Search results for ""author bird"

Al Qaeda detonates a nuclear weapon in Times Square during rush hour, wiping out half of Manhattan and killing 500,000 people. A virulent strain of bird flu jumps to humans in Thailand, sweeps across Asia, and claims more than fifty million lives. A single freight car of chlorine derails on the outskirts of Los Angeles, spilling its contents and killing seven million. An asteroid ten kilometers wide slams into the Atlantic Ocean, unleashing a tsunami that renders life on the planet as we know it extinct. We consider the few who live in fear of such scenarios to be alarmist or even paranoid. But Worst Cases shows that such individuals—like Cassandra foreseeing the fall of Troy—are more reasonable and prescient than you might think. In this book, Lee Clarke surveys the full range of possible catastrophes that animate and dominate the popular imagination, from toxic spills and terrorism to plane crashes and pandemics. Along the way, he explores how the ubiquity of worst cases in everyday life has rendered them ordinary and mundane. Fear and dread, Clarke argues, have actually become too rare: only when the public has more substantial information and more credible warnings will it take worst cases as seriously as it should. A timely and necessary look into how we think about the unthinkable, Worst Cases will be must reading for anyone attuned to our current climate of threat and fear.

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Adolf Hitler stated that after occupation Denmark would turn into a model protectorate'. Winston Churchill, meanwhile, maintained that the small country of (then) four million people would become the sadistic murderer's canary'. In the end, neither was right. Though their resistance organisation was slower to develop effective tactics on a wide scale than in some other occupied countries, with initially no help from the Allies the Danes set up a resistance movement that proved to be a constant irritation to the Axis forces. In time the Danish Resistance, the Modstandsbev gelsen, was not a meek canary, but a dangerous and courageous bird of prey that refused to be caged. The scale of the resistance to the Nazis in Denmark is without equal: twenty-six million issues of illegal newspapers had been published by 1945; radio guides for Allied aircraft had been set up on the coasts; boat services ran between Sweden, Denmark and Britain; a news bureau provided a stream of inside information to the Allies; German ships were unable to move out of the ports; and troops were frustrated by the sabotage of railways and air bases. Incredibly, almost the entire Jewish population, some 7,000 people, was shipped to safety in Sweden. The selfless courage shown by the Danes, when collaboration would have been an easy option, is astonishing. This story of heroism and daring by a small country is a thrilling read, and provides a real insight to the mindset of a people under occupation.

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In March 1944, some 2,200 battle trained men of 111 Brigade flew from India into northern Burma to land on improvised airstrips cleared from the jungle, They were part of General Orde Wingates Chindit force sent to fight the Japanese deep behind their lines. Five months later, 111 Brigade was down to 118 fit men eight British officers, a score of British soldiers and 90 Gurkhas. One of those eight officers was Frank Baines, and in Chindit Affair he tells, in vivid language and with shrewd insight, what happened. Frank commanded two platoons of young Gurkhas and was attached to 111 Brigade Headquarters, serving under John Masters, where he had a close-up view for most of the time. His account throws new light on the leadership of the Chindit campaign, but above all it is a soldiers story. All the horrors of jungle warfare are here bodies blood-sucked by leeches and corpses impaled by bamboo; Japanese soldiers reduced to eating human flesh; a court martial and execution; soldiers falling sick and dropping by the wayside, and being killed and wounded in action. He also captures the atmosphere of the jungle, its watercourses, trees, birds and the Kachin villagers simple way of life. No other account of the Chindit operations touches the same raw nerves, and none recreates so immediately the sensations of being there in the jungle and hills which devoured nearly all of them.

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'Wise, challenging and offering some unexpected laughter in the dark, this is a rational and insightful account of the sixth great extinction event. Peter Marren is a brilliant writer and a national treasure.' PATRICK BARKHAM'Thoughtful, fascinating and very timely.' STEPHEN MOSS'Important and thought-provoking.' CAROLINE LUCAS, GREEN PARTY MP'Essential reading. Marren makes a page-turner out of Armageddon.' SIMON BARNES'In his characteristic style Peter Marren has humanised the story of wildlife losses with humour and wit but also with his enormous knowledge and deep love for the living world.' MARK COCKERWe are in the midst of an extinction event: the sixth mass extinction on earth and one entirely caused by mankind. All species become extinct sooner or later, but we have accelerated that natural process several hundredfold and now, it is happening right in front of our eyes. Extinction has a terrifying finality to it. And many species have already been lost to us forever; there is little we can do about that.What we can do, however, is reflect, remember, and ultimately acknowledge the unvarnished truth. We must see the natural world as it is, and not as we might want it to be. Our trajectory is one that has benefited one species alone - humankind. For all other beings, from mammals to fish, from birds to insects and coral, from plants to lichens and fungi, the future, for better or worse, is in our hands.

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Discover East Yorkshire and York with this Heritage Shell Guide. Here is an introduction to the towns, villages and buildings of the East Riding of Yorkshire, the City of Kingston upon Hull and the City of York. Written in the tradition of the famous Shell Guides, it is a glorious and insightful delve into the familiar, York and the little-known, East Yorkshire. Shell Guides were the brainchild of John Betjeman in the 1930s when people began to explore the country by car. They were designed to offer a frank and honest view of a county. As well as being an introduction and gazetteer the Heritage Shell Guide Trust has introduced maps and colour illustrations to these legendary guides. As well as York's remarkable heritage, this guide also celebrates East Yorkshire including: Dramatic chalk cliffs near Flamborough teem with bird colonies; The rolling Wolds, much painted by David Hockney; The ghostly marshland landscape of Spurn Head which guards the Humber estuary; Historic buildings of the maritime city of Hull and town of Beverley; York's famed Gothic Cathedral, fortress gates and narrow medieval streets. These are just a few of the highlights of a region just waiting to be explored! Let your Heritage Shell Guide to East Yorkshire and York help you uncover the beauty of this dramatic landscape. Shell County Guides: their history - The original series was the brainchild of John Betjeman. He thought there was a market for a plain-speaking guide - the 1930s was a new era when people began to explore the country by car. So, he approached the head of publicity at Shell, Jack Beddington; Beddington had artistic friends like Rex Whistler and Graham Sutherland who thought Betjeman's plan was excellent. The first Guide was Cornwall in which Betjeman frankly said Newquay had "20th century style...corrugated rows of villas, enormous hotels, flashing shops and Pierrots..." so readers knew what they were getting! His authors were artists, playwrights and academics like Norman Scarfe (Suffolk) who had a great affection for their county. He advised Juliet Smith (Northamptonshire) to pick out the buildings she liked, and "don't be afraid of saying that a place is hideous!" Ultimately the policy was a little gentler: to take the visitor by the hand and show them what was worth seeing in a place. In 1937 Betjeman linked up with John Piper who was erudite, unflappable, calm and business like; they wrote Shropshire together. In 1960 Piper became joint editor and in 1967 editor of the series. His ability to paint buildings with latent emotion was matched only by accomplishment in making stained glass for colleges, churches and cathedrals. But he favoured monochrome for photography which leached interest in the face of colour. Shell ended the series in 1984. One of Piper's favourite photographers, Peter Burton, produced a Shell-style North Yorkshire in 2001. This led to the formation of the Heritage Shell Guide Trust to continue the work Shell so nobly began, now funded by donations.

