Search results for ""author wort"
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Friends of Harry Perkins
CONTAINS TWO NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED SHORT STORIES: 'The Lord Cardinal' and 'The Man Who Shot the President' 'Harry Perkins was buried on the day that America declared war on China.' The definitive post-Brexit novel, and long-awaited sequel to the bestselling A Very British Coup. 'Brexit Britain was a gloomy place. True, the Armageddon that some had prophesied had not occurred, but neither had economic miracle promised by the Brexiteers. Instead there had been a long, slow decline into insularity and irrelevance. The value of the pound had fallen steadily against the Euro, the dollar and the Yuan. The much vaunted increase in trade with the Commonwealth had not materialised. The Americans, too, were proving particularly obstreperous. Even now after a nearly decade of negotiations no significant agreements had been reached. At the UN there was talk of relieving the UK of its seat on the Security Council.' In post-Brexit Britain, the country's international standing is the lowest it's ever been, and social tensions have reached boiling point. Fred Thompson - former aide to the left-wing prime minister, Harry Perkins - is determined to put things right. As he climbs the political ranks, though, Thompson learns that principles must be compromised and dangerous bargains struck if he is to attain the only office high enough to truly make a difference. At once a gripping political thriller and a chilling prognostication of where we may be headed, this taut, insightful and engrossing novel is essential reading for our troubled times. 'Brilliant, chilling and all too plausible.' Alastair Campbell 'Terrific...measured, heart-stopping, moving, clear-eyed'. Stephen Frears ‘A very knowledgeable and pleasurable political thriller.’ Mark Lawson, The Guardian ‘Faced with the horrors of Brexit and a Conservative government overrun by dubious right-wingers .. . the beleaguered one-nation wing of the Tory party and even the tabloid press appear suddenly as a force for good. One of the tantalising questions is whether they are really out to help . . .’ Robert Shrimsley, Financial Times ‘Brexit has been a catastrophic failure . . . Trying to undo it means confronting all the pent up frustration that led to Brexit in the first place. This produces the deepest irony of all and the one that gives the novel its peculiar bite . . .’ David Runciman, London Review of Books ‘A book that seeks your X in the ballot box.’ The Spectator ‘The friends of Chris Mullin – and they are legion at Westminster – have been eagerly awaiting this book and they will not be disappointed. A brilliant, topical sequel to A Very British Coup.’ Andrew Adonis, The House ‘Briskly placed . . . spartan . . . and most affecting.’ Irish Times ‘Excellent . . . a worthy sequel to a true classic of political fiction.’ Matthew d’Ancona ‘Mullin has the knack of pithy description, adding touches of colour and wit.’ Glasgow Herald
£8.99
WW Norton & Co Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
Moneyball is a quest for the secret of success in baseball. Following the low-budget Oakland Athletics, their larger-than-life general manger, Billy Beane, and the strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts, Michael Lewis has written not only "the single most influential baseball book ever" (Rob Neyer, Slate) but also what "may be the best book ever written on business" (Weekly Standard). I wrote this book because I fell in love with a story. The story concerned a small group of undervalued professional baseball players and executives, many of whom had been rejected as unfit for the big leagues, who had turned themselves into one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball. But the idea for the book came well before I had good reason to write it—before I had a story to fall in love with. It began, really, with an innocent question: how did one of the poorest teams in baseball, the Oakland Athletics, win so many games? With these words Michael Lewis launches us into the funniest, smartest, and most contrarian book since, well, since Liar's Poker. Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the front offices of major league teams, and the dugouts, perhaps even in the minds of the players themselves. Lewis mines all these possibilities—his intimate and original portraits of big league ballplayers are alone worth the price of admission—but the real jackpot is a cache of numbers—numbers!—collected over the years by a strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts: software engineers, statisticians, Wall Street analysts, lawyers and physics professors. What these geek numbers show—no, prove—is that the traditional yardsticks of success for players and teams are fatally flawed. Even the box score misleads us by ignoring the crucial importance of the humble base-on-balls. This information has been around for years, and nobody inside Major League Baseball paid it any mind. And then came Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland Athletics. Billy paid attention to those numbers —with the second lowest payroll in baseball at his disposal he had to—and this book records his astonishing experiment in finding and fielding a team that nobody else wanted. Moneyball is a roller coaster ride: before the 2002 season opens, Oakland must relinquish its three most prominent (and expensive) players, is written off by just about everyone, and then comes roaring back to challenge the American League record for consecutive wins. In a narrative full of fabulous characters and brilliant excursions into the unexpected, Michael Lewis shows us how and why the new baseball knowledge works. He also sets up a sly and hilarious morality tale: Big Money, like Goliath, is always supposed to win... how can we not cheer for David?
£23.99
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Red Lipstick: An Ode to a Beauty Icon
A unique, full-color compendium that celebrates and explores the enduring power and allure of the world’s most iconic lip shade, jam-packed with entertaining stories, anecdotes, little-known facts, quotes, and more than 100 gorgeous images culled from fine art, photography, and beauty and fashion editorial and advertising.“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.” — Elizabeth TaylorLipstick is the one makeup item most women can’t live without—and the most iconic shade is red. Exuding power, sensuality, allure, and mystery, red lips have been a constant of fashion for more than 5,000 years, beginning with Mesopotamian women around 3500 B.C. Throughout the ages, red lipstick has been a signature look worn by royalty, celebrities, and real women across cultures and geography. In fact, nearly all women own a tube of red lipstick, whether it’s the favorite shade they’ve been wearing devotedly for years, or as beauty boost they use for special occasions.Filled with a show-stopping selection of images and distinctively packaged—the size of a clutch, with a jacket printed with a matte, velvet, red finish—Red Lipstick is the only cultural history of this makeup essential available. Granted unprecedented access to experts and the archives of revered brands like Chanel and Elizabeth Arden, beauty writer Rachel Felder explores the origins and allure of red lipstick and illuminates its association with aristocracy, sex appeal, illicit sexuality, rebellion, power, glamour, fame, and beauty. She also spotlights the fascinating array of women who have worn it through the ages, including monarchs, suffragettes, flappers, working women in World War II, first ladies, political leaders, geishas, Hollywood sirens, rock and rollers, fashionistas, and more. Inside this enthralling book, you’ll discover why red lipstick makes women more attractive to others (and the science behind it); tips on choosing the most perfect shade of crimson; and a wealth of anecdotes, quotations, select literary excerpts, and trivia, such as the shade Carolyn Bessette Kennedy wore on her wedding day. Red Lipstick is packed with a museum’s worth of fine art, including both Man Ray’s photograph “Red Badge of Courage” and infamous painting “Les Amoreaux;” lush, rarely seen vintage magazine advertisements from stalwart brands like Guerlain and Dior; illustrations by renowned fashion illustrators such as René Gruau, Daisy Villeneuve, and Bil Donovan; artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edgar Degas, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Wayne Thiebaud, and Walt Kuhn; and images of famous red lipstick wearers including Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth II, Coco Chanel, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Madonna, Diana Vreeland, Rihanna, Paloma Picasso, and many others. With its captivating, chic design, beautiful selection of visuals, and engaging, entertaining text, Red Lipstick is a classic, like the perfect red lip shade itself.
