsky's complex personality and tragic predicament - alienated both from his country andfrom himself - is definitely worth it. In the deadening heat of this confounding summer, it brings the refreshing novelty of intelligence and stimulation.' John Lahr

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In the late ’90s, third-wave ska broke across the American alternative music scene like a tsunami. In sweaty clubs across the nation, kids danced themselves dehydrated to the peppy rhythms and punchy horns of bands like The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish. As ska caught fire, a swing revival brought even more sharp-dressed, brass-packing bands to national attention. Hell of a Hat dives deep into this unique musical moment. Prior to invading the Billboard charts and MTV, ska thrived from Orange County, California, to NYC, where Moon Ska Records had eager rude girls and boys snapping up every release. On the swing tip, retro pioneers like Royal Crown Revue had fans doing the jump, jive, and wail long before The Brian Setzer Orchestra resurrected the Louis Prima joint. Drawing on interviews with heavyweights like the Bosstones, Sublime, Less Than Jake, and Cherry Poppin' Daddies—as well as underground heroes like Mustard Plug, The Slackers, Hepcat, and The New Morty Show—Kenneth Partridge argues that the relative economic prosperity and general optimism of the late ’90s created the perfect environment for fast, danceable music that—with some notable exceptions—tended to avoid political commentary.An homage to a time when plaids and skankin’ were king and doing the jitterbug in your best suit was so money, Hell of a Hat is an inside look at ’90s ska, swing, and the loud noises of an era when America was dreaming and didn’t even know it.

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Yellow Livestrong wristbands were taken off across America early last year when Lance Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he had doped during the seven Tour de France races he won. But the foreign cycling world, which always viewed Armstrong with suspicion, had already moved on. The bellwether events of the year were Chris Froome's victory in the Tour and the ousting of Pat McQuaid as director of the Union Cycliste Internationale. Even without Armstrong, the Tour will roll on-its gigantic entourage includes more than 200 racers, 450 journalists, 260 cameramen, 2,400 support vehicles carrying 4,500 people, and a sevenmile-long publicity caravan. It remains one of the most-watched annual sporting events on television and a global commercial juggernaut. In Selling the Yellow Jersey, Eric Reed examines the Tour's development in France as well as the event's global athletic, cultural, and commercial influences. The race is the crown jewel of French cycling, and at first the newspapers that owned the Tour were loath to open up their monopoly on coverage to state-owned television. However, the opportunity for huge payoffs prevailed, and France tapped into global networks of spectatorship, media, business, athletes, and exchanges of expertise and personnel. In the process, the Tour helped endow world cycling with a particularly French character, culture, and structure, while providing proof that globalization was not merely a form of Americanization, imposed on a victimized world. Selling the Yellow Jersey explores the behind-the-scenes growth of the Tour, while simultaneously chronicling France's role as a dynamic force in the global arena.

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Paul Doherty's most popular series character returns. It is the Summer of 1311 and Hugh Corbett is about to take up a life of danger again in the eighteenth novel in his series, DARK SERPENT, the follow up to THE MYSTERIUM. If you love historical mysteries from Robin Hobb, Susanna Gregory, Michael Jecks, Peter Tremayne and Bernard Knight you will love this.After his recent unveiling of a devious assassin, Sir Hugh Corbett has returned to service as the Keeper of the Secret Seal, begrudgingly admitting that his appetite for adventure has once again been whetted. Summoned to meet the King to be congratulated on their work together, Corbett and Ranulf learn of the death of Corbett's close friend, Ralph Grandison. Ralph, a leper, has been found dead in a rowing boat, a dagger thrust through his chest. But this murder is not the first of its kind. Other patients of the hospital in which Ralph was staying have similarly slaughtered and it seems as though the lepers, all former knights of the Royal household, are being targeted. The discovery that Ralph was killed by no ordinary weapon, but a poison dagger that once belonged with the Crown Jewels before being famously stolen, leads Corbett down a complex path, where the risk of disease plays out against the backdrop of finding an assassin who will use any means necessary to kill. As Corbett puts himself in the path of extreme danger, will he survive to see another day?

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For many New Yorkers, Central Park is Manhattan's crown jewel and what makes the city liveable year round. For tourists, this urban oasis is a must-see destination on any sightseeing visit. For acclaimed photographer Robert A. McCabe, Central Park is defined by its Ramble-a densely forested 38 acres replete with stunning lake vistas, enormous granite boulders, a canopy of trees, winding paths and streams, and ornate and rustic bridges. McCabe's photographs in The Ramble in Central Park: A Wilderness West of Fifth have captured this wooded labyrinth in its off-the-beaten-path glory in its most photogenic seasons. The Ramble in Central Park is primarily organised by four regions, supplemented by one large map by Christopher Kaeser of the entire area and four close-ups of each section. The text is a series of essays by writers including The New Yorker's E. B. White and C. Stevens. Topics cover the history of the park's creation by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and the failed attempt of Robert Moses to essentially eliminate the Ramble in the 1950s, as well as the Ramble's 250 species of woodland birds and the area's remarkable geology and plant life. A compelling introduction by Central Park Conservancy President and Administrator Douglas Blonsky describes the recent renovation and continued protection of the Ramble. This photography book should appeal to nature lovers, bird watchers, and New York residents and visitors alike. It is the perfect tourist souvenir before or after a visit to Central Park and The Ramble.

