Search results for ""crown""

'A compelling and wry narrative of one of the most intellectually thrilling eras of British history' Guardian. ***************** SHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2020 England, 1651. Oliver Cromwell has defeated his royalist opponents in two civil wars, executed the Stuart king Charles I, laid waste to Ireland, and crushed the late king's son and his Scottish allies. He is master of Britain and Ireland. But Parliament, divided between moderates, republicans and Puritans of uncompromisingly millenarian hue, is faction-ridden and disputatious. By the end of 1653, Cromwell has become 'Lord Protector'. Seeking dragons for an elect Protestant nation to slay, he launches an ambitious 'Western Design' against Spain's empire in the New World. When an amphibious assault on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1655 proves a disaster, a shaken Cromwell is convinced that God is punishing England for its sinfulness. But the imposition of the rule of the Major-Generals – bureaucrats with a penchant for closing alehouses – backfires spectacularly. Sectarianism and fundamentalism run riot. Radicals and royalists join together in conspiracy. The only way out seems to be a return to a Parliament presided over by a king. But will Cromwell accept the crown? Paul Lay narrates in entertaining but always rigorous fashion the story of England's first and only experiment with republican government: he brings the febrile world of Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate to life, providing vivid portraits of the extraordinary individuals who inhabited it and capturing its dissonant cacophony of political and religious voices. ***************** Reviews: 'Briskly paced and elegantly written, Providence Lost provides us with a first-class ticket to this Cromwellian world of achievement, paradox and contradiction. Few guides take us so directly, or so sympathetically, into the imaginative worlds of that tumultuous decade' John Adamson, The Times. 'Providence Lost is a learned, lucid, wry and compelling narrative of the 1650s as well as a sensitive portrayal of a man unravelled by providence' Jessie Childs, Guardian.

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This release features a recreation of the first ever cast of Doctor Who, as seen on BBC TV in 2013's celebratory 'An Adventure in Space and Time' with David Bradbury then appearing as the Doctor in 2017's Peter Capaldi finale. Contains two stories; 5.1 For the Glory of Urth by Guy Adams. The TARDIS has barely landed in an alien sewer when a distant scream sends Susan racing to give aid, and the crew split up. Trying to reunite, the travellers find themselves in something resembling a monastery led by a man half-way between an Abbot and a warlord. They discover that they are in 'Urth', a barbaric place clinging on to its former glory. It's somewhere its populace are never allowed to leave, somewhere keeping many secrets from its people. And today those secrets will be revealed...5.2 The Hollow Crown by Sarah Grochala. When the TARDIS lands in Shoreditch, 1601, the Doctor suggests going to see a play at the Globe Theatre and his friends readily agree. But this is a turbulent time. There is violence in the streets, plots against the Queen, and rebellion is in the air. At the centre of it all stands the most famous playwright in British history - William Shakespeare - who is having troubles of his own. As tensions mount and wheels turn within wheels, the travellers are about to discover if the play really is the thing... Cast: David Bradley (The Doctor), Claudia Grant (Susan), Jemma Powell (Barbara Wright), Jamie Glover (Ian Chesterton), Nicholas Asbury (William Shakespeare), Wendy Craig (Queen Elizabeth I), Liane-Rose Bunce (Lady Penelope Rich/Hawker), Ian Conningham (Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex/Lord Cecil), Lauren Cornelius (Judith Shakespeare), Susie Emmett (Sissy Cruciatu), Amanda Hurwitz (Mummy Martial/Computer Voice), Phil Mulryne (Bruddle Medicus/Guard 2), Phyllida Nash (Brooskin), Clive Wood (Daddy Dominus/Clubwell/Guard 1). Other parts played by members of the cast

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THE NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, WITH OVER 6 MILLION COPIES SOLDNow a major Apple TV series starring Brie Larson'The most charming, life-enhancing novel I've read in ages' Sunday Times'Thought-provoking and stylish' Guardian___________Your ability to change everything - including yourself - starts hereChemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, she would be the first to point out that there is no such thing.But it's the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute take a very unscientific view of equality.Forced to leave her job at the institute, she soon finds herself the reluctant star of America's most beloved cooking show, Supper at Six.But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn't just teaching women to cook.She's daring them to change the status quo. One molecule at a time.__________A Book of the Year, 2022, for:Guardian, Times, Sunday Times, New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Woman & Home, Stylist, TLS Oprah Daily, Newsweek, Mail on Sunday, Entertainment Weekly, NPR, India Knight, Hay Festival, Amazon, Books are My Bag (2023) and many moreWaterstones Author of the Year, 2022Winner of the Goodreads Choice Best Debut Novel Award, 2022Author of the Year at the British Book Awards, 2023As read on BBC Radio FourA BBC TV 'Between the Covers' pick, May 2022Hay Festival Book of the Year, 2022Winner of the Books are My Bag Reader's Choice Award, 2023Winner of the Books are My Bag Breakthrough Author Award, 2023Shortlisted for the HWA Crown Award, 2023'I loved Lessons in Chemistry and am devastated to have finished it!' Nigella Lawson'Laugh-out-loud funny and brimming with life, generosity and courage' Rachel Joyce'Witty and sometimes hilarious ... the Catch-22 of early feminism' Stephen KingNumber 1 Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023New York Times bestseller, February 2024

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Captain Cook claimed the honour of being the first man to sail into the Antarctic Ocean in 1773, which he then circumnavigated the following year. Cook, though, did not see any land, and he declared that there was no such thing as the Southern Continent. Fifty years later, an Irishman who had been impressed into the Royal Navy at the age of eighteen and risen through the ranks to reach the position of master, proved Cook wrong and discovered and charted parts of the shoreline of Antarctica. He also discovered what is now Elephant Island and Clarence Island, claiming them for the British Crown. Edward Bransfield's varied naval career included taking part in the Bombardment of Algiers in 1816 onboard the 50-gun warship HMS _Severn_. Then, in 1817, he was posted to the Royal Navy's Pacific Squadron off Valpara so in Chile, and it was while serving there that the owner and skipper of an English whaling ship, the _Williams_, was driven south by adverse winds and discovered what came to be known as the South Shetland Islands where Cook had said there was no land. Bransfield's superior officer, Captain Sherriff, decided to investigate this discovery further. He chartered Williams and sent Bransfield with two midshipmen and a ship's surgeon into the Antarctic - and the Irishman sailed into history. Despite his achievements, and many parts of Antarctica and an Antarctic survey vessel being named after him, as well as a Royal Mail commemorative stamp being issued in his name in 2000, the full story of this remarkable man and his historic journey, have never been told - until now. Following decades of research, Sheila Bransfield MA, a member of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, has produced the definitive biography of one of Britain's greatest maritime explorers. The book has been endorsed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, whose patron the Princess Royal, has written the Foreword.

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'A very promising historical adventure' - THE TIMES'A terrific novel' - HISTORIA MAGAZINE***'There is a fury in England that none shall suppress - and when it breaks forth it will shake the throne'1264 Storm clouds are gathering as Simon de Montfort and the barons of the realm challenge the power of Henry III. The barons demand reform; the crown demands obedience. England is on the brink of civil war. Adam de Norton, a young squire devoted to the virtues of chivalry, longs only to be knighted, and to win back his father's lands. Then a bloody hunting accident leaves him with a new master: the devilish Sir Robert de Dunstanville, who does not hesitate to use the blackest stratagems in pursuit of victory. Following Robert overseas, Adam is introduced to the ruthless world of the tournament, where knights compete for glory and riches, and his new master's methods prove brutally effective. But as England plunges into violence, Robert and Adam must choose a side in a battle that will decide the fate of the kingdom. Will they fight for the king, for de Montfort - or for themselves? Searingly vivid and richly evocative, Battle Song is tale of friendship and chivalry, rivalry and rebellion, and the medieval world in all its colour and darkness.***Readers absolutely love BATTLE SONG:'Another five star Ian Ross novel!' *****'Truly is a masterclass in historical fiction' *****'The best historical fiction I've read in years. Up there with Hilary Mantel!' *****'A great well researched novel' *****'Brilliantly researched, gorgeously plotted and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters' *****'Well written and engaging characters' *****'Ian Ross writes with a class and style that leaves the reader or listener thirsting for more' *****'Brilliantly researched, gorgeously plotted and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters' *****'A gripping tale of early England' *****'A really good story, brought to life by an excellent narrator' *****

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The struggle for the soul of England after the death of Henry VIIIIn the death of Henry VIII, the crown passed to his nine-year-old son, Edward. However, real power went to the Protector, Edward's uncle, the Duke of Somerset. The court had been a hotbed of intrigue since the last days of Henry VIII. Without an adult monarch, the stakes were even higher. The first challenger was the duke's own brother: he seduced Henry VIII's former queen, Katherine Parr; having married her, he pursued Princess Elizabeth and later was accused of trying to kidnap the boy king at gunpoint. He was beheaded. Somerset ultimately met the same fate, after a coup d'etat organized by the Duke of Warwick. Chris Skidmore reveals how the countrywide rebellions of 1549 were orchestrated by the plotters at court and were all connected to the (literally) burning issue of religion: Henry VIII had left England in religious limbo. Court intrigue, deceit and treason very nearly plunged the country into civil war. Edward was a precocious child, as his letters in French and Latin demonstrate. He kept a secret diary, written partly in Greek, which few of his courtiers could read. In 1551, at the age of 14, he took part in his first jousting tournament, an essential demonstration of physical prowess in a very physical age. Within a year it is his signature we find at the bottom of the Council minutes, yet in early 1553 he contracted a chest infection and later died, rumours circulating that he might have been poisoned. Mary, Edward's eldest sister, and devoted Catholic, was proclaimed Queen. This is more than just a story of bloodthirsty power struggles, but how the Church moved so far along Protestant lines that Mary would be unable to turn the clock back. It is also the story of a boy born to absolute power, whose own writings and letters offer a compelling picture of a life full of promise, but tragically cut short.