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With Let’s Draw Favorite Animals, you can learn to bring your animal drawings to life, guided by realistic illustrations and step-by-step instructions for a variety of pets and other popular creatures. The easy-to-follow visual and written instructions in this book make it achievable and fun to draw lifelike animals. Each drawing lesson begins with basic shapes and progresses, step by step, to a finished piece of artwork, making it easy to follow along. You just need to grab a pencil, a piece of paper, and your copy of Let’s Draw Favorite Animals, and then flip to the creature you want to draw. The drawing projects include: Baby Bunny Red Fox Cow Russian Dwarf Hamster Red-Eared Slider Turtle Llama Squirrel Giant Panda Clydesdale Horse White-Tailed Deer The detailed written instructions in this 48-page book also provide tips for placement of details, how to create realistic fur and coat patterns, how to shade, and much more. If you’ve never drawn before, don’t be intimidated. Just start with a few basic shapes and follow the illustrated steps—you’ll be creating your own amazing animal masterpieces in no time at all! And each time you draw, you should see an improvement in your artistic skills.Also available from the Let’s Draw series:Let’s Draw Cats, Let’s Draw Dogs, Let’s Draw Wild Animals, Let’s Draw Birds & Butterflies, Let’s Draw Sea Creatures, Let’s Draw Dinosaurs, and Let’s Draw Dragons.

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Bring the animals of the world to your walls with this collection of posters from the bestselling book An Anthology of Intriguing Animals.The animal kingdom is so much bigger than young minds can imagine and there is always more to learn. This book of beautiful tear-out posters will take children on an incredible visual journey through the animal kingdom, with each poster revealing an eye-catching image of a creature from around the world.From tigers and whales to snakes and birds, there is an animal for everyone to explore and marvel at. Every poster is clearly labelled and highlights key features and facts children aged 7+ need to know, so you have a perfectly curated look into the impressive animal kingdom. This colourful animal poster book for children offers:- A unique and fun introduction to the animal kingdom, using posters as a visual aid to help young learners understand and engage with the information.- Each species presented in a remarkable way, capturing them in action or showing intriguing features up-close.- Impressive images taken from An Anthology of Intriguing Animals, a bestselling anthology with beautiful artwork and imagery. This animal poster book will have children and adults alike poring over the close-up images, and deciding where to place these spectacular posters! Each type of animal is shown both photographically and illustrated, with the species' name and profile on each poster to teach kids about every animal. This is simply the best gift for any child who can't get enough of the wonders of wildlife.

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Explore the beauty of Northern California’s natural landscape with this guide to 80 of the best easy-to-walk day hikes located throughout Northern California.From hikes just outside of San Francisco to long strolls in the Sierra Nevada, here are the 80 best easy day hikes in Northern California, perfect for aging baby boomers, seniors, those traveling with small children, and anyone else interested more in a stroll than a climb.Hikes include: Lady Bird Johnson Grove • McCloud Falls Trail • Pomo Canyon Trail • Table Rock • South Yuba Independence Trail • Tomales Point Trail • Purisima Redwoods Loop • Sardine Lakes Trail • Devils Postpile • Rainbow Falls • and more!Written in a personal but informative tone by outdoors expert Ann Marie Brown, The Creaky Knees Guide Northern California is a perfect resource anyone can use to explore the beauty of Northern California without breaking too much of a sweat.In addition to a full-trip description, each hike includes:• Clear, up-to-date driving directions• Elevation gains• Topographical map• Mileage and estimated hiking time• Trail conditions, effort level, best season, map references, exploring options, access, permits required, and where to find more information.Other titles in Creaky Knees easy hike series include Creaky Knees Oregon, Creaky Knees Washington, and Creaky Knees Arizona.

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Explore North America's iconic animals and beautiful landscapes with incredible photographs of our living world.North America explores the incredibly diverse range of habitats and wildlife on this continent. Mountain lions, bison and snakes feature, alongside some less well-known wildlife mammals, amphibians, birds, fish and reptiles. From the frozen Arctic islands in the north, through the Mojave Desert, across the wide prairies of the American Midwest, up the Blue Ridge Mountains, through the redwood forests of California and along the Mississippi River - this book will make you want to know even more about the spectacular array of life on Earth.This stunning six-book series explores some of Earth's iconic landmarks and habitats, and the plants and animals that live there. They are illustrated with beautiful photographs that will inspire readers and leave them in awe at the incredible variety of life on our planet. Filled with incredible facts and gems of information, each book reveals the dramatic ways in which each of our seven continents are shaped and how they in turn affect the living creatures and plants that call each continent home.For readers aged 8 and upwards, these books are perfect for key stage 2 students, studying geography, plant life and the animal kingdom.Titles in this series:AfricaAsiaAustralasia and AntarcticaEuropeNorth AmericaSouth America

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In a fast-paced world with mega upheaval, including climate crises and a global pandemic, the allure of growing your own food, being self-sufficient, and living green is immense. This yearning for not being wholly reliant on the supermarket, and the growing concerns over pesticides and food miles has led to the resurgence in seeking old-world skills. As showcased in Urban Homesteads, the benefits of a productive garden on your doorstep or within arm’s reach, tending to chickens, harvesting your own honey, and using eco-friendly water-harvesting techniques are clear: fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruit on tap, fresh eggs, delicious honey; plus living at a slower pace, better value for money, and a more soothing and mindful existence. Of course, a healthy garden and environment also attracts beneficial insects and birds. Get inspired with this book’s range of eco-friendly possibilities from around the globe. With beautiful full-colour photos, gathered here are stories of people who have set up their own productive and abundant back yard or patio, as well as examples of great vertical planters, indoor gardens, and those who have reached into the urban community allotment. Use this book to start your own journey with an urban homestead lifestyle, with lots of generous tips, modern green concepts as well as a twist of modern, technically savvy know-how. All the practical guidance you need on how to be the change you want to see.

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"Hilton Carter's love for plants is infectious... His lush and exuberant displays are inspiring reminders that plants can be so much more than neat little containers on a window sill." Grace Bonney, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Design*Sponge Take a tour through Hilton’s own apartment and other lush spaces, filled with a huge array of thriving plants, and learn all you need to know to create your own urban jungle. As the owner of over 200 plants, Hilton feels strongly about the role of plants in one’s home – not just for the beauty they add, but for health benefits as well: ‘having plants in your home not only adds life, but changes the airflow throughout. It’s also a key design element when styling your place. For me, it wasn’t about just having greenery, but having the right variety of greenery. I like to see the different textures of foliage all grouped together. You take a fiddle leaf fig and sandwich it between a birds of paradise and a monstera and…. yes!’ You will be armed with the know-how you need to care for your plants, where to place them, how to propagate, how to find the right pot, and much more, and most importantly, how to arrange them so that they look their best. Combine sizes and leaf shapes to stunning effect, grow your own succulents from leaf cuttings, create your own air plant display, and more.

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A breathtaking tale of the rich, wild world and all its wonder from acclaimed nature writer and Costa Award-shortlisted novelist, Melissa Harrison - the perfect read for cosy nights! SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARDS 2021 CHOSEN AS ONE OF COUNTRYFILE'S BEST NATURE BOOKS OF 2021 'Timely and magical, it will open the young reader's eyes to the wonders of the natural world.' NATASHA FARRANT 'Each page brims with the wonder of our natural world, so much to learn but all a sheer delight.' PIERS TORDAY Three tiny, ancient beings - Moss, Burnet and Cumulus, once revered as Guardians of the Wild World - wake from winter hibernation in their beloved ash tree home. When it is destroyed, they set off on an adventure to find more of their kind, a journey which takes them first into the deep countryside and then the heart of a city. Helped along the way by birds and animals, the trio search for a way to survive and thrive in a precious yet disappearing world ... The breathtaking children's debut from acclaimed nature writer and literary fiction novelist, Melissa Harrison: shortlisted for the Costa Book Award and longlisted for the Baileys Prize Inspired by 1942 classic The Little Grey Men by BB, with shades of The Borrowers A tale of disappearing wilderness that couldn't be more relevant in today's environmental crisis, brought to life for children by three tiny, funny, eternal beings Continue the adventure in book 2, By Rowan and Yew!

