Search results for ""Author Paul""

"It is quiet here now, and I feel as though I were fixed in my cottage for good. It is as I thought ... something is finished with my leaving the RAF. ... It gets worse instead of healing over ... At present the feeling is mere bewilderment. I imagine leaves must feel like this after they have fallen from their tree and until they die." The Last Days of T.E. Lawrence is a chronicle of the time from when Lawrence of Arabia left the RAF up to his fateful motorcycle accident on 13 May 1935. Much of the story is told in Lawrence's own words, from diaries and letters. It covers his time at Clouds Hill, the picturesque cottage in Dorset, where Lawrence intended to retire. Influenced by Lawrence's last and unpublished writing project, "Leaves in the Wind," A Leaf in the Wind reveals his state of mind as he prepared to leave the RAF. Travelling on his Brough Superior motorcycle along a narrow Dorset lane, Lawrence collided with two pushbikes. An official witness told of Lawrence travelling fast, and swerving to avoid a black car coming in the opposite direction. This book painstakingly fits together all the evidence to determine the truth of the motorcycle crash that led to the death of Lawrence of Arabia. For the first time a detailed record is set down covering the last six days before the accident. Meticulously researched by Paul Marriott and Yvonne Argent, their painstaking investigations reveal many new insights into Lawrence's life, activities and interests.

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This book examines views about what poverty is and what should be done about it. 'Poverty' means many different things to different people - for example, material deprivation, lack of money, dependency on benefits, social exclusion or inequality. In "The idea of poverty", Paul Spicker makes a committed argument for a participative, inclusive understanding of the term. Spicker's previous work in this field has been described as 'entertaining and sometimes controversial', and his new book certainly lives up to this. Some of the book's ideas are complex and will be of particular interest to academics and others working in the field, but the book has been written mainly for students and the interested general reader. It challenges many of the myths and stereotypes about poverty and the poor, and helps readers to make sense of a wide range of conflicting and contradictory source material.

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Of all the historical documents charting Worthing's past, few are more important than a wartime diary called 'Hotchpot', compiled with religious dedication by Broadwater resident C.F. Harriss. Mr Harriss was a retired lawyer who lived with his wife in Rectory Gardens throughout the Second World War, and his diary, now in the hands of West Sussex Library Service, charts in intimate detail the daily lives of people during this turbulent time. Mr Harriss hoped the giant tome, split into two volumes, would assist future historians attempting to probe through the mists of oblivion. He wrote, 'It was written at the time and so supplied an exact and vivid record of wartime life, a true and intimate example, in the colour of the moment, of what ordinary citizens felt, thought and said.' The diary is remarkable chiefly on account of Mr Harriss's literate and informed manner. As well as describing events in wartime Worthing, it provides what is almost certainly an accurate commentary on civilian morale as news of the progress of the war reaches a seaside town. \The diarist is a 'character' and his personality inflects his account, but he is above all knowledgeable and articulate and his daily entries are a pleasure and an education to read.

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A history of King's Lynn.

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This is a comprehensive guide to some of the difficulties and disorders which can cause children to become disruptive at school and in the home. It examines the nature of EBDs and their potential causes, whether social, psychological or biological and discusses the issues that can arise for professionals involved in their assessment, analysing the various methods used. It is an excellent introduction for both educational and medical professionals.'- Aslib Book Guide'A useful book for those working both in child mental health services and in education.'- British Journal of PsychiatryChildren with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) present a challenge for parents, teachers and other professionals alike. Understanding and Supporting Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties is a comprehensive guide to this group of ill-defined, often unrelated disorders, which can cause children to become disruptive both at school and in the home.The contributors stress that EBDs are ultimately a form of communication, albeit an antagonistic one, and evaluate the success of different methods of intervention in clinical, educational and family settings. They argue that successful intervention in any environment requires an appreciation of the complex interplay in the social and personal factors affecting each child. Finally the book explores the future of EBDs and their treatment, calling for a greater understanding of children with EBDs and improved cooperation between the educational and medical forms of intervention.

