Search results for ""michael o'mara books""

Filled with over 750 questions, this is the ultimate quizzing challenge for curious minds. Curious kids are guaranteed to be kept on their toes by this mind-boggling mix of multiple choice, true or false, head-to-head and picture quizzes.There are rounds on geography, history, sport, science, pop culture, animals, general knowledge and even all the weird and wonderful stuff that doesn’t fit into any other category. No matter the specialist subject, it’s put to the test in here!Quizzers can dip in and out as they choose and tackle the majority of the quizzes on their own, or they can pit themselves against friends or family with the head-to-head rounds.

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Meet Holly Holmes and Dog Dogson - a crook-catching detective duo who are always ready for their next case!Budding young detectives will love this LEGO® box-set full of mysteries to solve and play along with.Use the bricks provided to put together your Holly Holmes minifigure and Dog Dogson minibuild, before investigating the 17 mysteries inside. Cases come with their own fun back stories, characters and separate envelopes filled with evidence. There’s also a double-sided suspect poster to help you crack the cases and work out ‘whodunnit’.Crack the empty safe mystery, uncover the secrets of the haunted mansion, solve the case of the missing anchor and loads more!You can also turn the box into your very own detective agency play scene, where you can assist Holly and Dogson with all their latest cases and dream up some of your own!LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the

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Join the gang from the hit Netflix series Jurassic World™?: Chaos Theory in this fun-packed activity book. Kenji, Darius, Sammy, Ben and Yaz are back for a new adventure after their escapades in Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.Build your Kenji minifigure and play along with the awesome baby raptor as you make your way through mazes, join-the-dot puzzles, spot-the-differences, colouring scenes and loads more.Also included are cool comics featuring Kenji and his friends. Just remember to look out for raptors!Jurassic World Franchise © 2024 Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin Entertainment, Inc. Series © 2024 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group.

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The dream chasers need your help! Join Mateo, Zoey, Z-Blob and all your other LEGO® DREAMZzz™ favourites in this awesome sticker activity book.Enter the dream world and use your stickers to complete the activities and decorate the scenes, collecting the sticker rewards for each one as you make your way through the book.LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, the Brick and Knob configurations and DREAMZzz are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group.

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Uh-oh! Harley Quinn™ has escaped from Arkham Asylum yet again. Can Batman™ catch her before she causes even more mischief?Build your Harley LEGO® minifigure before solving the puzzles and reading the hilarious comics. Gotham City™ is waiting for you!LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the Brick and Knob configurations are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2024 The LEGO Group.JUSTICE LEAGUE and all related characters and elements © & ™ DC.WB SHIELD: © & ™ WBEI. (s24)

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The Daily Mash, a British comedy institution since 2008, rips the p*ss out of everyone no matter what class they are, mistakenly believe they are or wrongly aspire to be. If you’re British, this book is for you.In Britain, everyone knows their place. And, to ensure they never leave their allotted slot in the class hierarchy, they abhor both those who imagine themselves better than them above and those they’re effortlessly superior to below. But are the upper classes venal fops who think only of titles and money? Are the middle classes as petty and pathetically status-obsessed as they appear? Are the working classes all white van drivers consumed by Ginsters pasties and Ralph Lauren polo shirts? The answers to all three questions, obviously, is ‘yes’. However, being British, we’re able to laugh at our own foibles and more importantly to laugh at all those other pr*cks.Whether you’re a membe

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Are you feeling burnt out and lacking motivation? Are you overthinking and overanalyzing? Do you feel you’re stuck in a rut and not reaching your full potential? The doctor will see you now ...Dr Ahmed, medical doctor, mindfulness practitioner and founder of the life-coaching programme MindfulDoc, has written a revolutionary book which offers you a toolkit for life. The concept of mindfulness is very simple: it means paying attention to the present moment in a non-judgemental way. When we break free from our current way of thinking, we bring profound, positive changes to our lives.Featuring 5 simple steps, Dr Ahmed uses her knowledge of the human body alongside the ancient practice of mindfulness and shows you how to make long-lasting changes to your health and wellbeing. Unlike other wellbeing coaches she combines modern and traditional approaches to holistic healing at the same time. As Dr Ahmed says, ‘medicine and med

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Spend 24 hours with the ancient Chinese. The year is AD 17. The Han dynasty is in power and we are in and around Chang’an, the capital and one of the most developed regions of the empire, which is enjoying a prolonged economic and cultural pinnacle.There are extraordinary palaces, military bases and city walls. Households are benefitting from the invention of numerous agricultural technologies and an unprecedented level of craft production, which includes ceramics, bronzes, iron objects and many other elaborate goods.This is an age that is both vibrant and innovative but also riven with conflict and contradictions. For as successful as the empire is, the reality is that life for the ordinary inhabitants is still about the same problems: earning money, work struggles and family dramas.Discover what one day in ancient China is like by spending twenty-four hours with the people who lived there. Every hour we meet a different person – from dancers to doctors, priests to convicts, textile workers to tomb looters – and build a multi-layered picture of the social fabric of ancient China and this fascinating period in history.