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Including brand-new paintings, this is a fully illustrated new edition of the forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, telling the earlier history of Middle-earth, recounting the events of the First and Second Ages, and introducing some of the key characters, such as Galadriel, Elrond, Elendil and the Dark Lord, Sauron. The Silmarillion is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginative writing, a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth, through the Second Age and the rise of Sauron, to the end of the War of the Ring. They are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth, and the Elves made war upon him in his impenetrable fortress in Angband for the recovery of the Silmarils, three jewels containing the last remaining pure light of Valinor, seized by Morgoth and set in his iron crown. Accompanying these tales are several shorter works. The Ainulindalë is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as told in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien could not publish The Silmarillion in his lifetime, as it grew with him, so he would leave it to his son, Christopher, to edit the work from many manuscripts and bring his father’s great vision to publishable form, so completing the literary achievement of a lifetime. This special edition presents anew this seminal first step towards mapping out the posthumous publishing of Middle-earth, and the beginning of an illustrious forty years and more than twenty books celebrating his father’s legacy. Also included is a letter by J.R.R. Tolkien written in 1951 which provides a brilliant exposition of the earlier Ages, and almost 50 full-colour paintings by Ted Nasmith, including some which appear here for the first time.

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Unlock the cultural obsession with high-stakes robberies in Heist, a collection of the world's greatest real-life break-ins. From the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum's famous art heist to the disappearance of the Marie Antoinette watch, these 100% true stories will have you on the edge of your seat--and double checking the locks on your doors!Have you ever watched a movie like Ocean's Eleven and thought: There's no way that could ever actually happen, right? Wrong. In the US alone, there have been dozens, if not hundreds, of heists, from bank break-ins to museum plunders. In this premium compendium, we'll walk through the most impressive ones, diving into the details behind each case, the detectives that led the investigations, how the events unfolded, and what mysteries remain. The hardcover book will explore the top 50 incidents, including:1. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist: In March of 1990, two men dressed up as police officers and sweet-talked their way past security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, MA. After tying up the real guards, these men dismantled and packed up 13 works of art, loaded them onto a truck, and drove off into the night, making the 81- minute breach one of the most expensive in modern history. Today, it remains the single largest property theft in the world.2. The Great Train Robbery: Not all heists happen in buildings. In fact, one of the most popular ones was the 1963 train robbery in which nearly 2.6 million pounds was lifted from a Royal Mail train headed to London. Using intel provided by a man on the inside dubbed The Ulsterman, the group rigged the railways traffic light system to bring the train to an extended stop, during which time, they funneled the money from one of the carriages into a waiting truck by way of a human chain.3. The French Bank Vault Tunnelers: On the morning of July 19, 1976, workers from a safe manufacturing company were called to the Société Générale bank to fix a faulty vault door that appeared to be jammed. When they drilled into the vault and peered in to diagnose the problem, though, what they found was not a loose screw or broken hinge, but a door that has been welded shut...from the inside. Also scattering the room was a couple of wine glasses, a portable stove, and a giant tunnel system that proved to be the method of transport for thieves, who had dug their way into the bank, spent the weekend there, and left with ten million in cash.4. D. B. Cooper's Escapades: The subject of many conspiracy theories, D. B. Cooper (not his real name) hopped on a Boeing 727 in a trench coat and sunglasses in 1971. When the plane had reached cruising altitude, Cooper hijacked it, extorting 200,000 dollars before strapping on a parachute, jumping out of the plane, and disappearing into thin air. This aerial heist remains unsolved to this day and remains one of the FBI's most frustrating open cases.5. The Botched Crown Jewels of England Theft: Back in 1671, a man named Thomas Blood (a cool name, by any standard) decided: Eh, I'm gonna steal the Crown Jewels. He reached out to Talbot Edwards, the keeper of the stones, with a proposition: if you give me a private viewing of the gemstones, I'll have my nephew marry your daughter (a nephew who, naturally, turned out to not exist). At this private viewing, Blood knocked out Talbot, smashed the jewels into pieces and threw the shards into his pockets, hoping to make a run for it. Though he didn't manage to escape, he did manage to escape jail time: The King at the time was so amused by this failed attempt that he let Blood off scot-free.And that's just the start of it. Plastered with gorgeous photography and big, sleek pages, Heist looks as good as it is captivating. Crack the code of the world's most elusive capers, from the popular tales your great grandad told you about to the ones that have been long forgotten.

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Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto illustrates how this rapidly growing, underfunded but surprisingly effective institution found the niche that allowed it to exist, to provide medical care to a massive patient body and at times even to flourish in the apartheid state. The book offers new ways of exploring the history of apartheid, apartheid medicine and health care. The long history of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (its full current name) or Bara, as it’s popularly known, has been shaped by a complex set of conditions. Established in the early 1940s, Bara stands on land purchased by the Cornish immigrant John Albert Baragwanath in the late nineteenth century. He set up a refreshment post, trading store and hotel on the site – in what is now Soweto – which was a one day journey by ox-wagon from Johannesburg. The hotel became affectionately known as ‘Baragwanath Place’ (the surname is Welsh, from ‘bara’ meaning ‘bread’ and ‘gwenith’ meaning’ wheat’). The land was then bought by Corner House Mining Group and later taken over by Crown Mines Ltd. but was never mined. The British government bought the land in the early 1940s to build a military hospital but by 1947, Baragwanath ceased to operate as a military hospital and under the auspices of the Transvaal Provincial Administration a civilian hospital was opened with 480 beds. Patients were transferred from the ‘non-European’ wing of the Johannesburg General Hospital in the ‘white’ area of Johannesburg. Links were immediately forged with the University of the Witwatersrand and Bara would over time become one of its largest teaching centres. This link brought medical students and their teachers into direct contact with apartheid in the medical sphere. This book will contribute to studies of the history of apartheid that have begun to provide a more nuanced account of its workings. The history of Baragwanath and of the doctors and nurses who worked there tells us much about apartheid ideology and practice, as well as resistance to it, in the realm of health care.

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The next crisis might be here now, or it might be around the corner. In The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient Than Before, two history-making experts in crisis leadership—James, dean of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Wooten, president of Simmons University—forcefully argue that the time to prepare is always. In no other time in recent history have leaders in every industry and on every continent grappled with so many changes that have independently and simultaneously undermined their ability to lead. The Prepared Leader encapsulates more than two decades of the authors’ research to convey how it has positioned them to navigate through the distinct challenges of today and tomorrow. Their insights have implications for every leader in every industry and every worker at every level. In their fast-reading and actionable book, James and Wooten provide tools and frameworks for addressing and learning from crises, and they provide insight into what you need to know to become a Prepared Leader, including: The five phases of crisis management and the skills you need for each phase. They examine how the National Basketball Association and its commissioner, Adam Silver, responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Making the right decisions under pressure and how to avoid common mistakes. They reveal how Burger King CEO Jose Cil began planning for the aftermath of a crisis right in the middle of one. Building a crisis leadership team and how to lead one that you’ve inherited. They detail how Wonya Lucas, CEO and President of the Crown Media Family Networks, aligned and mobilized an executive team during a time of crisis. James and Wooten argue that—in addition to people, profit, and the planet—prepared leadership should be the fourth “P” in a company’s bottom line. They bring decades of world-renowned research on crisis leadership, diversity and inclusion, management strategy, and positive leadership to the table to help leaders better prepare themselves to lead through crises—and for whatever lies around the corner.

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WINNER OF THE BRITISH ACADEMY BOOK PRIZE A SPECTATOR, WATERSTONES, BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, PROSPECT AND HISTORY TODAY BOOK OF THE YEAR A profound and ground-breaking new history of one of the most important encounters in the history of colonialism: the British arrival in India in the early seventeenth century. ‘A triumph of writing and scholarship. It is hard to imagine anyone ever bettering Das's account of this part of the story’ - William Dalrymple, Financial Times ‘A fascinating glimpse of the origins of the British Empire . . . drawn in dazzling technicolour’ - Spectator ‘Beautifully written and masterfully researched, this has the makings of a classic’ - Peter Frankopan SHORTLISTED FOR THE POL ROGER DUFF COOPER PRIZE LONGLISTED FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA CROWN AWARDS When Thomas Roe arrived in India in 1616 as James I’s first ambassador to the Mughal Empire, the English barely had a toehold in the subcontinent. Their understanding of South Asian trade and India was sketchy at best, and, to the Mughals, they were minor players on a very large stage. Roe was representing a kingdom that was beset by financial woes and deeply conflicted about its identity as a unified ‘Great Britain’ under the Stuart monarchy. Meanwhile, the court he entered in India was wealthy and cultured, its dominion widely considered to be one of the greatest and richest empires of the world. In Nandini Das's fascinating history of Roe's four years in India, she offers an insider's view of a Britain in the making, a country whose imperial seeds were just being sown. It is a story of palace intrigue and scandal, lotteries and wagers that unfolds as global trade begins to stretch from Russia to Virginia, from West Africa to the Spice Islands of Indonesia. A major debut that explores the art, literature, sights and sounds of Jacobean London and Imperial India, Courting India reveals Thomas Roe's time in the Mughal Empire to be a turning point in history – and offers a rich and radical challenge to our understanding of Britain and its early empire.

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In this book from the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch of modern times. Little Elizabeth loved dogs and horses and dreamt of living on a farm. But, one day, she heard chants on the streets. Her uncle Edward had renounced the crown, which meant her father would be the next king, and she heiress to the throne. From that day on, she had to learn how to one day be the queen. When she was only 13, World War Two broke out across the globe. Elizabeth bravely served as an ambulance driver, and after the war ended, she fell in love with and married the charming Prince Philip. In 1952, she was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, and for the next 70 years she would serve as a beacon of continuity, looking after her subjects and serving the country she reigned over. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the monarch’s life.Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

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After the gasp-inducing cliffhanger ending of The Frozen Crown, the exciting conclusion to the epic story of Askia—a warrior, witch, and queen-to-be—as she confronts the monster that stole her throne…and is holding her prisoner to steal her magic.“Complex worldbuilding and fascinating characters propel the intricate plot to a deeply satisfying climax. Sword-and-sorcery fans won’t be able to put down this gripping tale of female solidarity and triumph.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)The Empire of Vishir has lost its ruler, and the fight to save Seravesh from the Roven Empire is looking bleak. Moreover, Askia has been captured by power-hungry Emperor Radovan, who plans on making her his wife simply so he can take her magic as his own, killing her in the process. Aware of his ex-wives’ fates, Askia must find a means of avoiding this doom, not only for the sake of Seravesh, but now for Vishir as well. She must put both nations first and remember Ozura’s advice: you must play the game in order to survive. Askia was born a soldier, but now it’s time to become a spy.But it’s hard to play a game where the only person who knows the rules wants to kill her.And time is a factor. The jewel Radovan has put around her neck will pull her power from her in thirty days. Worse, Vishir might not even have that long, as the two heirs to the throne are on the verge of civil war. Without any hope for help from the south, without any access to her magic, alone in a hostile land, Askia is no closer to freeing her people than she was when she fled to Vishir. In the clutches of a madman, the only thing she’s close to is death.Yet she’d trade her life for a chance to save Seravesh. The problem: she may not have that choice.