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The Borders Abbeys Way links four of Britain's grandest ruined medieval abbeys in the central Scottish Borders. The route is a well waymarked, 68-mile (109km) circuit and is one of Scotland's Great Trails. The route which begins and ends in Tweedbank, is described clockwise over 6 stages averaging 11.3 miles per day. Relatively flat, it is suitable for people with a moderate level of fitness. The Way can be walked at any time of year and can be reached within an hour by train from the centre of Edinburgh. This guidebook provides a comprehensive description of the route, which passes through the towns of Melrose, Kelso, Jedburgh, Hawick and Selkirk and the villages of Denholm and Newton St Boswells. In addition to clear route description and OS 1:50,000 mapping extracts, the guidebook also includes information about the history of the Borders abbeys, the ever-intriguing Borders reivers, and the region's geology and agriculture. Invaluable practical information relating to accommodation, transport, mapping and public access is also included.

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Controversies in Post Keynesian Economics proves that it is possible to meet the most exacting scholarly standards while also managing to make economics enjoyable to read. Professor Davidson provides a lucid review of the debates between neoclassical Keynesians, monetarists and post Keynesians. These debates have been rekindled as a result of the revitalisation of the post Keynesian tradition coupled with the failure of the monetarist approach to explain economic developments in the 1980s. He develops this history of the struggle for the minds of economists, as well as explaining in intelligible language, the different roles assigned to money, contracts and the uncertainty of the inflationary process. In conclusion, he discusses which of these theories is likely to be most relevant to the economic problems that will be facing the free world in the 21st century.

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Does our faith work in all circumstances? On a Monday morning and when we are on holiday? Chatting with friends and surfing the Internet? Doing the washing and driving the car? The Keswick Convention 2009 looked at 'faith that works' - anywhere, everywhere, all the time. This book is the best of that teaching. Dale Ralph Davis takes us through "1 Kings", while Lyndon Bowring considers how to be a Christian voice in the nation. With teaching from Steve Brady, Tim Chester, David Coffey, Stephen Gaukroger, Jonathan Lamb, Peter Maiden, Conrad Mbewe, John Risbridger and Paul Williams, this book is practical, thought-provoking and inspiring. This title is brought to you by Keswick Ministries. Find out more at https://www.keswickministries.org

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Copyright law is undergoing rapid transformations to cope with the new international digital environment. This valuable research Handbook provides a thorough and contemporary tableau of current thinking in copyright law. It traces the changes undergone and the challenges faced by copyright, as well as its roots and its diversity, combining to present a colourful picture of a dynamic research area.The editor brings together an elite group of international copyright scholars who offer incisive and original analysis of a wide range of issues and aspects of copyright law, and in some cases a multiplicity of perspectives on a single topic. Rigorous and often thought-provoking in nature, this research Handbook clearly maps the current landscape, and will also undoubtedly stimulate further research in the field.Analysing the cutting edge of current copyright research, Copyright Law will be of great interest to researchers, students, practitioners and policymakers.

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How social security works is an introduction to the much-misunderstood system of benefits in Britain. The book is an accessible, broadly based and sometimes controversial text which can help readers to make sense of the system in practice. It explains the guiding principles, outlines the social context, considers the development and political dimensions of benefits, and reviews how the system operates now. There are detailed discussions of the types of benefit, and the contingencies covered by the benefits system. Paul Spicker examines whether the system offers value for money, how it could be simplified and how it can be improved. The book will be useful to students on undergraduate and professional courses, but beyond that it will appeal to policy makers, practitioners and a broader general readership.

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Treating social theory as an exciting intellectual journey in its own right, this new introductory-level textbook presents the key ideas and concepts in social theory together with an account of the intellectual background from which they emerged. Aimed at first-year undergraduates studying sociology and all related disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, it provides an introduction to the major questions and debates facing social theorists and sociologists. Clearly designed presentation and layout features help readers navigate their way around the material thus giving them the best chance of finding what they need quickly and easily. The book is supported by a companion website, containing additional materials for both students and lecturers using the book, which is available from the link above

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The numbers of those with sinusitis have risen by around 25% in recent years. This is thought to be due to lifestyle factors and environmental pollution, and is in line with the rising prevalence of allergies in general. Sinusitis is far more than a blocked nose; it can have quite an effect on daily quality of life and on sleep, and is implicated in other conditions such as asthma, sleep apnoea, nasal polyps, and allergic irritability syndrome in children. Advances in understanding mean that surgery is less likely to be an option in treatment nowadays, with newer treatments and self-help becoming more important. This book looks at how to manage sinusitis.

