Search results for ""Little, Brown Book Group""

When his mother Joan was diagnosed with terminal cancer, Rory MacLean and his wife Katrin took her into their home. For five months, as their life fragmented and turned inward, they fought both to resist and to accept the inevitable. Each gave vent to their emotions in different ways, but all three kept a diary.Heartbreakingly honest and deeply moving, Gift of Time is the story of those days, in the words of a son, his wife and his mother. Woven together into a poignant meditation on life and death, they illuminate the courage and dignity of one woman who confronted what we all must face. Threaded through with wisdom and guilt, anger and acceptance, the story is punctuated by a family wedding and the hope of new life, by bin-bags of old letters and books rediscovered, by the end of winter and the first signs of spring.Powerful, raw and urgent, this slender volume is above all a celebration of life. Capturing every moment of beauty and pain it acknowledges that what survives all of us is love.Praise for Rory MacLean's previous titles:Stalin's Nose: 'The most extraordinary debut in travel writing since In Patagonia. A dark, sardonic and brilliant book which grows in stature with every page' William Dalrymple'A surreal masterpiece' Colin ThubronThe Oatmeal Ark: 'One of the most original and innovative travel books for years.' Alexander Frater'A truly astonishing performance' Jan Morris'Such a book as this rather marvellously explains why literature still lives.' John FowlesUnder the Dragon: 'I cannot imagine a better book on the beauty and terror of Burma. Read it. Read it. Read it.' Fergal Keane'It will make you cry and it will give you hope. ... It is astonishingly good.' Jeanette Winterson.Magic Bus: 'A disturbing, gripping and intensely passionate story' Esther Freud.

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Over 8 million women stayed at home during the Second World War and their story has never been told. Using brand new research from the Mass-Observation Archive, Jennifer Purcell brings to life - in all its tragedy, pathos, joy and fear - the lives of six ordinary women made extraordinary by the demands of war. In their diaries and notes they record the inner thoughts and everyday activities as they tried to survive come what may. Nella Last, the archetypal housewife struggles between the demands of her husband and her desire to help the war effort. Cambridge-educated, middle-class Natalie Tanner sneaks out to the cinema whenever possible and discusses politics in town, leading a leisured life while others try to scrape by. Saddled with a draughty and unwieldy centuries-old home directly in the path of German bombs, Helen Mitchell constantly tries to escape the war and her domestic life. Opinionated and patriotic Edie Rutherford uses the war to escape the home and go to work. Alice Bridges endures the horrors of the Blitz on her home town of Birmingham and finds a new and exciting social life as she reports the war for Mass-Observation. Housebound for most of the war with debilitating arthritis, working-class Irene Grant struggles to keep her family fed and dreams of a better Britain.Intensely moving and personal, each woman reveals their most secret fears and hopes, as well as the everyday problems of wanting to contribute to the war effort, keeping a house together under difficult circumstances, the travails of rationing, work and volunteering, whilst maintaining their duties as wife and mother. Jennifer Purcell redraws a new, emotional and unexpected history of the Second World War as it was experienced by those left behind, the domestic soldiers.

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Overcoming app now available via iTunes and the Google Play Store.Low self-confidence affects many of us from time to time and at its worst it can have a devastating impact on your life, preventing you from pursuing your dreams and leading the life you want to lead. Even in milder forms, it can impact on your relationships, studies, career, social life and home-life.By recognising what has caused your own low self-esteem and then starting to address negative thoughts and habits that have kept it low, you can gradually build your confidence. Improving your self-confidence will have an enormously positive effect on your life, allowing you to flourish and grow, and taking you a step closer to fulfilling your dreams and ambitions.

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A fortress in the sky...Japan, 1701. A woman is brutally attacked within a bamboo prison as clouds swirl around her head. Meanwhile, at Edo Castle, samurai detective turned chamberlain Sano Ichiro is suspicious of his old rival, Yanagisawa, who has been oddly cooperative since his return from exile.But just as Yanagisawa's true motives begin to emerge, Sano's estranged uncle comes to him for help: his daughter has disappeared, and he begs Sano and his wife - who once suffered through the kidnapping of their own son - to find her before it is too late.

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When the peat-cutters came to report the dead man, Gil Cunningham was up in the roof-space of his mother's house, teaching his new young wife swordplay.They believe the corpse to be that of a local missing man. His wife and the widow who runs the local coalmine are sure the body belongs to someone else, but then they find themselves accused of having killed him by witchcraft. And if the corpse is not the missing man, who is it? Gil and Alys try to get to the heart of the matter. Together they uncover more murders than they bargain for, and encounter the chilling secret at the heart of the mystery.