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If John Fowler was – in the words of the late Duchess of Devonshire – the Prince of Decorators, and Nancy Lancaster undoubted doyenne of English country house style, Imogen Taylor was their crown princess. She joined Colefax and Fowler in 1949 and was for many years John Fowler’s trusted assistant. John – and Nancy – had total faith in Imogen’s ‘perfect taste’, and when John retired in 1971 he passed on to her all his clients – who ranged from HM The Queen, through duchesses and film stars, to ladies of the night. From this time until she retired in 1999 she was, along with Tom Parr, the firm’s principal decorator. Over the years she extended the clientele she had inherited from John and developed her own subtle, comfortable and charming version of English country house style. In this unique combination of social history and style bible, Imogen Taylor brings a sharp eye and ready wit not only to decorating style but also to the social history of the latter part of the twentieth century. Here you will learn about how fabric walling was done, how the famous ‘twelve different whites’ were applied, how to oil gild, how the passementerie was made for Buckingham Palace and Windsor, about Bessarabian carpets and trompe l’oeil painting and Nancy Lancaster’s broderie anglaise lamp shades, ‘like a child’s skirt or a ball dress’. You will also find the Duchess of Windsor dismissing the Duke (‘David, you’re not needed − go and buy some brushes or something’), Dolly Rothschild’s iron bed (‘like a school or hospital bedstead’), Harry Hyams’ reluctance to sign cheques (‘It’s like spilling my own blood!’), John Fowler in a tantrum yelling at the Duchess of Cornwall (she was a girl assistant at the time, not a client), Imogen being summoned to Howletts because ‘a young Siberian tiger, who had been in bed with Aspinall and his wife, had ripped down the silk hangings on the inside of their canopy bed.’

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Two Books in one! Episodes 9 & 10 in the hit Bad Guys series - soon to be a feature film animation. "I wish I'd had these books as a kid. Hilarious!" - Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man They sound like the Bad Guys, they look like the Bad Guys ... and they even smell like the Bad Guys. But Mr Wolf, Mr Piranha, Mr Snake and Mr Shark are about to change all of that — whether you want them to or not! EPISODE NINE: THE BIG BAD WOLF When Mr. Wolf is blown up to Godzilla proportions, the Bad Guys find themselves in monster-sized trouble. They must figure out how to stop an alien invasion and get Wolfie back to his old self before the world is totally destroyed. Good thing they have the International League of Heroes on their side, and some newly honed superpowers ready to put to the test...Everyone's favorite hero has become a menace to society! Can the Bad Guys save the day? You know it! EPISODE EIGHT: THE BADDEST DAY EVER All hail Crown Prince Marmalade! Surrender to his evil magnificence! Kneel before his butt-handed glory! Or...like...DON'T! The Bad Guys and even Badder Girls might have been knocked down, but does that mean they'll stay down? No way, chicos! Pull on your party pants-it's the ultimate battle between Bad and BAAAAAAD! ABOUT THE SERIES Full of hilarious line illustrations throughout Fans of Dog Man, Cat Kid and Captain Underpants will love this series Perfect for children who a struggling with reading - or who just want to laugh their socks off The Bad Guys feature length animation will release in UK cinemas on 1 April 2022 Praise for The Bad Guys: "[T]his book instantly joins the classic ranks of Captain Underpants... We challenge anyone to read this and keep a straight face." - Kirkus Reviews BOOKS INCLUDED IN THIS TWO BOOK BIND-UP EDITION Episode 9: The Big Bad Wolf Episode 10: The Baddest Day Ever

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SELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019 BY THE GUARDIAN, DAILY MAIL, SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH AND BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE 'A gripping, complex and sensational story, told with calm narrative command ... With insight and skill, Penn cuts through the thickets of history to find the heart of these heartless decades' Hilary MantelThe gripping new history by the author of the acclaimed bestseller Winter KingIt is 1461 and England is crippled by civil war. One freezing morning, a teenage boy wins a battle in the Welsh marches, and claims the crown. He is Edward IV, first king of the usurping house of York... Thomas Penn's brilliant new telling of the wars of the roses takes us inside a conflict that fractured the nation for more than three decades. During this time, the house of York came to dominate England. At its heart were three charismatic brothers - Edward, George and Richard - who became the figureheads of a spectacular ruling dynasty. Together, they looked invincible.. But with Edward's ascendancy the brothers began to turn on one another, unleashing a catastrophic chain of rebellion, vendetta, fratricide, usurpation and regicide. The brutal end came at Bosworth Field in 1485, with the death of the youngest, then Richard III, at the hands of a new usurper, Henry Tudor. The story of a warring family unable to sustain its influence and power, The Brothers York brings to life a dynasty that could have been as magnificent as the Tudors. Its tragedy was that, in the space of one generation, it destroyed itself.'The Brothers York is savage, exciting, blisteringly good.' - Jessie Childs, author of God's Traitors'An epic orgy of colour and character.' - Leanda de Lisle, The Times 'Superb ... The tragedy and brutality of the Wars of the Roses jumps out from every page of Penn's book.' - Kate Maltby, Financial Times 'Thrilling, pacy ... Brings a novelist's verve to his telling of events.' - John Gallagher, The Guardian

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A full, detailed and global portrait of a life lived in service. Lieutenant Commander Michael Parker, then equerry-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, speaking about the death of King George VI: 'The Queen was really bowled over. Forlorn. Fully conscious of the fact that she was Queen, and that she must tend to affairs immediately, but at the same time carrying the load of this new, awful news. A brave person. Gosh! If I loved her before, boy did I love her after that!' Queen Elizabeth II paints a spirited, global portrait of a life lived in service. It is packed full of fascinating eye-witness accounts; from the early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign - the shocking death of her father and the adjustment required of a newly married couple - through to the children's marriages, the death of Princess Diana, and Prince Harry and Meghan's move to the United States. It features interviews from diverse sources: staff (recognisable from their portrayals in The Crown), family and friends, such as Lady Pamela Hicks, and public figures including Rabbi Julia Neuberger, Michael Heseltine and Andy Burnham. Originally published in 2002, it also contains memories from crucial figures now lost to us, such as Winston Spencer Churchill and Nelson Mandela. This extraordinary oral history presents revealing view into the workings of Buckingham Palace and the strengths and weaknesses of the Royal Family, asking questions about conflict and change, and the monarchy's journey as colonial institution. With a broad spectrum of views on Queen Elizabeth II - from her role as leader of the Commonwealth to her personality in private - this unique book offers a remarkable insight into our Monarch. 'Both of us having dogs, mine being my seeing eye dog, Her Majesty and I had something in common and we always used to talk about ours. During Vladimir Putin's state visit to the United Kingdom, my dog barked at the Russian visitor and Her Majesty patted him, as if to say: ""Good dog! Good dog!""' David Blunkett

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A survey of the complexity and sophistication of English royal government in the thirteenth century, a period of radical change. The years between 1258 and 1276 comprise one of the most influential periods in the Middle Ages in Britain. This turbulent decade witnessed a bitter power struggle between Henry III and his barons over who should control the government of the realm. Before England eventually descended into civil war, a significant proportion of the baronage had attempted to transform its governance by imposing on the crown a programme of legislative and administrative reform far more radical and wide-ranging than Magna Carta in 1215. Constituting a critical stage in the development of parliament, the reformist movement would remain unsurpassed in its radicalism until the upheavals of the seventeenth century. Simon de Montfort, the baronial champion, became the first leader of a political movement to seize power and govern in the king's name. The essays here draw on material available for the first time via the completion of the project to calendar all the Fine Rolls of Henry III; these rolls comprise the last series of records of the English Chancery from that period to become readily available in a convenient form, thereby transforming accessto several important fields of research, including financial, legal, political and social issues. The volume covers topics including the evidential value of the fine rolls themselves and their wider significance for the English polity, developments in legal and financial administration, the roles of women and the church, and the fascinating details of the development of the office of escheator. Related or parallel developments in Scotland, Wales and Ireland are also dealt with, giving a broader British dimension. LOUISE J. WILKINSON is Professor of Medieval Studies, University of Lincoln; DAVID CROOK is Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Notthingham. Contributors: Nick Barratt, Paul Brand, David Carpenter, David Crook, Paul Dryburgh, Beth Hartland, Philippa Hoskin, Charles Insley, Adrian Jobson, Tony Moore, Alice Taylor, Nicholas Vincent, Scott Waugh, Louise Wilkinson

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1979 was a year of momentous events. In Britain, it began with the so-called Winter of Discontent, as rubbish piled high in the streets and the dead went unburied. Later, guerillas stormed the US Embassy in Tehran, Margaret Thatcher entered Downing Street, and Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose while on trial for stabbing his girlfriend to death. Elsewhere, murderous dictator Saddam Hussein rose to power in Iraq, America’s Three Mile Island nuclear plant went into meltdown, and there was an anthrax epidemic in Russia following an accident at a biological weapons plant. But it’s all swings and roundabouts, because 1979 also saw the first issue of Viz Comic going on sale. And now, with a rousing brass fanfare to celebrate its 40th year as the country’s most flatulent magazine, Viz is puffing out its cheeks to release its latest annual - The Trumpeter’s Lips. Within the 226 pages of this lavishly produced hardback you will find the very best bits from issues 262-271, including * Cartoons: The Fat Slags, Sid the Sexist, Mrs Brady Old Lady, Roger Mellie, Eight Ace, Buster Gonad, Big Vern and many, many more * Informative features: Let’s Go Dogging!, Secrets of the White House Shite House, How Did Henry VIII Mow His Lawn?, Who’s Who at a Car Boot Sale, and A Day in the Life of a Model Railway Enthusiast * Edge-of-your-seat adventures: In Search of the Giant Squid of Sumatra, The Crown Jewels Mystery, Wally Walton’s Emergency Scorpion Squad and Wall to Wall Carpet Warehouse, Ballet Nurse on a Pony, Pip of the Peloton, and Bad Bob the Randy Wonder Dog * More articles, spoof ads, Readers’ Letters and Top Tips than you could shake a really big stick at Just like our rubbish and dead were piled up in the streets four decades ago, Viz - The Trumpeter’s Lips will be piled up in shops and internet retailers this Christmas, guaranteeing a “Winter of This Content” (as specified above) for everyone.

