Search results for ""oberon""

Southern Cunning is a journey through the folklore of the American South and a look at the power these stories hold for modern witches. Through the lens of folklore, animism, and bioregionalism the book shows how to bring rituals in folklore into the modern day and presents a uniquely American approach to witchcraft born out of the land and practical application.

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Discover the thrill of working with hot metal and creating your own pieces. This book shows you how: with lavish photographs, it captures the excitement of working at the fire and explains the techniques to get you started. Drawing on traditional methods, it encourages you to develop your own style and to design your own tools and creations. Step-by-step instructions to shaping, bending, splitting and drawing down hot metal are given along with advice on traditional methods to fasten metal pieces together. Projects included in this new book are making a hanging basket bracket and a toasting fork.

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In the year 1960, private eye John Nyquist arrives in Delirium, a city of a million borders, to pursue his strangest case yet: tracking down Oberon, the stolen, sentient image of faded film star Vince Craven. As Nyquist tracks Oberon through a series of ever-stranger and more surreal borders, he hears tantalising stories of the Yeald, a First Wall hidden at Delirium's heart. But to get the help he needs to find it, he'll have to journey into the fractured minds of the city's residents, and even into his own... File Under: Science Fantasy [ Go Fourth | All Mad Here | Uneasy Dreams | Borderline ]

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Newly acquired by Biblioasis from Oberon Press, and edited by John Metcalf, this expanded edition of the Best Canadian Stories will build on the 46-year history of the anthology and will feature 15 of the best short stories from across Canada that 2016 had to offer.

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Amber is the one real world, casting infinite reflections of itself - Shadow worlds, that can be manipulated by those of royal Amberite blood. But the royal family is torn apart by jealousies and suspicion; the disappearance of the Patriarch Oberon has intensified the internal conflict by leaving the throne apparently up for grabs.In a hospital on the Shadow Earth, a young man is recovering from a freak car accident; amnesia has robbed him of all his memory, even the fact that he is Corwin, Crown Prince of Amber, rightful heir to the throne - and he is in deadly peril . . . The five books, Nine Princes in Amber, The Guns of Avalon, Sign of the Unicorn, The Hand of Oberon and The Courts of Chaos, together make up The Chronicles of Amber, Roger Zelazny's finest work of fantasy and an undisputed classic of the genre.

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The wind gathers, rising up suddenly. Two men on a fragile boat, a trip to sea – a few drinks, a bite to eat – when one of them decides to push on to the open ocean. Suddenly there they are: among the distant islands, the threatening fog and gathering swell of the sea, bound together on an odyssey into the unknown. Jon Fosse’s work includes novels, poetry, essays and books for children. He is one of the most produced playwrights in Europe and his plays have been translated into forty languages. Oberon Books publishes Nightsongs and The Girl on the Sofa, and his other plays in the following collections: Plays One, Plays Two, Plays Three, Plays Four and Plays Five. Plays Six is forthcoming in 2012. Oberon Books also publishes The Luminous Darkness: The Theatre of Jon Fosse by Leif Zern (translated by Ann Henning-Jocelyn).

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Radiant Circles is an examination of both Ecospirituality and the Church of all Worlds, a specific NeoPagan organisation inspired by a science fiction novel and founded by Oberon Zell, a practicing Wizard. The book ranges widely in its historical, cultural and theological exploration of the Church and discusses its role and place as both as a unique Neo-Pagan and futurist New Religious Movement.

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Build your child’s reading confidence at home with books at the right level One Midsummer Night, Demetrius, Lysander, Helena and Hermia ran into the moonlit wood where Oberon, the king of the fairies, was busy weaving magic and enchantment. Pearl/Band 18 books offer fluent readers a complex, substantial text with challenging themes to facilitate sustained comprehension, bridging the gap between a reading programme and longer chapter books. Text type: Curriculum links:

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Commemorating 75 years since the Empress of Crime’s first book, the sixth volume in a set of omnibus editions presenting the complete run of 32 Inspector Alleyn mysteries. OPENING NIGHTDreams of stardom lured Martyn Tarne from faraway New Zealand to a soul-destroying round of West End agents and managers in search of work. Now, driven by sheer necessity, she accepts the humble job of dresser to the Vulcan Theatre's leading lady. But the eagerly awaited opening night brings a strange turn of the wheel of fortune - and sudden unforeseen death… SPINSTERS IN JEOPARDYHigh in the mountains stands an historic Saracen fortress, home of the mysterious Mr Oberon, leader of a coven of witches. Roderick Alleyn, on holiday with his family, suspects that a huge drugs ring operates from within the castle. When someone else stumbles upon the secret, Mr Oberon decides his strange rituals require a human sacrifice… SCALES OF JUSTICEThe inhabitants of Swevenings are stirred only by a fierce competition to catch a monster trout known to dwell in their beautiful stream. Then one of their small community is found brutally murdered; beside him is the freshly killed trout. Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn's murder investigation seems to be much more interested in the fish…