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Who are the most important men and women whose notions and theories have changed the world? When Isaac Newton claimed that he only saw further because he stood on the shoulders of giants, he alluded to the long list of geniuses that came before him. The history of science is the story of great discoveries, flashes of intuition that have changed the way people see the world, hard work and arduous calculation in the laboratory.The Britannica Guide to 100 Most Influential Scientists is a celebration of the lives and work of the men and women who have changed the way we look at the world, the universe, and ourselves.Includes contributions from top name scientists and writers such James Gleick on Richard Feynman; Michio Kaky on Einstein and Sir Harold Kroton on the Fulleriene (for which he won an Nobel Prize).The Britannica Guide to 100 Most Influential Scientists is introduced by John Gribbin. He is the author of nearly 100 popular science books, including the best-selling IN SEARCH OF SCHRODINGER'S CAT. He has received awards for his writing both in the United States and in Britain. The holder of a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Cambridge, he still maintains links with research as a Visiting Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex, and was a member of a team there that measured the age of the Universe. While still a student, he received the prestigious Annual Award of the Gravity Research Foundation in the United States, the only student, and the first Englishman working in England, ever to receive this award.

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'Engaging, compassionate and often very moving' Daily MailA student nurse's storyAs punishment for some youthful high jinks, 16-year-old Jimmy Frazier is made to volunteer in a London hospital. The experience shocks him, and he swears he will never set foot on a ward again.Two decades later, older but not a lot wiser, some strange twists of fate lead Jimmy back to hospital - but this time as a student nurse. Along with a motley crew of fellow students, Jimmy throws himself into the heart of the NHS. Whether caring for patients in children's hospitals, prisons, mental health facilities or post-surgical wards, Jimmy and his fellow students attempt to make a difference. On their way they are inspired by the angelic Super Nurse and the acid-tongued Mr Temple. But can they stick out the three years it takes to make the grade as a fully-qualified nurse...?

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Obtaining research funding can be a long, laborious and stressful process. This book helps ease this process by providing practical advice, useful tips and information about funding databases and funding directories. Covering a wide variety of funding sources such as government, industry and charity, it is suitable for researchers in the UK, US, EU and further afield.Learn how to:· Find relevant sources of funding· Produce and justify your budget· Cost your project· Complete and submit your application form· Use ethical funding organizations· Avoid conflict of interest

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With this book you really can have a fabulous wedding that you'll remember forever - and still save hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. With the practical help of useful checklists you will find out how to plan and manage the perfect day, including: - * Planning and managing the hen and stag parties. * Choosing and booking the venue. * Planning and organising the drinks and catering, cars and drivers, photographs, flowers, DJs, invitations, etc. * Choosing the bride's and bridesmaids' dresses. This book will make sure you keep all the romance in your special day without the stress of costs spiralling out of control.

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A new puppy in the family is an exciting time for young and old alike. The arrival of this cute little bundle of fur and joy will capture your heart. But a puppy also brings with it responsibilities and some challenges. This book guides you through every aspect of choosing and owning your puppy and nurturing it into the obedient, loving, loyal, fully grown dog that will be a credit to you or your family. How and where to find the best breeder; Providing bedding, a sleeping area and safe toys; Basic house training and play suggestions from day one; Micro chipping and pet safety and health Supervising children and dogs; Obedience training; Showing your dog; Coping with illness and bereavement; With additional comments and advice from other dog owners, this book is a must for anyone considering buying - or just about to buy - a new puppy.Contents: Introduction; 1.Finding the best puppy for you; 2. Your Home and your puppy; 4. The health of your puppy; 5. Food for life; 6. Children and dogs; 7. Canine safety; 8. Travelling with a puppy; 9. Hobbies with your dog; 10. The years ahead; 11. Coping with bereavement; Productions for puppies; Books and contact information; Contributors; Index.

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You can have a wedding that you'll remember for ever - without breaking the bank. In this short, easy-to-read guide a professional wedding planner gives you the benefit of all her experience and advice on organising a fabulous wedding. Follow the checklists to find out how to deal with the hen and stag parties; the venue; drink and catering; cars and drivers; photographs; flowers; DJs; invitations; and - if you're the bride - The Dress! Use this book to plan your wedding and you will keep the romance in your very special day, without the stress and the costs spiralling out of control. In fact, you are likely to save hundreds if not thousands of pounds.Contents: 1. The hen or stag party; 2. Venue; 3. Catering; 4. Wedding Cake; 5. Car and chauffeur; 6. Photographer; 7. Invitations; 8. Decorations; 9. Flowers; 10. DJ and disco/entertainment; 11. Wedding dress and other clothing; 12. Task list for planning the wedding day; 13. Budget planner; 14. Liz's final tips for planning your wedding reception.

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This new edition combines Pamela Cleaver's bestselling Writing a Children's Book with her Ideas for Children's Writers. In it you will learn about plotting and planning, beginnings, middles and endings, how to research and how to revise and how to find a publisher. There are: * Lists of attributes to help you create interesting and believable characters * Lists of plots and themes * Genres - what's hot and what's not * Locations and how much description to use * List of do's and don'ts regarding submitting manuscripts * Symbols for correcting your proofs * Tips on how to publicise your book. There is no one right way to write a children's book but if you are armed with a knowledge of certain techniques that have worked for other writers you will be more likely to succeed.Contents: Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Limbering Up; 2. Plotting; 3. Story People: the Characters in Your Book; 4. Genres; 5. Where and When?; 6. Starting the Story; 7. Telling the Tale; 8. Writing for the Younger Set; 9. Happy Ever After?; 10. Research and Revision; 11. Writing a Non-Fiction Book; 12. Getting Published; 13. If Your Book is Accepted; 14. If Your Book is Rejected; Useful Information for Writing Children's Book; Index.