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Awaken your healing power with The Chakra Fix, a contemporary guide to finding your flow, unlocking positive energy and living a high-vibe life. The chakras are connecting, radiating cores that map out the energy within us, and our potential. Focusing on the seven major chakras, this book shows you how to locate, nurture and activate these untapped sources for optimal wellbeing in your daily life. Find out what each chakra represents, how these connect with the emotional, physical and spiritual self – and follow simple but effective exercises to transform the health of each.Designed to answer everyday anxieties and concerns, author Juliette Thornbury offers cleansing meditations, healing rituals and nourishing practices to aid each chakra and enhance your self-care. Start by tuning into the chakras to ascertain how you feel, then discover the cause and find your fix for any number of problems, from combating fatigue and alleviating stress to sparking creativity and finding self-compassion. MASTER THE ESSENTIALS: study the significance of the chakras and demystify associated symbols, crystals, plants, essential oils and colours; SPARK ENERGY AND INSPIRATION: reignite your creativity with an empowering meditation; FIND PROTECTION AND COMFORT: try a root chakra crystal grid to help you feel safe and secure; BOOST JOY AND SUCCESS: develop the self-confidence and willpower to achieve your goals with an abundance ritual; EXPLORE LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS: find compassion for yourself with a chest-opening yoga pose; IMPROVE COMMUNICATION: try a throat chakra herbal tea to master truthful communication and self-expression; DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT: use an essential oil blend to enhance your psychic ability and encourage vivid dreams; SEEK GUIDANCE AND CONNECTION: try a crown chakra balancing bath when you are going through a major life shift. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced energy healer, The Chakra Fix offers you a renewed sense of self and harmonious energy to heal and flourish.

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In 1803 in the colonial South American city of La Plata, Doña Martina Vilvado y Balverde presented herself to church and crown officials to denounce her husband of more than four years, Don Antonio Yta, as a “woman in disguise.” Forced to submit to a medical inspection that revealed a woman’s body, Don Antonio confessed to having been María Yta, but continued to assert his maleness and claimed to have a functional “member” that appeared, he said, when necessary.Passing to América is at once a historical biography and an in-depth examination of the sex/gender complex in an era before “gender” had been divorced from “sex.” The book presents readers with the original court docket, including Don Antonio’s extended confession, in which he tells his life story, and the equally extraordinary biographical sketch offered by Felipa Ybañez of her “son María,” both in English translation and the original Spanish. Thomas A. Abercrombie’s analysis not only grapples with how to understand the sex/gender system within the Spanish Atlantic empire at the turn of the nineteenth century but also explores what Antonio/María and contemporaries can teach us about the complexities of the relationship between sex and gender today.Passing to América brings to light a previously obscure case of gender transgression and puts Don Antonio’s life into its social and historical context in order to explore the meaning of “trans” identity in Spain and its American colonies. This accessible and intriguing study provides new insight into historical and contemporary gender construction that will interest students and scholars of gender studies and colonial Spanish literature and history.This book is freely available in an open access edition thanks to TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem)—a collaboration of the Association of American Universities, the Association of University Presses and the Association of Research Libraries—and the generous support of New York University. Learn more at the TOME website: openmonographs.org.

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In 1803 in the colonial South American city of La Plata, Doña Martina Vilvado y Balverde presented herself to church and crown officials to denounce her husband of more than four years, Don Antonio Yta, as a “woman in disguise.” Forced to submit to a medical inspection that revealed a woman’s body, Don Antonio confessed to having been María Yta, but continued to assert his maleness and claimed to have a functional “member” that appeared, he said, when necessary.Passing to América is at once a historical biography and an in-depth examination of the sex/gender complex in an era before “gender” had been divorced from “sex.” The book presents readers with the original court docket, including Don Antonio’s extended confession, in which he tells his life story, and the equally extraordinary biographical sketch offered by Felipa Ybañez of her “son María,” both in English translation and the original Spanish. Thomas A. Abercrombie’s analysis not only grapples with how to understand the sex/gender system within the Spanish Atlantic empire at the turn of the nineteenth century but also explores what Antonio/María and contemporaries can teach us about the complexities of the relationship between sex and gender today.Passing to América brings to light a previously obscure case of gender transgression and puts Don Antonio’s life into its social and historical context in order to explore the meaning of “trans” identity in Spain and its American colonies. This accessible and intriguing study provides new insight into historical and contemporary gender construction that will interest students and scholars of gender studies and colonial Spanish literature and history.This book is freely available in an open access edition thanks to TOME (Toward an Open Monograph Ecosystem)—a collaboration of the Association of American Universities, the Association of University Presses and the Association of Research Libraries—and the generous support of New York University. Learn more at the TOME website: openmonographs.org.

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Woman. Wife. Smuggler. Spy . . .TV SERIES IN DEVELOPMENT STARRING ELIZABETH DEBICKI (TENET, THE CROWN) AS NANCY WAKEA thrilling and heart-wrenching novel inspired by the astonishing real life story of Nancy Wake. Perfect for fans of Suzanne Goldring's MY NAME IS EVA, Kate Quinn's THE ALICE NETWORK and Imogen Kealey's LIBERATION, soon to be a blockbuster movie. 'Lawhon breathes new life into Nancy Wake's extraordinary story. Rich and thoroughly researched, an exciting, well-written account of wartime valour and the protagonist's qualities shine through' The Times'This is the next book I won't be able to stop talking about...so, so good!' 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)'Readers will be transfixed by this story of a woman who should be a household name' Library Journal'A gripping thriller based on the life of Nancy Wake... Will keep readers turning the pages' Publishers WeeklyIn 1936, foreign correspondent, Nancy Wake, witnesses first-hand the terror of Hitler's rise in Europe. No sooner has Nancy met, fallen in love with and agreed to marry French industrialist Henri Fiocca, than the Germans invade France and force her to take on her first code name of many. The Gestapo call her the White Mouse for her remarkable ability to evade capture when smuggling Allied soldiers across borders. She becomes Hélène when she leaves France to train in espionage with an elite special forces group in London. Then, when she returns to France, she is the deadly Madame Andrée. But the closer France gets to liberation, the more exposed Nancy - and the people she loves - will become.Inspired by true wartime events, Code Name Hélène is a gripping and moving story of extraordinary courage, unfaltering resolve, remarkable sacrifice - and enduring love.Just some of the 5-star reader reviews for Code Name Hélène: 'I finished this a few weeks ago and I'm still thinking about Hélène . . . exceptional' 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)'Will have you turning off phones and TVs and staying up late to read it' 5 stars (Goodreads reviewer)

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With the whimsy and heart of The Soul of an Octopus and the surprising details of the very best science writing, The Curious World of Seahorses brilliantly captures the ocean’s most charismatic and mysterious inhabitant."When God created the seahorse," says one marine biologist, "he may have had one too many."Of all the creatures in the ocean, there are none more charming and magical—or more strange—than the seahorses. Masters of disguise, graceful dancers, and romantic lovers, seahorses are found not only in the seagrass meadows and mangroves of the world, but also throughout the annals of human history and culture—surfacing everywhere from chess and Greek mythology to Disney movies like The Little Mermaid and Pokémon games.Equipped with a pouch like a kangaroo, a long snout like an anteater, and complete with a crown unique as a human fingerprint, the seahorse defies easy categorization. The only fish to swim in an upright position, seahorses are terrible swimmers, but they make up for it with an incredible talent for holding onto seagrass or coral. They have no stomach or teeth—only intestines. Most seahorses are monogamous, and meet with their life partner every few weeks to perform a dance that can last up to nine hours. The most unique aspect of the seahorse is their reproductive cycle, as it is the male of the species who becomes pregnant.In this entertaining and informative book, science writer Till Hein shares the most tantalizing findings from the world of seahorses, and the role they have played in human culture. He reveals their secrets, from their intriguing biological features and hunting strategy to their use in medicine throughout history, their appearances in Greek and Celtic mythology, and even the medieval belief that they descended from dragons.Endlessly fascinating and charmingly approachable, The Curious World of Seahorses will captivate any reader looking to learn more about one of the most incredible creatures on Earth.