£17.09
Christian Focus Publications Ltd First Steps Box Set: 10 book set
AN INTERACTIVE GUIDE AND INTRODUCTION TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE – WARTS AND ALL! The First Steps series provides an innovative and engaging guide to the Christian Life for people who are just starting out on it, perhaps with no Church background or previous information whatsoever. Possibly excited and nervous at the same time. Each of the ten titles uses everyday language to clearly explain some of the key areas people need to grasp, but commonly struggle with. A unique feature is that you are introduced to a person in each book, who we see trying this out in real life situations. You can almost imagine being there with them. These ten titles can be followed step–by–step as a path, or in the order that seems most relevant to where you are right now. God – Is He Out There? War – Why Did Life Just Get Harder? Voices – Who Am I Listening To? Bible – Can We Trust It? Believe – What Should I Know? Character – How Do I Change? Training – How Do I Grow As A Christian? Church – Do I Have To Go? Relationships – How Do I Make Things Right? Service – How Do I Give Back? Each book will grab your attention using six symbols that run throughout each one. A person experiencing what’s in the book, before you have to. Illustrations that really bring it to life. Stop signs to ensure you’ve grasped it. Key Bible verses to give you confidence in what you’ve read. One significant and relevant Bible verse to easily remember and hold onto. A brief summary of what you’ve just covered, before going any further. Let’s jump in and take a look at what’s instore for us. GOD – IS HE OUT THERE? Probably the best title to start with as we need to be sure that God exists in the first place, discover who He is and what He’s like, and how this affects me, my life and my world. WAR – WHY DID LIFE JUST GET HARDER? As with anything that is new, we may come up against unexpected problems that risk throwing us off course. Being aware of this is key, and also knowing that anything this amazing is worth fighting for, combined with the surprising news is we’re not left to do this on our own! VOICES – WHO AM I LISTENING TO? We’re bombarded with messages demanding our attention and it can be difficult to know who to listen to, or what is the best decision to make. God is well aware of this and has provided loads of clarity. BIBLE – CAN WE TRUST IT? The Bible may have all the answers we’re looking for, but if we don’t trust it, we’re not going to believe it. How can we be sure it’s true and trustworthy? BELIEVE – WHAT SHOULD I KNOW? Nobody understands the whole Bible right away – so what are some of the key truths we need to grasp, to get started? CHARACTER – HOW DO I CHANGE? None of us wants to be a hypocrite, so how can my character match who I say I am? TRAINING – HOW DO I GROW AS A CHRISTIAN? This looks at the wonderful opportunities we get, to grow and mature as a Christian, at just the right time and pace. CHURCH – DO I HAVE TO GO? Here comes a trick issue! Love it or dread it, it is home for the Christian on this planet. Let’s blow away some myths and false expectations, so we can really feel at home there. RELATIONSHIPS – HOW DO I MAKE THINGS RIGHT? How do we deal, as different people now, with all the various relationships we have? How can we heal broken ones, protect all the ones that are good, and accept that some will always be difficult? SERVICE – HOW DO I GIVE BACK? We’re told its good to give back, but what does that actually mean and how do we do it? Especially when we have to serve people we have a problem with. SUITABLE FOR: People Exploring For Themselves One–To–One Mentoring Small Group Discussions Training Courses
£40.49
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The 24 Hour Dating Agency: An absolutely feel-good and wonderfully heartwarming read!
Tinder, Hinge, Bumble – thirtysomething journalist Saffie has tried them all. Now she's wondering whether it's time to throw in the towel and give up on love for good – and she's not alone... Saffie's boss Tamara has been single since her divorce four years ago, but at forty-five, running her own magazine and with three kids at home, she doesn't feel she has the time, energy or confidence to go through the dating mill again. Meanwhile, Saffie's best friend Milo has just been dumped – again. A hopeless romantic with terrible taste in men, this is his fourth break-up in six months. There must be a secret to finding Mr Right, surely – but what? Step forward The 24-hour Dating Agency, a matchmaking service with a difference. Instead of wasting months on casual dates, they promise to send you on an intense twenty-four-hour date with your perfect match – like speed-dating but in reverse. And even better, the agency offers a soulmate guarantee: meet The One or your money back. Figuring they have nothing to lose, the three friends sign up. But when their matches turn out to be not what they were expecting, it seems like even the soulmate guarantee can't find them what they're looking for. Or can it? Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Kristen Bailey and Beth O'Leary. Readers love The 24 Hour Dating Agency! 'RUN to go read this book!!!! It was so stinkin cute, I loved every minute of reading it!!!!' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review 'Lovely, light, funny story with a very feel good ending and just a touch of magic making it a perfect summer read. I loved it' Goodreads Reviewer, 5* Review 'Couldn't put it down... Read the whole book in 2 days... Definitely worth a read and so well written' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review 'Loved this one! Enjoyable from start to finish... Compelling and addictive characters and I found it such an easy read' NetGalley Reviewe, 5* Review 'Loved this book! The characters, the pacing, the storyline... All of it. A perfect beach read and I highly recommend it' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review 'Light and fun with quirky characters and a cute premise... I highly recommend the adventures of this trio of underdogs' Goodreads Reviewer, 5* Review 'Fantastic book. I love the humour in Mary's books and her quirky, fun characters... A brilliant summer read for sure' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review 'Wonderful, heart-warming story that made me smile' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review 'Perfect summer beach read!!!! Add to your summer reading list, you won't be disappointed' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review 'Another absolute winner from Baker... A lovely book... I enjoyed it very much!' NetGalley Reviewer, 5* Review
£9.99
Ohio University Press Race, Revolution, and the Struggle for Human Rights in Zanzibar: The Memoirs of Ali Sultan Issa and Seif Sharif Hamad
Zanzibar has had the most turbulent postcolonial history of any part of the United Republic of Tanzania, yet few sources explain the reasons why. The current political impasse in the islands is a contest over the question of whether to revere and sustain the Zanzibari Revolution of 1964, in which thousands of islanders, mostly Arab, lost their lives. It is also about whether Zanzibar’s union with the Tanzanian mainland—cemented only a few months after the revolution—should be strengthened, reformed, or dissolved. Defenders of the revolution claim it was necessary to right a century of wrongs. They speak the language of African nationalism and aspire to unify the majority of Zanzibaris through the politics of race. Their opponents instead deplore the violence of the revolution, espouse the language of human rights, and claim the revolution reversed a century of social and economic development. They reject the politics of race, regarding Islam as a more worthy basis for cultural and political unity. From a series of personal interviews conducted over several years, Thomas Burgess has produced two highly readable first-person narratives in which two nationalists in Africa describe their conflicts, achievements, failures, and tragedies. Their life stories represent two opposing arguments, for and against the revolution. Ali Sultan Issa traveled widely in the 1950s and helped introduce socialism into the islands. As a minister in the first revolutionary government he became one of Zanzibar’s most controversial figures, responsible for some of the government’s most radical policies. After years of imprisonment, he reemerged in the 1990s as one of Zanzibar’s most successful hotel entrepreneurs. Seif Sharif Hamad came of age during the revolution and became disenchanted with its broken promises and excesses. In the 1980s he emerged as a reformist minister, seeking to roll back socialism and authoritarian rule. After his imprisonment he has ever since served as a leading figure in what has become Tanzania’s largest opposition party As Burgess demonstrates in his introduction, both memoirs trace Zanzibar’s postindependence trajectory and reveal how Zanzibaris continue to dispute their revolutionary heritage and remain divided over issues of memory, identity, and whether to remain a part of Tanzania. The memoirs explain how conflicts in the islands have become issues of national importance in Tanzania, testing that state’s commitment to democratic pluralism. They engage our most basic assumptions about social justice and human rights and shed light on a host of themes key to understanding Zanzibari history that are also of universal relevance, including the legacies of slavery and colonialism and the origins of racial violence, poverty, and underdevelopment. They also show how a cosmopolitan island society negotiates cultural influences from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
£25.19
Headline Publishing Group Crazy Stupid Bromance: The Bromance Book Club returns with an unforgettable friends-to-lovers rom-com!
The Bromance Book Club was one of Bustle's '21 Rom-Coms To Give You Warm And Fuzzy Feelings All Season Long'!If you love Ali Hazelwood, Sally Thorne and Helen Hoang, you'll LOVE Lyssa Kay Adams!Readers say ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐! 'If you're looking for a feel-good contemporary romance then look no further''This is becoming my favourite romance series. This third instalment maybe the best one yet' 'I cannot even begin to explain how much I love this series! It was sweet and clever and entertaining and had a lovely mix of comedy and seriousness that kept me reading well into the night. Brilliant!!' 'Crazy Stupid Bromance has all the magic I loved about the original . . . A cute, wholesome romance with excellent family dynamics and a realistic show of overcoming one's demons to become a better person' .........................................................................Has the Bromance Book Club met its greatest challenge? Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef's sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they're sisters and to make a life-altering request. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts - her best friend, Noah Logan. Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a security expert, using his old skills only for the right cause. But Noah has a secret: he's madly in love with Alexis and has never found the right moment to confess his crush. Now that Alexis needs him more than ever, luckily The Bromance Book Club are on hand with their trusty 'manuals' to guide this romance-novel-sceptic out of the friend zone and into taking a shot at the best relationship he's ever had............................................................................Raves for The Bromance Book Club:'A you're-gonna-burn-dinner book because you will not want to put it down. Laugh out loud with tons of heart, this is an absolutely adorable must read' AVERY FLYNN'A delight! . . . I raced to finish this book, but still never wanted it to end!' ALEXA MARTIN'A delightful, fast-paced read with the perfect mix of laugh-out-loud and swoony moments - every town should have a Bromance Book Club' EVIE DUNMORE'It is the reading aloud in this story that ultimately wins my heart, and shows that everything worth knowing can be learned from romance' KC DYERDon't miss any of the charming and swoonworthy Bromance Book Club reads!The Bromance Book ClubUndercover BromanceCrazy Stupid BromanceIsn't It Bromantic?A Very Merry Bromance
£9.99
Headline Publishing Group The Bromance Book Club: The utterly charming rom-com that readers are raving about!