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The Wicked Wit of England is a celebration of British humour, featuring a collection of stories, anecdotes, quips and quotes that capture the various idiosyncrasies of the English character.If there is one thing that first-time visitors to England find mystifying – along with our obsession with discussing the weather, our pride in making the perfect cup of tea, and our impossible-to-decipher slang – it is our unique sense of humour. Have you just been insulted? Or was the slight merely a demonstration of affection? Was that a genuine compliment? Or is the ever-present sarcasm in English conversation at work again? The dark, dry and often ironic humour of the English can be difficult to get your head around, but there’s no doubting its essentiality at the heart of English culture. As well as celebrating this classic humour, The Wicked Wit of England encompasses the various idiosyncrasies of the English character – the social awkwardness, the constant need to apologize, the stiff upper lip, and the love of queuing, to name but a few. Containing a varied collection of stories, anecdotes, quips and quotes featuring English people from all walks of life, from Quentin Crisp to Frank Skinner and Stephen Hawking to Thora Hird, this book might not help outsiders fully understand the English, but it might help them tolerate us a little more.

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This funny and beautifully observed book pulls together humorous stories, funny quotes, quips and anecdotes about this small but remarkable country.While the Scots are proud of their friendly reputation, loud about their many contributions to the world – such as whisky, penicillin and television – and fiercely protective of Scottish delicacies such as haggis and Irn Bru, they are also celebrated for their famously dry and dark humour.Featuring wit and wisdom from writers such as Armando Iannucci, Compton Mackenzie, Stanley Baxter and Neil Munro, this light-hearted book celebrates Scottish wit at its best while looking at the culture, folklore, politics and sport that make up Scotland.

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The epic story of the RAF’s legendary heavy bomber: the Avro LancasterThe Lancaster Story takes readers on a remarkable journey through the history of an aviation icon. Between its introduction in 1942 and the end of the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster flew more than 150,000 sorties, dropped more than 600,000 tons of explosives and took the Allied fight to Nazi Germany.The true workhorse of the RAF’s bomber corps, the ‘Lanc’ featured on some of the most daring and celebrated missions of the war, including the heroic Dambusters raid and the Operation Hydra bombing. These and many other successes came at a significant cost, however: almost half of the 7,377 Lancasters deployed into service were lost in action. Using archival documents, letters and first-hand accounts, The Lancaster Story delivers a dramatic and vividly rendered account of the most successful RAF b

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Crack over 90 devilishly puzzling cases in this hardboiled collection of crime conundrums.Written by internationally best-selling author Dr Gareth Moore, The Private Investigator Puzzle Book puts you in the shoes of a seasoned sleuth for hire, as you use every tool in your investigative arsenal to analyze crime scenes, identify suspects, decipher riddles and bring the city’s criminals to justice.As you venture into a dark and gritty criminal underworld in search of answers, you’ll test your wits in a variety of verbal and visual puzzles, spot the difference, code-cracking cryptograms, hanjie, sudoku and much more. Each scenario is unique, the stakes are high and it’s up to you to clean up the streets, one case at a time.Featuring dozens of mysteries, The Private Investigator Puzzle Book is a compelling collection of challenges that lets you channel your inner Dick Tracy or Philip Marlow

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In 1893, young army officer Cecil Hambrough was murdered at the sprawling Ardlamont estate in Scotland, unleashing one of the most gripping court cases Victorian Britain had ever known. Even more remarkably, the case brought together two pioneering forensic experts - Joseph Bell and Henry Littlejohn - two men upon whom Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes happened to be based. It is their involvement in the Ardlamont affair that reveals how the world’s most famous detective came to be: the worlds of crime fiction and crime fact were about to collide spectacularly.In this extraordinary book, Daniel Smith outlines the key roles of the two men whose powers of deduction had so inspired Doyle and explores the real-world origins of Sherlock Holmes through the prism of a mystery as engrossing as any case the Great Detective ever tackled.

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Our increasing reliance on digital technology has had a profound impact on our own abilities as humans. What can we do about it?In a fascinating journey through history and science, Human Being offers an insightful and provocative survey of twelve vital skills we used to call upon as a species – from navigation, conversation and memory to craft, solitude and sleep – and how we can work to reclaim them.As rapidly advancing technology embeds itself ever deeper within our lives, we rely less and less on our own capabilities. The impact on our skills and self-reliance has been immense, and, because the transition has happened so swiftly and quietly, none of us have been taught how to address the effects of our ever-increasing dependence on algorithms and artificial intelligence.Based on years of research by author Graham Lee, a digital skills educator with experience training tens of thousands of professionals, each chapter in Human Being highlights an example of when these key capabilities were at their peak, demonstrates how in a vanishingly short space of time we have embraced ways to undermine them, andprovides clear, achievable guidance on how we can reverse these losses and regain our essential, human qualities.At once a celebration of human history and a timely call to action, Human Being empowers readers to build better habits around – and away from – technology, and reminds us just how extraordinary human achievement can be.