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A reinterpretation of the history of Sokoto that provides a new assessment of its leaders and their visions for the Muslim state. Sokoto was the largest and longest lasting of West Africa's nineteenth-century Muslim empires. Its intellectual and political elite left behind a vast written record, including over 300 Arabic texts authored by the jihad's leaders: Usman dan Fodio, his brother Abdullahi and his son, Muhammad Bello (known collectively as the Fodiawa). Sokoto's early years are one of the most documented periods of pre-colonial African history, yet current narratives pay little attention to the formative role these texts played in the creation of Sokoto, and the complex scholarly world from which they originated. Far from being unified around a single concept of Muslim statecraft, this book demonstrates how divided the Fodiawa were about what Sokoto could and should be, and the various discursive strategies they used to enrol local societies into their vision. Based on a close analysis of the sources (some appearing in English translation for the first time) and an effort to date their intellectual production, the book restores agency to Sokoto's leaders as individuals with different goals, characters and methods. More generally, it shows how revolutionary religious movements gain legitimacy, and how the kind of legitimacy they claim changes as they move from rebels to rulers.

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States have long been active in commissioning architecture, which affords one way to embed political projects within socially meaningful cultural forms. Such state-led architecture is often designed not only to house the activities of government, but also to reflect political-economic shifts and to chime with a variety of ‘internal’ and ‘external’ publics as part of wider discourses of belonging. From the vantage point of sociology, this context necessitates critical engagement with the role of leading architects’ designs and discourses relative to politicized identity projects. Focusing on the mobilization of architecture in periods of social change, The Sociology of Architecture uses critical sociological frameworks to assess the distinctive force added to political projects by architects and their work. Through engagement with a range of illustrative examples from contested contemporary and historical architectural projects, Paul Jones analyses some of the ways in which architects have sought to position their architecture relative to state projects and wider publics. A central objective of the book is to situate major architectural projects as a research agenda for sociologists and others interested in the relationship between power, culture, and collective identities. Adopting a critical approach to such questions, The Sociology of Architecture frames architecture as a field of contestation over symbolic and material resources, which in turn provides an entry point for questioning the inextricably political ways in which collective identities are constructed, maintained and mobilized.

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'In recent decades most of the international effort given over to studying and improving the safety of patient care has been focused in acute hospital settings. To some extent this was always something of a puzzle to those of us with a direct interest in this important issue...Now, however, the tide is slowly turning. Policymakers, healthcare leaders and research grant funders are beginning to recognise that greater evidence is required to understand more about what can and does go wrong in primary care, with increasing attention now being paid to what can be done to minimise avoidable harm to patients in this setting.' From the Preface This remarkable new book represents a substantial body of work - led by key educators and researchers - devoted to learning about and improving the safety of primary healthcare. It offers highly practical guidance and evidence for a broad range of related improvement methods, concepts and interventions developed and implemented by the NES primary care team, or as a direct result of fruitful partnerships between academic, professional, public or regulatory institutions across the UK and internationally. Skillfully presented, the book is organised into five interlinked parts, each with a number of related chapters. Safety and Improvement in Primary Care: The Essential Guide is ideal for frontline clinicians, managers and healthcare administrators needing practical guidance on safety and is also highly recommended for improvement advisers, patient safety officers, clinical governance facilitators, risk managers, and health services researchers wanting a critical review of theory and evidence.

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Exploring the beliefs, history and politics of the ordinary people of Muslim countries, Grieve cuts through the complexities as he examines all aspects of Islam. He also addresses the big issues: can Islam support true democracy? Is true democracy what the West really wants for Muslim countries or are we merely seeking a cover of legitimacy for a policy of 'might is right'?Paul Grieve is an unbeliever - he is not a born-again Muslim, a proselytizer or a frustrated desert romantic. His aim is to inform. The result is an accessible but never simplistic guide that challengesstereotypical views, from women and banking to war and Malcolm X. Complete with advice for visitors to Muslim countries, and with carefully chosen primary sources, maps and illustrations, this is the ideal summary for the reader looking for an unbiased overview of the religious and political world issues that have become part of our everyday lives.