Amazon Book Review's No. 1 Best Romance of 2019 and one of Bustle's '21 Rom-Coms To Give You Warm And Fuzzy Feelings All Season Long'!If you love Ali Hazelwood, Sally Thorne and Helen Hoang, you'll LOVE Lyssa Kay Adams!Readers can't stop raving about The Bromance Book Club! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Romantic comedy at its finest''Completely lived up to the hype''The perfect blend of funny, wacky moments and also sexy and angsty moments''I didn't expect to read a new favourite but The Bromance Book Club has gone and done it!''I would recommend this to anyone who wants to escape into a book for a few hours and come out with a smile''This book made me feel warm and fuzzy. It was like being hugged, but in a sexy way - what more could you want?''I loved the emotional range it took me through, from laugh-out-loud moments to real tear-jerking scenes'.........................................................................The first rule of book club: You don't talk about book club.Gavin Scott's marriage is trouble. The Nashville Legends baseball star has recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. His reaction to the revelation is the final straw for their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he's let his pride and fear get the better of him. Welcome to the Bromance Book Club. Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency called Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his beloved wife..........................................................................Raves for The Bromance Book Club:'A you're-gonna-burn-dinner book because you will not want to put it down. Laugh out loud with tons of heart, this is an absolutely adorable must read' AVERY FLYNN'A delight! . . . I raced to finish this book, but still never wanted it to end!' ALEXA MARTIN'A delightful, fast-paced read with the perfect mix of laugh-out-loud and swoony moments - every town should have a Bromance Book Club' EVIE DUNMORE'It is the reading aloud in this story that ultimately wins my heart, and shows that everything worth knowing can be learned from romance' KC DYERDon't miss any of the charming and swoonworthy Bromance Book Club reads! The Bromance Book ClubUndercover BromanceCrazy Stupid Bromance Isn't It Bromantic? A Very Merry Bromance
£9.99
Haus Publishing Afonso Costa: Portugal
Portugal's poor military performance in the First World War, notably in Africa, restricted Afonso Costa's (1871-1937) ability to secure his diplomatic aims which, in any case, were highly unrealistic. Nevertheless, his loyal press in Portugal described him as the leader of the small nations', and reported his every statement as a major triumph. Afonso Costa's most important intervention took place in May 1919, when he denounced the Allies' unwillingness to make Germany pay for all the damage she had caused during the conflict; this speech led to a number of newspaper interviews in which Costa restated his position. It is clear that the interventionists needed a favourable Treaty in order to demonstrate to the country that its sacrifices had been worthwhile. The final draft of the Treaty was thus a complete shock to Portuguese public opinion, and came as a major defeat to the interventionists, who saw all their hopes for tangible gain evaporate. It effectively spelt the end of Costa's political career, although this was not yet clear. This biography of Afonso Costa considers the political implications of Portugal's participation in the First World War and of the defeat' in Paris. Reconciliation between the rival parties and between factions within parties became impossible, as did, as a result, the formation of a stable cabinet. With governments following each other in quick succession, it became increasingly difficult to carry out any of the reforms Portugal needed, and the Republic lost much of the support that remained. Nationalist opinion abandoned the regime and turned to the authoritarian models that had been pioneered by Sidonio Pais, and were now spreading throughout Europe. Politically neutral for decades, the army now intervened in politics, overthrowing the government after a failed coup in April 1925 in May 1926. The need for order in politics and on the street was paramount in the minds of the officers who plotted the downfall of the regime. This military dictatorship gave way, in the early 1930s, to Salazar's New State, and the volume concludes with a quick overview of this regime's domestic and foreign policy. Salazar, like Afonso Costa a Coimbra academic, announced Portugal's neutrality when Germany invaded Poland, in 1939, and his wartime diplomacy would be the reverse of Afonso Costa's, some twenty years earlier.
£12.99
Reardon Publishing The Hertfordshire Way: A Walker's Guide
The 195 mile trail covers a large part of this beautiful, populous and rich county, incidentally one of the smallest counties in England, only 634 square miles. It is a county of rich contrasts. In the north-east there are wide open panoramas over low hills and farm lands as seen in the area around Barkway. Standing on Therfield Heath you can look down on to the flat plains of Cambridgeshire. Then in the south west there are the steep wooded escarpments of the Chilterns. The route visits ancient market towns, the Cathedral City of St Albans and countless picture postcard villages nestling in an intimate landscape of farmland and woods. In 1801 Hertfordshire had a population of about 100,000; now it is well over one million. It has never been a heavily industrialised area but it has seen its own industrial changes from malting and brewing, plaiting of straw for hats, paper making, industries associated with wool such as fulling (cleaning the woven cloth) and silk mills. Today technical industries and service industries dominate the industrial scene. A good introduction to the county, and how it developed from pre-history can be found in "The Hertfordshire Landscape" by Munby (1977) and "Hertfordshire, a Landscape History" by Rowe and Williamson (2013). People have settled the area since prehistoric times. Along the very ancient Icknield Way there is evidence of many waves of people. On Therfield Heath (see Leg 1) there is a long barrow of the Neolithic Age (2500 BC) and round barrows of the Bronze Age (1000 BC). There is evidence of the Beaker People in Hertfordshire. The hill forts of the Iron Age settlers gave way at the height of their power to the might of the Roman invasion. Many Roman roads go through Hertfordshire, e.g. Ermine Street and Watling Street, and our walk crosses the remains of the Roman town of Verulamium (St Albans). In the Dark Ages Hertfordshire was part of the shifting boundary between the English settlers (Angles & Saxons) and the later invaders, the Vikings. It was a long and turbulent time before the country became united. A good novel, which covers this period, is the "Conscience of the King" by Alfred Duggan. In the Medieval period the great abbeys were founded and one can still be seen in St Albans (see Legs 4 & 5). Many fine Medieval churches can be seen on this walk and short detours will be worth your while to seek out some of these (unfortunately due to the presence of valuable historic items most country churches are now locked on weekdays). During the 16th to 18th centuries many country estates were established in Hertfordshire e.g. Hatfield House, Knebworth House and Ashridge House. Some of the houses have not survived but our walk will take you through parkland, which reminds the walker of those estates. Walkers passing through Ayot St Lawrence will be going through such parkland and Ashridge still has its great house. It was first a monastery, then a great house, now a management college. The growth of London and the coming of industry saw some rapid development in the county in the 19th and 20th centuries. An example of this development was the Ovaltine factory at Kings Langley with the model farm to feed its need for eggs and milk. The factory and farms are all now sadly gone (see Legs 7 & 8). No major rivers flow through the county, however it is still famous for the large number of chalk streams and their associated wildlife (the River Lee or Lea, a tributary of the Thames has its source just north of Luton, flows though the county and is navigable up to Hertford). The Grand Union Canal passes through our county on its way north west (see Leg 7). The railways opened up Hertfordshire for industry and settlement and such towns as Hemel Hempstead and Watford grew from several hundred people to 80,000 plus. Many of the great road routes, which fan out from London (such as the A1, A5, A6, A10 and M1) pass through our county. Finally we saw the first garden cities (Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City) and the new town of Stevenage. The great orbital road, the M25, cuts its way through the county (see Legs 7 to 9) not forgetting the electricity pylons, supplying our thirst for power. Many famous people are associated with Hertfordshire. Samuel Pepys was a regular visitor who once when staying in Baldock noticed that the landlady was very pretty but "I durst not take notice of her, her husband being there". Queen Elizabeth I, then a princess, was a virtual prisoner at Hatfield House when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary was on the throne. King James I had a palace at Royston (the start of our walk) from where he hunted on the lands of north Hertfordshire. The so called Rye House Plot to kill King Charles II was hatched on its borders. Izaac Walton of "Compleat Angler" fame knew the River Lea well. The earliest Christian martyr, St Alban, was executed in Roman times at the site of the city bearing his name. Francis Bacon lived at Gorhambury (an estate near St Albans through which our walk passes). He is buried in the church of St Michael nearby. George Bernard Shaw made his home in Ayot St Lawrence; his home is now a National Trust property and is close to our route. George Orwell, Barbara Cartland, Charles Lamb and W. E. Johns lived in the county. In spite of the development, most of your walking will be on rural pathways through fields, villages and woods where you can enjoy the peace and forget the might and noise of industry that remind you of the century we live in -- Good walking
£12.36
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Human Values and Biodiversity Conservation: The Survival of Wild Species