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The Defenders of the LandAs Britain struggles under a burgeoning fascist government, Prime Minister Derek Drake plays the man of the people, while simultaneously purging the country of “undesirables.”When bike courier and subversive graffiti artist Ajia Snell runs into trouble with the authorities, she finds herself recruited by living incarnations of Britain’s ancient legends, from Oberon, King of the Faeries to Robin Hood.As Drake tightens his grip on the country’s soul, only Ajia and her new allies can stop him…

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This is the entire, unabridged play brought to life as a vivid and engaging full-color graphic novel.With its mix of real people who stumble into a fairy kingdom (with its own problems!) it is little wonder that this play is one of the best loved and most performed of all Shakespeare's masterpieces - and a firm favorite for outdoor theater on a warm summer's evening.Designed to encourage readers to enjoy classical literature, titles in the Classical Comics range stay true to the original vision of the authors.To support the use of this title in the classroom, photocopiable teachers resources are available that offer lesson plans and activities from 6th grade and up: ISBN 978-1-907127-75-5Synopsis:Hermia is in love with Lysander but her father forbids them to marry, insisting that she marries Demetrius instead, whom Hermia’s friend Helena loves. Hermia and Lysander escape to the woods, pursued by Demetrius and Helena. However there is trouble in the woods because the king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania, have quarrelled. To spite Titania, Oberon instructs the mischievous Puck to squeeze the juice of a magic flower into her eyes while she sleeps, so that she falls in love with the first thing she sees when she wakes. He also instructs Puck to apply the same magic to Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena. However, Puck gets it all wrong...

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A compelling story of hidden secrets and forbidden love, from the bestselling author of The Secrets of the Tides'If she could reach back through the years and warn the person she once was, what would she say? ... What would she say to the ghosts who now inhabit her days? So many of those she has loved are now nothing but dust and memory.'At twenty-six, Lillian feels trapped by life. Her marriage to Charles Oberon has not turned out the way she expected it would. To her it seems she is just another object captured within the walls of Cloudesley, her husband's beautiful manor house tucked away high in the Chiltern Hills. But, with a young step-son and a sister to care for, Lillian accepts there is no way out for her. Then Charles makes an arrangement with an enigmatic artist visiting their home and his presence will unbalance everything she thought she knew and understood. Maggie Oberon ran from the hurt and resentment she caused. Half a world away, in Australia, it was easier to forget, to pretend she didn't care. But when her elderly grandmother, Lillian, falls ill she must head back to Cloudesley. Forced to face her past, Maggie fights to hold herself and her family's legacy together as she learns that all she thought was real, all that she held so close, was never as it seemed. Two summers, decades apart.Two women whose lives are forever entwined. And a house that holds the dark secrets that could free them both.

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En los inicios de su carrera como dramaturgo, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) compuso su obra más alegre y desenfadada, Sueño de una noche de verano (1594). Mitología, costumbrismo cómico, bromas, equívocos, humor y poesía conviven dentro de ella en una zarabanda mágica ambientada en la noche pagana de San Juan, en la que todo es posible, si bien al final, frente al caos, se imponen el orden y la armonía. Esta alocada fantasía de amor está, como no puede ser de otra manera, teñida de elementos inconscientes y oníricos, y de entre la galería de personajes que la pueblan, Oberón y el duendecillo Puck han alcanzado fortuna en la memoria de los hombres.

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Everyone's favourite little dancer, Ella Bella Ballerina, steps out of fairytales and into the world of Shakespeare as she goes on a magical adventure in Fairyland, with Puck, King Oberon and Queen Titania. Who will the queen fall in love with when under the king's spell? And what will become of the hapless actor Bottom, transformed into a donkey?Beautifully illustrated and perfectly pitched for a young audience and all would-be prima ballerinas, and a wonderful very first introduction to the stories of the ballet and Shakespeare. From James Mayhew, the creator of the Katie series of books - featuring the hugely engaging Katie and making art an adventure for every child.

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As if finding out that you're no ordinary schoolgirl but a fairy princess wasn't enough, now Tamisin has been stolen away by fairies! In this delightful sequel to Fairy Wings, the fairy princess Tamisin has been kidnapped from her home in the human world by Oberon, king of the fairies, who thinks he's her father. When Tamisin's boyfriend, Jak, finds out, he sets off to rescue her. In this funny and heart-warming chase through the land of fairies, goblins, sphinxes, unicorns and many more, Tamisin and Jak must look for each other, and find their way back to the human world.