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The Glass Ocean is a story of becoming. Flamehaired, six-foot-two in stocking feet, newly orphaned Carlotta Dell'oro recounts the lives of her parents - solitary glassmaker Leonardo Dell'oro and beautiful, unreachable Clotilde Girard - and discovers in their loves and losses, their omissions and obsessions, the circumstances of her abandonment and the weight of her inheritance. With a master artisan's patience and exquisite craft, debut novelist Lori Baker has created a gemlike Victorian world, a place where mistakes of the past reappear in the future, art can destroy, and family is not to be trusted.

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May Smith is twenty-four at the outbreak of World War Two; at night, the sirens wail, and the young men of the village leave to fight. But still, ordinary life goes on: May goes shopping, plays tennis, takes holidays and even falls in love - while recording it faithfully in her diary.'May is simply a joy, a bright spark in dark times' The Times

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The role of women in our society has changed out of all recognition. But it has changed least in the House of Commons. I want to describe those changes and the resistances to them through the magnifying glass of my own life, a life that coincides with our turbulent post-war history.'Shirley Williams was born to politics. As well as being influenced by her mother, Vera Brittian, her father George Caitlin, a leading political scientist, encouraged his daughter to have high ambitions for herself - including daring to climb the bookshelves in his library. Elected as MP for Hitchin in 1964, she was a member of the Wilson and Callaghan governments and was also the Secretary of State for Education. As one of the 'Gang of Four' Shirley Williams famously broke away from the Labour Party to found the SDP in 1981 and later supported its merger with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats. CLIMBING THE BOOKSHELVES is the voice of strong and passionate woman of luminous intelligence.

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The tragic murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl is well known. Why he was in Karachi; how he saw his role as an international journalist; why he was singled out for kidnapping; and where the incredible search effort led - are the subject of Mariane Pearl's book.A journalist in her own right, Mariane is, as was her husband, profoundly committed to the idea that a more informed public makes for a better world, and to the idea that risks are taken to uncover a story. A superb writer, she presents a truly illuminating tale - including her own crucial role in the investigative team, where she was responsible for negotiating unprecedented cooperation between the FBI and Pakistani intelligence and able to forge alliances with an array of people, from the Karachi chief of police to George Bush.A Mighty Heart is an extraordinary book - a fitting tribute to a dedicated reporter and a profound and heartbreaking love story.

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'Keane has a sharp eye, but a compassionate one' GUARDIAN 'I admired many authors. But Molly, I loved' DIANA ATHILL 'Miss Farrell's genius lies in her remorselessness . . . deliciously funny' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Jessica and Jane have been living together for six months and are devoted friends - or are they? Jessica loves her friend with the cruelty of total possessiveness; Jane is rich, silly, and drinks rather too many brandy-and-sodas.Watching from the sidelines, their friend Sylvester regrets that Jane should be 'loved and bullied and perhaps even murdered by that frightful Jessica', but decides it's none of his business. When the Irish gentleman George Playfair meets Jane, however, he thinks otherwise and entices her to Ireland where the battle for her devotion begins.

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Taking up where AN INVITATION TO THE WALTZ left off, THE WEATHER IN THE STREETS shows us Olivia Curtis ten years older, a failed marriage behind her, thinner, sadder, and apprently not much wiser. A chance encounter on a train with a man who enchanted her as a teenager leads to a forbidden love affair and a new world of secret meetings, brief phone calls and snatched liaisons in anonymous hotel rooms. Years ahead of its time when first published, this subtle and powerful novel shocked even the most stalwart Lehmann fans with its searing honesty and passionate portrayal of clandestine love.

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Why do women excel at bitching? And are there ways to do it well?In this unique and entertaining book, Kate Figes explores girltalk, the way bitching erupts amongst teenage girls, the tenacity of female stereotypes as well as essential guidance on being the best kind of bitch - strong and self-assured rather than the bitch that needs to put other women down to feel stronger. Packed with witty anecdote, etiquette, interviews and contributions from strong bitches such as Kathy Lette, Wendy Holden and Virginia Ironside this is a must read for all women on the most delicious, yet dangerous of verbal art forms.

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In 1950, Kathleen O'Malley and her two sisters were legally abducted from their mother and placed in an industrial school ran by the Sisters of Mercy order of nuns, who also ran the notorious Magdalene Homes. The rape of eight-year-old Kathleen by a neighbour had triggered their removal - the Irish authorities ruling that her mother must have been negligent. They were only allowed a strictly supervised visit once a year, until they were permitted to leave the harsh and cruel regime of the institution at the age of sixteen. But Kate survived her traumatic childhood and escaped her past by leaving for England and then Australia when the British government offered a scheme to encourage settlement there. Fleeing her past again, Kate worked as a governess in Paris and then returned to England where she trained as a beautician at Elizabeth Arden. She married and had a son.A turning point in Kate's life came when she applied to become a magistrate and realised that she had to confront her hidden personal history and make it public. This is her inspiring story.