This pioneering book explores the influence of human values on the willingness of individuals to pay for the conservation of individual wildlife species (and classes of these), to be for or against their survival, and to favor or oppose their harvesting.Clement Tisdell combines original theories, survey results and experimental findings to assess the economic benefit of conserving particular wild species and to suggest strategies for a sustainable future. With a detailed analysis of 25 species, covering the three classes (mammals, birds and reptiles), this book examines how variations in knowledge and social factors can influence individuals' evaluation of species. Moreover, economics and ecology are combined to propose sound policies for wildlife management and to provide estimates of the net economic benefit of conserving particular species.The first work to provide such extensive analysis of human values and conservation, this book is an essential resource for economists, ecologists and all those interested in wildlife management, environment and nature conservation.Contents: PART I: BACKGROUND 1. Human values and the conservation of wild species: an overview 2. Basic theory: the economic value of wild species, their conservation and use PART II: VALUES AND SUPPORT FOR THE CONSERVATION OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES AS WELL AS SUSTAINABLE USE STRATEGIES 3. Changed values and increased support for wildlife conservation as a result of ecotourism: a sea turtle study 4. The economic worth of conserving the Asian elephant 5. Australia's curious tree-kangaroos: important influences (particularly knowledge) on support for their conservation 6. The social net economic benefit of conserving an endangered marsupial glider: economic and ecological considerations 7. Support for conserving the likeable koala versus that for a critically endangered species of wombat 8. The hawksbill turtle its conservation and use: public values, attitudes and policies 9. Saltwater crocodiles: human values, conservation and sustainable use PART III: VALUES AND SUPPORT FOR THE CONSERVATION OF MULTIPLE SPECIES AS WELL AS SUSTAINABLE USE STRATEGIES 10. Public support for conserving reptile species: stated values for different species and comparative support for their conservation 11. Influences of knowledge on wildlife valuation and support for conserving species 12. The relative importance of likeability and endangerment for payments to conserve species 13. The similarity principle and public support for the survival of wildlife species 14. The comparative probability of species of mammals, birds and reptiles being selected for survival when only a limited number of species can be chosen 15. Public support for sustainable wildlife harvesting and biodiversity conservation: a case study 16. Public attitudes to wildlife use by Indigenous Australians: conservation issues, marketing and the economic viability of aboriginal wildlife enterprises Index
£122.00
Workman Publishing Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou
Winner, James Beard Award for Best Book in U.S. FoodwaysWinner, IACP Book of the YearWinner, IACP Best American CookbookAn NPR Best Book of the Year A Saveur, Washington Post, and Garden & Gun Best Cookbook of the Year A Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Eater, Epicurious, and The Splendid Table Best New CookbookA Forbes Best New Cookbook for Travelers: Holiday Gift Guide 2021Long-Listed for The Art of Eating Prize for Best Food Book of 2021“Sometimes you find a restaurant cookbook that pulls you out of your cooking rut without frustrating you with miles long ingredient lists and tricky techniques. Mosquito Supper Club is one such book. . . . In a quarantine pinch, boxed broth, frozen shrimp, rice, beans, and spices will go far when cooking from this book.” —Epicurious, The 10 Restaurant Cookbooks to Buy Now “Martin shares the history, traditions, and customs surrounding Cajun cuisine and offers a tantalizing slew of classic dishes.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review For anyone who loves Cajun food or is interested in American cooking or wants to discover a distinct and engaging new female voice—or just wants to make the very best duck gumbo, shrimp jambalaya, she-crab soup, crawfish étouffée, smothered chicken, fried okra, oyster bisque, and sweet potato pie—comes Mosquito Supper Club. Named after her restaurant in New Orleans, chef Melissa M. Martin’s debut cookbook shares her inspired and reverent interpretations of the traditional Cajun recipes she grew up eating on the Louisiana bayou, with a generous helping of stories about her community and its cooking. Every hour, Louisiana loses a football field’s worth of land to the Gulf of Mexico. Too soon, Martin’s hometown of Chauvin will be gone, along with the way of life it sustained. Before it disappears, Martin wants to document and share the recipes, ingredients, and customs of the Cajun people. Illustrated throughout with dazzling color photographs of food and place, the book is divided into chapters by ingredient—from shrimp and oysters to poultry, rice, and sugarcane. Each begins with an essay explaining the ingredient and its context, including traditions like putting up blackberries each February, shrimping every August, and the many ways to make an authentic Cajun gumbo. Martin is a gifted cook who brings a female perspective to a world we’ve only heard about from men. The stories she tells come straight from her own life, and yet in this age of climate change and erasure of local cultures, they feel universal, moving, and urgent.
£26.99
Harvard Business Review Press Harvard Business Review Project Management Handbook: How to Launch, Lead, and Sponsor Successful Projects
The one primer you need to launch, lead, and sponsor successful projects.We're now living in the project economy. The number of projects initiated in all sectors has skyrocketed, and project management skills have become essential for every leader and manager. Still, project failure rates remain extremely high. Why? Leaders oversee too many projects and have too little visibility into them. Project managers struggle to translate their hands-on, technical knowledge up to senior management. The result? Worthy projects are starved of time and resources and fail to deliver benefits, while too much investment goes into the wrong projects. To compete in the project economy, you need to close this gap. The HBR Project Management Handbook shows you how.In this comprehensive guide, project management expert Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez presents a new and simple framework that will increase any project's likelihood of success. Packed with case studies from many industries worldwide, it will teach you how to manage your organization's projects, strategic programs, and agile initiatives more effectively and push the best ones ahead to completion. Timeless yet forward-looking, this book will help you win in the project-driven world.In the HBR Project Management Handbook you'll find: Everything you need to know about project management in practical, nontechnical language A definitive taxonomy of project types, from product launches to digital transformations to megaprojects A road map for becoming an effective project leader and executive sponsor A new, simple, and universal project framework, the Project Canvas, that breaks down any project into essential building blocks that can be easily understood by all project stakeholders Original concepts and exclusive case studies from public- and private-sector organizations worldwide You'll learn: A common language for project managers and executives to run successful projects across your organization When to use agile, traditional, or hybrid methods in your projects The twelve principles of successful projects, including purpose, agility, and a focus on outcomes Techniques for selecting and advancing the best projects and managing a strategic and balanced project portfolio How today's projects will help address some of the most pressing global trends, including automation, sustainability, diversity, and crisis management Why project management needed to be reinvented and what the future holds HBR Handbooks provide ambitious professionals with the frameworks, advice, and tools they need to excel in their careers. With step-by-step guidance, time-honed best practices, and real-life stories, each comprehensive volume helps you to stand out from the pack—whatever your role.
£31.50
Penguin Putnam Inc Under the Feet of Jesus
A moving and powerful novel about the lives of the men, women, and children who endure a second-class existence and labor under dangerous conditions as migrant workers in California’s fields.“Viramontes depicts this world with sensuous physicality...working firmly in the social-realist vein of Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath and Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle.”—Publishers WeeklyAt the center of this powerful tale is Estrella, a girl about to cross the perilous border to womanhood. What she knows of life comes from her mother, who has survived abandonment by her husband in a land that treats her as if she were invisible, even though she and her children pick the crops of the farms that feed its people. But within Estrella, seeds of growth and change are stirring. And in the arms of Alejo, they burst into a full, fierce flower as she tastes the joy and pain of first love. Pushed to the margins of society, she learns to fight back and is able to help the young farmworker she loves when his ambitions and very life are threatened in a harvest of death. Infused with the beauty of the California landscape and shifting splendors of the passing seasons juxtaposed with the bleakness of poverty, this vividly imagined novel is worthy of the people it celebrates and whose story it tells so magnificently. The simple lyrical beauty of Viramontes’ prose, her haunting use of image and metaphor, and the urgency of her themes all announce Under the Feet of Jesus as a landmark work of American fiction.Winner of the John Dos Passos Prize for LiteratureSelected as the Univesity of Oregon's 2019 Common Reading book
£15.14
New York University Press The Path to Gay Rights: How Activism and Coming Out Changed Public Opinion
An innovative, data-driven explanation of how public opinion shifted on LGBTQ rights The Path to Gay Rights is the first social science analysis of how and why the LGBTQ movement achieved its most unexpected victory—transforming gay people from a despised group of social deviants into a minority worthy of rights and protections in the eyes of most Americans. The book weaves together a narrative of LGBTQ history with new findings from the field of political psychology to provide an understanding of how social movements affect mass attitudes in the United States and globally. Using data going back to the 1970s, the book argues that the current understanding of how social movements change mass opinion—through sympathetic media coverage and endorsements from political leaders—cannot provide an adequate explanation for the phenomenal success of the LGBTQ movement at changing the public’s views. In The Path to Gay Rights, Jeremiah Garretson argues that the LGBTQ community’s response to the AIDS crisis was a turning point for public support of gay rights. ACT-UP and related AIDS organizations strategically targeted political and media leaders, normalizing news coverage of LGBTQ issues and AIDS and signaled to LGBTQ people across the United States that their lives were valued. The net result was an increase in the number of LGBTQ people who came out and lived their lives openly, and with increased contact with gay people, public attitudes began to warm and change. Garretson goes beyond the story of LGBTQ rights to develop an evidence-based argument for how social movements can alter mass opinion on any contentious topic.