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A washed up TV reporter stumbles onto a corruption scandal in Western China. Pursued through the desert by a psychotic spin-doctor and a world-weary cop, he discovers the real China: illegal metal mines, a fashion-crazed gang of girl bikers, a whole commune of Tiananmen Square survivors and the up-market sleaze-joints of Beijing. En route, he clashes with a stellar cast of people-traffickers, prostitutes and TV execs. But then the unquiet dead begin to intervene: ghosts from his own past and the past of Chinese Communism; the 'spirits that hover three feet above our heads' of Chinese folklore. Rare Earth is a story about love, journalism, ghosts, metallurgy, vintage militaria and large motorcycles set in the badlands of Inner Mongolia and Ningxia. It is about the west's inability to understand the East; one man's epic journey across a dying landscape, where 'thousands of pairs of eyes peer beyond grimy windowpanes into the moonless sky, looking for something better.'

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Pomp, pageantry, power and prestige are just a few of the words to sum up the history and vibrancy of the City of London. Beyond its fame as the financial heart of London, this new guidebook explores the Square Mile of London revealing the secrets hidden in its rich treasure trove. Neither square nor a square mile, the City of London seems to lie beyond the limits of logic. From St Paul’s, Wren’s Masterpiece to the Barbican, Europe’s largest centre for Arts, the City of London is a compelling blend of diverse visitor attractions waiting to be explored. Whether you pop into the Old Bailey, the scene of many a courtroom drama, amble through Lincoln Inn Fields or drool over the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London there is never a dull moment in the City... Learn why the Bank of England is known as the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street and the importance of Mansion House, home to the Right Honorable The Lord Mayor of London and looks at the traditions behind the Lord Mayor’s Show.

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Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas.Written by leading scholar Paul Todd, this Advanced Introduction draws on the author’s decades of experience researching and teaching maritime law, offering a clear and concise introduction to the core areas of the field. In addition to providing a primer on the substance, it explains the worldwide applications of English law, and surveys the sources of law and how to locate them. It also highlights some of the difficulties in interpreting the law and pinpoints which individuals have been instrumental in doing so, and in making and developing the law.Key features include: broad but concise coverage of international sales, carriage of goods by sea, marine insurance and admiralty law the provision of references and citations for further study exploration of the recent and likely future developments for the field. The Advanced Introduction to Maritime Law will be a key resource for students and non-specialist scholars of commercial law, transport law and maritime law, while also appealing to professionals with an interest in expanding their knowledge of the topic.

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This stimulating and challenging book provides a guide to reflexivity and reflexive practice, explaining its relevance to research in management, organisation studies and the social sciences. Rooted in the latest research, case studies and the author’s personal experience, the book builds a new perspective on reflexive practice involving bodily, emotional, rational and relational insights. Paul Hibbert draws on personal experience, using the examples of his doctoral research and an advanced collaborative research project as case studies, to demonstrate how reflexive practice plays out in a range of research contexts. Each chapter includes dialogue points to encourage the reader to form their own opinions in response to the author’s point of view. Offering prospects for research that incorporates personal learning, growth and development, How to be a Reflexive Researcher also explores avenues of future research on reflexivity and reflexive practice. The book concludes that reflexive practice is not simply a research skill but is instead integral to the scholarly way of life. Providing a comprehensive treatment of reflexive practice, this book will be a useful guide for scholars and students of business and management and the social sciences more broadly, especially those with an interest in qualitative and interpretive research approaches.

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John Gilligan is one of the most notorious and hated criminal figures in Irish history. His name is indelibly etched in the national psyche a quarter of a century after he crossed the line to organise the execution of the fearless, high-profile journalist Veronica Guerin. Gilligan's motive for the assassination was, in the words of the prosecution at a subsequent murder trial, 'the necessity of having to protect an evil empire'. At the time Gilligan was one of the most powerful and feared godfathers in the country who controlled a colossal drugs empire and the underworld's most dangerous mob.Gilligan tells the story of a young man's rise through the ranks of gangland following his journey from petty thief to public enemy number one. He was part of the generation of young criminals - like the General, the Cahills, the Hutches - who ushered in the phenomenon of organised crime in Ireland and became household names in the process.This close-up look at a criminal mastermind contains new details including a graphic account of the planning of the Guerin murder, drawn from a sealed statement which was never used, and the prison time and criminal activity which have occupied Gilligan since, up to his recent arrest in Spain on drug trafficking charges.