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This is the full Shakespeare play adapted into simplified plain English (aimed at a 10 year-old reading age), and brought to life as a vivid and engaging full-color graphic novel.With its mix of real people who stumble into a fairy kingdom (with its own problems!) it is little wonder that this play is one of the best loved and most performed of all Shakespeare's masterpieces - and a firm favorite for outdoor theater on a warm summer's evening.Designed to encourage readers to enjoy classical literature, titles in the Classical Comics range stay true to the original vision of the authors.To support the use of this title in the classroom, photocopiable teachers resources are available that offer lesson plans and activities from 6th grade and up: ISBN 978-1-907127-75-5Synopsis:Hermia is in love with Lysander but her father forbids them to marry, insisting that she marries Demetrius instead, whom Hermia’s friend Helena loves. Hermia and Lysander escape to the woods, pursued by Demetrius and Helena. However there is trouble in the woods because the king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania, have quarrelled. To spite Titania, Oberon instructs the mischievous Puck to squeeze the juice of a magic flower into her eyes while she sleeps, so that she falls in love with the first thing she sees when she wakes. He also instructs Puck to apply the same magic to Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena. However, Puck gets it all wrong...

Read more less

This is the entire, unabridged play brought to life as a vivid and engaging full-color graphic novel.With its mix of real people who stumble into a fairy kingdom (with its own problems!) it is little wonder that this play is one of the best loved and most performed of all Shakespeare's masterpieces - and a firm favorite for outdoor theater on a warm summer's evening.Designed to encourage readers to enjoy classical literature, titles in the Classical Comics range stay true to the original vision of the authors.To support the use of this title in the classroom, photocopiable teachers resources are available that offer lesson plans and activities from 6th grade and up: ISBN 978-1-907127-75-5Synopsis:Hermia is in love with Lysander but her father forbids them to marry, insisting that she marries Demetrius instead, whom Hermia’s friend Helena loves. Hermia and Lysander escape to the woods, pursued by Demetrius and Helena. However there is trouble in the woods because the king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania, have quarrelled. To spite Titania, Oberon instructs the mischievous Puck to squeeze the juice of a magic flower into her eyes while she sleeps, so that she falls in love with the first thing she sees when she wakes. He also instructs Puck to apply the same magic to Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena. However, Puck gets it all wrong...

Read more less

This is the full Shakespeare play adapted into plain English, and brought to life as a vivid and engaging full-color graphic novel.With its mix of real people who stumble into a fairy kingdom (with its own problems!) it is little wonder that this play is one of the best loved and most performed of all Shakespeare's masterpieces - and a firm favorite for outdoor theater on a warm summer's evening.Designed to encourage readers to enjoy classical literature, titles in the Classical Comics range stay true to the original vision of the authors.To support the use of this title in the classroom, photocopiable teachers resources are available that offer lesson plans and activities from 6th grade and up: ISBN 978-1-907127-75-5Synopsis:Hermia is in love with Lysander but her father forbids them to marry, insisting that she marries Demetrius instead, whom Hermia’s friend Helena loves. Hermia and Lysander escape to the woods, pursued by Demetrius and Helena. However there is trouble in the woods because the king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania, have quarrelled. To spite Titania, Oberon instructs the mischievous Puck to squeeze the juice of a magic flower into her eyes while she sleeps, so that she falls in love with the first thing she sees when she wakes. He also instructs Puck to apply the same magic to Demetrius so that he will fall in love with Helena. However, Puck gets it all wrong...

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Its lyricism, comedy (both broad and subtle) and magical transformations have long made A Midsummer Night’s Dream one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s works. The supernatural and the mundane, the illusory and the substantial, are all shimmeringly blended. Love is treated as tragic, poignant, absurd and farcical. ‘Lord, what fools these mortals be!’, jeers Robin Goodfellow; but the joke may be on him and on his master Oberon when Bottom the weaver, his head transformed into that of an ass, is embraced by the voluptuously amorous Titania. Recent stage-productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream have emphasised the enchanting, spectacular, ambiguous and erotically joyous aspects of this magical drama which culminates in a multiple celebration of marriage.