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Saint City has always been Dante Valentine's home. It's where she grew up, it's where her dead are buried, and it's where she learned to hunt. Now, one call from an old friend will bring her back to investigate a murder too close to home for anyone's comfort. But the one person she trusted has just betrayed her. Sometimes revenge is best served demon-hot ...

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Funny, fearless and absolutely filthy-nearly 3,000 more uncensored, dirty, sick, and deeply politically incorrect jokes, covering just about every topic imaginable, from adultery to (sex in) Zoos, including an assortment of bad taste lists. A worthy, all-new follow-on to the first bestselling volume.

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ON THE TRAIL OF A BLOODY KILLER...Frank Quinn is sure he is hunting for a madman: someone who is shooting young women in the heart, defiling their bodies, leaving only the torsos to be found. Quinn, a former NYPD detective, is called into the case by an ambitious chief of police and mobilizes his team of brilliant law-enforcement misfits. But in the concrete canyons of New York, this shocking serial murder case is turning into something very different. . .A COP AND A VICTIM FIGHT BACK...Jill Clark came to the city with too many hopes and too little cash. Now a seemingly deranged woman is telling her an extraordinary story. New to an exclusive dating service, Jill is warned that other women have died on their dates-and that she could be next. Struggling against a death trap closing in around her, Jill has a powerful ally in Frank Quinn. But no one knows the true motives behind a rampage of cold-blooded murder-or how much more terrifying this is going to get. . .

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Creatively and intellectually there is no other species that has ever come close to equalling humanity’s achievements, but nor is any other species as suicidally prone to internecine conflict. We are the only species on the planet whose ingrained habit of conflict constitutes the chief threat to our own survival. Human history can be seen as a catalogue of cold-hearted murders, mindless blood-feuds, appalling massacres and devastating wars, but, with developments in forensic science and modern psychology, and with raised education levels throughout the world, might it soon be possible to reign in humanity’s homicidal habits? Falling violent crime statistics in every part of the world seem to indicate that something along those lines might indeed be happening. Colin and Damon Wilson, who between them have been covering the field of criminology for over fifty years, offer an analysis of the overall spectrum of human violence. They consider whether human beings are in reality as cruel and violent as is generally believed and they explore the possibility that humankind is on the verge of a fundamental change: that we are about to become truly civilised. As well as offering an overview of violence throughout our history – from the first hominids to the twenty-first century, touching on key moments of change and also indicating where things have not changed since the Stone Age – they explore the latest psychological, forensic and social attempts to understand and curb modern human violence. To begin with, they examine questions such as: Were the first humans cannibalistic? Did the birth of civilisation also lead to the invention of war and slavery? Priests and kings brought social stability, but were they also the instigators of the first mass murders? Is it in fact wealth that is the ultimate weapon? They look at slavery and ancient Roman sadism, but also the possibility that our own distaste for pain and cruelty is no more than a social construct. They show how the humanitarian ideas of the great religious innovators all too quickly became distorted by organised religious structures. The book ranges widely, from fifteenth-century Baron Gilles de Rais, ‘Bluebeard’, the first known and possibly most prolific serial killer in history, to Victorian domestic murder and the invention of psychiatry and Sherlock Holmes and the invention of forensic science; from the fifteenth-century Taiping Rebellion in China, in which up to 36 million died to the First and Second World Wars and more recent genocides and instances of ‘ethnic cleansing’, and contemporary terrorism. They conclude by assessing the very real possibility that the internet and the greater freedom of information it has brought is leading, gradually, to a profoundly more civilised world than at any time in the past.

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'Beautifully up-to-date, old-fashioned work, where the dignity of English meters meets, as in a mosh pit, the vitality - and often the brutality - of American speech' Dan Chiasson, New Yorker'Shane McCrae is one of our best, a great poet who mines the rhythms and vernacular of America, excavating the most exquisite of poems. His work is risky, not risqué; intelligent, not clever; deep, not jocular surface play. He is sui generis' Rabih AlameddineI'm made of murderers I'm madeOf nobodies and immigrants and the poorand a whole / Family the mother'sliver and her lungsIn The Gilded Auction Block, the acclaimed poet Shane McCrae considers the present moment in America on its own terms as well as for what it says about the American project and Americans themselves. In the book's four sections, McCrae alternately responds directly to Donald Trump and contextualizes him historically and personally, exploding the illusions of freedom of both black and white Americans. A moving, incisive, and frightening exploration of both the legacy and the current state of white supremacy, The Gilded Auction Block is a book about the present that reaches into the past and stretches toward the future.