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'My dear, she's on fire!' DAMIAN BARR'A snappy guide to an all-conquering aesthetic' Financial Times'The following things have seemed impossibly camp to me at one point or another: a doll whose body acts as a cover for a toilet roll, a tantrum over wire coat hangers, a 1950s muscle magazine featuring a photo of a young man dressed as a gladiator, and a rat underneath a silver serving platter'An essential reappraisal of camp across time and across the globe, from the author of Fabulosa! and Outrageous!Camp has been an inescapable part of popular culture for at least the last 150 years. Famously unrestrained and ever evolving, it has not only captured the cultural imagination, but also played an important role as a form of protest and resistance. Paul Baker takes us through camp's rebellious and revolutionary past with warmth, humour and sensitivity, starting with the

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While the heroic exploits of ‘The Few’ of Fighter Command are rightly lauded, those of ‘The Many’ of Bomber Command often remain overlooked. Night after night, the bomber crews ranged across Europe seeking out and attacking targets in an all-out endeavour to undermine the German war effort against Britain and prevent invasion.Bomber Command’s Forgotten Summer tells the stories of the young men who carried out dangerous missions on a nightly basis, battling against both the enemy and the elements, relying on a mix of nerve, skills and luck to hit their target and make it home. Faced with flak and fighters, exposed to the harsh weather conditions and operating at the edge of their capabilities, for the young men of Bomber Command, this was just as vital as the Battle of Britain.

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Explore the hilarious, surreal, anarchic alien worlds of High on Life in this stunning compendium of concept art, final designs, storyboards, and exclusive commentary.From the mind of Justin Roiland (Rick and Morty) comes High on Life – a hilarious, surreal adventure set in a world where alien invaders have enslaved Earth … so they can use us as recreational drugs. Armed with a pre-loved bounty hunter suit and a bizarre arsenal of talking weaponry, it''s your mission to bring down an intergalactic cartel and free humanity from their clutches – and maybe make a little money on the side. With stunning full-colour illustrations throughout, The Art of High on Life showcases the freaky creatures, weird worlds and grotesque gunplay of the game, featuring expert commentary throughout from its creators, Squanch Games.

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''Exceptionally vivid and intense'' Sunday Times''A marvellously dark yarn'' The Spectator''Swaggering debut'' Daily MailBut everyone expects at least a little bit of deception as they go through their days and nights, and there's a chance of winning nevertheless, so many choose to playAlex is a motherless stockboy in 1830s Montreal, waiting desperately for his father to return from France. Serge, a drunken fur trader, promises food and safety in return for friendship, but an expedition into the forest quickly goes awry.At the mercy of men whose motives are unclear, Alex must learn to find his own way in a world where taking advantage of others has become second nature. But will he have to abandon his humanity to survive?The Voyageur is a brilliantly realised novel set on the margins of British North America, where kindness is cos

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From the peaks of the Himalayas to the beaches of New Zealand and the bustling streets of Cuba, take an action-packed adventure around the world with a family of globetrotting pandas.Where's the Panda? is a new search and find book in the bestselling series, which has sold over 2.2 million copies. Spot the pandas as they party at a medieval festival in France and hide among tulips in Amsterdam, search for them in downtown Shanghai and find them among the crowds stargazing in the Atacama Desert. There are 17 intricately illustrated scenes to search and seven fluffy pandas to spot in every location.Also available in the Where's the... ? series:9781782439073 Where’s the Unicorn? – over 700,000 copies sold9781782439950 Where’s the Unicorn, Now? – over 200,000 copies sold9781780555904 Where’s the Elf? – over 150,000 copies sold9781789290677 Where’s the Sloth? – over 115,000 copies soldPublishing in 2024:9781789295054 Where's the Baby Unicorn?

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Is it actually possible? …that we might emerge from this pandemic with a peaceful global power switch from those who have too much to those who don't have enough? With billionaires able to decide the fate of nations, private corporations more powerful and less accountable than ever, and political autocrats around the world shaking our confidence in democratic institutions, power resides in all the wrong places. And so our world is in crisis. In such moments, activists find opportunities. Not to restore the pre-crises order, but to transform it. Paul O’Brien argues that progressive activists may never have a better opportunity to rewrite economic rules, systems and outcomes in favor of those who don't have enough. His book offers practical action steps for activists who want to drive a power switch that overcomes extreme inequalities in our world.