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If you’ve always fancied yourself a match for the remarkable Sherlock Holmes, there’s no better way to test yourself than against these ingenious puzzles.'Full of the atmosphere and ambience of 221b Baker Street, it will feel like you stepped back into the pages of a Sherlock Holmes book' - Booktime MagazineIn this unique puzzle book, prize-winning author Stewart Ross presents 25 Sherlock Holmes cases and challenges you to test your powers of deduction against the man himself. Perfect for fans of the iconic Cain's Jawbone puzzle book but full of the atmosphere and ambience of 221b Baker Street, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the pages of Arthur Conan Doyle ... except, this time, with the chance to prove you’re a match for the super sleuth.Each case provides all the evidence you’ll need to crack it, provided you’re sharp enough to pick up on the clues! With conundrums from codebreaking to lateral thinking, memory games to logic puzzles, The Unsolved Case Files of Sherlock Holmes will finally put you in the same league as the world’s greatest detective – and see if you’re up to the challenge.

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Gods, Heroes and Monsters retells the ancient stories from around the world, which have been passed down by generation after generation of storytellers, each bringing a clearer understanding of life’s biggest questions.Since the dawn of communication, humankind has looked around itself and used myths and legends to make sense of the world. Imaginative tales of goddesses, heroes, villains and beasts bring understanding to the biggest questions in life: Who made the world? What happens when we die? Where did we come from? How should we live our lives?Gods, Heroes and Monsters invites you to take your place at the campfire that’s been glowing since the first tale was told. Featuring myths and legends from around the world, discover the fascinating variety – and several surprising similarities – of the stories that have been shared for millennia, from one person to another, one lesson at a time.Discover ancient stories on love, death, monsters and spirits and listen to tales of love, revenge and war between the pantheon of gods. Hear the tales of ordinary men and women who have stepped up and overcome life-threatening challenges, from Mulan to Hercules.

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Discover how Zendaya conquered the worlds of film, TV and fashion to become the face of a generation. This is her life story, as never told before. Zendaya is a phenomenon. Beginning as a precocious child star on the Disney Channel, she has since graduated to adult roles in some of the biggest movies of the last five years, including The Greatest Showman, Dune and Marvel’s Spider-Man trilogy. In television, she is the star of Euphoria, which has become the second most-watched HBO show of all time after Game of Thrones – in large part thanks to her presence. Today she is, according to some industry analysts, "the most popular actor in the world".In this riveting and in-depth biography from the publishers of Harry, Adele and Billie Eilish, journalist and author Alison James explores every aspect of Zendaya’s life and career to date. Featuring a stunning, full-colour photographic plate section and spanning everything from her early forays into music, to her sensational ascent in the fashion world and her high-profile personal life – including her relationship with Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland – this is the most complete portrait yet of one of the world’s hottest stars.

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Our increasing reliance on digital technology has had a profound impact on our own abilities as humans. What can we do about it?In a fascinating journey through history and science, Human Being offers an insightful and provocative survey of twelve vital skills we used to call upon as a species – from navigation, conversation and memory to craft, solitude and sleep – and how we can work to reclaim them.As rapidly advancing technology embeds itself ever deeper within our lives, we rely less and less on our own capabilities. The impact on our skills and self-reliance has been immense, and, because the transition has happened so swiftly and quietly, none of us have been taught how to address the effects of our ever-increasing dependence on algorithms and artificial intelligence. Based on years of research by author Graham Lee, a digital skills educator with experience training tens of thousands of professionals, each chapter in Human Being highlights an example of when these key capabilities were at their peak, demonstrates how in a vanishingly short space of time we have embraced ways to undermine them, and provides clear, achievable guidance on how we can reverse these losses and regain our essential, human qualities.At once a celebration of human history and a timely call to action, Human Being empowers readers to build better habits around – and away from – technology, and reminds us just how extraordinary human achievement can be.