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Lose yourself in this classic travelogue evoking the Greek island of Rhodes after World War II by the king of travel writing and real-life family member of The Durrells in Corfu. 'A magician ... Durrell enchants.' The Times 'A lovely book ... Makes people feel happy ... [So] pleasurable.' Observer 'A poet's intoxication with landscape, a humanist's appetite for history, and an eye for character worthy of a novelist . He excites a longing to leave for Rhodes at once.' Sunday TimesWorld War II is finally over, and after four torturous years serving the Crown in Egypt, Lawerence Durrell seeks peace in the landscapes he has loved ever since his youth in Corfu: Mediterranean islands. He is posted to the Greek island of Rhodes, and from his first dip in the dazzling blue Aegean - which jolts his soul awake for the first time in years - he immerses himself in the rhythms and moods of local life, befriending eccentric villagers and quaffing ouzo as through the war was a distant dream. With his dazzling poet's eye and passion for excavating ancient history, Durrell recaptures the mythic Rhodes of legend, of knights and crusades, that lies beneath its war-ravaged surface. It is a place that you will never forget. 'Our last great garlicky master of the vanishing Mediterranean.' Richard Holmes 'Masterly ... Casts a spell.' Jan Morris 'Incandescent.' André Aciman 'Invades the reader's every sense ... Remarkable.' Victoria Hislop 'Like long letters from a civilized and very funny friend - the prose as luminous as the Mediterranean air he loves.' Time

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The blockbuster danmei/Boys' Love novels from China that inspired the animated series! This epic historical fantasy about a prince and the mysterious man by his side is now in English, for the very first time. Born the crown prince of a prosperous kingdom, Xie Lian was renowned for his beauty, strength, and purity. His years of dedication and noble deeds allowed him to ascend to godhood. But those who rise, can also fall...and fall he does, cast from the Heavens again and again and banished to the mortal realm. Eight hundred years after his mortal life, Xie Lian has ascended to godhood for the third time. Now only a lowly scrap collector, he is dispatched to wander the earthly realm to take on tasks appointed by the heavens to pay back debts and maintain his divinity. Aided by old friends and foes alike, and graced with the company of a mysterious young man with whom he feels an instant connection, Xie Lian must confront the horrors of his past in order to dispel the curse of his present. This Chinese xianxia fantasy novel series built around the romanticized love between two men (danmei) is the newest work from author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, and has spawned an ongoing multimedia franchise that's beloved across the world--including the animated series (donghua) that amassed 100+ million views in just its first month. The Seven Seas English-language edition will include covers from (tai3_3), and exclusive, all-new interior illustrations from ZeldaCW.

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**THE ONLY DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST RACE - FULL OF EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH NIKI LAUDA, ROSS BRAWN, DAMON HILL, DAVID COULTHARD, SIR JACKIE STEWART, OLIVER PANIS AND 2016 WORLD CHAMPION NICO ROSBERG**Circuit de Monaco. Monte Carlo. The ultimate race in the Formula One calendar.When you think of Formula One, you think of Monaco. Once a year, yachts jam the harbour, celebrities fill the stands and luxury sports cars litter the streets as of thousands of people gather from across the world to watch the greatest, and one of the oldest, races in motorsport.Monaco is glamorous, prestigious and seductive. But for the drivers, it is the most demanding race of the year. The narrow streets, tight corners and sharp elevations make it the ultimate test of driving skill. It is physically draining and mentally exhausting.Proposed today, the race would not exist but it remains the jewel in the crown for every Formula One driver. There is simply no other race like it. Win at Monaco and your name is etched in history. You will join the likes of Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.With exclusive interviews and insight from drivers and a wealth of F1 insiders, award-winning sportswriter Malcolm Folley goes behind the scenes to discover what it's really like to drive and live and breathe this iconic circuit. He reveals along the way a unique and definitive portrait of the circuit, and recreates in thrilling detail its most extraordinary weekend, when only three cars finished.

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Winner of the Association of Dress Historians Book of the Year Award, 2021 In 1939, fashion became an economic and symbolic sphere of great importance in France. Invasive textile legislation, rationing and threats from German and American couturiers were pushing the design and trade of Parisian style to its limits. It is widely accepted that French fashion was severely curtailed as a result, isolated from former foreign clients and deposed of its crown as global queen of fashion. This pioneering book offers a different story. Arguing that Paris retained its hold on the international haute couture industry right throughout WWII, eminent dress historians and curators come together to show that, amid political, economic and cultural traumas, Paris fashion remained very much alive under the Nazi occupation – and on an international level. Bringing exciting perspectives to challenge a familiar story and introducing new overseas trade links out of occupied France, this book takes us from the salons of renowned couturiers such as Edward Molyneux and Robert Piguet, French Vogue and Le Jardin des Modes and luxury Lyon silk factories, to Rio de Janeiro, Denmark and Switzerland, and the great American department stores of New York. Also comparing extravagant Paris occupation styles to austerity fashions of the UK and USA, parallel industrial and design developments highlight the unresolvable tension between luxury fashion and the everyday realities of wartime life. Showing that Paris strove to maintain world dominance as leader of couture through fashion journalism, photography and exported fashion forecasting, Paris Fashion and World War Two makes a significant contribution to the cultural history of fashion.