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In 10½ Lessons from Experience, Paul Marshall distils the experience of 35 years of investing, including over 20 years at Marshall Wace, the global equity hedge fund partnership. He describes the disconnect between academic theory and market practice, in particular the reality and persistence of 'skill' - the continuing ability of the best practitioners to beat the market. But he also underscores the prevalence of uncertainty and human fallibility, showing how a successful investment management business must steer a path which recognises both the persistence of skill and the pitfalls of cognitive bias, human fallibility and hubris.

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'Excellent ... much to ponder' Financial Times 'Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the world of today' - Margaret MacMillan, author of War: How Conflict Shaped Us 'A masterpiece' David Motadel, author of Revolutionary World 1945. Europe lies in ruins - its cities and towns destroyed by conflict, its economies crippled, its societies ripped apart by war and violence. In the wake of the physical devastation came profound moral questions: how could Europe - once proudly confident of its place at the heart of the 'civilised world' - have done this to itself? And what did it mean that it had? In the years that followed, Europeans - from politicians to refugees, poets to campaigners, religious leaders to communist revolutionaries - tried to make sense of what had happened, and to forge a new concept of civilisation that would bring peace and progress to a broken continent. As they wrestled with questions great and small - from the legacy of colonialism to workplace etiquette - institutions and shared ideals emerged which still shape our world today. Rich with original sources and individual voices, this is a gripping, authoritative account of how Europe rose from the ashes of the Second World War - and forged itself anew.

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A landmark new history of the great English county of Lancashire, exploring its people’s impact on Britain and beyond. This popular history explores the cultural heritage and identity of Lancashire, stretching from the Mersey to the Lake District. Paul Salveson charts the county’s transformation from a largely agricultural region noted for its religious learning into the Industrial Revolution’s powerhouse, as an emerging self-confident bourgeoisie drove economic growth. This capital boom came with a cultural blossoming, creating today’s Lancashire. Industrialists strongly committed to the arts endowed galleries and museums, producing a diverse world of science, technology, music and literature. Lancashire developed a distinct business culture, but this was also the birthplace of the world co-operative movement, and the heart of democracy campaigns including Chartism and women’s suffrage. Lancashire has generally welcomed incomers, who have long helped to inform its distinctive identity: fourteenth-century Flemish weavers; nineteenth-century Irish immigrants and Jewish refugees; and, more recently, ‘New Lancastrians’ from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. This long-overdue book explores contemporary Lancastrian culture, following modern upheavals and Lancashire’s fragmentation compared with its old rival Yorkshire. What future awaits the 6 million people of this rich historic region?

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The epic story of a man born into Caribbean slavery, who defeated Napoleon’s armies and crowned himself a free black king. How did a man born enslaved on a plantation triumph over Napoleon’s invading troops and become king of the first free black nation in the Americas? This is the forgotten, remarkable story of Henry Christophe. Christophe fought as a child soldier in the American War of Independence, before serving in the Haitian Revolution as one of Toussaint Louverture’s top generals. Following Haitian independence, Christophe crowned himself King Henry I. His attempts to build a modern black state won the support of leading British abolitionists—but his ambition helped to plunge his country into civil war. Christophe saw himself as an Enlightenment ruler, and his kingdom produced great literary works, epic fortresses and opulent palaces. He was a proud anti-imperialist and fought off French plots against him. Yet the Haitian people chafed under his authoritarian rule. Today, all that remains is Christophe’s mountaintop Citadelle, Haiti’s sole World Heritage site—a monument to a revolutionary black monarchy, in a world of empire and slavery.