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Discovered in the stacks of the Bodleian Library at Oxford, this authentic work of 17th-century English magic has been meticulously transcribed and translated by Daniel Harms and illustrated by James R. Clark, the team that created the bestselling Book of Oberon (9780738743349). With a comprehensive introduction, annotations, and more than 100 figures and illustrations, this beautifully reconstructed historical work is filled with never-before published rituals for calling forth demons, fairies, elementals, and other spiritual beings. This elegantly bound book provides new insights into a fascinating tradition, where a sorcerer or cunning-man was paid to perform magic for uncovering theft, healing, combating witchcraft, hunting for treasure, or for having a spirit fulfil one s commands. As an additional feature, this deluxe edition retains the red type found in the original manuscript to emphasise key words.

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A graphic novel, story-based approach to learning all about our solar system through the fun adventures of the Space Station Academy students and their teacher, Dr Bott.Join the Space Station Academy students on their expedition to Uranus where they'll test their strength, lifting rocks on moon Oberon, parachute off an icy cliff edge on moon Miranda, learn what makes the planet blue and catch a whiff of the gassy atmosphere.The Space Station Academy series presents each planet and celestial object in our solar system through fun adventure stories. Gain key science learning about each planet and our solar system alongside bright illustrations, a humorous narrative and interactive activities at the back of the book. This is guaranteed to keep young minds entertained and engaged while they explore outer space.Aimed at readers aged 7+ and book banded for children reading at level 10: White band.

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This classic comedy about love by Shakespeare comes with notes, character and plot studies and exam themes. Ideal for use in schools or home study, this edition includes the full text of the play and a full introduction that explores the many different aspects of the play. The play combines four different stories in which love plays a major role - from the mature love story of Theseus and Hippolyta, who are to be married; the story of the four lovers , Lysander and Hermia, Demetrius and Helena, and their hectic journey from fickle passion to true love. The fickle love theme is also presented in the story of Oberon, King of the Fairies and Titania, Queen of the Fairies, to the comedy of Bottom and his clowns and their play 'Pyramus and Thisbe'.

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Jake's father disappears while working on mysterious experiments with the obsessive, reclusive Oberon Venn. Jake is convinced Venn has murdered him. But the truth he finds at the snow-bound Wintercombe Abbey is far stranger ... The experiments concerned a black mirror, which is a portal to both the past and the future. Venn is not alone in wanting to use its powers. Strangers begin gathering in and around Venn's estate: Sarah - a runaway, who appears out of nowhere and is clearly not what she says, Maskelyne - who claims the mirror was stolen from him in some past century. There are others, a product of the mirror's power to twist time. And a tribe of elemental beings surround this isolated estate, fey, cold, untrustworthy, and filled with hate for humans. But of them all, Jake is hell-bent on using the mirror to get to the truth. Whatever the cost, he must learn what really happened to his father.

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With a foreword by Becky Albertalli, author of Imogen, Obviously and Love, SimonThe course of true love never did run smooth'Hermia loves Lysander. But she must marry Demetrius or be condemned to life in a convent. Together, Hermia and Lysander plan to elope to escape their fate. But Helena, Hermia's best friend, secretly loves Demetrius and, hoping to win his heart, tells him about the plan. Deep in the forest, the four unlucky lovers cross paths with Oberon, the jilted fairy king. When a powerful, love-inducing flower is put to nefarious use, a case of multiple mistaken identities sets in motion a night of magic and mayhem that could change all of their lives forever. A Midsummer Night''s Dream is Shakespeare's magical romantic comedy of trickery, love triangles and mistaken identities.Discover STAGED, a limited collection of Shakespeare's unabridged plays celebrating the genius of the Bard and th

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New York Times Bestseller!Shakespeare meets Dashiell Hammett in this wildly entertaining murder mystery from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore—an uproarious, hardboiled take on the Bard’s most performed play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring Pocket, the hero of Fool and The Serpent of Venice, along with his sidekick, Drool, and pet monkey, Jeff.Set adrift by his pirate crew, Pocket of Dog Snogging—last seen in The Serpent of Venice—washes up on the sun-bleached shores of Greece, where he hopes to dazzle the Duke with his comedic brilliance and become his trusted fool.But the island is in turmoil. Egeus, the Duke’s minister, is furious that his daughter Hermia is determined to marry Demetrius, instead of Lysander, the man he has chosen for her. The Duke decrees that if, by the time of the wedding, Hermia still refuses to marry Lysander, she shall be executed . . . or consigned to a nunnery. Pocket, being Pocket, cannot help but point out that this decree is complete bollocks, and that the Duke is an egregious weasel for having even suggested it. Irritated by the fool’s impudence, the Duke orders his death. With the Duke’s guards in pursuit, Pocket makes a daring escape.He soon stumbles into the wooded realm of the fairy king Oberon, who, as luck would have it, IS short a fool. His jester Robin Goodfellow—the mischievous sprite better known as Puck—was found dead. Murdered. Oberon makes Pocket an offer he can’t refuse: he will make Pocket his fool and have his death sentence lifted if Pocket finds out who killed Robin Goodfellow. But as anyone who is even vaguely aware of the Bard’s most performed play ever will know, nearly every character has a motive for wanting the mischievous sprite dead.With too many suspects and too little time, Pocket must work his own kind of magic to find the truth, save his neck, and ensure that all ends well. A rollicking tale of love, magic, madness, and murder, Shakespeare for Squirrels is a Midsummer Night’s noir—a wicked and brilliantly funny good time conjured by the singular imagination of Christopher Moore.