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This highly revelatory book, based on original research and completely new analysis, presents a compelling new suspect as the most notorious serial killer of all time: Jack the Ripper.Using a different analytical approach, for the first time, Sarah Bax Horton identifies a named perpetrator as Jack the Ripper by linking eye-witness accounts of the killer’s distinctive physical characteristics to his official medical records. It argues that his broken left arm, which left him unable to work in early 1888, was one of his triggers to kill as part of a serious physical and mental decline caused by severe epilepsy.This new perpetrator fits the profile as stated by the police of the day: a local man of low class of whom they became aware after the final murder, when they launched an unsuccessful surveillance operation against him. As has never been done before, the author – an experienced former government researcher with specific expertise in research and analysis – formulates a complete analysis of the killer and his methodology, including how he accosted his victims, where he took them to their deaths, his unique modus operandi of a blitz-style attack, and how he escaped from each crime scene without detection.Each of the six murders – from Martha Tabram to Marie Kelly – is discussed and reconstructed as perpetrated by this man, with his escalating violence clearly demonstrated.

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A hilarious (or groan-worthy) look at the rite of passage that all dads go through.Do you think your jokes are hilarious, without fail? Ever thought something was sidesplittingly funny only to have the rest of your family look at you with pity and disdain? It probably means that you’ve succumbed to the daft, ill-advised things all Dads say and do – the things you swore you’d never do! – you’ve fallen for Dad-isms.In this hilarious book you’ll find embarrassing anecdotes and true stories, cringeworthy jokes, sayings, quotes and all manner of quirky nonsense that dads come up with to keep you (but mostly him) amused.From excruciating things dads say at weddings to the cheesy phrases that make you sigh but him guffaw, from dad dancing to the crazy things they save up for the most inappropriate moments... these dad-isms are so bad they’re almost good.

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‘Without Simon Waterson’s help and guidance, I literally wouldn’t have made it through fifteen years of playing James Bond ... It’s been an honour working with him.’ Daniel Craig_________________________‘Working with Simon is the nearest you get to actually being a superhero, in the sense you are at your absolute peak of physical health. That makes you feel incredibly robust in these challenging times.’ Benedict Cumberbatch_________________________Drawing on his vast experience as the elite trainer who transformed Daniel Craig’s physique for five James Bond films, along with countless other actors for blockbuster roles, Simon Waterson reveals how to enhance your energy, sleep and confidence with his intelligent approach to fitness.A former marine, and now the film industry’s most in-demand fitness trainer, Simon Waterson’s client list reads like a who’s who of A-list actors. He has transformed Daniel Craig into the formidable James Bond for five blockbuster films, shaped Chris Evans into superhero Captain America, trained Chris Pratt for Guardians of the Galaxy and prepared actors such as Thandiwe Newton and John Boyega for the most recent Star Wars films. During a time where people are understanding fitness and nutrition in a completely new way – eschewing quick fixes and yo-yo diets in favour of long term solutions – Simon shares his practical and highly accessible approach to reimagining your body and transforming your fitness. Simon encourages you to focus on training, recovery and nutrition to build on your performance, rather than aesthetic. This is a training manual for any age and any fitness level, packed with expert advice and achievable goals that will motivate you to reboot your body.

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This in-depth biography details Harry's life so far. From his childhood and his journey to fame on the X-Factor to releasing incredibly successful solo music and becoming a fashion icon, this book gets you closer to Harry than ever before.From the start of his career we follow the roller coaster of emotions as One Direction broke up, and we learn how Harry reinvented himself. Free from the shackles of being in a boyband he was able to be the rock star he had always dreamed of being and conquer the US by himself.Not content with being one of the world's biggest popstars, Harry has also cultivated a career as a film star, kicking off with a starring role in box-office hits like Dunkirk before going on to become a member of the iconic Marvel universe and, in 2022, taking the lead in My Policeman and Don’t Worry Darling. Now, as universally acknowledged fashion royalty, he has hosted the Met Gala with Serena Williams and Lady Gaga and regularly models for Gucci. In 2021 he released his beauty brand, Pleasing, and he has even partnered with the meditation app Calm to record a story designed to help listeners drift off. His new album Harry’s House soared to the top of the charts in both the UK and the US, and his 2022 tour 'Love on Tour' has sold out globally. In short, his phenomenal success shows no signs of slowing down. Get to know the iconic singer in greater depth with this book that gets you to the heart of a very modern pop star – a must read for all of Harry's fans.Also available:Ariana: The Biography (9781782439745)Adele: To 30 and Beyond: The Unauthorized Biography (9781789294361)Britney: The Unauthorized Biography (9781789294590)

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Baby unicorns Ash, Arlo and friends have heard that over the rainbow there’s a golden palace that is home to the wisest creatures in all the land: the Rainbowcorns. This elusive group are the oracles of unicorn kind and are said to have the power to grant unicorn wishes. To find the palace, the baby unicorns must follow the special wish-related clues, which will help them on their journey. The unicorns’ quest takes them to magical and colourful places - from an enchanting light festival at Chateau d’Azay-le-Rideau and China’s mystical Mount Huangshan, to a wizard’s potion-filled workshop and the Sugar Snow weather factory, where popcorn rains from candyfloss clouds. A search and find book with a magical twist, use your spotting skills to locate the seven baby unicorns hidden in every spread, as well as the ‘magical find’ that will lead the unicorns to their next destination.Also available in the seri