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Everyone knows what William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, but in recent years is has become customary to assume that the victory was virtually inevitable, given the alleged superiority of Norman military technology. In this new study, underpinned by biographical sketches of the great warriors who fought for the crown of England in 1066, Frank McLynn shows that this view is mistaken. The battle on Senlac Hill on 14 October was a desperately close-run thing, which Harold lost only because of an incredible run of bad fortune and some treachery from the Saxon elite in England. Both William and Harold were fine generals, but Harold was the more inspirational of the two. Making use of all the latest scholarship, McLynn shows that most of our 'knowledge' of 1066 rests on myths or illusions: Harold did not fight at Hastings with the same army with which he had been victorious at Stamford Bridge three weeks earlier; the Battle of Senlac was not won by Norman archery; Harold did not die with an arrow in the eye. In overturning these myths, McLynn shows that the truth is even more astonishing than the legend. An original feature of the book is the space devoted to the career and achievements of Harald Hardrada, who usually appears in such narratives as the shadowy 'third man'. McLynn shows that he was probably the greatest warrior of the three and that he, in turn, lost a battle through unforeseen circumstances.

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More than a century after the Norman Conquest, England remains a colony of foreign warlords. The dissolute Prince John plots to seize his brother's crown, his barons terrorize the country, and the mysterious outlaw Robin Hood haunts the ancient greenwood. The secret return of King Richard and the disinherited Saxon knight, Ivanhoe, heralds the start of a splendid and tumultuous romance, featuring the tournament at Ashby-de-la-Zouche, the siege of Torquilstone, and the clash of wills between the wicked Templar Bois-Guilbert and the sublime Jewess Rebecca. In Ivanhoe Scott fashioned an imperial myth of national cultural identity that has shaped the popular imagination ever since its first appearance at the end of 1819. The most famous of Scottish novelists drew on the conventions of Gothic fiction, including its risky sexual and racial themes, to explore the violent origins and limits of English nationality. This edition uses the 1830 Magnum Opus text, corrected against the Interleaved Set, and incorporates readings from Scott's manuscript. The introduction examines the originality and cultural importance of Ivanhoe, and draws on current work by historians and cultural critics. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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'Megan Whalen Turner is one of my all-time favorite writers . . . impossible to put down' Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Cruel PrinceThrough scheming and outright theft, the Thief of Eddis has become the King of Attolia. Eugenides wanted the queen, not the crown, but he finds himself trapped in a web of his own making.Despised by his court, and apparently his bride, Eugenides ensnares a naïve young guard in the web of intrigue that surrounds him. Struggling to find his footing, the guard, Costis, knows he's a pawn. What he doesn't know is how the king means to play the game . . .Praise for Megan Whalen Turner'The Queen's Thief books awe and inspire me' Laini Taylor, New York Times bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone novels and Strange the Dreamer'Megan Whalen Turner writes vivid, immersive, heartbreaking fantasy' Leigh Bardugo, New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom'Endlessly entertaining, deeply deceptive, and very, very clever' Garth Nix, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Old Kingdom, Keys to the Kingdom, and Seventh Tower series'Romance, intrigue, mystery, surprises, and sheer beautiful writing' Cassandra Clare, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and Lady Midnight'The world Turner creates is so tangible that not only do I believe in its characters, I almost believe in its gods' Kristin Cashore, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling Realm series

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Stirling is associated with two of the most notable names and battles in Scottish history: William Wallace and the Battle of Stirling Bridge, and Robert the Bruce and the Battle of Bannockburn. Stirling’s military history, however, stretches back to when the Romans invaded Scotland and formed a line of fortresses as their first boundary just north of Stirling. A Roman road cuts through the town, and it became a road used by every military force to invade Scotland. A castle has existed in Stirling on Castle Hill since at least 1110, with the town growing on the slopes around it. During the Wars of Independence with England control of Stirling and its castle was much fought over, bringing some of the most famous characters from Scottish history to the town. It was said that ‘he who controls Stirling, controls Scotland’. After the Union of the Crown in 1603, Stirling Castle’s role as a royal residence declined, and instead it became a centre for the military. The Jacobite forces failed to take the castle in 1746, and by the 1800s the castle was adapted to create barracks and training facilities. Today, reminders of the importance of Stirling can be found all around the town. The battle sites and castle are popular tourist attractions, and the castle remains the headquarters of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders infantry regiment. An annual military show to honour and celebrate the armed forces is also held in the town, which is recognised as one of the main military events in Scotland.

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