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Practical Magic, to date Alice Hoffman’s biggest ever selling novel, became a major Hollywood film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman who played sisters Sally and Gillian Owens. In this sparkling prequel we meet sisters Frances and Jet and Vincent, their brother. From the beginning their mother Susanna knew they were unique: Franny with her skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, who could commune with birds; Jet as shy as she is beautiful, who knows what others are thinking, and Vincent so charismatic that he was built for trouble. Susanna needed to set some rules of magic: no walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles and certainly, absolutely, no books about magic… But the Owens siblings are desperate to uncover who they really are. Each heads down a life-altering course, filled with secrets and truths, devastation and joy, and magic and love. Despite the warning handed down through the family for centuries – Know that for our family, love is a curse – they will all strive to break the rules and find true love. Book 2 in the Practical Magic series'Hoffman delights in this prequel to Practical Magic… a coming-of-age tale replete with magic and historical references to the early witch trials. The spellbinding story, focusing on the strength of family bonds through joy and sorrow, will appeal to a broad range of readers. Fans... will be bewitched' Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Rules of Magic

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In this searing polemic, Lee Edelman outlines a radically uncompromising new ethics of queer theory. His main target is the all-pervasive figure of the child, which he reads as the linchpin of our universal politics of “reproductive futurism.” Edelman argues that the child, understood as innocence in need of protection, represents the possibility of the future against which the queer is positioned as the embodiment of a relentlessly narcissistic, antisocial, and future-negating drive. He boldly insists that the efficacy of queerness lies in its very willingness to embrace this refusal of the social and political order. In No Future, Edelman urges queers to abandon the stance of accommodation and accede to their status as figures for the force of a negativity that he links with irony, jouissance, and, ultimately, the death drive itself.Closely engaging with literary texts, Edelman makes a compelling case for imagining Scrooge without Tiny Tim and Silas Marner without little Eppie. Looking to Alfred Hitchcock’s films, he embraces two of the director’s most notorious creations: the sadistic Leonard of North by Northwest, who steps on the hand that holds the couple precariously above the abyss, and the terrifying title figures of The Birds, with their predilection for children. Edelman enlarges the reach of contemporary psychoanalytic theory as he brings it to bear not only on works of literature and film but also on such current political flashpoints as gay marriage and gay parenting. Throwing down the theoretical gauntlet, No Future reimagines queerness with a passion certain to spark an equally impassioned debate among its readers.

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Understanding and predicting species diversity in ecological communities is one of the great challenges in community ecology. Popular recent theory contends that the traits of species are "neutral" or unimportant to coexistence, yet abundant experimental evidence suggests that multiple species are able to coexist on the same limiting resource precisely because they differ in key traits, such as body size, diet, and resource demand. This book presents a new theory of coexistence that incorporates two important aspects of biodiversity in nature--scale and spatial variation in the supply of limiting resources. Introducing an innovative model that uses fractal geometry to describe the complex physical structure of nature, Mark Ritchie shows how species traits, particularly body size, lead to spatial patterns of resource use that allow species to coexist. He explains how this criterion for coexistence can be converted into a "rule" for how many species can be "packed" into an environment given the supply of resources and their spatial variability. He then demonstrates how this rule can be used to predict a range of patterns in ecological communities, such as body-size distributions, species-abundance distributions, and species-area relations. Ritchie illustrates how the predictions closely match data from many real communities, including those of mammalian herbivores, grasshoppers, dung beetles, and birds. This book offers a compelling alternative to "neutral" theory in community ecology, one that helps us better understand patterns of biodiversity across the Earth.

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Get the most out of this Golden breed Man's best friend doesn’t get any better than the Golden Retriever. Originally bred as hunting companions who retrieved birds and hares and delivered them to hand, the breed today is much more than "just a hunting dog." Highly intelligent and eager-to-please, Golden Retrievers have a history as working dogs that makes them easy to train. Attired in a luxurious fur coat and blessed with a gentle and affectionate nature, they are the third most popular breed in the United States and a favorite for families with young children. Written in a friendly style by Retriever-owner Nona Kilgore Bauer, the 2nd edition of Golden Retrievers For Dummies puts everything you need to know about your furry friend right in your hand. You'll learn how to care for a Golden Retriever from puppyhood to its stately golden years and how to communicate with them better. You'll also learn about grooming and training, as well as how to deal with common ailments and behaviors. Select the best puppy for you Adopt an older dog Dog-proof your home Train your Golden Retriever right Whatever you're looking for from your Golden Retriever, this book will help you get there, making for happiness all around—and many golden years ahead!

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Sibling rivalry and intergenerational conflict are not limited to human beings. Among seals and piglets, storks and burying beetles, in bird nests and beehives, from apples to humans, family conflicts can be deadly serious, determining who will survive and who will perish. When offspring compete for scarce resources, sibling rivalry kicks in automatically. Parents sometime play favorites or even kill their young. In More than Kin and Less than Kind, Douglas Mock tells us what scientists have discovered about this disturbing side of family dynamics in the natural world.Natural selection operates primarily for the benefit of individuals (and their genes). Thus a family member may profit directly, by producing its own offspring, or indirectly, by helping close kin to reproduce. Much of the biology of family behavior rests on a simple mathematical relationship called Hamilton’s rule, which links the benefits and costs of seemingly altruistic or selfish behavior to the degree of relatedness between individuals.Blending natural history and theoretical biology, Mock shows how Hamilton’s rule illuminates the study of family strife by throwing a spotlight on the two powerful forces—cooperation and competition—that shape all interaction in the family arena. In More than Kin and Less than Kind, he offers a rare perspective on the family as testing ground for the evolutionary limits of selfishness. When budgets are tight, close kin are often deadly rivals.

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“Mr. Allan Burns, I am here to tell you an example, the example of the Hunchbacks.” So said Paulino Yamá, traditionalist and storyteller, to Allan Burns, anthropologist and linguist, as he began one story that found its way into this book. Paulino Yamá was just one of several master storytellers from the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico from whom Burns learned not only the Mayan language but also the style and performance of myths, stories, riddles, prayers, and other forms of speech of their people. The result is An Epoch of Miracles, a wonderfully readable yet thoroughly scholarly set of translations from the oral literature of the Yucatec Maya, an important New World tradition never before systematically described. An Epoch of Miracles brings us over thirty-five long narratives of things large, small, strange, and “regular” and as many delightful short pieces, such as bird lore, riddles, and definitions of anteaters, rainbows, and other commonplaces of the Mayan world. Here are profound narratives of the Feathered Serpent, the mighty Rain God Chac and his helpers, and the mysterious cult of the Speaking Cross. But because these are modern, “Petroleum Age” Maya, here too are a discussion with Cuba’s Fidel Castro and a greeting to former president Richard Nixon. All pieces are translated ethnopoetically; examples of several genres are presented bilingually.  An especially valuable feature is the indication of performance style, such as pauses and voice quality, given with each piece.