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Discover the fascinating story behind the rise of a new pop icon: Dua Lipa.When Dua Lipa was eleven, her music teacher told her she wasn’t good enough to join her school choir – her husky voice couldn’t reach the high notes.Now, she’s a global star. Her songs are pop anthems, streamed billions of times; she’s collaborated with everyone from Calvin Harris and Miley Cyrus to Madonna and Elton John; she’s won Grammys, BRITs and MTV awards; and she’s the biggest homegrown talent to emerge from the UK music scene since Ed Sheeran and Adele. Dua’s rise has been all the more impressive given that her Kosovan parents arrived in London as refugees, but her determination, hard work and undeniable voice have seen her transcend these humble beginnings, all while remaining fiercely proud of her heritage.In this revealing biography from the publishers of Harry, Ariana and Adele, pop music journalist Caroline Sullivan charts Dua’s incredible journey to pop superstardom. Spanning everything from her mainstream breakthrough to her sold-out Future Nostalgia Tour, and exploring her influences, activism and high-profile personal life, it paints the most complete portrait yet of this icon in the making.

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The first step of your manifesting journey starts today. Pick up your pens, crayons or paints, and get ready to see your dreams unfold. As you fill in these colouring pages, you will begin to notice signs, messages and positive coincidence appearing in your life exactly when you need them. Watch them unfold . . . When you manifest, you create a specific vision that you want to bring into your physical reality. By intentionally shifting your mindset to match your soul’s true journey, you’ll begin to call in the law of attraction. You can manifest in any area of your life. Purpose, health, love, relationships, being kinder, wealth, making a difference in the world, healing yourself or healing the planet. The choice is yours. Also available: How to Manifest (9781789294453)The Manifestation Journal (9781789294651)

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If you’re fed up with technology and sick to death of Zoom calls, this is the laugh-out-loud book for you.We’ve all had to get used to a different way of life in one way or another, whether it’s food deliveries or online banking, technology is taking over – and not always in a good way. But, as this hilarious book shows, there are plenty of examples of tasks – which were once straightforward and now need a degree in computer science – that have wonderfully unintended consequences. From funny Zoom calls such as that endured by the poor Texan lawyer who couldn’t turn off his cat filter, to wilful wifi that cuts you off in mid-stream and from ‘smart’ TVs that outsmart you every time to excruciating Teams calls that make your colleagues wince and titter, I Am Not a Cat! is a call-to-arms for everyone frustrated with twenty-first century living.

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Over 100 brand new crosswords by puzzle master, Dr Gareth Moore. At home or in the office, for many of us the only time we get a quiet moment is on the loo. Crosswords on the Loo will help you entertain yourself and keep your brain active in those precious spare moments. Containing 100 brand new crosswords, this little book will test your mental agility, help improve your language skills and boost your IQ ... all from the comfort of your toilet. So, pick up your trusty pen and get puzzling in peace. Complete the set with Sudoku on the Loo and Word Searches on the Loo.

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Over 100 brand new crosswords by puzzle master, Dr Gareth Moore. At home or in the office, for many of us the only time we get a quiet moment is on the loo. Word Searches on the Loo will help you entertain yourself and keep your brain active in those precious spare moments. Containing 100 brand new word searches, this little book will test your mental agility, help improve your language skills and boost your IQ. . . all from the comfort of your toilet. So, pick up your trusty pen and get puzzling in peace. Complete the set with Sudoku on the Loo and Crosswords on the Loo.

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'[An] impressively comprehensive, concise introduction to the biggest challenge facing us all – how to get our act together to keep our only planet habitable, for ourselves, our descendants and the living nature we depend on.' Walt Patterson____________‘"Energy" might be a short word, but it's a very big subject, and indeed one of the most important facing our world today. Understanding the ins and outs of how we make the transition to clean energy is a vital modern competence. Stephen Peake provides a top briefing. Informative, accessible and comprehensive, it is a must read for anyone interested in the future of our planet.’ Tony Juniper CBE____________‘The author says it all in his introduction: "Renewable energy powered our lives long before fossil fuels and will do so long after." As successive nations and corporations commit to net zero, the idea of getting our useful work done using clean non-depleting resources is of paramount importance. This witty, wide-ranging yet succinct guide provides a whistle-stop tour of the principal renewable energy technologies and places them elegantly in the contemporary economic, social and political context.’ Jonathan Scurlock, Chief Adviser, Renewable Energy and Climate Change at the National Farmers’ Union–––––––––––––Professor Stephen Peake takes us on a guided tour of the ten most essential aspects of this timely and fast-moving science, examining the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy that lies at the heart of a brighter climate future.Renewable energy is central to managing climate change and our transition to a sustainable energy supply for the 10 billion of us who will populate the earth by 2050. But how will we cope without fossil fuels to heat, cool and light our buildings, power our industry and run our transport systems? And are some renewables better than others? 10 Short Lessons in Renewable Energy distils the key issues of this timely subject, examining how we can harness the power of a range of groundbreaking energy technologies most effectively to achieve a sustainable energy future.About the series: The Pocket Einstein series is a collection of essential pocket-sized guides for anyone looking to understand a little more about some of the most important and fascinating areas of science in the twenty-first century. Broken down into ten simple lessons and written by leading experts in their field, discover the ten most important takeaways from those areas of science you’ve always wanted to know more about.