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#1 New York Times BestsellerA Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick"I can't even express how much I love this book! I didn't want this story to end!" Reese Witherspoon"Painfully beautiful." The New York Times Book ReviewFor years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens.Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Celeste Ng, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

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In a top-secret location deep in the Ural Mountains, Russian President Gennadiy Gryzlov has built his nation's most dangerous weapon since the atomic bomb-a fearsome tool to gain superiority in Russia's long-running battle with the West. From inside Perun Aerie-an intricate network of underground tunnels and chambers that is the heart of the Russian cyber warfare program-he is launching a carefully plotted series of attacks on an unsuspecting U.S. and its European allies.The first strike targets Warsaw, Poland, where Russian malware wipes out the records of nearly every Polish bank account, imploding the country's financial system and panicking the rest of Europe. When Stacy Anne Barbeau, the besieged American president, fails to effectively combat the Russian threat, Brad McLanahan, on some well-earned R&R with his new Polish girlfriend, Major Nadia Rozek, is called back to duty.As the Russians' deadly tactics escalate - including full-scale assaults on Europe's power grid and the remote hijacking of a commercial airliner that kills hundreds of civilians - McLanahan and his Scion team kick into gear, arming themselves with the most advanced technological weaponry for the epic struggle ahead. A patriot in the mold of his father, the late general Patrick McLanahan, Brad knows firsthand the price of freedom.With the world's fate hanging in the balance, will Scion succeed in turning back Gryzlov before he can realize his terrifying ambition to conquer the globe? And what will the toll of victory be?

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Hurt people hurt people.Say there was a novel in which Holden Caulfield was an alcoholic and Lolita was a photographer's assistant and, somehow, they met in Bright Lights, Big City. He's blinded by love. She by ambition. Diary of an Oxygen Thief is an honest, hilarious, and heartrending novel, but above all, a very realistic account of what we do to each other and what we allow to have done to us.

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'Awesome. Everything you've ever wanted to know about big-screen sci-fi' - James King, film critic'Don't leave Planet Earth without it' - Dan Jolin, film critic'A wonderfully accessible, fascinating, flat-out treasure chest of science fiction cinema, from an author whose love of the subject leaps off the page' - Simon Brew, Editor, Den of GeekWhy do SF movies matter? What do they tell us about the interests of storytellers and the changing tastes of cinema-goers? How have SF movies evolved with filmmaking technology over the past 110 years?The Geek's Guide To SF Cinema provides an entertaining and in-depth history of the science fiction genre's pivotal and most influential movies. From the pioneering films of Georges Méliès to such blockbusters as Avatar and Inception in the 21st century, the book will explore how these key movies were made, how they reflected the mood of the time in which they were released and how they have influenced other filmmakers in the years since.Historians and experts contribute to answer questions such as: 'How important was Fritz Lang's contribution to cinema?' and 'What did Alien say about the cynical climate of the 1970s?'. Providing nostalgia for long-time SF addicts and context for those whose knowledge and love of the genre is still growing, this is a pop-culture book with depth.

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It's wonderful to grow your own fruit and vegetables but what do you do when it all ripens at once? How do you cope with the glut which threatens to overwhelm you?Will help all those who grow their own fruit and vegetables to store their produce properly so that it will last for months and feed the family when the garden's bare.Easy and practical advice on how to bottle, dry, freeze and even salt home grown fruit and vegetables.Discover the taste of your delicious homemade jams, chutneys and ketchups.John and Val Harrison reveal just what you can do with that bountiful harvest and share their 30 years' experience of growing fruit and vegetables and you'll never waste another tomato or courgette again.Praise for John Harrison:'Britain's greatest allotment authority'. Indpendent on Sunday.

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Since the early 1970s, Stan McMurtry - better known as MAC - has been the editorial cartoonist of the Daily Mail. Now, forty-five years after his first cartoon for the newspaper, and in the year of Her Majesty the Queen's 90th birthday, MAC has compiled this wonderful selection of more than 120 of his very best Daily Mail cartoons featuring Her Majesty, from the 1970s until the present day. MAC's unerring ability to hit the target and capture the essence of human foibles has made him Britain's leading editorial cartoonist.

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When the Genoese merchant, Marco Polo, first arrived in Dynastic China he was faced with a society far advanced of anything he had encountered in Europe. The ports were filled with commodities from all over the eastern world, while new technology was driving the economy forward. It would take another 400 years before European trade in the Atlantic eclipsed the Pacific markets.From China's phenomenally successful Sung dynasty (c. AD 960-1279), Cargoes reveals the power of the Mughals merchants of Gujarat, who built an empire so powerful that, even in the 17th century, the richest man in the world was a Gujarat trader. It was not until the opening up of the spice routes and the discovery of South American gold that medieval Iberia came to the fore. It was only then that the Atlantic Empire of the west came to dominate world trade, first the Dutch Republic in the seventeenth century, then the British Empire in the age of the Industrial Revolution, American supremacy in the twentieth century, and the development of post-war Japan. Along the way Greg Clydesdale looks at the parallel lives and ideas of merchants and explorers, missionaries, kings, bankers and emperors. He shows how great trading nations rise on a wave of technological and financial innovation and how in that success lies the cause of their inevitable decline.