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A FLAME TREE NOTEBOOK. Beautiful and luxurious the journals combine high-quality production with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for writers, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed on foil paper, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and rose red end-papers. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. PRACTICAL, EASY TO USE. Flame Tree Notebooks come with practical features too: a pocket at the back for scraps and receipts; two ribbon markers to help keep track of more than just a to-do list; robust ivory text paper, printed with lines; and when you need to collect other notes or scraps of paper the magnetic side flap keeps everything neat and tidy. THE ARTIST. Angela Harding is a fine art painter and illustrator based in Rutland, UK. She specialises in lino prints and her work is inspired by British birds and the countryside. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

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Lisa Hanawalt's debut graphic novel, My Dirty Dumb Eyes, achieved instant and widespread acclaim: reviews in the New York Times and NPR, Best of Year nods from the Washington Post and USA Today, and praise from comedians like Patton Oswalt and Kristen Schaal. Her designs define the look of the wildly popular Netflix animated series Bojack Horseman. Her culinary-focused comics and illustrated essays in Lucky Peach magazine won her a James Beard Award. Now, Hot Dog Taste,collects Hanawalt's devastatingly funny comics, gorgeous art, and screwball lists as she tucks into the pomposities of the foodie subculture. Hanawalt dismantles the notion of breakfast; says goodbye to New York through a street food smorgasbord; shadows chef Wylie Dufresne, samples all-you-can-eat buffets in Vegas; and crafts an eerie comic about being a horse lover yet an avid carnivore.Hot Dog Taste Test explodes with color, hilarity, charm, and, occasionally, reproductive organs. Lush full-spread paintings of birds getting their silly feet all over a kitchen, a fully imagined hot dog show (think Best in Show but with hot dogs), and a holiday feast gone awry are the creamy icing on this imaginative rainbow-colored cake. But Hanawalt's wit and heart extend far beyond gags-her insight- ful musings on popular culture, relationships, and the animal in all of us are as keen and funny as her watercolors are exquisite.

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'It would be hard to imagine a more thoughtful, intelligent and companionable person to go to sea with than Paul Heiney.' Bill Bryson 'High comedy on the high seas. Informative and warm and freezing. It's quite a combination.' Griff Rhys Jones The writer and broadcaster Paul Heiney set sail from the east coast of England bound for Iceland, propelled by a desire to breathe the cool, clear air of the high latitudes, and to follow in the wake of generations of sailors who have made this often treacherous journey since the 13th century. In almost every harbour he tripped over maritime history and anecdote, and came face to face with his own past as he sailed north along his childhood coastline of east Yorkshire towards the Arctic Circle. But there was one major thing missing from this voyage - the sight of puffins. They are remarkable birds, uplifting as a ray of sunshine after a storm. To see them and share their waters was also part of Heiney’s ambition. Imagine then his disappointment when, first, no puffins appeared off the Farne Islands, then none to be seen on puffin hotspots like Orkney. When he failed to see puffins on Iceland, Heiney still held out the hope that he would see the 'joker of the seas'. With inspiring travel writing, social and maritime history, and good-humoured reflections on his sailing journey, Heiney brings us this delightful book – a love letter to the puffin, to Iceland and the north, and to the pure pleasure of being at sea.

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Say goodbye to boredom with this fantastic outdoor boredom buster book! From the hilarious Andy Seed, Winner of the Blue Peter Book Award 2015 for Best Books with Facts comes the fantastically busy Anti-boredom Book of Brilliant Outdoor Things to do. The outdoors are boring right? Wrong! Not when you've got Andy Seed's Anti-boredom Book of Brilliant Outdoor Things to do! Suitable for all seasons, find out how to set bug traps, create a rainbow, construct an amazing summer slide and much, much more! But what about those rainy summer days we hear you cry? Not a problem! This book also includes awesome indoor activities about the outdoors for rainy days. Design your own mini parachute, create the worlds most amazing frisbee, or create a bird feeder to keep your feathered friends well fed! A brilliant book bursting with amazing outdoor activities that will have you running for the door! Packed full of hilarious illustrations from the wonderful Scott Garrett, this book will keep you entertained for hours on end! Andy Seed's laugh-out-loud 'Anti-boredom' series has something for everyone! A seemingly endless car journey to visit your long lost aunty? Andy's got an activity for that! A boring rainy afternoon stuck indoors? Andy's got a joke for that! A dull holiday with no one to play with? Andy's got a game for that! Say goodbye to your boredom blues with Andy Seed's fantastic range of Anti-boredom books!

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Jessica Khoury brings her masterful world-building and emotional depth to an exciting fantasy series. In a world where everyone is born with wings, stone monsters prowl the skies, hunting those who dare to fly too high. In the Clandoms, everyone is born with wings, with tight-knit communities formed around bird types: Jay, Falcon, Crow. Ellie Meadows dreams of growing up to join the Goldwings - the famed knights who defend all the people of the Clandoms. It was a Goldwing, after all, who saved her life on that terrible day her parents were killed. There's just one problem: Ellie is a Sparrow, and the Goldwings are almost invariably picked from the higher clans like Eagles and Ospreys. This rigid hierarchy means that Ellie is destined to become a farmer. Determined to honor her parents' memories and prove herself worthy of the Goldwings, Ellie sets out on her own for the capital. But her journey will be dangerous. Foul creatures called gargols lurk behind every cloud, ready to slay anyone unlucky enough to be caught outside in a storm - just as Ellie's family was. Soon her path intertwines with a colorful band of fellow outcasts, each with their own aspirations... and their own secrets. Ellie's new friends offer not just roadside companionship. They'll challenge her ideas of right, wrong, and what truly makes a hero. Fast-paced, highly imaginative middle grade fantasy Perfect for fans of Wings of Fire Explores important issues such as racism, classism, privilege and systemic oppression

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If you are aware of endgame patterns, you spot key moves quicker, analyse and calculate better, avoid making errors and memorise what you have studied more fully. The Queen's Gambit is easily the most talked-about chess opening since the immensely popular Netflix TV series of the same name became a hit. The screen adventures of Beth Harmon have inspired thousands to start playing the Royal Game but didn't offer any information on this highly popular chess opening. This book fills that gap. German Grandmaster Michael Prusikin presents a solid but dynamic opening repertoire for Black against the Queen's Gambit. He wants you to understand rather than memorize what is important. His primary focus is on explaining the relevant pawn structures and the middlegame ideas behind the lines he recommends. Prusikin deals with every single variation of the Queen's Gambit in a way that is highly accessible for club players but at the same time surprisingly effective and concise: the Catalan, Tartakower, Carlsbad, London, Colle, Veresov, and all the others. As a bonus, the FIDE Senior Trainer also provides responses to openings such as the Bird, Réti, and Nimzo-Larsen. It may seem unlikely, and yet it is true: in less than 200 pages, Countering the Queen's Gambit has Black covered for really every first move except 1.e4! To test your newly acquired insights in the tactical motifs and strategic ideas of the Queen's Gambit, you are invited to solve 36 exercises in carefully selected key positions from actual games.

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This title features over 65 delicious and authentic regional Spanish recipes shown in 300 step-by-step photographs. It offers fabulous authentic recipes, from weekday family meals to dinners for special occasions. You can explore the essence of this rich historical cuisine and learn about ingredients and how to use them, including olives and olive oil, vegetables, and herbs and spices. It includes both traditional and contemporary recipes for soups; vegetables and salads; fish and shellfish; poultry and game birds; meat and game; and desserts. The dishes range from Spanish staples such as Paella and Cocido to lesser-known local delights such as warming Asturian Fabada and delicious Catalan Spiced Duck with Pears. Every recipe is shown in stunning photographs with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions to ensure perfect results every time. This book is a fascinating journey through a distinctive cuisine. The introduction describes Spain's food and cooking tradition and introduces the staple Spanish ingredients and how to use them. The heart of the book, however, is a recipe collection of over 65 classic and regional dishes with plenty of variety to suit any occasion. All the standard Spanish recipes are included, such as Gazpacho, Escalivada, Seafood Paella, Skewered Lamb with Red Onion, and Sorbete de Limon. Every recipe is shown in detailed step-by-step sequences with a glorious photograph of each finished dish. From family meals to celebration feasts this book will ensure you can prepare Spanish food with confidence and style.