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An illustrated adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play – at an easy-to-read level for readers of all ages! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular comedies by Shakespeare. Just as confusing, and equally as entertaining, the play revolves around Hermia and her best friend, Helena. Hermia runs away into the woods with her lover, Lysander. Demetrius, the man of her father’s choice, then follows them. Helen, being in love with him, follows Demetrius. In the woods however, they come across Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies, where much confusion is created when Puck, one of the fairies, causes havoc with a love potion. About Sweet Cherry Easy Classics: Sweet Cherry Easy Classics adapts classic literature into illustrated stories for children, introducing these timeless tales to a new generation. (All titles in the series are leveled for classroom use, including GRLs.)

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The Classic Graphic Novel Collection is a revolutionary new series of graphic novels which re-tells classic literature for learners of English. Graded at the intermediate level, the fresh blend of accessible storytelling and captivating artwork ensures that students will want to return to these stories time and again. Shakespeare's best-loved play, A Midsummer Night's Dream endures as an obvious choice for outdoor theatre on a warm summer evening. The marriage of Theseus to Hippolyta serves as a backdrop to tangled loves, amateur dramatics, and an argument between the Fairy Queen and King, Titania and Oberon, with events spilling over from their Fairy Kingdom into the real world of Athens. A Midsummer Night's Dream has comical appeal and has been performed all over the world. Now, this enchanting comedy is brought to life through dramatic narrative and vivid imagery.

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It seems a long way from Moliere to Ray Cooney. There are immense distances between the worlds of Aristophanes, Plautus, Georges Feydeau, Ben Travers, Joe Orton and Basil Fawlty. But as one of the oldest genres in the history of the theatre, farce bridges the gaps by generating gales of helpless belly laughter across the generations. Inspired by John Mortimer’s observation that farce is 'tragedy played at a thousand revolutions a minute', theatre critic Roger Foss embarks on a lightning tour of the rib-tickling world of confused characters, absurd situations, ruined reputations, sexual innuendo and bravura comic acting and finds out if farce really is a force to be reckoned with in the 21st century. The latest addition to the Oberon Masters series, May The Farce Be With You celebrates the great creators and performers of farce, notably master farceur Ray Cooney, who celebrates his 80th birthday in 2012, in essays that will inform and entertain both the aficionado and anyone with a sense of humour.

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Adapted and illustrated to introduce children and students to the works of Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular comedies of the legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. The play revolves around Hermia and her best friend, Helena. Hermia runs away into the woods with her lover, Lysander, and Demetrius, the man of her father’s choice, follows them. Helena follows Demetrius, as she is in love with him and wishes she could win his love. In the woods, they come across Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies. Much confusion is created when Puck, one of the fairies, uses love drops on Lysander and Demetrius, which makes both of them fall in love with Helena. Includes a QR code for the FREE audiobook! The easy-to-read narrative and comic-style illustrations are a great way to introduce children and students to the story before approaching the original texts.

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What fools these mortals be!?—Puck, Act III, Scene 2, 115Join Bottom the Weaver, Oberon and Titania, and the confused lovers in a series of events so outrageous it must be a dream! Filled with interactive wheels and pull-tabs, and lavishly illustrated, Lit for Little Hands: A Midsummer Night's Dream is an unprecedented, fun, entertaining, and stunning kid's introduction to William Shakespeare's beloved classic comedy. Unlike many board books that tackle the classics for kids, Lit for Little Hands tells the actual story in simple, child-friendly prose—here with engaging present-tense narrative to mimic the immediacy of a play. Gorgeous illustrations transport the reader from Athens to the enchanted woods, while tons of interactive elements invite kids to find the magical flower and switch Bottom's human head for a donkey's! Fans of the play will be delighted by the book's attention to detail and clever use of original dialogue. And the book's super-sturdy board means everyone can enjoy this outrageous tale over . . . and over . . . and over again!