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The latest novel in the smash-hit Plated Prisoners by Sunday Times bestselling author Raven Kennedy'Find me in another life. Find me in them all' It all ends now. . . But Every end is also a beginning. I was supposed to die. If it weren’t for Slade, I would have. But he tore a hole the world I know and I went through it. To Annwyn. To home. Annwyn is the realm of the fae, a magical place full of beauty and danger. Here, I am known as Lyäri Ulvêre – the golden one gone. And there are people in this world who want to keep me that way. But I am not that girl in the gilded cage anymore, and I won’t be used again. Nor stopped on my way back to Slade. I am my own woman. And I will find him. In this world, or the next.'An emotional rollercoaster of a book that brings vivid and layered characters into a magical realm. The world building and pace is intricate and fast, this is a book you will race through' Glamour Praise for The Plated Prisoner Series 'Raven writes with a magic that comes to life on the page. Every single word gleams like gold' Beck Michaels, author of Divine Blood 'This is one of those series that started off phenomenal, and only gets better with every subsequent book' Laura Thalassa, author of The Bargainer Series ‘An astonishing world with captivating characters and a story you won't be able to put down' Ivy Asher, author of The Osseous Chronicles and The Lost Sentinel Series 'This series is amazing and I can't recommend it enough.' Kay Thatcher, author of Prince of Blades 'TEN GILDED STARS! Remarkably original. . . gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous' Olivia Wildenstein 'An emotional rollercoaster' Elizabeth Brown, author of Blood Crown*Gleam by Raven Kennedy featured on The Sunday Times bestseller list May 2023*

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The definitive history of coronations and the Royal Family, from acclaimed writer Roy Strong. ’What is the finest sight in the world? A Coronation.What do people talk most about? A Coronation.What is delightful to have passed? A Coronation.’Horace Walpole, 1761 As a boy of sixteen, Roy Strong watched the grand procession carrying Queen Elizabeth II to her coronation. The spectacle was considered the greatest public event of the century. But now, so many years later, many people have little notion of what a coronation is and are unaware of the rich resonances of the ritual, or its deep significance in terms of the committal of monarch to people. This book is the first of its kind – a comprehensive history that sets each coronation into its political, social, religious and cultural context. The story is one of constant re-invention as the service has had to respond to all the changes in fortune of the monarchy or the country: everything from legitimising usurpers to reconciling a Catholic rite to the tenets of Protestantism. It even had to be recreated from scratch after the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. In this way, Strong tells the story of the British monarchy since the tenth century, and looks forward to the coronation of King Charles III. The musical history alone is one of extraordinary richness – involving Henry Purcell, Handel, Edward Elgar, William Walton – plus the celebratory poetry, the art and the spectacular engravings published at coronations are all explored, as is the more recent role of photographers. The book particularly concentrates on post-1603 developments, including the incredible story of the Stuarts, when the crown jewels used for hundreds of years at coronations were melted down as symbols of the hated Divine Right of Kings. As Charles III succeeds to the throne and preparations are made for his coronation, Strong speculates as to the revisions now called for to its ritual and pageantry to meet the changes in the role of the monarchy in the twenty-first century.

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'Unputdownable ... I was blown away' Angus Donald, bestselling author of the Outlaw ChroniclesTwo kings. Two nations. One crown. The start of an epic historical espionage series by master authors A.J. Mackenzie.1328. After years of civil unrest between England and France, Charles IV dies, leaving no apparent heir. His closest heir to the throne is Edward III of England, but it passes instead to Charles' cousin, Phillip, spurring both countries on to war.1346. Landing at Normandy, Edward's immense army makes inroads into French territory, burning everything in their path. But the mysterious assassination of an English knight reveals a terrible truth: there is a traitor in their midst. The king charges Simon Merrivale, the Prince of Wales’ herald, with solving the case.As the army marches on towards its destiny, at the awesome scenes of the Battle of Crécy, Simon will uncover a conspiracy that goes to the heart of the warring nations. Among the ashes and the rubble, their fate will be decided: on the battlefield... and in the shadows.A scintillating medieval adventure of warfare and espionage, steeped in years of research, perfect for fans of David Gilman and Conn Iggulden.Praise for A Flight of Arrows Like one of those exquisite tapestries with interlacing strands in an array of vivid colour [...] a truly enthralling account of the events leading up to Crécy. Compulsory reading for all who enjoy that most fascinating period of English history' Paul Doherty, author of The Nightingale Gallery'Fast-paced, action-packed and full of adventure [...] one of the best reads this year' Parmenion Books'A rip-roaring story and devilish plot with outstanding historical detail [...] Mackenzie has created a character who will surely take his place in the canon of historical literary detectives' C. B. Hanley, author of the Mediaeval Mysteries series'Espionage, treachery and long-buried sins come to the fore in the blood-stained fields of fourteenth-century Normandy. A compelling story of courage and betrayal - I loved it' Katherine Stansfield, author of the Cornish Mystery series

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From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the second instalment in a brand-new series set in St Rosetta's Academy.Caterina LaValle is determined to show she's still the queen of St. Rosetta's Academy. Sure, her crown may be slightly askew after her ex-boyfriend, Alaric, cheated on her, but she's a LaValle. She'll find a way to march right back in there, her hands clutching the strings to the whole puppet show. This time, she's going to be untouchable.Rahul Chopra knows that moment he shared with Caterina LaValle at the winter formal meant something. Surely she feels it, too. He's a little uncertain how someone like him (socially inept to a point way past "adorkable") could fit into her world, but he's loved Caterina for years. He knows they'll find a way.When Caterina finds out Alaric is taking a supermodel to the upcoming gala, she knows she cannot arrive without the perfect date. But the thought of taking another superficial St. R's boy exhausts her. The solution? Sweet-but-clueless Rahul Chopra and a mysterious pot of hair gel with the power to alter the wearer into whatever his heart desires.When Rahul tries it, he transforms instantly into RC-debonair, handsome, and charming. But transformation comes with a price: As Rahul enjoys his new social standing, the line between his two personas begins to blur. Will he give up everything, including Caterina, to remain RC? Or will this unlikely pair find their way back to each other?_________________________________________________Praise for Sandhya Menon's work:'Pure, fantastical escapism with a tiny critique embedded in the privilege that it so joyfully describes' Financial Times'One of the great rom-com YA writers' Paste Magazine 'Adorable, joyous.' BuzzFeed 'Anytime your soul needs a hug, pick up a Sandhya Menon novel.' Book Riot'There's something irresistible about Sandhya Menon's novels: the romances are sweet and winning, the humour is cheerful and sly, and the families are warm and complicated.' Stephanie Perkins

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Named a Best Romance Novel of 2022 by Oprah Daily, a Best Novel to Read for a Romantic Getaway by POPSUGAR, and a 2022 Christy Amplify Award Winner It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything. Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha's Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell--Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing. Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring? "I love a romance populated with characters you can truly root for. And this one has that and more. Coupled with Toni Shiloh's winning voice, it's a story not to be missed."--OPRAH DAILY "Shiloh brings all the feels to In Search of a Prince. This romance with a touch of mystery will stay with you long after The End."--New York Times bestselling author RACHEL HAUCK "Beautifully weaving together fairy tale and reality, In Search of a Prince gives us the modern princess we've been waiting for. I enjoyed every moment."--BETHANY TURNER, award-winning author of Plot Twist "Shiloh delivers a fun, contemporary romance delightfully full of favorite romantic tropes that also conveys serious messages of faith and destiny. It is refreshing to see dynamic Black characters in the genre, and readers will be eager for this modern-day fairy tale."--LIBRARY JOURNAL starred review

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Now a major TV series on Prime Video The final novel in the Wheel of Time series - one of the most influential and popular fantasy epics ever published.'And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died.' - Charal Drianaan te Calamon, The Cycle of the Dragon.In the Field of Merrilor the rulers of the nations gather to join behind Rand al'Thor, or to stop him from his plan to break the seals on the Dark One's prison - which may be a sign of his madness, or the last hope of humankind. Egwene, the Amyrlin Seat, leans toward the former.In Andor, the Trollocs seize Caemlyn.In the wolf dream, Perrin Aybara battles Slayer.Approaching Ebou Dar, Mat Cauthon plans to visit his wife Tuon, now Fortuona, Empress of the Seanchan.All humanity is in peril - and the outcome will be decided in Shayol Ghul itself. The Wheel is turning, and the Age is coming to its end. The Last Battle will determine the fate of the world . . .'Epic in every sense' Sunday Times'With the Wheel of Time, Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal' New York Times'[The] huge ambitious Wheel of Time series helped redefine the genre' George R. R. Martin'A fantasy phenomenon' SFXThe Wheel of Time series:Book 1: The Eye of the WorldBook 2: The Great HuntBook 3: The Dragon RebornBook 4: The Shadow RisingBook 5: The Fires of HeavenBook 6: Lord of ChaosBook 7: A Crown of SwordsBook 8: The Path of DaggersBook 9: Winter's HeartBook 10: Crossroads of TwilightBook 11: Knife of DreamsBook 12: The Gathering StormBook 13: Towers of MidnightBook 14: A Memory of LightPrequel: New SpringLook out for the companion book: The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

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The latest novel in the smash-hit Plated Prisoners by Sunday Times bestselling author Raven Kennedy'Find me in another life. Find me in them all' It all ends now. . . But Every end is also a beginning. I was supposed to die. If it weren’t for Slade, I would have. But he tore a hole the world I know and I went through it. To Annwyn. To home. Annwyn is the realm of the fae, a magical place full of beauty and danger. Here, I am known as Lyäri Ulvêre – the golden one gone. And there are people in this world who want to keep me that way. But I am not that girl in the gilded cage anymore, and I won’t be used again. Nor stopped on my way back to Slade. I am my own woman. And I will find him. In this world, or the next.'An emotional rollercoaster of a book that brings vivid and layered characters into a magical realm. The world building and pace is intricate and fast, this is a book you will race through' Glamour Praise for The Plated Prisoner Series 'Raven writes with a magic that comes to life on the page. Every single word gleams like gold' Beck Michaels, author of Divine Blood 'This is one of those series that started off phenomenal, and only gets better with every subsequent book' Laura Thalassa, author of The Bargainer Series ‘An astonishing world with captivating characters and a story you won't be able to put down' Ivy Asher, author of The Osseous Chronicles and The Lost Sentinel Series 'This series is amazing and I can't recommend it enough.' Kay Thatcher, author of Prince of Blades 'TEN GILDED STARS! Remarkably original. . . gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous' Olivia Wildenstein 'An emotional rollercoaster' Elizabeth Brown, author of Blood Crown*Gleam by Raven Kennedy featured on The Sunday Times bestseller list May 2023*

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TO SAVE THOSE SHE LOVES, SHE MUST MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.In Our Darkest Night, internationally bestselling author of The Gown, Jennifer Robson, tells an unforgettable story of terror, hope, love, and sacrifice, that vividly evokes the most perilous days of World War II.Inspired by true events. Perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, The Child on Platform One by Gill Thompson and The Girl I Left Behind by Andie Newton.'A tale of devastating simplicity and poignant sweetness' Kate Quinn 'A powerful, emotional, and unflinching story of love, sacrifice, and resilience' Chanel Cleeton 'Haunting and inspiring, heartbreaking and hopeful, this novel is unforgettable' Kristin Beck Venice, 1943: Under the Nazi occupation, life is increasingly perilous for Italian Jews. Antonina Mazin has but one hope to survive - to leave her beloved parents and hide in the countryside, posing as the bride of a man she has only just met. Nico Gerardi was studying for the priesthood until circumstances forced him to return home to run his family's farm. A moral and just man, he refuses to remain a bystander to Nazi and fascist atrocities. The only way to keep Nina safe - and protect secrets of his own - is to convince prying eyes that their sudden marriage is a love match. But farm life is not easy for a cultured city girl who dreams of becoming a doctor like her father, and Nico's provincial neighbours are wary of this soft, educated stranger. Even worse, their distrust is shared by a local Nazi official with a vendetta against Nico. As Nina and Nico come to know each other, their relationship deepens, transforming into much more than a charade. Yet both fear that every passing day brings them closer to being torn apart...Don't miss Jennifer's enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century - Queen Elizabeth's wedding gown - and the fascinating women who made it. Perfect for anyone who's captivated by The Crown, The Gown 'will dazzle and delight' (Independent).