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After the phenomenal success of The Storm Whale and On Sudden Hill, this new book by Benji Davies deals with the emotional topic of losing a grandparent. Subtly told, this beautifully illustrated book tackles a difficult subject with great sensitivity and depth.At the bottom of Syd’s garden, through the gate and past the tree, is Grandad’s house. Syd can let himself in any time he likes. But one day when Syd comes to call, Grandad isn’t in any of the usual places. He’s in the attic, where he ushers Syd through a door, and the two of them journey to a wild, beautiful island awash in color where Grandad decides he will remain. So Syd hugs Grandad one last time and sets sail for home. Visiting Grandad’s house at the bottom of the garden again, he finds it just the same as it’s always been — except that Grandad isn’t there anymore. Sure to provide comfort to young children struggling to understand loss, Benji Davies’s tale is a sensitive and beautiful reminder that our loved ones live on in our memories long after they’re gone.This gorgeous Benji Davies title is now available in board book format!Books from the World of the Storm Whale: The Storm WhaleThe Storm Whale in WinterGrandma BirdAlso by Benji Davies: On Sudden Hill, written by Linda SarahWhen the Dragons Came, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne MooreJump on Board the Animal Train, written by Naomi Kefford and Lynne Moore

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“Engrossing … [An] expedition through the hidden and sometimes horrifying microbial domain.” —Wall Street Journal “Fascinating—and full of the kind of factoids you can't wait to share.” —Scientific American Parasites can live only inside another animal and, as Kathleen McAuliffe reveals, these tiny organisms have many evolutionary motives for manipulating the behavior of their hosts. With astonishing precision, parasites can coax rats to approach cats, spiders to transform the patterns of their webs, and fish to draw the attention of birds that then swoop down to feast on them. We humans are hardly immune to their influence. Organisms we pick up from our own pets are strongly suspected of changing our personality traits and contributing to recklessness and impulsivity—even suicide. Germs that cause colds and the flu may alter our behavior even before symptoms become apparent. Parasites influence our species on the cultural level, too. Drawing on a huge body of research, McAuliffe argues that our dread of contamination is an evolved defense against parasites. The horror and revulsion we are programmed to feel when we come in contact with people who appear diseased or dirty helped pave the way for civilization, but may also be the basis for major divisions in societies that persist to this day. This Is Your Brain on Parasites is both a journey into cutting-edge science and a revelatory examination of what it means to be human. “If you’ve ever doubted the power of microbes to shape society and offer us a grander view of life, read on and find yourself duly impressed.” —Heather Havrilesky, Bookforum

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'A superhero like none you've seen before. Thrilling' IAN RANKIN*A GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR*A delightfully witty and exciting graphic novel by one of Britain's favourite artistsDragman tells the story of August Crimp, a man who has superpowers when he puts on women's clothes. August loves wearing a dress but is deeply ashamed of his compulsion and terrified of rejection should it ever come out. So he tells no one. Not even his wife. But then one day a little girl falls from the rooftop cafe at the Art Museum and August has no choice but to fly and save her - an event witnessed by hundreds of people. And August Crimp's life is never the same again.Dragman is Steven Appleby's first long-form graphic thriller. Inspired by the superhero comics he read as a child and informed by his own secret life as a transvestite, Steven Appleby has created a multi-layered, tightly plotted, cleverly structured novel with a compulsive forward drive in which August battles greed, evil and his own self-doubt in a fight to save himself, his marriage - and the human soul. A real page-turner, Dragman brims with humanity, subtlety and wit - plus plenty of Steven Appleby's oblique and absurdly imaginative musings on 'what is life really all about?'Fans of Steven Appleby's unmistakable drawing style, as seen in his many books and in comic strips such as Captain Star (NME, Observer), Small Birds Singing (The Times), and Loomus (Guardian), will not be disappointed.

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'In these strange days Michael Harding's route taking and wise words gently nudge us towards the future, steadying us as we navigate the great unknowns ahead' Joe Duffy The bestselling new book from acclaimed writer and Irish Times columnist. It's dawn and in the early morning light, Michael Harding is walking in his garden in the hills above Lough Allen in Leitrim, dreaming of the new beginning in Donegal he had planned before the world changed in the early months of 2020. Here, in his stunning and intimate new book, we travel with Michael through this day as he looks back at a life lived within, and as part of, the Irish landscape. In doing so, he vividly brings to life what is at the heart of Irish identity: storytelling, love and human connection. With honesty, insight and tenderness, he shows that while everything has changed, that which is important remains the same; and how, in this new world, we can live with hope and faith in everything that is beautiful in the sky. What is Beautiful in the Sky is an account of our times: a record of our past and a promise of new beginnings. 'This morning is special. The air is cleaner than it used to be. Birds sing with a deeper resonance. The apple trees shed their petals and fatten their fruit with an astonishing defiance; as if nature itself carried a coded message; everything will be OK in the end. Hope may seem lost with each new death but love has become more visible in every hospital corridor in the world."Let's begin again."

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Learning How to Draw Has Never Been Easier!Lee Hammond's All New Big Book of Drawing is the culmination of nearly forty years of teaching. No matter what your experience level YOU CAN DRAW by following along these easy step-by-step demonstrations. Whether you want to create drawings of flowers, learn how to draw animals or how to draw a person, these drawing techniques, all-new projects, and expert tips will show you how to get great results with both regular pencils and colored pencils. Two books in one. The first half is a comprehensive course on using pencils to capture shape, form and likeness. The second half explores adding color using colored pencils 88 step-by-step projects. You will learn to draw everything with this book! Starting with a simple sphere and working up to sea shells, sunsets, flowers, birds, horses, clothing, people--and so much more! A lifetime of know-how! Lee covers it all--from big picture concepts (selecting tools, shading techniques, making sense of perspective) down to techniques for creating the look of feathers, capturing skin tones, and making surfaces look shiny or transparent. Using her straightforward, three-stage approach to lifelike drawings, Lee makes any subject approachable, from still life and landscapes to animals and even people. This project-driven tome will help you create realistic, frame-worthy artwork. Project by project and subject by subject, you will gain confidence and cultivate great joy in drawing.