£26.99
John Wiley & Sons Inc A Guide for Implementing a Patent Strategy: How Inventors, Engineers, Scientists, Entrepreneurs, and Independent Innovators Can Protect Their Intellectual Property
This book provides a strategic framework for cost efficient engineering of market moving patent portfolios by organizing patent engineering efforts around the problems that innovators solve for their customers and not the technologies developed to solve these problems. Patents are a vital asset in the modern business world. They allow patent holders to introduce new products in to a market while deterring other market players from simply copying innovative features without making comparable investments in research and development. In years past, a few patents may have provided adequate protection. That is no longer the case. In today's world, it is critical that innovative companies protect the features of their products that give them a competitive advantage with a family or portfolio of patents that are strategically generated to protect the market position of the patent holder. A patent portfolio that deters competitors from introducing competitive products in a timely manner can be worth billions of dollars. Anything less than this is an expensive and possibly fatal distraction. This book provides a strategic framework for cost efficient engineering of patent portfolios that protect your investments in research and development and that extend the market advantages that these investments provide. The book illustrates the use of the problem centric framework to enable the efficient creation of individual patents and patent portfolios that have significant value in and by themselves and allow a company to control its product market. It also introduces the concept of a patent engineer whose role it is to organize input from legal, business and technical communities and organize portfolios and patents using the problem centric framework.
£103.95
Princeton University Press Aporophobia: Why We Reject the Poor Instead of Helping Them
Why “aporophobia”—rejection of the poor—is one of the most serious problems facing the world today, and how we can fight itIn this revelatory book, acclaimed political philosopher Adela Cortina makes an unprecedented assertion: the biggest problem facing the world today is the rejection of poor people. Because we can’t recognize something we can’t name, she proposes the term “aporophobia” for the pervasive exclusion, stigmatization, and humiliation of the poor, which cuts across xenophobia, racism, antisemitism, and other prejudices. Passionate and powerful, Aporophobia examines where this nearly invisible daily attack on poor people comes from, why it is so harmful, and how we can fight it.Aporophobia traces this universal prejudice’s neurological and social origins and its wide-ranging, pernicious consequences, from unnoticed hate crimes to aporophobia’s threat to democracy. It sheds new light on today’s rampant anti-immigrant feeling, which Cortina argues is better understood as aporophobia than xenophobia. We reject migrants not because of their origin, race, or ethnicity but because they seem to bring problems while offering nothing of value. And this is unforgivable in societies that enshrine economic exchange as the supreme value while forgetting that we can’t create communities worth living in without dignity, generosity, and compassion for all. Yet there is hope, and Cortina explains how we can overcome the moral, social, and political disaster of aporophobia through education and democratic institutions, and how poverty itself can be eradicated if we choose.In a world of migrant crises and economic inequality, Aporophobia is essential for understanding and confronting one of the most serious problems of the twenty-first century.
£22.00
Harvard University Press Sustainable Utopias: The Art and Politics of Hope in Germany
To reclaim a sense of hope for the future, German activists in the late twentieth century engaged ordinary citizens in innovative projects that resisted alienation and disenfranchisement.By most accounts, the twentieth century was not kind to utopian thought. The violence of two world wars, Cold War anxieties, and a widespread sense of crisis after the 1973 global oil shock appeared to doom dreams of a better world. The eventual victory of capitalism and, seemingly, liberal democracy relieved some fears but exchanged them for complacency and cynicism.Not, however, in West Germany. Jennifer Allen showcases grassroots activism of the 1980s and 1990s that envisioned a radically different society based on community-centered politics—a society in which the democratization of culture and power ameliorated alienation and resisted the impotence of end-of-history narratives. Berlin’s History Workshop liberated research from university confines by providing opportunities for ordinary people to write and debate the story of the nation. The Green Party made the politics of direct democracy central to its program. Artists changed the way people viewed and acted in public spaces by installing objects in unexpected environments, including the Stolpersteine: paving stones, embedded in residential sidewalks, bearing the names of Nazi victims. These activists went beyond just trafficking in ideas. They forged new infrastructures, spaces, and behaviors that gave everyday people real agency in their communities. Undergirding this activism was the environmentalist concept of sustainability, which demanded that any alternative to existing society be both enduring and adaptable.A rigorous but inspiring tale of hope in action, Sustainable Utopias makes the case that it is still worth believing in human creativity and the labor of citizenship.
£31.46
FrommerMedia Frommer's Philadelphia day by day
Portable, up-to-date, and to-the-point, Frommer’s Philadelphia Day by Day is all about maximizing the time you have to spend in this fascinating and historic city. This itinerary-based book, written by long-time resident Reid Bramblett, hits all of Philly’s highlights―as well as hidden gems―with plans crafted for visitors with a variety of needs and interests. Whether you want to immerse yourself in Revolutionary War history, hunt for the best cheesesteak in town, see some of the world’s greatest works of art, or stroll through the city’s buzziest neighborhoods, this guide is for you. Inside the guide: · Full-color photos and useful maps, including a tear-resistant foldout map in its own re-sealable envelope · Best of Philadelphia itineraries for seeing the city in a limited amount of time · Rewarding experiences for families, couples, food lovers, and those interested in Philly’s rich history · Opinionated reviews of the best attractions, shops, restaurants, spas, nightlife, and hotels in all price ranges—as well as the ones that aren’t worth precious vacation time · Helpful planning tips for getting there, getting around, saving money, and getting the most from your trip About Frommer’s: There’s a reason that Frommer’s has been the most trusted name in travel for more than sixty years. Arthur Frommer created the best-selling guide series in 1957 to help American servicemen fulfill their dreams of travel in Europe, and since then, we have published thousands of titles became a household name helping millions upon millions of people realize their own dreams of seeing our planet. Travel is easy with Frommer’s.
£11.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Creation: A fully illustrated, panoramic world history of art from ancient civilisation to the present day
**SELECTED AS A BEST ART BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE SUNDAY TIMES** 'Stonard traverses the sweep of human history, moving between cultures and hemispheres ... His book consists of myriad flashes of brilliance and inventiveness' LITERARY REVIEW 'A worthy and richly illustrated successor to Ernst Gombrich's fabled The Story of Art' SUNDAY TIMES 'This bountifully illustrated book is a history of connections ... Lucid and thoughtful' COUNTRY LIFE _____________________________________ A fully illustrated, panoramic world history of art from ancient civilisation to the present day, exploring the remarkable endurance of humankind’s creative impulse. Fifty thousand years ago on an island in Indonesia, an early human used red ochre pigment to capture the likeness of a pig on a limestone cave wall. Around the same time in Europe, another human retrieved a lump of charcoal from a fire and sketched four galloping horses. It was like a light turning on in the human mind. Our instinct to produce images in response to nature allowed the earliest Homo sapiens to understand the world around them, and to thrive. Now, art historian John-Paul Stonard has travelled across continents to take us on a panoramic journey through the history of art – from ancient Anatolian standing stones to a Qing Dynasty ink handscroll, from a drawing by a Kiowa artist on America's Great Plains to a post-independence Congolese painting and on to Rachel Whiteread's House. Brilliantly illustrated throughout, with a mixture of black and white and full colour images, Stonard's Creation is an ambitious, thrilling and landmark work that leads us from Benin to Belgium, China to Constantinople, Mexico to Mesopotamia. Journeying from pre-history to the present day, it explores the remarkable endurance of humankind’s creative impulse, and asks how – and why – we create.