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Learn how to bring a Japanese aesthetic into your life with these elegant works of floral art. Japanese kirigami (cut paper) flowers are delicate and beautiful examples of paper craft, but are surprisingly easy to make. This inspirational how-to guide shows you how to make 31 gorgeous designs that can virtually pass for the real thing except they will never wilt! The sculptural quality of these flowers is an amazing and creative way to add a touch of beauty to your home, or to create low-cost decorations for a wedding, a baby shower, or any other special event. All of the most popular blossoms are represented here, including: 5 different roses these romantic flowers can be mixed and matched to create a natural looking bouquet Frilly carnations full of intricate folds and textures, these popular flowers are just as much fun in paper form Colourful tulips carry a piece of spring with you throughout the entire year Delicate cherry blossoms enjoy the wonders of cherry blossom season in your own home 3 bold sunflowers in slightly different shapes and sizes, these cheerful flowers create a sunny bouquet when grouped together Festive poinsettias blooms that will look fresh throughout the entire holiday season And many more!. Simple instructions, templates and colourful step-by-step photos show even novice paper crafters how to create each project, and how to gather them into incredible paper flower bouquets. There are instructions showing how the designs can be used in 18 amazing ways for decorating, selling, gift giving and entertaining including: Spectacular wreaths Decorative ornaments Customized photo frames Individualized bookmarks. Perhaps best of all, there are instructions for exquisite wearable pieces, sure to draw appreciative comments and perfect as gifts for loved ones: A fashionable floral crown Cheerful brooches A statement corsage. Japanese Paper Flowers has all the information and all of the necessary patterns you need! With just some scissors, a few sheets of colourful tant origami paper, and a few drops of crafts glue all of which can be found online and in paper stores you can create breath-taking paper flowers in no time at all!

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The war against ISIS and the so-called caliphate it declared across Syria and Iraq was a battle to define not just the Middle East but the wider world. Growing from the aftermath of the U.S. war in Iraq and a brutal civil war in Syria, ISIS sought to usher in a new era of conflict as it launched terrorist attacks across Europe, while inflicting a savage extremism on the population in controlled. And the U.S. developed a new kind of war to stop it - one that that relied heavily on the sacrifices of local soldiers who fought on behalf of the American cause. This struggle came to a climax in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the crown jewel of the caliphate, in the deadliest urban combat the world had seen in a generation. Few journalists got as close to the war, and to protagonists on both sides of it, as Mike Giglio, who spent six years reporting on the rise and fall of the ISIS proto-state. He travelled along the Turkey-Syria border with the smugglers and operatives who worked in ISIS's criminal and financial networks, accompanied antiquities traders to visit stolen artefacts that helped to fund the ISIS war effort, sat with human traffickers at the heart of the migrant crisis, and met with ISIS defectors as they tried to free their minds from its grip. He also embedded often with the local soldiers on the front lines of the international effort to stop ISIS, tracking a war effort that saw these soldiers take heavy casualties as U.S. special forces worked in the shadows and U.S. pilots and drone operators dropped bombs. In Mosul, the war's central battle, he travelled in the attacking convoys of elite Kurdish and Iraqi commandos as car bombs plunged into their ranks and ISIS drones dropped grenades. Behind the drama on the battlefield, the suspense was in how much ISIS might change the world before its cities fell and how many of America's allies it could kill along the way. The story is a chilling portrait of the destructive power of extremism and of the tenacity and astonishing courage required to defeat it.

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The earliest settlement beside the Brayford Pool was called Lindon, and this Celtic name was adopted by the Roman conquerors in the first century ad. e fortress established on the hill above the river Witham was later transformed into a provincial capital of the Roman Empire, complete with a forum, basilica and ne houses, and the mighty walls and gates built then would still be standing many hundreds of years later. After the Empire collapsed the city survived as the capital of a minor British realm which later developed into the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Lindsey. Prosperity and growth returned with the arrival of the Vikings in the ninth century, and the great cathedral begun by the Normans, the Conqueror’s castle and fine Norman town houses are the jewels in the crown of Lincoln’s modern tourist industry. Throughout the 12th and 13th centuries the city thrived as a major centre for the wool and cloth trades, but even before the Black Death struck in 1349 it was beginning to decline, and Lincoln would remain a sad and decayed echo of its former self until the last years of the 17th century, much damaged following its use as a garrison town in the Civil Wars. Rapid growth, however, came only in the 19th century when this rather sleepy, ancient cathedral city transformed itself – almost literally ‘overnight’ – into a centre for heavy engineering and, in the First World War, the home of the tank. Today this dual legacy of ancient and modern persists. e Siemens engineering works beside the Pelham Bridge is the last indicator of the city’s former engineering greatness, but Lincoln’s older heritage is better preserved than ever before, and a new university has been established beside the Brayford Pool, where it all began. First published in 2009, this fully illustrated book tells the story of the city’s many transformations over two thousand years and, through a wealth of detail, brings to life the events and challenges faced by many generations who have lived and worked in this rather beautiful ‘place by the pool’.

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Reveals Shocking Revelations about Prince Harry, Megan Markle, and the British Royal Family—and the Divisive Rifts Between Them This explosive exposé, Royals at War, takes readers inside a riven Buckingham Palace to provide the definitive account of the unfolding abdication crisis of 2020—dubbed Megxit—during which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, became royal outcasts. Through revealing interviews with royal family insiders, friends, aides, historians, royal watchers, and others with intimate knowledge of The House of Windsor, this tell-all book looks back at the events, motives and crises which led to Harry (sixth in line to the throne) dramatically abandoning his birthright—in a move not seen for nearly a century, when King Edward VIII also gave up the crown for the woman he loved as Europe teetered on the brink of fascism and war. Like Edward and Wallis Simpson, the catalyst for the scandal here is also an ambitious, controversial American woman. Howard’s unique access and insight into this constitutional crisis will not only address the tensions and tantrums behind closed palace doors, but seek to answer the questions many are still asking: Has Prince Harry ever really recovered from the death of his mother Diana—and the resentment he feels against the institution that tried to destroy her? Why did Meghan, once hailed as a breath of fresh air, rile up the monarchy? Why did she refuse to conform to royal conventions in the way that Catherine did before her? Did the public and media criticism of Meghan go too far? And just how valid are the accusations of racism? How did these modern royals treat the tabloids differently to tradition? And did it backfire? What next for Harry and Meghan? And how will they—and the institution they’ve turned their back on—react to their new lives outside the confines of the Palace and free from the strict codes and conventions that bind all members of the Royal Family? Caught in a trap by virtue of a life entombed in a gilded cage, Royals at War answers these questions and more . . .

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THE FINAL COMPELLING TUDOR NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PHILIPPA GREGORY ‘How long do I have?’ I force a laugh.‘Not long,’ he says very quietly. ‘They have confirmed your sentence of death. You are to be beheaded tomorrow. We don’t have long at all.’ Jane Grey was Queen of England for nine days. Using her position as cousin to the deceased king, her father and his conspirators put her on the throne ahead of the king’s half-sister Mary, who quickly mustered an army, claimed her crown and locked Jane in the Tower. When Jane refused to betray her Protestant faith, Mary sent her to the executioner’s block. There Jane turned her father’s greedy, failed grab for power into her own brave and tragic martyrdom. ‘Learn you to die’ is the advice that Jane gives in a letter to her younger sister Katherine, who has no intention of dying. She intends to enjoy her beauty and her youth and find love. But her lineage makes her a threat to the insecure and infertile Queen Mary and, when Mary dies, to her sister Queen Elizabeth, who will never allow Katherine to marry and produce a potential royal heir before she does. So when Katherine’s secret marriage is revealed by her pregnancy, she too must go to the Tower. ‘Farewell, my sister,’ writes Katherine to the youngest Grey sister, Mary. A beautiful dwarf, disregarded by the court, Mary finds it easy to keep secrets, especially her own, while avoiding Elizabeth’s suspicious glare. After watching her sisters defy the queen, Mary is aware of her own perilous position as a possible heir to the throne. But she is determined to command her own destiny and be the last Tudor to risk her life in matching wits with her ruthless and unforgiving cousin Elizabeth. Praise for Philippa Gregory: ‘Meticulously researched and deeply entertaining, this story of betrayal and divided loyalties is Gregory on top form’ Good Housekeeping ‘Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more than any other living fiction writer…all of her books feature strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in worlds dominated by men’ Sunday Times ‘Engrossing’ Sunday Express ‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ The Times