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A graphic novel, story-based approach to learning all about our solar system through the fun adventures of the Space Station Academy students and their teacher, Dr Bott.Join the Space Station Academy students on their expedition to Uranus where they'll test their strength, lifting rocks on moon Oberon, parachute off an icy cliff edge on moon Miranda, learn what makes the planet blue and catch a whiff of the gassy atmosphere.The Space Station Academy series presents each planet and celestial object in our solar system through fun adventure stories. Gain key science learning about each planet and our solar system alongside bright illustrations, a humorous narrative and interactive activities at the back of the book. This is guaranteed to keep young minds entertained and engaged while they explore outer space.Aimed at readers aged 7+ and book banded for children reading at level 10: White band.Collect the full set of hardbacks to reveal an image of the solar system across the book spines.

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Now back in print... This groundbreaking handbook (first published in 2015 by Oberon and now needed more than ever in the face of multiple unfolding crises) is a resource for artists, community activists and anyone wishing to harness their creativity to make change in the world. Playing for Time explores the pivotal role artists play in re-thinking the future; re-inventing and re-imagining our world at a time of systemic change and uncertainty. Playing for Time identifies collaborative arts practices emerging in response to planetary challenges, reclaiming a traditional role for artists in the community as truth-tellers and agents of change. Fifty experienced artists and activists give voice to a new narrative – shifting society’s rules and values away from consumerism and commodity towards community and collaboration with imagination, humour, ingenuity, empathy and skill. Inspired by the grass-roots Transition movement, modelling change in communities worldwide, Playing for Time joins the dots between key drivers of change – in energy, finance, climate change, food and community resilience – and ‘recipes for action’ for readers to take and try.

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Edited, Introduced and Annotated by Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of English, University of Sussex. The Wordsworth Classics’ Shakespeare Series, with Romeo and Juliet, Henry V and The Merchant of Venice as its inaugural volumes, presents a newly-edited sequence of William Shakespeare’s works. The textual editing takes account of recent scholarship while giving the material a careful reappraisal. Its lyricism, comedy (both broad and subtle) and magical transformations have long made A Midsummer Night’s Dream one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s works. The supernatural and the mundane, the illusory and the substantial, are all shimmeringly blended. Love is treated as tragic, poignant, absurd and farcical. ‘Lord, what fools these mortals be!’, jeers Robin Goodfellow; but the joke may be on him and on his master Oberon when Bottom the weaver, his head transformed into that of an ass, is embraced by the voluptuously amorous Titania. Recent stage-productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream have emphasised the enchanting, spectacular, ambiguous and erotically joyous aspects of this magical drama which culminates in a multiple celebration of marriage.

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A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream is William Shakespeare’s fourth comedy and is ranked amongst his best and most complex comedies. The metadramatic features and the centrality of labouring class characters makes this comedy different from his others. It was written in 1596.The Play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a romantic comedy, is a dramatic text that draws attention to the very fine balance between tragedy and comedy, order and chaos, reality and illusion, romance and violence and tyranny and rebellion. The action of the play takes place over two days and four interwoven plots: the wedding of Hippolyta, the Amazonian queen and Theseus, Duke of Athens; the discord in the Athenian forest due to Titania and Oberon, the Fairy Queen and King respectively; the inconstant love of young Athenians Hermia, Helena, Demetrius and Lysander; and the practice and performance of the play-within-the-play by Quice and company. The book comes along with A comprehensive introduction to the play Fully annotated and complete text Act-wise plot-summary Critical Essays

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It is unusual for styles in opera to carry over from one era into another. It would be even more unusual for one era's characteristics to linger two generations into the next. Yet this is precisely what happened during the first half of the nineteenth century, when the intricacies of the fleet bel canto style were combined with the Romantic era's heroic declamation and formidable orchestral emphasis resulting in the creation of the assoluta voice.This work traces the emergence of the impressive vocal writing that resulted from the marriage of the bel canto and Romantic eras. It also covers the uniquely versatile divas who were given the opportunities to make their mark on opera from the time of Cherubini to that of a young Verdi. Here, both the wide-ranging vocalism in the scores themselves and the artists capable of performing this style are referred to as assoluta. The chapters consider Luigi Cherubini's ""Medee"", Gioacchino Rossini's ""Armida"", Carl Maria von Weber's ""Oberon"", Gaetano Donizetti's ""Anna Bolena"", Vincenzo Bellini's ""Norma"", Donizetti's ""Gemma di Vergy"" and ""Roberto Devereux"", the time of transition in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and Giuseppe Verdi's ""Nabucco"" and ""Macbeth"".