£27.00
The University of Chicago Press Permissions, A Survival Guide: Blunt Talk about Art as Intellectual Property
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then it's a good bet that at least half of those words relate to the picture's copyright status. Art historians, artists, and anyone who wants to use the images of others will find themselves awash in byzantine legal terms, constantly evolving copyright law, varying interpretations by museums and estates, and despair over the complexity of the whole situation. Here, on a white - not a high - horse, Susan M. Bielstein offers her decades of experience as an editor working with illustrated books. In doing so, she unsnarls the threads of permissions that have ensnared scholars, critics, and artists for years. Organized as a series of "takes" that range from short sidebars to extended discussions, "Permissions, A Survival Guide" explores intellectual property law as it pertains to visual imagery. How can you determine whether an artwork is copyrighted? How do you procure a high-quality reproduction of an image? What does "fair use" really mean? Is it ever legitimate to use the work of an artist without permission? Bielstein discusses the many uncertainties that plague writers who work with images in this highly visual age, and she does so based on her years navigating precisely these issues. As an editor who has hired a photographer to shoot an incredibly obscure work in the Italian mountains (a plan that backfired hilariously), who has tried to reason with artists' estates in languages she doesn't speak, and who has spent her time in the archival trenches, she offers a snappy and humane guide to this difficult terrain. Filled with anecdotes, asides, and real courage, "Permissions, A Survival Guide" is a unique handbook that anyone working in the visual arts will find invaluable, if not indispensable.
£17.00
HarperCollins Publishers The Narcissist Test: How to spot outsized egos ... and the surprising things we can learn from them
What exactly is narcissism? An incurable disease set to ruin your future, a habit to be curbed, or a trait to be nurtured? And how can you tell if your partner, child, or even you are a narcissist? Dr Craig Malkin offers a new picture of narcissism, showing us why being called a ‘narcissist’ isn’t necessarily such a bad thing after all. Narcissism is all around us. We are a selfie-obsessed generation, surviving on a steady diet of watching reality shows that celebrate attention-seeking know-and-do-nothings and posting a whopping 500 million tweets a day to document our every thought and whim. But is narcissism really as bad as we have been led to believe? In this groundbreaking book, clinical psychologist Dr Craig Malkin offers a radically new picture of narcissism, defining it as a spectrum of self-importance, and explaining that everyone falls somewhere on the scale between utter selflessness and total arrogance. He reveals why it is essential to embrace some level of narcissism in order to maintain a healthy sense of self-worth. Feeling special, to a degree, can make us better lovers and partners, courageous leaders, and intrepid explorers. As supportive as it is illuminating, The Narcissist Test is the first and only book to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy narcissism, and offers clear, step-by-step guidance on how to promote the healthy kind in your partner, children, and in yourself. From advice tailored to parents, social media users and even schools, this is the definitive text to help you overcome the bad – and embrace the good – about feeling special. Dr Craig Malkin is a clinical psychologist hailing from Harvard with over two decades of experience helping individuals, couples and families.
£10.99
Little, Brown Book Group The Great Ordeal: Book 3 of the Aspect-Emperor
'With The Great Ordeal, the penultimate book in The Aspect-Emperor series, Bakker begins to betray the final mysteries of his cosmos, feeding and goading readers more than in any of the preceding novels... Page for page, this volume was a most haunting pleasure to read.' - Bakkerfans 'The Great Ordeal is a stunning addition to the series, go and buy it as soon as it is available. Seethes with intelligence, action and revelation and is a worthwhile continuation of the smartest epic fantasy of our generation.' - The WertzoneAs Fanim war-drums beat just outside the city, the Empress Anasurimbor Esmenet searches frantically throughout the palace for her missing son Kelmomas. Meanwhile and many miles away, Esmenet's husband's Great Ordeal continues its epic march further north. But in light of dwindling supplies, the Aspect-Emperor's decision to allow his men to consume the flesh of fallen Sranc could have consequences even He couldn't have foreseen. And, deep in Ishuäl, the wizard Achamian grapples with his fear that his unspeakably long journey might be ending in emptiness, no closer to the truth than when he set out.The Great Ordeal is the new novel in R. Scott Bakker's acclaimed Aspect-Emperor series, set in a vivid world of myth, war and sorcery. A series that stands alongside the finest in the genre, for its grand scope, rich detail and thrilling story.Books by R Scott Baker:Prince of Nothing TrilogyThe Darkness That Comes BeforeThe Warrior-ProphetThe Thousandfold ThoughtAspect-EmperorThe Judging EyeThe White Luck WarriorThe Great OrdealThe Unholy ConsultNovelsNeuropathDisciple of the DogLight, Time, and Gravity
£16.99
Unbound The Pyjama Myth: The Freelance Writer's Survival Guide
‘A career-changing book, packed with real, lived-in wisdom and advice not just about working but really living as a self-employed person. If you’re thinking about going freelance, read this first’ Oliver Franklin-Wallis‘Invaluable … A wonderful, warts and all book written in a friendly, approachable manner. I wish I’d had a book like this years ago’ Simon BrewSelf-employment has never been a more popular career path, and for thousands of writers, freelancing is becoming an appealing – and sometimes necessary – option. But alongside the benefits of a freelance career come very real obstacles that are daunting for anyone going it alone. We all need some guidance. Sian Meades-Williams – freelance writer, editor and founder of the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter – knows all too well that while freelancing doesn’t come with hard and fast rules, sometimes there is a wrong way to go about things. Drawing on her extensive experience and dozens of industry interviews, she pulls back the curtain with tips on how to get out of your pyjamas and pitch effectively, find new ideas and hone your voice, build a network of contacts, deal with edits and editors, cope with rejection, know your worth and get more money for your work, manage your finances, deal with late payments and file your taxes, care for your physical and mental health and ultimately find a path to success that makes you happy.Inspiring, optimistic and – above all – real, The Pyjama Myth is an essential, practical survival guide for anyone embarking on their career, established freelance writers and everyone in between.
£12.99
Oxford University Press Inc The Buddhist Tantras: A Guide
The tantric Buddhist traditions emerged in India beginning in the seventh century CE and flourished there until the demise of Buddhism in India circa the fifteenth century. These traditions were disseminated to Central, East, and Southeast Asia, and continue to be practiced, most notably in Nepal, Tibet and Japan, as well as in the numerous Tibetan traditions disseminated around the world by Tibetan masters living in diaspora. The central scriptures for these traditions were generally designated by the term tantra. Tantras are works that purport to relate secret teachings of the buddhas that enable awakening in as short as one lifetime. As such they are understood by their advocates to be the inspired speech of a buddha, and hence worthy of inclusion in the canons of Buddhist traditions. Over the past twenty years there has been considerable growth in the study of tantras as well as translations of these works into Western languages. This volume provides a detailed introduction to the Buddhist tantras. It addresses their development in India, their dissemination to Central, East and Southeast Asia, and their reception in these contexts. It introduces the key teachings in the tantras, as well as the history of their interpretation, and their connection to traditions of ritual, and contemplative practices. It also introduces the classification of the tantras and their place in Buddhist scriptural canons. It concludes with a look at the transgressive rhetoric that characterizes many of the tantras, the impact this had on their dissemination and translation, and the ways in which Buddhists explained this. It suggests that transgressive rhetoric and practices served an important role in Buddhist tantric traditions, which may be why they persist despite the challenges they have presented to the dissemination of these traditions.
£18.28
Hodder & Stoughton Twisted: A Cookbook - Bold, Unserious, Delicious Food for Every Occasion
'The young Instagram duo on a mission to make comfort food cool again' - The Times'If you're craving something delicious, indulgent and dripping with cheese, then this recipe from Twisted: A Cookbook will have your mouth salivating' - Stylist From the most popular food brand on social - Twisted's brand new official cookbook, featuring 100+ never-before-seen, 100% delicious recipes, ideal for get-togethers, family gatherings, dinner parties and social occasions, it is packed full of 130 recipes that embody the Twisted ethos: unserious food tastes seriously good!Lockdown has meant we've been apart from those we love for a long time, and so Twisted: A Cookbook will be your perfect companion to take you through all the wonderful social occasions we hope you can plan for this Spring/Summer and beyond. Whether you're a student at university in need of recipes suitable for big gatherings, or you're planning lots of social occasions this summer in the garden, or eventually in the home, each chapter is unique and contains utterly delicious recipes taking inspiration from all over the world, the flavours are outrageously good!Tom Jackson and Harry Bamber created Twisted back in 2016 with one thing in mind; to remind people that cooking should be fun. Through their sharable drool-worthy recipe videos, their refreshing take on food and cooking was brought to life and has since been adopted by millions all over the world, becoming a global phenomenon and the most popular food brand on social in the UK with its recipes being featured around the globe, from Good Morning America to This Morning, CNN and the Ellen Degeneres Show. Having created thousands of indulgent, innovative, mouth-watering dishes with clever, simple twists, Twisted: A Cookbook is Twisted's most eye-wateringly brilliant collection of 100+ new recipes to date. Prepare for mealtimes to look a little different from now on.Twisted: A Cookbook is divided into three parts, with sharing at the heart of each:-BASICS - covers all your Twisted condiments, breads, pickles and 'can't live without' sauces- OCCASIONS - chapters include MEAT-FREE MONDAY, DINNER PARTY, PICNIC, BBQ, GAME DAY, CURRY NIGHT, HUNGOVER SATURDAY --BREAKFAST and CHRISTMAS PARTY- INGREDIENTS - is dedicated to the staples we adore and how to make them taste better than ever before from pasta to chocolate, wraps and potatoes Twisted has changed the way we look at food for the better, reminding us that it's ok to indulge, break the rules and have fun. If you're going to treat yourself, you may as well do it properly. Twisted: A Cookbook is all about trying something new, experimenting in the kitchen, and of course twisting the classics, whether it's making a classically British scotch egg Korean or turning a pakora into a burger, this cookbook has got something for everyone, irresistible vegan and vegetarian recipes, unique Indian recipes and curries, incredible picnic ideas and BBQ recipes that will put the bog standard burger and hot dog to shame! Recipes include: Baked Buffalo BBQ Ribs, Tartiflette Gnocchi, Vegan Mushroom Carbonara, Spicy Cauliflower Pakora Burgers, Creamy Peanut Butter Noodles, Rapid Black Daal, Sicilian Bruschetta Pasta Salad, Mashed Potato Dippers, Cheat's Churros AND SO MANY MORE we can't wait for you to try!