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Have you ever tried to give up smoking?Most smokers have. It is even more difficult to avoid relapse - after days, weeks or even years - and the long-term results of many stop smoking programmes are disappointing. But this week-long programme can help you stop smoking for good.Professor David F Marks uses techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which has been proven to be effective by teaching you how to 're-program' your mind to not want to smoke. You will no longer have to rely on willpower alone to give up smoking. By becoming aware of your smoking triggers and dealing with the thoughts and behaviours that lead you to smoke automatically, over the course of a week you will gradually find your cravings disappear altogether.You will learn:· Exercises and strategies to help you regain control from your smoking automatic pilot· Advice on relaxation and stress reduction· How to avoid future relapses· Why alternative approaches such nicotine replacement therapy or e-cigarettes are less effective· Tips on healthy eating and exercise to manage weightStop Smoking Now will help you not only give up your habit, but help you to remain a non-smoker for life.Overcoming self-help guides use clinically proven techniques to treat long-standing and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical. Many guides in the Overcoming series are recommended under the Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme. Series Editor: Professor Peter Cooper

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'Meticulous and unsettling... a terrifyingly dark, twisty thriller, skilfully plotted and stylishly written' Irish Times THE PERFECT LIFEDoctor Luke Forde has the perfect life. A respected heart surgeon, he has a rewarding job, a successful wife, and a daughter, Nina. From their beautiful house overlooking Carberry Lough in County Clare, they present a portrait of family bliss. But over the course of a weekend, Luke's life spirals into chaos. A GUILTY SECRET It begins with the word 'GUILTY' painted on his boathouse one morning. Then he spots a chilling notice in the local newspaper. When this is followed by the delivery of a small coffin-shaped package, Luke is terrified. Someone knows the dark secret he is hiding. And someone is out to get him.SOMEBODY WANTS REVENGELuke begins to be plagued by horrifying anonymous messages, and it transpires that it's not only Luke the sender is intending to harm. With strange things happening in the operating theatre, Alison's political ambitions straining their marriage, and Nina's behaviour sparking all sorts of trouble, Luke turns to therapist Terence Black. Is the therapist the only one that can save Luke and his family from the horrendous secrets of the past?A twisty and compelling psychological suspense novel set in Ireland, from ebook-bestselling author Siobhan MacDonald. Perfect for fans of Dervla McTiernan and Andrea Carter.Praise for Siobhan MacDonald:'Dark and twisted' Alex Marwood, Edgar Award winning author of The Wicked Girls'A classy and cleverly plotted psychological thriller that grips from page one . . . delivering an absolute zinger of a twist' Irish Independent'An unsettling, suspenseful tale of heartbreak and revenge. I flew through it' Andrea Carter, author of the Inishowen mysteries 'Gripping, surprising, and terrifically rewarding' Chris Pavone, New York Times bestselling author of The Expats'Evocative and richly detailed' Kimberley McCreight, author of the New York Times bestseller Reconstructing Amelia and Where They Found Her'Explosive . . . studded with dark revelations' Kirkus Reviews'Skillfully wrought' Booklist'Masterly control of mood and scene' Chicago Tribune

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'Gripping and grisly, with plenty of twists and turns that race along with black humour.' Craig RobertsonSt. Andrews, Scotland: When a man's preserved body is discovered in a whisky ageing cask in the local Gleneden Distillery, DCI Andy Gilchrist and his partner, DS Jessie Janes, are assigned to the investigation. But when the dead man is identified as Hector Dunmore, the once heir-apparent of Gleneden Distillery, their investigation takes a dramatic turn, for Dunmore was reported missing 25 years earlier when his Land Rover was found abandoned on the outskirts of Mallaig, almost two hundred miles away on the Scottish west coast.Why hide a body in a 25-year ageing cask? And who would want Dunmore dead?Suspicion falls on Duncan Milne, the distillery manager at the time, but when Gilchrist learns that Milne died under suspicious circumstances the year Dunmore disappeared, he suspects they are looking at a double murderer. Gilchrist's efforts to resolve the murders forces him to dig deep into the Dunmore family's past, only to come up against a frightening killer who will stop at nothing to keep the darkest of family secrets from ever coming to light.PRAISE FOR T.F. MUIR:'Rebus did it for Edinburgh. Laidlaw did it for Glasgow. Gilchrist might just be the bloke to put St Andrews on the crime fiction map.' Daily Record'A truly gripping read, with all the makings of a classic series.' Mick Herron'DCI Gilchrist gets under your skin. Though, determined, and a bit vulnerable, this character will stay with you long after the last page.' Anna Smith'Gripping!' Peterborough Telegraph

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Naples, 1913. Sun-baked, blue-skied, and with its amazing bay, one of the most beautiful spots in Italy - but also, one of the most backward. Into that world is sent a minor British consular official, Scampion, banished from Florence because he has allowed himself to be caught up in the mad social whirl surrounding D'Annunzio, the famous Italian poet, Nationalist and revolutionary.Scampion brings with him from Florence the new craze that is sweeping Italy: bicycling. And one day as he walks home after a road race that he has been organising, he is stabbed to death.Nothing extraordinary about that in Naples - it happens all the time - but his wallet was not taken, a fact that is remarkable. Could Scampion's murder have something to do with the racing? Bicycling may seem like a harmless pursuit but in Italy passions run high and Neopolitans, too, are great gamblers; they gamble on anything, including bicycle races. And where there is gambling, in Naples there is usually the Camorra, the powerful Neopolitan secret society.But then the Foreign Office receives a tip off that the murder may be more complicated. It might be linked to high politics in Rome. And that's when Seymour, the foreigner from the F.O., is sent south to investigate . . .Praise for Michael Pearce's A Dead Man in . . . series'The steady pace, atmospheric design, and detailed description re-create a complicated city. A recommended historical series' Library Journal'Sheer fun' The Times'His sympathetic portrayal of an unfamiliar culture, impeccable historical detail and entertaining dialogue make enjoyable reading' Sunday Telegraph