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Three classic radio productions from the BBC archives starring Nigel Hawthorne, Miriam Margolyes, Geraldine McEwan and a host of celebrated acting talent.These three legendary plays, performed by some of the best-known theatrical actors of the 20th Century, are the perfect way to commemorate England's greatestdramatist. The Taming of the Shrew: The controversial comedy about the battle of the sexes and a very unconventional marriage, starring Fenella Fielding as Katherine, with Miriam Margolyes as Bianca and Paul Daneman as Petruchio. A Midsummer Night's Dream: One of Shakespeare'sbest-loved plays, this tale of warring fairies, eloping lovers and the magic and madness of love has bewitched audiences since its very first performance. Starring Nigel Hawthorne as Oberon with Maureen O'Brien as Titania. Twelfth Night: Mistaken identity and a tangled love triangle lead to confusion and, ultimately, happiness in this comic masterpiece. Starring Dorothy Tutin as Viola, with Geraldine McEwan as Olivia and Stephen Murray as Malvolio. Recorded at BBC Broadcasting House and featuring the BBC Drama Repertory company, with specially composed music including a score from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, this is classic radio drama at its finest.Duration: 7 hours approx.

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Raqib Shaw is one of the most extraordinary and sought-after artists working in the world today. Born in Calcutta in 1974 and raised in Kashmir, he came to London to study in 1998 and has lived there ever since. Inspired by a broad range of influences, including the old masters, Indian miniatures, Persian carpets and the Pre-Raphaelites, his paintings are infused with memories and longing for his homeland in Kashmir. His technique constitutes a completely unique kind of enamel painting. Spending months on preparatory drawings, tracings and photographic studies, he then transfers the composition onto prepared wooden panels, establishing an intricate design with acrylic liner, which leaves a slightly raised line. He adds the enamel paint using needle-fine syringes and a porcupine quill, with which he manoeuvres the paint. The finished works are intricate, magical and breathtaking in their colour and complexity. This book accompanies an exhibition of eight paintings by Raqib Shaw at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, alongside two paintings which have long obsessed him and have influenced specific works: Sir Joseph Noel Paton's The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania, 1849 (National Gallery of Scotland) and Lucas Cranach's An Allegory of Melancholy, 1528 (private collection). The book includes the first full-length biographical study of the artist.

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Although little known, cannabis and other psychoactive plants held a prominent and important role in the Occult arts of Alchemy and Magic, as well as being used in ritual initiations of certain secret societies. Find out about the important role cannabis played in helping to develop modern medicines through alchemical works. Cannabis played a pivotal role in spagyric alchemy, and appears in the works of alchemists such as Zosimos, Avicenna, Llull, Paracelsus, Cardano and Rabelais. Cannabis also played a pivotal role in medieval and renaissance magic and recipes with instructions for its use appear in a number of influential and important grimoires such as the Picatrix, Sepher Raxiel: Liber Salomonis, and The Book of Oberon. Could cannabis be the Holy Grail? With detailed historical references, the author explores the allegations the Templars were influenced by the hashish ingesting Assassins of medieval Islam, and that myths of the Grail are derived from the Persian traditions around the sacred beverage known as haoma, which was a preparation of cannabis,opium and other drugs. Many of the works discussed, have never been translated into English, or published in centuries. The unparalleled research in this volume makes it a potential perennial classic on the subjects of both medieval and renaissance history of cannabis, as well as the role of plants in the magical and occult traditions.

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Redesigned and reissued in 2017 to celebrate the 'Burgess Centenary' - 100 years of Anthony Burgess. Revolutionary Sonnets and Other Poems captures the full range and achievement of Anthony Burgess's poetry and verse. It is as daring, original and inventive as the name suggests. The work explores themes of violence and love, pretensions and emotion, sex and war and is both sobering, and hysterically funny. The author of major novels, essays and reviews, the lecturer whose dazzling take on T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land changed our reading of the poem, is - like Eliot himself - a prosodic genius and a musical aficionado. Here are extracts from Burgess's translations of the librettos of Carmen, Oberon and others; of verse dramas including Cyrano de Bergerac, Oedipus the King, Chatsky; and his original musicals Trotsky's in New York!, Mozart and the Wolf Gang and A Clockwork Orange: A Play with Music among others. Here too are his wonderful translations of the Roman dialect poet Giuseppe Belli, extracts from his verse epic Moses, the complete poems of F. X. Enderby, occasional poems for Vladimir Nabokov and Ogden Nash...And we encounter the poems of young John Burgess Wilson, from the Manchester student journal The Serpent. Add to this the autobiographical poem 'The Sword', his New York Times verses about the Apollo II moon landing, a verse fragment from his abandoned novel It is the Miller's Daughter - his fans and new readers will be left with a sense of the scale, wit and accomplishment of one of the great creative originals of the twentieth century.