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"Crowe knows just how much to give and how much to hold back, offering fleeting glances and sometimes strange images... These are sinewy, questing poems, alive with memory and attentive to the interior landscape." PBS selectors on Figure in a Landscape "Words which come to mind when reading Anna Crowe's wonderful poetry are 'honest', 'affectionate', 'elegiac', 'skilful', 'natural', 'lucid'. Douglas Dunn on Punk with Dulcimer With their inviting blend of elegance and musicality, and captivating breadth of cultural reference, Anna Crowe's poems offer an illuminating insight into the marvels of and uncanny links between the natural world and its creatures, and the shifts of light and shade in our own lives – most touchingly, when vulnerable and bereft. Not on the Side of the Gods, constantly demanding a pause for reflection or gasp of wonderment, is both celebratory and – as in the opening poem, “The Gecko” – imbued with a heart-stopping tenderness and sense of loss. Stewart ConnI read Not On The Side Of The Gods with growing admiration. It was like wandering through a fabulous living museum, filled with places and plants, birds and other creatures and, often, most movingly, with the people they call to mind. Anna Crowe does exactly what the caddis-fly larva does in her poem, 'Jeweller in the Galerie Électra, Paris' - building for each vulnerable creature a house of jewelled words. What I came away with was not just the richness and precision of her descriptions but a cornucopia of sounds, not least the wonderful music of her voice.. Vicki Feaver

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Plants and animals interact with each other and their surroundings, and these interactions--with all their complexity and contingency--control where species can survive and reproduce. In this comprehensive and groundbreaking introduction to the emerging field of ecological mechanics, Mark Denny explains how the principles of physics and engineering can be used to understand the intricacies of these remarkable relationships. Denny opens with a brief review of basic physics before introducing the fundamentals of diffusion, fluid mechanics, solid mechanics, and heat transfer, taking care to explain each in the context of living organisms. Why are corals of different shapes on different parts of a reef? How can geckos climb sheer walls? Why can birds and fish migrate farther than mammals? How do desert plants stay cool? The answers to these and a host of similar questions illustrate the principles of heat, mass, and momentum transport and set the stage for the book's central topic--the application of these principles in ecology. Denny shows how variations in the environment--in both space and time--affect the performance of plants and animals. He introduces spectral analysis, a mathematical tool for quantifying the patterns in which environments vary, and uses it to analyze such subjects as the spread of invasive species. Synthesizing the book's materials, the final chapters use ecological mechanics to predict the occurrence and consequences of extreme ecological events, explain the emergence of patterns in the distribution and abundance of organisms, and empower readers to explore further. Ecological Mechanics offers new insights into the physical workings of organisms and their environment.

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Vibrant tapestries of beribboned birds, cantering centaurs, and Dionysian dancers, woven in Coptic Egypt more than a thousand years ago, were artfully arranged in a handsome pair of albums in 1913. Some of the fabrics are shown in unique collage compositions. Sandals, spindles, and a mysterious lock of hair are assembled in a shallow box at the back of one album. Many textiles in this important collection, housed at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, were once joined by warp and weft with those from the Musée du Louvre and other major museums. Nancy Hoskins deftly interweaves the creation of the textiles in the Greco-Roman city of Antinoé, Egypt, with their discovery by the charismatic French archaeologist Albert Gayet (1856-1916). Gayet staged stunning exhibitions of the pieces in Paris at the turn of the century and ultimately gave them to museums or sold them. One collector, Henry Bryon, had his 144 fabrics bound into the two albums featured here. The album pages and covers are illustrated in glowing color, along with archival photographs from Gayet's expeditions. The style, structure, and iconography of each tapestry, tabby, and tablet-woven textile are discussed within the cultural construct of Late Antique and Early Christian Egypt. Detailed technical drawings illustrate the special weaving techniques of the Copts. Directions for six weaving projects inspired by the album fragments are included. The story of the inimitable Coptic tapestry albums will delight weavers, textile historians, art historians, and archaeologists.

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Chickens are a fantastic addition to a garden or outdoors space - you don't have to live in the back of beyond to have a few clucking around and giving you fresh eggs. They come in all shapes and sizes: some are layers, some are just born to strut. Mark Diacono begins at the basics, showing how you can raise chickens from eggs, and look after them once they start laying their own. The first part of Chicken & Eggs explains how to think ahead about what kind of chickens you want and how many to get, whether you are going for a breed that lays eggs regularly, or that you might eventually use for eating, or that simply looks decorative. You can choose from Orpingtons, Derbyshire redcaps, Muffed Old English Game, Leghorns and many more. Mark then goes on to show how you can breed chickens, encourage them to lay, work out what kind of eggs you have (are they destined for the eggcup, or will they hatch into baby chicks?), and take care of them day to day, as well as how you can go about getting the birds on the table. The final part of the book is a recipe section that goes far beyond the roast, with lots of delicious ideas for fresh eggs or home-reared chicken. With an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, this is an essential guide for anyone who can't stop thinking about chicks.

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The first global history of architecture to give equal attention to Western and non-Western structures and built landscapes, Architecture since 1400 is unprecedented in its range, approach, and insight. From Tenochtitlan’s Great Pyramid in Mexico City and the Duomo in Florence to Levittown’s suburban tract housing and the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing, its coverage includes the world’s most celebrated structures and spaces along with many examples of more humble vernacular buildings. Lavishly illustrated with more than 300 photographs, plans, and interiors, this book presents key moments and innovations in architectural modernity around the globe. Deftly integrating architectural and social history, Kathleen James-Chakraborty pays particular attention to the motivations of client and architect in the design and construction of environments both sacred and secular: palaces and places of worship as well as such characteristically modern structures as the skyscraper, the department store, and the cinema. She also focuses on the role of patrons and addresses to an unparalleled degree the impact of women in commissioning, creating, and inhabiting the built environment, with Gertrude Jekyll, Lina Bo Bardi, and Zaha Hadid taking their place beside Brunelleschi, Sinan, and Le Corbusier. Making clear that visionary architecture has never been the exclusive domain of the West and recognizing the diversity of those responsible for commissioning, designing, and constructing buildings, Architecture since 1400 provides a sweeping, cross-cultural history of the built environment over six centuries.

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In one hundred years, or even fifty, the Arctic will look dramatically different than it does today. As polar ice retreats and animals and plants migrate northward, the Arctic landscape is morphing into something new and very different from what it once was. While these changes may seem remote, they will have a profound impact on a host of global issues, from international politics to animal migrations. In Future Arctic, journalist and explorer Edward Struzik offers a clear-eyed look at the rapidly shifting dynamics in the Arctic region, a harbinger of changes that will reverberate throughout our entire world. Future Arctic reveals the inside story of how politics and climate change are altering the polar world in a way that will have profound effects on economics, culture, and the environment as we know it. Struzik takes readers up mountains and cliffs, and along for the ride on snowmobiles and helicopters, sailing boats and icebreakers. His travel companions, from wildlife scientists to military strategists to indigenous peoples, share diverse insight into the science, culture and geopolitical tensions of this captivating place.With their help, Struzik begins piecing together an environmental puzzle: How might the land's most iconic species-caribou, polar bears, narwhal, survive? Where will migrating birds flock to? How will ocean currents shift? What fundamental changes will oil and gas exploration have on economies and ecosystems? How will vast unclaimed regions of the Arctic be divided? A unique combination of extensive on-the-ground research, compelling storytelling, and policy analysis, Future Arctic offers a new look at the changes occurring in this remote, mysterious region and their far-reaching effects.

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Measuring the abundance of individuals and the diversity of species are core components of most ecological research projects and conservation monitoring. This book brings together in one place, for the first time, the methods used to estimate the abundance of individuals in nature. The statistical basis of each method is detailed along with practical considerations for survey design and data collection. Methods are illustrated using data ranging from Alaskan shrubs to Yellowstone grizzly bears, not forgetting Costa Rican ants and Prince Edward Island lobsters. Where necessary, example code for use with the open source software R is supplied. When appropriate, reference is made to other widely used programs. After opening with a brief synopsis of relevant statistical methods, the first section deals with the abundance of stationary items such as trees, shrubs, coral, etc. Following a discussion of the use of quadrats and transects in the contexts of forestry sampling and the assessment of plant cover, there are chapters addressing line-intercept sampling, the use of nearest-neighbour distances, and variable sized plots. The second section deals with individuals that move, such as birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, etc. Approaches discussed include double-observer sampling, removal sampling, capture-recapture methods and distance sampling. The final section deals with the measurement of species richness; species diversity; species-abundance distributions; and other aspects of diversity such as evenness, similarity, turnover and rarity. This is an essential reference for anyone involved in advanced undergraduate or postgraduate ecological research and teaching, or those planning and carrying out data analysis as part of conservation survey and monitoring programmes.