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Christmas comes but once a year... and in the world of the grumpy bloke, that’s once too often! But turn that frown upside down with the hundreds of jokes and one-liners in this book of festive fun.There’s nothing like a good laugh to chase away the winter blues or cheer yourself up and, let’s face it, some people need it more than others! Make sure the grumpy bloke in your life is well entertained (even when he really doesn’t want to be) by the gags and jokes in this whopping compendium of Christmas funnies from a veritable master of the art, Nick Harris.From Christmas jumpers to sad-sack Santas and from broken tree lights to shocking Christmas dinners, there are jokes aplenty to raise a smile in even the grumpiest bloke ... okay then, a chortle ... the merest hint of an upturned lip ...? Oh, come on, it’s FUNNY!

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‘Sometimes my mind reaches back beyond the fear and the arid landscapes of war, to memories of childhood that fill me with happiness and laughter.’___________‘A humane and gripping book which proves beyond doubt why the Gurkhas are known as such formidable warriors.’ – Sir Ranulph Fiennes___________This is a searingly honest memoir by Kailash Limbu, a serving Gurkha soldier who undertook five tours of active service in Afghanistan. Kailash Limbu was in the front line of the fighting in Helmand Province. On dangerous resupply missions and on offensive patrols that took them to the heart of the ‘killing zone’, he and his men came under frequent attack from Taliban fighters.He talks of other operations in which he has served – and, perhaps most movingly, of the other Gurkha soldiers – the united band of brothers – with whom he serves and on whom he relies every day.On many occasions he has feared he would not live to see the end of the day – and, inevitably, he lost several friends and colleagues from the close-knit Gurkha brotherhood. His means of coping with the trauma of conflict was to travel back in his mind to his childhood in a remote Himalayan village in Nepal. But even amid the simplicity of mountain life, danger and tragedy lurked.In this compelling narrative Capt Limbu celebrates his Gurkha heritage, relates remarkable stories of courage (his own and others’), and confronts demons that have shaped but never broken him. The result is a record of war and peace that is rare in its honesty and humility.

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A Million Mermaids is a colouring book designed for mermaid lovers of all ages. Its humour and adorable charm will appeal to both children and adults as they enter a magical world where mermaids collect shells and swim with dolphins and narwhals. Inside are over 30 spreads of these beautiful mythical creatures, decorated with gorgeous patterns and motifs. A new title in Lulu Mayo’s bestselling A Million series, with a stunning foiled cover.

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A timely celebration of the many attributes our Queen brings to the nation – fortitude, stoicism, diplomacy, family values, sense of fun and style among them.Queen Elizabeth II – Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Head of the Commonwealth – has reigned over us for a record-breaking sixty-seven years. Now in her ninety-fourth year, this timely celebration sheds new light on the myriad attributes and personal qualities she brings to the nation. From fortitude in the face of adversity to standing as the nation’s ambassador all over the world, no one could doubt the work ethic that powers this remarkable woman, even into her nineties. Equally, her love of family – from her rock of over sixty years’ marriage, Prince Philip, to her great grandchildren – shines through. But what are the secrets of her success? How does she still approach her day-to-day with such vitality and aplomb, even when culture and society are changing rapidly all around her?The Queen on fame: When an MP commented that it must be a strain meeting so many strangers all the time, the Queen smiled, ‘It is not as difficult as it might seem. You see, I don’t have to introduce myself. They all seem to know who I am.’The Queen on fashion: In the late sixties when Mary Quant and the mini skirt came to epitomize all that was fashionable, Princess Anne suggested her mother might also consider shortening her hemline. The Queen was adamant, ‘I am not a film star.’ The Queen on family: As Great Britain’s most famous great grandmother, it is no surprise that the Queen values family life. ‘Marriage gains from the web of family relationships between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, cousins, aunts and uncles.’In this book Karen Dolby unpicks the key elements that make the Queen so special to – and so loved by – the nation and presents a guide to how you too could put into practice some of Her Majesty’s traits to help overcome adversity, find inner strength and present yourself as wonderfully considered and calm, even when all about you seems in chaos.