£20.00
HarperChristian Resources Captivating Study Guide with DVD, Updated Edition: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul
Do you feel like you have to settle for a life of duty?Many women feel pressure to strive to be the women they "ought" to be, often living with the sense that they’ve failed. Sadly, too many messages for Christian women do nothing but add to the pressure: "Do these ten things, and you will be a godly woman." The effect has not been good on the feminine soul. But her heart is still there.Every woman was once a little girl. And every little girl holds in her heart her most precious dreams. She longs to be swept up into a romance, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure, to be the beauty of the story. Those desires are far more than child's play. They are the secret to the feminine heart.Staci Eldredge wrote Captivating to share that your heart matters more than anything else in all creation. Throughout this study guide, you will: Learn how to guard the most important thing about you...your heart. Find courage to walk away from the ways we live out of fear. Let God tenderly open our wounds to set us free. Fight the right enemy, which is not men. And it's not women. Possess a beauty that is worth pursuing. Our wounds reveal what we are meant to bring to the world. The desires you had as a little girl and the longings you still feel are telling you of the life God created you to live. Really. He offers to come now, as the Hero of your story--to rescue your heart and release you to live as a fully alive and feminine woman. A woman who is truly captivating.Sessions include: The Heart of a Woman (16:00) Fallen Eve (17:00) The Wound and the Healer (19:00) A Special Hatred (17:00) Beauty to Unveil (17:00) Your Irreplaceable Role (15:00) This pack contains: Captivating Study Guide Captivating Video Study DVD (streaming video access included)
£35.00
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Wrath Goddess Sing: A Novel
“Deane’s tour de force debut …brings the familiar story to fresh, vivid, and unforgettable new life.” – Publishers Weekly (starred review)Drawing on ancient texts and modern archeology to reveal the trans woman’s story hidden underneath the well-known myths of The Iliad, Maya Deane’s Wrath Goddess Sing weaves a compelling, pitilessly beautiful vision of Achilles’ vanished world, perfect for fans of Song of Achilles, The Witch’s Heart, and the Inheritance trilogy.The gods wanted blood. She fought for love. Achilles has fled her home and her vicious Myrmidon clan to live as a woman with the kallai, the transgender priestesses of Great Mother Aphrodite. When Odysseus comes to recruit the “prince” Achilles for a war against the Hittites, she prepares to die rather than fight as a man. However, her divine mother, Athena, intervenes, transforming her body into the woman’s body she always longed for, and promises her everything: glory, power, fame, victory in war, and, most importantly, a child born of her own body. Reunited with her beloved cousin, Patroklos, and his brilliant wife, the sorceress Meryapi, Achilles sets out to war with a vengeance. But the gods—a dysfunctional family of abusive immortals that have glutted on human sacrifices for centuries—have woven ancient schemes more blood-soaked and nightmarish than Achilles can imagine. At the center of it all is the cruel, immortal Helen, who sees Achilles as a worthy enemy after millennia of ennui and emptiness. In love with her newfound nemesis, Helen sets out to destroy everything and everyone Achilles cherishes, seeking a battle to the death. An innovative spin on a familiar tale, this is the Trojan War unlike anything ever told, and an Achilles whose vulnerability is revealed by the people she chooses to fight…and chooses to trust.
£20.00
HarperCollins Publishers Inc Crazy Sweet Fine
In Rachel Gibson's Crazy On You: Lily Darlington's been called crazy in her day-and, yeah, driving her car into her ex-husband's living room probably wasn't the smartest move ever made-but the louse deserved it. Now Lily is happily single, and she's turned it all around. She knows she's a good mom, a homeowner, and a businesswoman, all wrapped up in one good-looking package. A package that police officer Tucker Matthews is dying to unwrap. This ex-military man sure doesn't need another woman in his life. His last girlfriend left him with nothing but memories and a cat named Pinky! But living next door to Lily has been driving him nuts. He dreams about her long blonde hair and even longer legs. And maybe it's time to go a little crazy.and fall in love. In Candis Terry's Home Sweet Home: Lt. Aiden Marshall returns to Sweet, Texas, after facing the devastation of war. With the help of the entire town-and a tail-wagging companion-the woman he's always loved makes her hero's homecoming all the more sweet. In Jennifer Bernard's One Fine Fireman: Kirk, a.k.a. Thor, one of San Gabriel's infamous Bachelor Firemen, certainly lives up to his nickname. He's tall and handsome, with a chiseled body worthy of any Viking god. But he'd give it all up for one glance from her. Sweet, shy Maribel has no idea that Kirk's been pining for her. There's nothing he'd like better than to sweep her off her feet and show her just how exquisite their love could be. But Kirk has a secret, and he won't let anyone get close, least of all the sexiest woman he's ever met. Can a feisty little dog and an even feistier little boy help these star-crossed lovers find the passion they both so richly deserve?
£7.12
Signal Books Ltd Ageing Giant: China’s Looming Population Collapse
Before the end of the present century the population of China – currently around 1.4 billion – is forecast to drop to around half that level as a major and unprecedented demographic crisis begins to bite. Its working-age population has already stopped growing and is now well into a process of contraction. Increasing longevity means that by the 2050s there will be more than 400 million Chinese citizens over the age of 65 – with little provision for their care in a society where a single child is now the norm. The ratio of the retired to those working is steadily rising, putting pressure on families and the public finances. Years of preference for a male child has seen the creation of a skewed sex ratio at birth that already guarantees well over 50 million surplus adult males, unmarried and unhappy, in the coming years. This is more than the entire male population of Germany. The state has previously sought to impose its will on reproduction, but Chinese families experienced a sharply reduced birthrate even before the introduction of the notorious one-child policy. And despite the lifting of restrictions on the number of children allowed, births remain stubbornly low. As Timothy Beardson shows in this timely and fascinating new book, the Chinese people have largely ignored official policy, as trends in urbanization, employment and education alter traditional demographic patterns. China in fact reflects a clearly identifiable shift in the whole world of moving from high to low fertility. This book is the first to examine in detail China’s demographic history and the impending crisis that will see more people in the United States by 2100 than in China. It explains how China’s ageing and shrinking population will affect such widely disparate areas as the ethics of business, artificial intelligence and the combat-worthiness of the military – not to mention China’s overall place in the modern world.
£18.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC A Village Affair
'Warm and witty - Julie's got it in spades' Tracy Bloom. Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends. As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape. But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet... Julie Houston's novels are funny, wonderfully warm and completely addictive. Perfect for all fans of Gervaise Phinn, Katie Fforde and Jill Mansell. Praise for Julie Houston: 'A warm, wonderful, feel-good-hug of a book' NetGalley Reviewer. 'A Village Affair is a totally absorbing read that's beautifully written, full of warmth, charm, humour, a compelling and heart-warming plot that I didn't want to put down' NetGalley Reviewer. 'This is a story about family, friendship, and realising your own worth and not being afraid of taking a chance, and I devoured this book in a couple of hours because I just didn't want to put it down' NetGalley Reviewer. 'An enthralling novel, hard to put down' NetGalley Reviewer. 'It is a must read, heart-warming story - no hesitation in giving this one 5 stars!!' NetGalley Reviewer. 'What a brilliant story this turned out to be so full of surprises and shocking revelations from the start to the end' NetGalley Reviewer. 'Lovely and entertaining, with wonderful set of lovable characters will have you rooting for Cassie' NetGalley Reviewer.