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Will Trey and Ariel find their happily ever after in this hopelessly romantic Christmas love story? ‘A screen-worthy holiday romance.’ Joya Goffney, author of Excuse Me While I Ugly CryTrey Anderson is popular and handsome, and he works at his family’s beloved Black-owned bookshop, Wonderland. Ariel Spencer is quirky, creative, and in need of a holiday temp job to cover her tuition for The Artists’ Studio. An opening at Wonderland is the answer . . . and the start of a hate-to-love journey for Trey and Ariel. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of shutting down, can they get over their differences and team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline?PRAISE FOR LOVE IN WINTER WONDERLAND ‘A sweetly seasonal YA romance.’ Guardian ‘Gorgeous writing, witty dialogue, a magical setting and two characters you'll fall head over heels for.’ Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places ‘A story so charming and fun it will whisk you away. It has TikTok sensation written all over it!’ Laura Jane Williams, author of Our Stop ‘I devoured this delicious YA rom-com. A treat to read any time of year.’ Katherine Webber, author of Twin Crowns ‘Charming, heartwarming and perfect cosy reading, complete with the perfect holiday soundtrack!’ Ciara Smyth, author of Not My Problem ‘Full of warmth, humour and joy. A delightful read!’ Michelle Quach, author of Not Here to be Liked ‘A dazzling love letter to bookshops, and the power of community.’ Adiba Jaigirdar, author of Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating ‘A wonderfully warm love story.’ Candice Brathwaite, author of Cuts Both Ways ‘A warm and cosy read that pulls you into the perfect winter romance. Abiola has given us all a gift to swoon over.’ Benjamin Dean, author of The King is Dead ‘A gorgeous love story, full of joy, humour and heart. Abiola Bello has given us something truly special!’ Danielle Jawando, author of And the Stars Were Burning Brightly ‘The most joyful, cosy and swoon-worthy love story.’ Kate Weston, author of Diary of a Confused Feminist ‘Fans of Mean Girls will love this delightful and riveting read.’ Clara Loveman, author of Crown of Crowns

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'Whenever I need a break from the Twenty-First Century, I read one of Christina Courtenay's novels. She transports me effortlessly to a different time, where I feel I'm experiencing life in Viking settlements' SUE MOORCROFT'I've been looking forward to this book . . . and it far exceeded my hopes and expectations. Romantic, fascinating and gripping, it's one of my favourites of the series' NICOLA CORNICKBrimming with romance, adventure and vivid historical detail, Christina Courtenay does for the Vikings what Diana Gabaldon's Outlander and Clanlans does for Scottish history. The long-awaited story of Ivar Thoresson, foster brother of Linnea and Madison Berger, is told in Promises of the Runes - available now!.......................................He travelled through time to capture her heart.Ivar Thoresson is desperate for adventure. As an archaeologist specialising in Viking times, he wants nothing more than to travel back to the ninth century as his loved ones have done, to learn everything he can about the era which fascinates him. And whilst his adopted family have always made him feel loved, the chance to meet a true ancestor, the warrior Thorald, is a temptation he cannot resist. But while Ivar is preparing to go, he uncovers an amulet which shows him a vision of an arresting woman with red-gold hair. Clearly in distress, she is pleading for help. Convinced of the power of the charm and its message, Ivar's journey takes on a new purpose. He steps back in time determined to follow his destiny - and find the woman who has called to his heart........................................Just some of the rich praise for Christina Courtenay's pacy, evocative and romantic novels including Echoes of the Runes and The Runes of Destiny, out now:'Seals Christina Courtenay's crown as the Queen of Viking Romance' CATHERINE MILLER'This epic romance is sure to sweep you off your feet!' TAKE A BREAK'An absorbing story, fast-paced and vividly imagined' PAMELA HARTSHORNE'A love story and an adventure, all rolled up inside a huge amount of intricately-detailed, well-researched history. Thoroughly enjoyable' KATHLEEN MCGURL'Christina Courtenay is guaranteed to carry me off to another place and time in a way that no other author succeeds in doing' SUE MOORCROFT

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A spectacular space opera debut perfect for readers of Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice and Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire, inspired by the lives and loves of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar.LOYALTY, LEGACY AND BETRAYAL...Princess Altagracia has lost everything. After a bloody civil war, her twin sister has claimed not just the crown of their planet Szayet but the Pearl of its prophecy, a computer that contains the immortal soul of their god. Stripped of her birthright, Altagracia prepares to flee the planet - just as Matheus Ceirran, Commander of the interstellar Empire of Ceiao, arrives in deadly pursuit. Princess Altagracia sees an opportunity to win back her planet, her god, and her throne . . . if she can win over the Commander and his distrustful right-hand officer, Anita.But talking her way into Commander Matheus's good graces, and his bed, is only the beginning. Dealing with the most powerful man in the galaxy is almost as dangerous as war, and Altagracia is quickly torn between Matheus and the wishes of the machine god that whispers in her ear. For Szayet's sake, and her own, Altagracia will need to become more than a princess with a silver tongue. She will have to become a queen as history has never seen before - even if it breaks an empire.'Dazzling, transportive, boundless, precise - and dares to ask, what if Mark Antony was the hottest butch girl in space?' Casey McQuiston'A glittering triumph that weaves together history and tragedy into a star-spanning epic. I fell into this book and didn't come out for a long time' Everina Maxwell'Gorgeously written, clever and captivating' Kristyn Merbeth'Takes the larger-than-life figures of the ancient world and recasts them against a backdrop of drowned worlds and interstellar empires with extraordinary verve' Emily Tesh'Deftly wields the conventions of science fiction to make old stories new... I did not know I could weep for Antony, love Cleopatra, or lament Caesar, but through Ana, Gracia, and Ceirran, I do' Maya Deane'Beautifully written, with poise and wit and grand epic sweep, The Stars Undying has everything I want from a space opera' AK Larkwood

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...It is remarkable that one man should have been involved in so much action in so few years...I commend his biography to the reader: ...by any standard he was a hero, and he tells his life's story with modesty and humour. Extract from the Foreword by Admiral Lord Boyce Captain Mervyn Wingfield was one of the last of his generation of submariners who made their reputation in the Second World War. Pre-war he had served on the China station and lived the riotous life of a young officer; in the war he commanded three submarines, Umpire, Sturgeon and Taurus, survived a collision in the North Sea, spent a winter in the Arctic, penetrated the Norwegian fjords submerged through a minefield, surfaced off St Nazaire in view of German guns to act as a navigation marker for the raiding force, fought cavalry in the northern Aegean, and later, off Penang, was the first British submariner to sink a Japanese submarine - and barely survived the subsequent, vicious counterattack after Taurus was severely damaged and became stuck in the mud at the bottom. Any one of these incidents would have merited a place for Wingfield in the history of naval warfare and the pantheon of submarine heroes. The Royal Navy's most senior submariner, Admiral Lord Boyce, notes in his Foreword that the diesel-powered submarines in which both men served were not so different, but the risks which Wingfield took in wartime were greater and Lord Boyce admired the way in which Wingfield led his crew and was loved by them. Many men were burned-out by the war, but in the postwar years Wingfield enjoyed a successful peacetime career in the Royal Navy where, finally, his personal qualities and his diplomacy were put to the test as a naval attache. In retirement Wingfield was well-known for hosting lively beef and Stilton lunches at the London Boat Show! He was also one of the last of the generations of Anglo-Irish families who served the Crown and provided officers and men for the Army and the Navy, and his story additionally gives some insights into his early days, especially with regard to being a young officer in the Royal Navy in the 1930s.

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Exposes the roots of 18th-century musical cosmopolitanism through an investigation of exchanges and collaborations between musicians and dancers from the two major national musical traditions in the early years of the century. This study stems from discoveries in a trove of documents belonging to Charles-Henri de Lorraine, prince de Vaudémont, who served as governor of Milan under the Spanish crown from 1698 to 1706. These documents, together with a mass of other sources - letters, diaries, treatises, libretti, scores - offer a vivid new picture of musical life in Paris and Milan as well as exchanges between France and Italy. The book is both a patronage study and an examination of the contributions by - and the difficulties facing - musicians and dancers who worked across national and cultural boundaries. Music, Dance, and Franco-Italian Cultural Exchange, c.1700 follows the careers of the prince and the French violinist and composer Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. In the context of a renewed fascination with Italian music in the 1690s, Montéclair made a name for himself in Paris as a pedagogue and composer who understood both national styles and blended them in a way that was successful on French terms. Vaudémont hired Montéclair to direct a French violin band and to compose dance music for a series of new operas that observers declared "the best in Italy" but are virtually unknown today. These productions involved collaborations among a mixed company of French and Italian musicians, dancers, composers, and librettists modeled on the practice of Turinese court operas. The book is an account of the contributions of these figures to the cultural life of Paris, Milan, and other northern Italian states, and to the creative mixing of musical styles, operatic conventions, and dance technique in France and Italy through the 1720s and beyond. The connections fostered by Vaudémont thus played a heretofore unrecognized early role in the development of 18th-century cosmopolitanism, and they attest to both the liveliness and the artistic importance of such exchanges in the era before the well-known travels of Handel, Telemann, and Vivaldi.