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'Incredibly helpful - every man should have a copy' —Colin Jackson, former olympic athlete'This book will save lives.' —Elis & John, Radio X'An essential read' —Levison Wood, author and explorer___________________Your body needs maintaining to keep it healthy. So does your mind.Sounds simple, but tired and outdated ideas that tell men how they ought to be, mean the message gets lost. And the results speak for themselves: suicide is the biggest killer of men under fifty. There’s no more room for debate – taking care of your head space should be as normal as eating your five-a-day or going to the gym. Many books make impossible promises about how they will fix all your problems and stresses with some miraculous ten-step programme. This one doesn’t. What it does do is provide practical help, when times are tough and also when they’re not. And just like with your physical health, it doesn’t always have to take much to make a difference.Developed in partnership with Mind, the mental health charity, This Book Could Help is filled with straightforward expert advice and simple techniques to help you shake off what other people say you ought to be, prioritize yourself, meet challenges and develop new strengths, in areas such as dealing with stress, motivation, work and life goals. We all deserve to live fully and respect our struggles, so start here and back yourself every day.Because head space is not a luxury, it’s essential.

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Spoken by over 700 million jabbering individuals, the English language has travelled to all corners of the globe – unfortunately, some of it has got a bit muddled along the way ...Lost in Translation: Misadventures in English Abroad affectionately demonstrates the very best – and worst – instances of genuine grammar-gargling from around the world, discovered by the author and his intrepid team of researchers. It includes everything from hilarious hotel signs to baffling advertisements, such as the German beauty product offering a 'cream shower for pretentious skin', the notice at a French swiming pool which proclaimed that 'swimming is forbidden in the absence of the saviour', or the warning sign at a Czech zoo which instructed visitors: 'No smoothen the lion'.

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Many people struggle with their powers of recall at some point in their lives, and in this innovative book Dr Gareth Moore has developed a programme of techniques, exercises and tips that will help you ensure that your memory never lets you down again. With exercises that target specific issues as well as general-purpose memory workouts, The Memory Coach is packed with information and strategies for use in everyday life, while also providing a guided plan for progression that continues to build upon the techniques you have already covered on previous days. Along with the exercises themselves you’ll find plenty of information on what the exercises are actually doing for you and why they are important in maintaining memory function.From remembering PIN numbers to public speaking, and from acronyms to memory palaces, The Memory Coach will help you to train your memory and keep it sharper, more focused, bigger and better – all in 40 days.

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After centuries of mystery, the mythical Magical Unicorn Society has published its official handbook. These learned lovers of unicorns have created a treasure chest of unicorn lore – the facts, the fiction, the where, why and what of these elusive beasts. This is the ultimate gift for anyone who truly believes. Discover the myth of the Gold and Silver Unicorns, and the legendary stories of the seven unicorn families. Find out about their unique powers, where they live around the world, what unicorns eat and how to have the best chance of spotting one. Learn about the history of the Magical Unicorn Society – from its foundation to the present day – and how to become a member. With breathtaking artwork from Helen Dardik and Harry and Zanna Goldhawk (Papio Press), and stunning design and production, this special book gallops through a history of these mythical creatures and looks at their magical future.Also available:9781789290561 The Magical Unicorn Society Official Colouring Book9781789291551 The Golden Unicorn – Secrets and Legends

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She Said is a wonderful celebration of the wit and wisdom of women through the ages.In it you’ll find writers, artists, politicians, actors, musicians, fashionistas, from Sappho to Beyoncé and Dorothy Parker to Carrie Fisher, all of whom have two things in common: brilliant minds and barbed wits that sting with their precision.Featuring women from as far back as 700 BC and right up to the modern day, the quotations and classic one-liners found here will inspire and delight, whether they are cheeky retorts from the outspoken, barbed reflections from the thoughtful or righteous indignation from the slighted.In the words of Elizabeth von Arnim (1866–1941), 'A woman's tongue is a deadly weapon and the most difficult thing in the world to keep in order.'

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'Nicola Tallis, one of our great popular historians.' Alison WeirThe first biography of Lettice Knollys, one of the most prominent women of the Elizabethan era.Cousin to Elizabeth I – and very likely also Henry VIII’s illegitimate granddaughter – Lettice Knollys had a life of dizzying highs and pitiful lows. Darling of the court, entangled in a love triangle with Robert Dudley and Elizabeth I, banished from court, plagued by scandals of affairs and murder, embroiled in treason, Lettice would go on to lose a husband and beloved son to the executioner’s axe. Living to the astonishing age of ninety-one, Lettice’s tale gives us a remarkable, personal lens on to the grand sweep of the Tudor Age, with those closest to her often at the heart of the events that defined it. In the first ever biography of this extraordinary woman, Nicola Tallis’s dramatic narrative takes us through those events, including the religious turmoil, plots and intrigues of Mary, Queen of Scots, attempted coups, and bloody Irish conflicts, among others. Surviving well into the reign of Charles I, Lettice truly was the last of the great Elizabethans.