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***OVER A MILLION COPIES OF THE IRON DRUID BOOKS SOLD***'American Gods meets Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden' SFF WorldAfter twelve years of secret training, Atticus O'Sullivan is finally ready to bind his apprentice, Granuaile, to the earth and double the number of Druids in the world. But on the eve of the ritual, the world that thought he was dead abruptly discovers that he's still alive, and they would much rather he return to the grave.Having no other choice, Atticus, his trusted Irish wolfhound, Oberon, and Granuaile travel to the base of Mount Olympus, where the Roman god Bacchus is anxious to take his sworn revenge - but he'll have to get in line behind an ancient vampire, a band of dark elves, and an old god of mischief, who all seem to have KILL THE DRUID at the top of their to-do lists.Praise for the Iron Druid Chronicles:'Atticus and his crew are a breath of fresh air! . . . I love, love, love this series' My Bookish Ways'Entertaining, steeped in a ton of mythology, populated by awesome characters' Civilian Reader'This is one series no fantasy fan should miss. Mystery, suspense, magic and mayhem' SciFiChickThe Iron Druid ChroniclesHounded Hexed HammeredTrickedTrappedHuntedShatteredStakedScourgedBesieged (short stories)HAVE YOU TRIED . . .Kevin Hearne's epic fantasy novel A PLAGUE OF GIANTS - described by Delilah S. Dawson as 'a rare masterpiece that's both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who'll break your heart'. Out now!

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***OVER A MILLION COPIES OF THE IRON DRUID BOOKS SOLD***'American Gods meets Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden' SFF WorldFor a two-thousand-year-old Druid, Atticus O'Sullivan is a pretty fast runner. Good thing, because he's being chased by not one but two goddesses of the hunt - Artemis and Diana - for messing with one of their own. Dodging their slings and arrows, Atticus, his apprentice Granuaile and his wolfhound Oberon are making a mad dash across modern-day Europe to seek help from a friend of the Tuatha Dé Danann. His usual magical option of shifting planes is blocked, so instead of playing hide and seek, the game plan is . . . run like hell.Crashing the pantheon marathon is the Norse god Loki. Killing Atticus is the only loose end he needs to tie up before unleashing Ragnarok - AKA the Apocalypse. Atticus and Granuaile have to outfox the Olympians and contain the god of mischief if they want to go on living - and still have a world to live in.Praise for the Iron Druid Chronicles:'Atticus and his crew are a breath of fresh air! . . . I love, love, love this series' My Bookish Ways'Entertaining, steeped in a ton of mythology, populated by awesome characters' Civilian Reader'This is one series no fantasy fan should miss. Mystery, suspense, magic and mayhem' SciFiChickThe Iron Druid ChroniclesHounded Hexed HammeredTrickedTrappedHuntedShatteredStakedScourgedBesieged (short stories)HAVE YOU TRIED . . . Kevin Hearne's epic fantasy novel A PLAGUE OF GIANTS - described by Delilah S. Dawson as 'a rare masterpiece that's both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who'll break your heart'. Out now!

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A comprehensive examination of the intertwined mythology, folklore, and literary history of the little people Most people are familiar with the popular image of elves as Santa’s helpers and dwarfs as little bearded men wearing red caps, who are mischievous and playful, helpful and sly, industrious and dexterous. But their roots go far deeper than their appearance in fairy tales and popular stories. Elves and dwarfs are survivors of a much older belief system that predates Christianity and was widespread throughout Western Europe. Sharing his extensive analysis of Germanic and Norse legends, as well as Roman, Celtic, and medieval literature, Claude Lecouteux explores the ancient, intertwined history of dwarfs and elves. He reveals how both were once peoples who lived in wild regions as keepers of the secrets of nature. They were able to change their size at will and had superhuman strength and healing powers. They were excellent smiths, crafting swords that nothing could dull as well as magical jewelry, and often entered into the service of lords or heroes. They were a part of the everyday life of our ancestors before they were transformed by fairy tales and church texts into the mythical creatures we know today. Lecouteux shows how, in earlier folklore, elves and dwarfs were interchangeable, gradually evolving over time to express very different kinds of beings. Revealing the true roots of these helpful and powerful beings, including an in-depth exploration of one of the most famous dwarf/elf/fairy beings of the Middle Ages, Auberon or Oberon, also known as Alberich, Lecouteux shows how the magic of dwarfs and elves can be rekindled if we recognize their signs and invite them back into our world.

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