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PERFECT FOR FANS OF KILLING EVE, THE GUILTY WIFE AND FRIEND REQUEST'A sharp, witty psychological suspense with a difference. Be prepared for a fast ride and an unexpected destination' Jane Corry, Sunday Times Bestselling author of The Dead ExMaggie is a husband watcher. A snooper, a marriage doctor, a killer of happy-ever-afters. She runs her own private detective agency specialising in catching out those who cheat. And she's very good at it. Until Helene walks through her door.Helene is a husband catcher. A beautiful wife, a doting stepmother, a dazzling presence at parties. She counts herself lucky to have married one of the most eligible men in town - Gabe Moreau. Until she sees something that threatens her little family of three.Alice is a perfect daughter. Apple of her father's eye, a kind stepchild to Helene, a tragic daughter of a dead mother. She lives a sheltered but happy life. Until she finds a handwritten note on her father's desk: 'You owe me. I'm not going away.'All three women suspect Gabe Moreau of keeping secrets and telling lies. But not one of them suspects that the truth could result in murder . . .'Ridiculously addictive and compelling - I tore through this crisp, taut character-driven delight in one day!' Angela Clarke, Sunday Times bestselling author of Follow Me, Watch Me and Trust Me'Fabulously whip-smart and twisty with a feisty female lead who crackles off the page' Eve Chase, author of The Vanishing of Audrey WildePRAISE FOR ALI KNIGHT'Crackles from first page to last' Daily Mail'A suspenseful Hitchcockian tale . . . [one of the] top ten crime books to take on holiday' Telegraph'Tightly-plotted, high-pitched psychological thriller . . . what Ali Knight does so successfully is broach the great divide between public and private space' Daily Mirror'A clever thriller . . . a gripping read' Sunday Mirror'Pacey and disquieting, Knight's debut hints she might be a successor to Sophie Hannah's queen of suspense crown' Stylist'A really enjoyable read' Number one bestselling author, Martina Cole'Top notch suspense!' Number one bestselling author, Lisa Gardner'Like The Girl on the Train, brilliantly twisty and compulsive' Elizabeth Fremantle, author of The Poison Bed

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'A superb timeslip novel that stands shoulder to shoulder with some of Barbara Erskine and Diana Gabaldon's finest works' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ reader review 'This epic romance is sure to sweep you off your feet!' TAKE A BREAK Brimming with romance, adventure and vivid historical detail, Christina Courtenay does for the Vikings what Diana Gabaldon's Outlander and Clanlans does for Scottish history............................................................................ Separated by time. Brought together by fate. Indulging her fascination for the Viking language and losing herself in an archaeological dig is just what Linnea Berger needs after her recent trauma. Uncovering an exquisite brooch, she blacks out reading the runic inscription, only to come to, surrounded by men in Viking costume, who seem to take re-enactment very seriously. Lost and confused, Linnea finds herself in the power of Hrafn, a Viking warrior who claims her as his thrall and takes her on a treacherous journey across the seas to sell her for profit. Setting sail, she confronts the unthinkable: she has travelled back to the ninth century. Linnea is determined to find a way back to her own time, but there's a connection forming with Hrafn. Can she resist the call of the runes and accept her destiny lies here..............................................................................Just some of the rich praise for Christina Courtenay: 'Seals Christina Courtenay's crown as the Queen of Viking Romance' CATHERINE MILLER 'An absorbing story, fast-paced and vividly imagined, which really brought the Viking world to life' PAMELA HARTSHORNE 'A love story and an adventure, all rolled up inside a huge amount of intricately-detailed, well-researched history. Thoroughly enjoyable' KATHLEEN MCGURL 'Prepare to be swept along in this treasure of an adventure!' KATE RYDER 'Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance and timeslips, it's another absorbing read. 5 stars' GEORGIA HILL 'An amazing page-turner filled with superb historical detail, it had me gripped from the first page to the last - I absolutely loved it!' CLARE MARCHANT 'Every story Christina Courtenay spins is better than the last and every world she creates is more real' SUE MOORCROFT 'This book has brought the 9th century world alive to me and made me desperate to read more about it' GILL STEWART

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‘How long do I have?’ I force a laugh.‘Not long,’ he says very quietly. ‘They have confirmed your sentence of death. You are to be beheaded tomorrow. We don’t have long at all.’ Jane Grey was Queen of England for nine days. Using her position as cousin to the deceased king, her father and his conspirators put her on the throne ahead of the king’s half-sister Mary, who quickly mustered an army, claimed her crown and locked Jane in the Tower. When Jane refused to betray her Protestant faith, Mary sent her to the executioner’s block. There Jane turned her father’s greedy, failed grab for power into her own brave and tragic martyrdom. ‘Learn you to die’ is the advice that Jane gives in a letter to her younger sister Katherine, who has no intention of dying. She intends to enjoy her beauty and her youth and find love. But her lineage makes her a threat to the insecure and infertile Queen Mary and, when Mary dies, to her sister Queen Elizabeth, who will never allow Katherine to marry and produce a potential royal heir before she does. So when Katherine’s secret marriage is revealed by her pregnancy, she too must go to the Tower. ‘Farewell, my sister,’ writes Katherine to the youngest Grey sister, Mary. A beautiful dwarf, disregarded by the court, Mary finds it easy to keep secrets, especially her own, while avoiding Elizabeth’s suspicious glare. After watching her sisters defy the queen, Mary is aware of her own perilous position as a possible heir to the throne. But she is determined to command her own destiny and be the last Tudor to risk her life in matching wits with her ruthless and unforgiving cousin Elizabeth. Praise for Philippa Gregory: ‘Meticulously researched and deeply entertaining, this story of betrayal and divided loyalties is Gregory on top form’ Good Housekeeping ‘Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more than any other living fiction writer…all of her books feature strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in worlds dominated by men’ Sunday Times ‘Engrossing’ Sunday Express ‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ The Times

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For the first time ever, a beautiful slipcased edition of the forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout in colour by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, with the complete text printed in two colours and with many bonus features unique to this edition. The Silmarilli were three perfect jewels, fashioned by Fëanor, most gifted of the Elves, and within them was imprisoned the last Light of the Two Trees of Valinor. But the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, stole the jewels and set them within his iron crown, guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth. The Silmarillion is the history of the rebellion of Fëanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all the heroism, against the great Enemy. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part. The book also includes several shorter works: the Ainulindalë, a myth of the Creation, and the Valaquenta, in which the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings. This deluxe slipcased edition contains the complete text, which is printed in two colours and features, for the very first time, more than 50 colour paintings, illustrations and designs drawn by J.R.R. Tolkien himself as he composed this epic work. Unique to this edition are two poster-size, fold-out maps revealing all the detail of Beleriand as the tales grew, an illustrated booklet featuring ‘A Brief Account of The Silmarillion and its Making’ by Christopher Tolkien, and a printed art card reproducing ‘Taniquetil’. It is additionally quarterbound in blue leather, with raised ribs on the spine, stamped in three foils on black cloth boards, and housed in a custom-built clothbound slipcase. The pages are edged in silver and include a ribbon marker.

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This new third edition of Bradt's Guyana remains the only guidebook available to this South American gem, a jungle-clad country teeming with exotic wildlife. Thoroughly researched, easy to use and interesting to read, Bradt's Guyana is written and updated by writers who have lived in and promoted Guyana for many years and is an ideal companion for all travellers, from wildlife watchers to fishermen, anthropologists to conservationists and 'voluntourists'. Guyana is a destination on the rise, described - justifiably - by the tourist board as 'South America Undiscovered'. This new edition of Bradt's Guyana has been updated to include all the latest developments, ranging from how to see harpy eagles at Warapoka to new culinary experiences, local tour operators, 4x4 self-drive and new hotels. Truly off the beaten track, Guyana is one of the most fascinating and least-known countries in the Americas. It is also the only English-speaking country in South America. The jewel in its crown is the mouth-droppingly beautiful Kaieteur Falls, which is nearly five times the height of Niagara and the world's tallest single-drop waterfall. Culturally Caribbean, its capital Georgetown is a curious melting-pot of quaint Dutch and British colonial architecture, steel drums, boisterous nightlife, rum shops with world-class rum, cricket and tropical sea breezes. It is also the gateway to the lush interior which is full to the brim with fascinating flora and fauna including monkeys, black caiman, harpy eagles, giant anteaters, otters and the mighty jaguar. With Bradt's Guyana, discover all of this, plus where to stay in community lodges and see the rainforest through the eyes of Amerindian guides, where to watch turtles nesting on the beach, how to explore the moody Essequibo river (the largest between the Orinoco and the Amazon), and how to visit the million-acre rainforest reserve of Iwokrama for the ultimate authentic wildlife experience. This third edition of Bradt's Guyana is the key book to plan an expedition into its densely forested lush interior, often accessible only by boat or small aircraft, before taking some 'time to lime' in a hammock in one of its tropical waterfront resorts.

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LONGLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT HISTORICAL FICTION PRIZE 2021SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA GOLD CROWN AWARD 2020'A STRIKINGLY SHARP AND SUBTLE WRITER' Guardian'SUPERB...BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN...UNFORGETTABLE' FT Weekend'SKILFUL' Sunday Times 'RICH, INTRICATE, IMPRESSIVELY REALISED' Observer 'VIVIDLY REALISED' The Times'A VISION OF THE PAST AND A VISION OF THE FUTURE' Irish Times'A VIVID SLICE OF HISTORICAL FICTION' Sunday Express1815, Sumbawa Island, IndonesiaMount Tambora explodes in a cataclysmic eruption, killing thousands. Sent to investigate, ship surgeon Henry Hoggcan barely believe his eyes. Once a paradise, the island is now solid ash, the surrounding sea turned to stone. But worse is yet to come: as the ash cloud rises and covers the sun, the seasons will fail.1816In Switzerland, Mary Shelley finds dark inspiration. Confined inside by the unseasonable weather, thousands of famine refugees stream past her door. In Vermont, preacher Charles Whitlock begs his followers to keep faith as drought dries their wells and their livestock starve.In Suffolk, the ambitious and lovesick painter John Constable struggles to reconcile the idyllic England he paints with the misery that surrounds him. In the Fens, farm labourer Sarah Hobbs has had enough of going hungry while the farmers flaunt their wealth. And Hope Peter, returned from the Napoleonic wars, finds his family home demolished and a fence gone up in its place. He flees to London, where he falls in with a group of revolutionaries who speak of a better life, whatever the cost. As desperation sets in, Britain becomes beset by riots - rebellion is in the air.The Year Without Summer is the story of the books written, the art made; of the journeys taken, of the love longed for and the lives lost during that fateful year. Six separate lives, connected only by an event many thousands of miles away. Few had heard of Tambora - but none could escape its effects.'VIVID, VIBRANT, HARD TO PUT DOWN' Hilary Spurling'THOUGHT-PROVOKING, BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN AND VERY COMPELLING' Harriet Tyce'INGENIOUS AND ABSORBING' Kirsty Wark 'ASTONISHING, RIVETING, MASTERFUL, POETIC' Emily Rapp Black 'A WORLDWIDE CANVAS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN VIVID, HEARTBREAKING DETAIL' Marianne Kavanagh

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