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First flown in 1940, the prototype Vought F4U Corsair instantly became the fastest fighter in the world and the fastest US aircraft of any description. Powered by a huge 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp engine driving an enormous 13 feet 4 inch propeller, the first Corsairs were capable of 417mph. This figure would rise to nearly 450mph in later versions. Production began in 1941, not only by Vought but also by Goodyear and Brewster, and the F4U entered service with the US Navy in September 1942. The aircraft subsequently came to be extensively used from land and sea by the US Marines, Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force. Famous squadrons like VMF-214 'The Black Sheep' and VF-17 'Jolly Rogers', along with many others, maintained total ascendancy over the Japanese for the rest of the war - a remarkable achievement for a single type. After the Second World War the Corsair remained in production and was used with distinction by the French in Indo-China and again by the US Navy in Korea. Since then Corsairs have achieved significant success in air races and more and more are being restored to fly for museums and warbird enthusiasts the world over. This comprehensive new book combines technical information and detailed development history with a fascinating combat history told, in many cases, by the Second World War and Korean War pilots themselves. Well researched, readable and illustrated with scores of rare and previously unpublished photographs, Vought F4U Corsair is the perfect book for any fan of the 'bent wing bird'.

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It’s a fresh start for the Met's oddest investigation team, the Peculiar Crimes Unit. Their first case involves two teenagers who see a dead man rising from his grave in a London park. And if that's not alarming enough, one of them is killed in a hit and run accident. Stranger still, in the moments between when he was last seen alive and found dead on the pavement, someone has changed his shirt...Much to his frustration, Arthur Bryant is not allowed to investigate. Instead, he has been tasked with finding out how someone could have stolen the ravens from the Tower of London. All seven birds have vanished from one of the most secure fortresses in the city. And, as the legend has it, when the ravens leave, the nation falls…Soon it seems death is all around and Bryant and May must confront a group of latter-day bodysnatchers, explore an eerie funeral parlour and unearth the gruesome legend of Bleeding Heart Yard. More graves are desecrated, further deaths occur, and the symbol of the Bleeding Heart seems to turn up everywhere - it’s even discovered hidden in the PCU’s offices. And when Bryant is blindfolded and taken to the headquarters of a secret society, he realises that this case is more complex than even he had imagined, and that everyone is hiding something. The Grim Reaper walks abroad and seems to be stalking him, playing on his fears of premature burial.Rich in strange characters and steeped in London’s true history, this is Bryant & May’s most peculiar and disturbing case of all.

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Tentsmuir has been a scene of human activity for over 10,000 years. It witnessed one of the earliest known occurrences in Scotland of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and has supported human activities throughout the Neolithic and Iron Age. In medieval times it was a home for the Norman nobility, and then a royal hunting forest with highly-valued fishing rights for Scottish Kings. Tentsmuir is prone to flooding in winter due to the front line of dunes blocking drainage to the sea. It provides a natural refuge for a wide range of plants, as well as resident and migrating birds, and other animals, including outstanding populations of butterflies and moths. Consequently, this led to the creation in 1954 of a National Nature Reserve at the north-eastern end of the Tentsmuir Peninsula. Initially, an active period of coastal accretion more than trebled the size of the reserve. Now, however, Tentsmuir is eroding in places. The probability of rising sea levels and increasing exposure to storms may cause a level of destruction such that the physical existence and biological future of Tentsmuir cannot be guaranteed. This book is an attempt to record how even within a limited geographical area, such as this peninsula on the east coast of Scotland, plant and animal communities are constantly reacting to environmental change. Frequently, it is difficult to decide whether or not these changes should be resisted, encouraged, or ignored. Examples are provided of instances where human intervention to counteract change has resulted in negative as well as positive consequences for biodiversity.

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This title helps you: learn to produce beautiful studies of animals, observing the behaviour, movement, textures and spirit that make each creature a unique subject; master the techniques required for working with pencils, charcoal, pen and ink, pastels, watercolours, gouache, acrylics and oils; enjoy tuition with respected wildlife artists, whose work will inspire you to build your own portfolio; and practise basics such as fur, claws, teeth and scales, then move on to some inspiring quick sketches. It features 30 step by step projects by professional artists that include portraits of mammals, insects, birds and fish. It contains 800 images, expert tips and advice to inspire beginners and help intermediate artists move to the next level. Jonathan Truss expertly guides readers through artistic basics in the tutorial section. The movement of animals is discussed, and Jonathan's artworks show how to convey their energy. Other professional artists including Trudy Friend and Jonathan Latimer have also contributed, and media including pencils, charcoal, pen and ink, pastels, watercolours, acrylics, gouche and oils are covered. Sarah Hoggett then provides commentary on artworks, discussing how they have achieved various effects. 30 great step-by-step projects for readers to follow along with are also included. Subjects include geese on a lily pond by Robert Greenhalf, pelicans in flight by Jonathan Latimer and a buzzing bee by Lucie McDonald.

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'Extraordinarily inventive, witty, moving and profound.' Bernardine Evaristo'If you read one novel this year, let it be Top Doll. This is innovative, exquisitely crafted storytelling at its finest.' Malika BookerWhen reclusive billionaire Huguette Clark dies age 104, she leaves behind a suite of New York apartments, a meticulously upkept California mansion, at least one Monet and her vast collection of antique dolls. Having barely been outside for 50 years, the elusive Clark spoke to few--in this highly unreliable, semi-fictional miniature epic, the dolls tell all.Theirs is a tale that takes us from their lavish Park Avenue home back in time to the slave plantations of Virginia and the palaces of Imperial Japan via the addictive hedonism of 1930s queer LA.Joyfully irreverent, Top Doll is a story of love, betrayal, Barbies and ultimately, what it means to be human.'An astonishing combination of depth, compassion and beauty. A constant series of delicious surprises.' Leone Ross***Praise for An Aviary of Small Birds:'Beautiful, painful, pitch-perfect . . . McCarthy Woolf's tuning fork always rings true.' Guardian'I loved Karen McCarthy Woolf's technically perfect poems of winged heartbreak.' Maggie Gee, The ObserverPraise for Seasonal Disturbances:'A strange and stunning collection from a true writer. Vulnerable, hilarious and wise.' Warsan Shire'An unclassifiable book, revolutionary in its engagement with form, stunning in its intersectional politics, and an extraordinary achievement . . . It will break you, in a good way.' Poetry School Books of the Year 2017

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Winner of the Creative Play Awards 2023 Discover the treasures of our natural world with 52 fun activities following the seasons. Filled with activities and games for children aged 7 years and up to do out and about in nature that are budget-friendly and will entertain all year round. From spring birdwatching walks to summer park games, autumn wildlife tracking to winter nature rubbings, these 52 things to see and do will inspire children to go on a nature walk and have fun outdoors! Fun activities for every week of the year Easy-to-follow instructions and tips Colourful photographs and illustrations From authors of A Year of Nature Craft and Play, (9780008467944), awarded Highly Commended in the 2022 Creative Play Awards.