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Winter Parva, a traditional Cotswolds village next door to Carsely, has decided to throw a celebratory hog roast to mark the beginning of the winter holiday festivities and Agatha Raisin has arrived with friend and rival in the sleuthing business, Toni, to enjoy the merriment. But, as the spit pig is carried towards the bed of fiery charcoal, Agatha - and the rest of the village - realise that things aren't as they seem...Very quickly it transpires that the spit pig is in fact Gary Beech, a policeman not much loved in Winter Parva. And although Agatha has every intention of leaving the affair to the police, she rapidly changes her mind when she finds out Gary's ex-wife has hired Toni to investigate. Cantankerous and competitive as Agatha is, she has to now join the fray and try and solve the case herself! Praise for M C Beaton's Agatha Raisin series:'I know I once vowed to read only Agatha Christie for a year but I cheated. My No. 1 mistress, M.C. Beaton and her Agatha Raisin whodunits. Agatha is like Miss Marple with a drinking problem, a pack a day habit and major man lust. In fact, I think she may be living my dream life' Entertainment Weekly.'Once again M. C. Beaton has concocted an amusing brew of mystery and romance that will keep her fans turning the pages' Publisher's Weekly.'Pure entertainment' The Guardian.

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Agatha Raisin's neighbouring village of Ancombe is usually the epitome of quiet rural charm, but the arrival of a new mineral-water company - which intends to tap into the village spring - sends tempers flaring and divides the parish council into two stubborn camps. When Agatha, who just happens to be handling the PR for the water company, finds the council chairman murdered at the basin of the spring, tongues start wagging. Could one of the council members have polished off the chairman before he could cast the deciding vote? Poor Agatha, still nursing a bruised heart from one of her unsuccessful romantic encounters, must get cracking, investigate the councillors and solve the crime. Praise for the Agatha Raisin series: 'M. C. Beaton's imperfect heroine is an absolute gem.' Publishers Weekly 'The detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status.' The Times 'Being a cranky, middle-aged female myself, I found Agatha charming!' Amazon customer review 'Agatha Raisin is sharp, witty, hugely intelligent, unfailingly entertaining, delightfully intolerant and oh so magnificently non PC. M C Beaton has created a new national treasure...the stories zing along and are irresistible, unputdownable, a joy. If you buy one book a year, let it be this. Agatha Raisin is The Strongest Link.' Anne Robinson

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Having been shot in the shoulder in the line of duty, Dutch police detective Lotte Meerman returns to work after four months of painful recovery - yet not all her colleagues are happy to see her. But department politics take a backseat when Lotte is called to investigate a worker's fall from the roof on a building site in the centre of Amsterdam. Frank Stapel's tragic accident becomes suspicious when Tessa, his widow, discovers human bones in her husband's left-luggage locker at Amsterdam Central. To Lotte, this changes the course of her investigation from fatal accident to potential murder.When forensics discover the skeleton dates back to the Second World War, the rest of the team are convinced that Lotte is wasting everybody's time by insisting this somehow ties in with the Frank's death, but then it is discovered that some of the bones are less than a decade old . . . and although vindicated for pursuing the cold case, Lotte finds that the investigation takes a dark and sinister turn, linking an old war crime to events in the much more recent past.Praise for Anja de Jager'. . . a novel brilliantly evoking the isolation of a woman with an unbearable weight on her conscience'Sunday Times'The book succeeds as a portrait of both a city and, in its heroine, a delightfully dysfunctional personality'Sunday Express

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For anyone whose work / life balance has slipped or is in tatters, this book will show how a little planning will enable them to get their life back.

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Dieselpunk: an emerging retro-futuristic sub-genre, similar to steampunk, based on the era between the First World War and the start of the Atomic Age, merging elements of noir, pulp, and the past with today’s technology . . . and sometimes a dash of the occult. Award-winning editor Wallace presents a cutting-edge collection of twenty-five vibrant stories that explore the possibilities of history while sweeping readers into high-powered hydrocarbon-fuelled adventures. Join us in an era when engines were huge, fuel was cheap and plentiful, and steel and chrome blended with the grit and grease of modern machines.Praise for The Mammoth Book of Steampunk:'World Fantasy Award-winning editor Wallace has compiled an outstanding anthology . . . sure to satisfy even the most jaded steampunk fans and engage newcomers and skeptics. Each story exemplifies steampunk’s knack for critiquing both the past and the present, in a superb anthology that demands rereading.' Publishers Weekly

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Angel Crawford is finally starting to get used to life as a brain-eating zombie, but her problems are far from over. Her felony record is coming back to haunt her, more zombie hunters are popping up, and she’s beginning to wonder if her hunky cop-boyfriend is involved with the zombie mafia. Yeah, that’s right—the zombie mafia.Throw in a secret lab and a lot of conspiracy, and Angel’s going to need all of her brainpower—and maybe a brain smoothie as well—in order to get through it without falling apart.