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Walk a day in a Roman’s sandals.What was it like to live in one of the ancient world’s most powerful and bustling cities - one that was eight times more densely populated than modern day New York? In this entertaining and enlightening guide, bestselling historian Philip Matyszak introduces us to the people who lived and worked there. In each hour of the day we meet a new character - from emperor to slave girl, gladiator to astrologer, medicine woman to water-clock maker - and discover the fascinating details of their daily lives.

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Have you ever found yourself alone with your thoughts? Have you ever been asked if the glass is half full or half empty? Do you wonder what true happiness is or how to attain it? Or maybe nothing really matters if everything is just an illusion or a dream?These ideas are some of the central questions of philosophical enquiry that have engaged, troubled and exasperated some of the greatest minds throughout the history of human civilization, provoking argument and debate in an attempt to broaden the horizons of human thought.Author Alain Stephen seeks to explore some of these key questions by tracing their origins in the writings of prominent thinkers through the ages, from the colonnades of ancient Greece to the intellectual salons of twentieth-century France, and show how these ideas and concepts have developed over time.Why We Think the Things We Think provides plenty of food for thought for both the amateur philosopher and enlightened thinker to digest.

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The inspiring true story of Josephine Reynolds, Britain's first full-time female firefighter.When Josephine Reynolds signed up with the Norfolk Fire Service in July 1982 at just seventeen years old, there was no such thing as a firefighter – only fire men. Set against the slate-grey backdrop of early 1980s Britain, Fire Woman is the story of how a young woman brought up in rural Wales coped in the testosterone-fuelled world of the fire brigade, where even today 96 per cent of all staff are male. In a life packed with incident – where lethal forest fires, escaped zoo animals and unexploded bombs formed a background to the everyday toll of death and disaster – Josephine experienced both triumph and heartbreaking personal tragedy. Fire Woman also provides a unique insight into the camaraderie that comes with risking your life on a daily basis and stands as the inspiring true story of an extraordinary young woman who took on a man’s world and won, becoming Britain's first full-time firefighter.

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A charming guide to the story of the English village, celebrating this beloved heart of the countryside.The village remains a quintessential and much-loved treasure that is often representative of England. This rural idyll has inspired generations of great poets, novelists and artists including the likes of Constable, Hardy and Wordsworth.The English Village champions all that is unique and loved about a typical village – the pub, the green, the school, the church, the pond, the local shop and more – as well as exploring how the village has changed over the centuries, and how it has adjusted to modern-day life.A fascinating compendium of interesting details, facts, customs and lore, this is an unabashed toast to the English village, as well as a record of a disappearing world.

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This isn’t a story about autism. It’s a story about a young boy who happens to have autism, and there is a difference.John Williams is a stand-up comedian. He is also a single father and full-time carer for his son, who has autism and cerebral palsy. This is their incredible story.In 2012, John started a blog called My Son’s Not Rainman, a heartfelt and uplifting account of everyday life for him and ‘The Boy’. Following on from the blog’s amazing success, John felt there was still much more of their life, past and present, that he wanted to share. And not only of the challenges of bringing up a child who for too long was just dismissed as ‘difficult’, but also of the joy of living with someone who looks at the world in a unique way.My Son’s Not Rainman radiates warmth, care and passion, not to mention laugh-out-loud humour, on every page. It is a brilliantly different story about a brilliantly different boy.

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If memories of learning algebra bring you out in a cold sweat and thoughts of quadratic equations cause you feelings of fear and dread, I Used to Know That: Maths can help. A light-hearted and informative reminder of the things that we learnt in school but have since become relegated to the backs of our minds, this book will help you to brush up on your mental arithmetic, including percentages, averages and recurring decimals or work on your trigonometry skills, from Pythagoras' theorem to triangle areas and angles. It can be used a practical guide to turn to when an answer is eluding you, from helping a child with homework to calculating change or understanding statistics. I Used to Know That: Maths is a fun and accessible way to re-visit all those useful tips and maths tricks that you have forgotten from your school days.

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Take a whistle-stop colouring tour of the capital city with this brilliant London-themed colouring book. From Trafalgar Square and Tower Bridge to Piccadilly Circus and Portobello Road and beyond, children will love putting their own colourful stamp on one of the world's most vibrant cities. Packed with 42 exciting illustrations of London's famous sights, landmarks, museums and parks – including London Zoo, the Olympic Park, the London Underground and Oxford Circus Station, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Kew Gardens and bustling Soho – this book is the perfect way to keep kids busy on the go.A fun and engaging way to introduce young explorers to London. Also publishing in 2024: The London Activity Book 9781780559797

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