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Gifts have been part of international relations since ancient times. They can serve as tokens of friendship, apology or authority; as taunts, bribes, boasts or tricks. They can also go wrong: Mali’s 2013 gift of a camel to French President François Hollande was reported to have ended up in a tagine. Exploring fifty diplomatic gifts given through the ages, Brummell explains the great complexity of this political art—an exercise in brand-building for the giver, via an item that must suit the recipient’s own interests and character. Byzantine emperors sent fragments of the True Cross to fellow Christian rulers around Europe; Kings Louis XV and XVI of France used Sèvres porcelain, while the Ottoman sultans favoured robes of honour. In some cases, recipients have made no secret of the gift they would want. The Amarna Letters, dating to around 1350 BCE, record a communication from Hittite Prince Zita to the Egyptian Pharaoh, offering sixteen men—and hinting rather heavily that he would like some gold in return. From the Trojan Horse to Cleopatra’s Needle to the Statue of Liberty, this rich history offers a new take on both the curious detail and the grand spectacle of global politics.

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‘A thousand-miles-an-hour hoot.’ Esquire ‘Hilarious…and immensely moving.’ The New Yorker ‘A blast of satirical heat from the talented heart of black American life.’ New York Times White Boy Shuffle is Man Booker-winner Paul Beatty’s electrifying debut novel about teenage-surf-bum Gunnar Kaufman who is forced to wise up when his mother moves from suburban Santa Monica to urban West Los Angeles. There, he begins to undergo a startling transformation from neighbourhood outcast to basketball superstar, and eventually to reluctant messiah of a ‘divided, downtrodden people’. A bombastic coming-of-age novel that has the uncanny ability to make readers want to laugh and cry at the same time,Beatty mingles horrific reality with wild fancy in this outlandish, laugh-out-loud funny and poignant vision of contemporary America.

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Are atheists immoral? Does religion cause conflict? Is religion always opposed to science?Boldly paving the way for constructive dialogue between atheists and religious believers, Paul Hedges tackles issues such as the treatment of women, the idea of a pure and empirical realm of 'science', and the association of religion with violence and warfare, debunking the myths and exposing the futility of the battle between 'reason' and 'belief'.Threading deftly between atheism, the major world religions of Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, and smaller groups such as Paganism, Hedges demonstrates a vast scope for agreement and interaction between them which will call to every open minded reader.

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Applauding the Kop is the definitive story of Liverpool FC's goalkeepers. Through a series of remarkable interviews, it reveals the pressure and demands of playing in the prime position for one of the most successful sides in world football. The book offers honest observer accounts of the greatest goalkeepers to ever pull on the number-one jersey at Anfield, and first-hand anecdotes from those who trained at the club. Get an insider's view on the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Jerzy Dudek and David James. The players share funny, emotional and alternative viewpoints of their more illustrious team-mates at Liverpool and elsewhere, offering a rare glimpse of life in the most extraordinary leagues and teams in Europe. Applauding the Kop provides a unique insight into the personalities of many goalkeeping greats, and tells the tales of others who were less successful, detailing the events that dictate how they are perceived. Each player had a very different journey in their quest to reach the pinnacle of the game.

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Why Are We Always On Last? Running Match of the Day and Other Adventures in TV and Football is a fly-on-the wall account of Paul Armstrong's career working on Britain's favourite TV sports show (including nearly 15 years as the editor, defending his running orders) and a lifetime spent around sport, and football in particular. From a virtual BBC monopoly of sports coverage and working at the Hillsborough disaster, to the era of Sky, social media and megaclubs, Paul takes us behind the scenes at MOTD and chronicles the joys and pressures of seven World Cups and live broadcasts of varying quality. He provides an honest and humorous account of the seismic changes he's seen, both in broadcasting and the football industry. With inside stories of working with everyone from David Coleman and Brian Clough to Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer.. All infused with the pessimism and jaundice acquired during almost five decades following Middlesbrough FC.

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In a country house in England a precocious teenage exile from revolutionary Russia sets down his adventures on paper, beginning with his first ball in St Petersburg and how he frees a huge African elephant from a cruel circus. But a hundred years later an American academic feels the boy may have invented the elephant as the only kind and uplifting being in dark times.

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Britain is a country in love with its railway past. Nowhere else do the workhorses of the age of steam exert such a pull; in no other country is the nostalgia for the days when the railways extended to every corner of the kingdom so strong. However, the history of station buildings and signal boxes, steam and diesel engines, goods and postal services, main lines and branch lines is only part of the story told here. As a cherished part of Britain’s heritage, it is the impact of the railways on a human level that has truly captured our imagination. In more than 50 photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, Paul Atterbury reveals the people who ran, maintained and used them – the people for whom the railways were a way of life.

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