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In Please Take Me Home, Clare Campbell takes us on a journey with the nation's rescue cats, from being treated as pests throughout history to being the pet of choice today.For a long time, stray cats in Britain were seen as a nuisance and hunted down as vermin. Having invited this wild, independent creature into our homes, humans did not extend their welcome for long. Over time, thousands of cats were subsequently abandoned and left to live on the margins of survival.There were, however, the kind few who sought to help. But these good spirited people were often scorned, even derided as 'mad'. A Princess of Wales was even told to stop helping lost cats in order to avoid a royal scandal; the story was kept a secret of state for years. It would take over a century for strays to become the beloved rescue cats of today, with some now gaining celebrity status, such as Downing Street's Larry or Street Cat Bob.Please Take Me Home is a fascinating and insightful history through the ages of the struggle for cats to exist in domesticity alongside mankind.

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In Bonzo's War, Clare Campbell told the fascinating story of what it was like for Britain's pets when the world was at war. This time, she follows the incredible journey of the dogs who conscripted to fight for their country, with some even returning with medals for their bravery. During the most dangerous days of the Second World War, the British government set out to recruit an army of canines - a 'Guard Dog Unit'. This experimental team of brave hounds would later use their incredible sense of smell to sniff out the anti-personnel mines that barred the way to reclaiming Europe. Dog owners countrywide shed tears as they bid farewell to their beloved 'Brian', 'Rex', or 'Molly' and packed them off to the War Dogs Training School to learn the skills they'd need to 'do their bit for Britain' on the very frontiers of the Third Reich. The soldiers waiting out in the field to greet their canine counterparts were under strict instructions: do not get too attached to your new four-legged companion. That bit proved disastrously impossible.Based on original documents, first-hand accounts and interviews, Dogs of Courage tells a story of human determination, heartbreak and uncompromising canine courage that has never been told before.

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This superb annual anthology of the year’s most outstanding short crime fiction published in the UK is now well into its second decade. Jakubowski has succeeded, once again, in unearthing the best short crime stories of English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish authors (along with a handful of US writers living in the UK, and some expatriate Brits). With this collection he showcases the impressive breadth of British crime writing, from cosy tales of detection to noir mayhem and psychological suspense and terror. There are puzzles to solve, nagging questions about the nature of British society, but, above all, there are over 40 wonderful, gripping stories to shock, delight and make you think twice, if not three times. Full list of contributors: Lee Child; Kevin Wignall; Will Carver; Paul Charles; Val McDermid; Paul Johnston; Alison Bruce; Tim Willocks; Maxim Jakubowski; Rhys Hughes; Edward Marston; N. J. Cooper; Michael Z. Lewin; Peter Guttridge; Mary Hoffman; Peter Tremayne; Kate Rhodes; Paul D. Brazill; Ros Asquith; Amy Myers; Alexander McCall Smith; Nina Allan; Peter Turnbull; Jay Stringer; Martin Edwards; Zoë Sharp; Col Bury; David Stuart Davies; Howard Linskey; Susan Everett; Christopher Fowler; Dreda Say Mitchell; Roger Busby; Simon Kernick; Peter Lovesey; David Hewson; Gerard Brennan; Jane Casey; Christopher J. Simmons; Stephen Gallagher; John Lawton.

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A gripping debut psychological novel you won't want to put down.'Assured and clever' The SunFirst he kills.A psychologist is found brutally murdered, an addict jumps to his death and a student is found dead. These are the facts. And they are all that DIs Wheeler and Ross have.He waits.As Wheeler and Ross weave through the layers of Glasgow's underbelly they find a subculture where truth and lies are interchangeable commodities and violence is the favoured currency.He watches.The killer stays one step ahead of them as Wheeler uncovers a web of deceit in which her own nephew is entangled.He leaves his legacy...And as the case draws to a close, Wheeler has to confront her own integrity and face the dilemma: is justice always served by the truth?Praise for Anne Randall'Brilliant' The Sun'For fans of Stuart MacBride, this is a delight to read. Anne Randall is a welcome addition to the Scottish crime scene. Glasgow is in very dangerous hands' Crimesquad'As assured and clever a novel of "tartan noir" as you could hope to find' Daily Mail

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In this special collectors' edition, books ten to twelve are brought together in one fabulous volume. In ASTERIX THE LEGIONARY, Obelix is in love - but the lovely Panacea is engaged to Tragicomix, a conscript in the Roman army. Asterix and Obelix must join up to resue him.In ASTERIX AND THE CHIEFTAIN'S SHIELD, Caesar plans to hold a triumph using the shield of his defeated enemy, Vercingetorix, but the shielf is missing! Romans and Gauls race to track it down.The athletes of the ancient world assemble in ASTERIX AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES. Asterix and the Gauls enter the games, but magic potion is banned! Can our friends win without it?There is no better way to enjoy the antics of our indomitable hero and his friends.

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A collection of 12 new stories - all linked by the theme of Asterix's anniversary celebration.

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