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The Ormesby Psalter is perhaps the most magnificent yet enigmatic of the great Gothic psalters produced in East Anglia in the first half of the fourteenth century. Its pages boast a wealth of decoration picked out in rich colours and burnished gold, and its margins are inhabited by a vibrant crew of beasts, birds and insects. Fantastic imagery proliferates: musicians, mermaids, lovers and warriors are juxtaposed with scenes from everyday life, from chivalric legend, and from folk-tales, fables and riddles. The psalter takes its name from Robert of Ormesby, subprior at Norwich Cathedral Priory in the 1330s. He was not the first owner, however, and it has long been acknowledged that the writing, decoration and binding of the book took place in a series of distinct phases from the late thirteenth to the mid-fourteenth century. The final result was the work of four or five scribes and up to seven illuminators and its pages show a panorama of stylistic development. Unravelling its complexities has sometimes been thought to hold the key to understanding the ‘East Anglian School’, a group of large, luxury manuscripts connected with Norwich Cathedral and Norfolk churches and patrons. This book casts an entirely new light on its history, not only clarifying and dating the successive phases of production, but associating the main work on the manuscript with the patronage of John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey, one of the greatest magnates of the time. It is extensively illustrated with full-page colour reproductions of the manuscript’s main decorated folios, as well as many smaller initials and numerous comparative illustrations.

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There is no shortage of opinion about the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Some see it as the agent of austerity, being manipulated by wealthy nations and forcing poorer countries to pursue economic policies that suppress growth and development. A sharply contrasting view regards it as bailing out such countries with large amounts of soft finance, allowing them to avoid necessary adjustment. The challenge is to evaluate the alternative arguments and to distinguish reality from rhetoric.In this book, the authors undertake a careful and detailed empirical analysis of the underlying issues, covering participation in IMF programs, their implementation and effects on economic growth, and on the willingness of international capital markets to lend. Blending research methodologies and crossing conventional disciplinary boundaries, what emerges is a balanced and nuanced assessment of the IMF's operations that confronts many commonly held views.Unique in its broad scope, this careful examination of the IMF will be of great interest to students and academics in the fields of international economics and international relations. Those involved in international financial institutions and national monetary institutions will also find it to be an impartial and illuminating study.

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Creating a comfortable consulting room, grappling with the thorny question of money, finding clients, paperwork, legal issues, boundaries and confidentiality – Pauline Hodson analyses both the psychological and practical issues which need to be addressed when setting up a private practice.Once your practice is established it is important to be able to anticipate and think about situations that impinge on the therapy: illness, holidays, neighbours, pets and children, which if not paid attention to, can destroy the safe environment necessary for effective and sensitive work to take place.The Business of Therapy gives both detailed anecdotes and a jargon free overview of the theory and practice of the work of therapists. It is a much needed handbook for all those who work with clients in the privacy of a consulting room - and for all those who are curious about what therapy actually involves.This book is a valuable resource for psychotherapists and counsellors, for graduates setting up in private practice, for established practitioners and for those planning retirement.With a foreword by Susie Orbach."Counsellors from a psychodynamic and psychoanalytical background will feel very at home with the contents. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read; it actually made me laugh out loud on a couple of occasions."Therapy Today review, February 2013"This book is a marvel! This book gives an engaging and practical insight into what is usually the very private world of private practice."Susanna Abse, CEO, The Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships, London, UK"The book takes seriously the needs of therapists throughout their professional life - the need for developing support systems and care of the therapist’s well being, looking after their bodies as well as minds ... In the Foreword Susie Orbach describes the book as a gift to the profession and I agree."Oxford Psychotherapy Bulletin"Although addressed primarily to psychotherapists and counsellors, practically every page of this book applies equally to the practice of complementary medicine - acupuncture, osteopathy and so on - and it is essential reading for these practitioners."John Hamwee, Acupuncturist and author of Energy Medicine and Acupuncture for New Practitioners"This book gives me an intriguing, bird’s eye view from inside the room of how and why the process works."Lisa Jayne Bloomer, Lisa Jayne Art Studio, UK"Written with admirable concision and with the page-turning delights of a fine novel, this book will be a joy for seasoned colleagues, and a life-saver for students and for those newly qualified. The Business of Therapy: How to Succeed in Private Practice leaves all other contenders in the dust!"Professor Brett Kahr, Centre for Child Mental Health in London and Roehampton University, UK"I wish this marvellous book had come my way earlier. It’s an essential read for any therapeutic practitioner, but particularly for those in their first years in the profession or who are still in training. It’s a pleasure to recommend it."Carol Leader, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (BPC and UKCP)

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Woodturned Christmas ornaments are a delight to make and are beautiful pieces to hang on a Christmas tree or anywhere throughout your home during the holiday season. In this book, the author presents some of his favourite Christmas ornament designs. Each project is accompanied by detailed step-by-step instructions and photos, ensuring your success in every endeavour. The book includes information on making popular birdhouse ornaments and adding finials and mandrels to an ornament design. Nish has also included work from some of his favourite turners, resulting in a vast collection of elegant holiday decorations. Whether you're looking for something special to add to the tree this year or are searching for a gift idea, you're sure to find a design you like on these pages.

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The sensational debut novel about love, friendship and finding happiness in the most unexpected places. 'It's as fun as it is thoughtful: a tender and generous novel about finding your people, getting vulnerable, and celebrating every joy - big or small.' Buzzfeed 'Elvin James Mensah's Small Joys is breathtaking and heartrending, by turns hilarious and devastating and surprising and wild. Mensah's prose makes the intangible deft and tremendous — from the balm of friendship, to the beauty of queerness, and the all-encompassing elixir of community. Tender, thrilling, and honest; Small Joys is a beam of light.' Bryan Washington, author of Memorial 'A beautiful, moving story of love, male intimacy, chosen family and finding self worth.' Paul Mendez, author of Rainbow Milk ‘I adored Small Joys – a sweet, moving, funny, strikingly open story. I don’t know if I’ve ever rooted so much for a protagonist as I did for Harley – what a gorgeous novel.’ Jennifer Saint, No. 1 bestselling author of Elektra 'This heartwarming, witty, and moving debut is one of the most charming books you'll read this year. Exploring love, friendship, grief, and the bittersweet joy of being young, Small Joys is utterly beautiful.' Louise O'Neill, bestselling author of Idol 'I loved it - Small Joys is a wonderful book full of music, life and a great deal of heart. An extremely BIG joy!' Matson Taylor, bestselling author of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth 'A largehearted look at the importance of found family.' Electric Lit ‘A captivatingly tender novel . . . it’s beautiful.’ Natasha Onwuemezi, The Bookseller‘Could I one day inspire happiness in others, the same way he seemed to do in me?’ Harley is a young queer Black man struggling to find his way in mid-noughties Britain. Returning home to Dartford, having just dropped out of an undergraduate course in music journalism, he is wracked by feelings of failure and inadequacy. Standing in the local woods one day, on the verge of doing something drastic and irreversible, his hand is stayed by a stranger: a tall husky guy who emerges from the bushes holding a pair of binoculars. Muddy is an ebullient Mancunian whose lust for his own life makes others feel better by association. A keen birdwatcher, rugby fanatic and Oasis obsessive, he quickly becomes a devoted and loyal friend to Harley who finds his enthusiasm infectious and his dimples irresistible. In no time at all, they become inseparable. Harley starts to think that life may be worth living after all, while Muddy discovers things about himself that the lads down the rugby club may struggle to understand. But when figures from the past threaten to plunge Harley back into the depths of depression, his only hope of survival is Muddy and the small joys they create together. Moving, funny and tender, Small Joys is an epic novel about ordinary lives that introduces the world to an unforgettable cast of characters and a major new literary talent.

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