£8.99
Sourcebooks, Inc The Shadowglass
The epic finale to The Bone Witch series! As Tea's dark magic eats away at her, she must save the one she loves most, even while her life—and the kingdoms—are on the brink of destruction. Perfect for readers of Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House and Holly Black's The Cruel Prince!In the Eight Kingdoms, none have greater strength or influence than the asha, who hold elemental magic. But only a bone witch has the power to raise the dead. Tea has used this dark magic to breathe life into those she has loved and lost…and those who would join her army against the deceitful royals. But Tea's quest to conjure a shadowglass, to achieve immortality for the one person she loves most in the world, threatens to consume her. Tea's heartsglass only grows darker with each new betrayal. Her work with the monstrous azi, her thirst for retribution, her desire to unmask the Faceless—they all feed the darkrot that is gradually consuming her heartsglass. She is haunted by blackouts and strange visions, and when she wakes with blood on her hands, Tea must answer to a power greater than the elder asha or even her conscience. Tea's life—and the fate of the kingdoms—hangs in the balance.Thrilling and atmospheric, this bestselling series is perfect for readers looking for Memoirs of a Geisha meets dark fantasy stories with diverse representation and multicultural influences original worldbuilding and captivating writing witch and wizard series for teens and adultsThe Bone Witch Series:The Bone Witch (Book 1)The Heart Forger (Book 2)The Shadowglass (Book 3)Praise for The Shadowglass:"Satisfying." —Foreword "A must-purchase." —School Library Journal"A worthy conclusion to a story that is, at its core, about love and letting go." —Kirkus Reviews
£16.20
Time Warner Trade Publishing Love Is an Inside Job: Getting Vulnerable with God
Public relations expert and business consultant, ROMAL TUNE, provides insights on how authenticity with God will help you heal your past, love yourself, and equip you to emerge more powerful than ever.Tune is the son of a drug-addicted single parent mother, who herself, inherited deeply ingrained obstacles to self-love. He found his way out of poverty via the military. He graduated from Howard University and Duke School of Divinity. He was a minister, a sought-after speaker, and social entrepreneur. Outwardly, he was successful, an overcomer.Yet, his past, hidden childhood trauma would sometimes revolt, causing self-sabotage that threatened to destroy the life he was creating. He worked hard to keep the emotional brokenness caused by the challenges of his upbringing carefully hidden -especially from the church.His mother, with whom he successfully reconciled after she was finally free from addiction, died of lung cancer. Then he divorced--a second time.Feeling like a failure, questioning his faith and will to live, he made a choice to not to give up but to examine his life and seek counseling.Dubbed "Brother Brown" (a Black man's Brene Brown), his book shares his process of applying therapy and faith to anger, shame, self-doubt and plaguing memories.Romal learned that the pursuit of success was not the key to healing the inner turmoil but it was in learning to accept the love of God and learning to love the wounded child within.His past pain was redeemed as self-worth and he finally found inner peace. No longer carrying the weight of secrets, guilt and shame, he emerged emotionally free and more powerful than ever. His book will empower others to stop living a past driven present by healing their stories, embracing the love of God, and learning to truly love themselves.
£12.99
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity
THE BLACKWELL COMPANION TO EASTERN CHRISTIANITY “Consistently highly readable and engrossing. This is an excellent overview of Eastern Christianity.” Expository Times “A masterful description of the major living traditions of Eastern Christianity. Its 24 chapters, each written by an accomplished scholar in the field, address the dominant ethnic and cultural categories of Eastern Christianity (Arab, Byzantine, etc.) along with their most characteristic features (liturgy, iconography, and hagiography). Each offers a concise, well-organized, and highly readable overview of the tradition in question, along with a representative bibliography … Highly recommended.” CHOICE “Christian emigration, not least from the Middle East, means that there are growing communities of Eastern Christians in the West … Eastern Christians are now companions to Western; and the latter will learn much about the former from this Blackwell companion.” Church Times “A distinctive addition to the companion series and to its chosen sphere of knowledge.” Reference Reviews “A worthwhile collection, and one that should prove useful.” Ecclesiastical History Recent political events in the Middle East and Eastern Europe have brought Eastern Christianity to global attention. The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity provides an unparalleled account of the history and development of these vital Christian traditions, at the same time placing contemporary events in their full context. The companion provides authoritative and lively essays on the main Eastern Orthodox traditions, such as the Greek, Russian, and Georgian churches, as well as the Oriental Orthodox traditions, including the Armenian, Coptic, and Syrian churches. The in-depth articles, which are written by an international team of experts, offer a comprehensive survey of the history, theology, doctrine, worship, art, culture, and politics that make up the churches of Eastern Christianity. The companion can also be used alongside the respected Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (1999), providing detailed discussions and assessments to complement the dictionary’s shorter entries.
£39.95
Boydell & Brewer Ltd Swein Forkbeard's Invasions and the Danish Conquest of England, 991-1017
New insight gained into this exciting period of English history through focusing on the activities of Swein Forkbeard and, after his death in 1014, the Danish warlord Thorkell the Tall. From the battle of Maldon in 991 during the reign of Æethelred (the Unready), England was invaded by Scandinavian armies of increasing size and ferocity. Swein Forkbeard, king of Denmark, played a significant part in these invasions, which culminated in the domination of England and the long reign of his son, Cnut. This analysis of the invasions demonstrates beyond doubt that Æthelred was no indolent and worthless king who bribed invading Vikings to goaway: his relationship with the Scandinavian armies was more complex and more interesting than has been supposed. It is equally apparent that Swein was more than a marauding Viking adventurer: he was a sophisticated politician who laid the foundations for a great northern empire which was ruled by his descendents for many years after his death. New insight into this exciting period of English history is gained by focusing on the activities of Swein Forkbeard and, after his death in 1014, the Danish warlord Thorkell the Tall, both outstanding warriors and political leaders of what is sometimes called 'the Second Viking Age'. Many factors leading to the invasions and conquest are investigated through a critical analysis of the chronology of events, an explanation of the economic background, plotting the itineraries of the Scandinavian armies, and a fresh examination ofthe sources, including the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Encomium, and John of Worcester's Chronicle. IAN HOWARD has a PhD from Manchester University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. After a career in industry and commerce, he has returned to full-time research and has produced several papers covering a variety of aspects of early medieval history.
£70.00
Fordham University Press Angels of Mercy: White Women and the History of New York's Colored Orphan Asylum
William Seraile uncovers the history of the colored orphan asylum, founded in New York City in 1836 as the nation’s first orphanage for African American children. It is a remarkable institution that is still in the forefront aiding children. Although no longer an orphanage, in its current incarnation as Harlem-Dowling West Side Center for Children and Family Services it maintains the principles of the women who organized it nearly 200 years ago. The agency weathered three wars, two major financial panics, a devastating fire during the 1863 Draft Riots, several epidemics, waves of racial prejudice, and severe financial difficulties to care for orphaned, neglected, and delinquent children. Eventually financial support would come from some of New York’s finest families, including the Jays, Murrays, Roosevelts, Macys, and Astors. While the white female managers and their male advisers were dedicated to uplifting these black children, the evangelical, mainly Quaker founding managers also exhibited the extreme paternalistic views endemic at the time, accepting the advice or support of the African American community only grudgingly. It was frank criticism in 1913 from W. E. B. Du Bois that highlighted the conflict between the orphanage and the community it served, and it wasn’t until 1939 that it hired the first black trustee. More than 15,000 children were raised in the orphanage, and throughout its history letters and visits have revealed that hundreds if not thousands of “old boys and girls” looked back with admiration and respect at the home that nurtured them throughout their formative years. Weaving together African American history with a unique history of New York City, this is not only a painstaking study of a previously unsung institution of black history but a unique window onto complex racial dynamics during a period when many failed to recognize equality among all citizens as a worthy purpose.
£20.99
Fordham University Press Angels of Mercy: White Women and the History of New York's Colored Orphan Asylum
William Seraile uncovers the history of the colored orphan asylum, founded in New York City in 1836 as the nation’s first orphanage for African American children. It is a remarkable institution that is still in the forefront aiding children. Although no longer an orphanage, in its current incarnation as Harlem-Dowling West Side Center for Children and Family Services it maintains the principles of the women who organized it nearly 200 years ago. The agency weathered three wars, two major financial panics, a devastating fire during the 1863 Draft Riots, several epidemics, waves of racial prejudice, and severe financial difficulties to care for orphaned, neglected, and delinquent children. Eventually financial support would come from some of New York’s finest families, including the Jays, Murrays, Roosevelts, Macys, and Astors. While the white female managers and their male advisers were dedicated to uplifting these black children, the evangelical, mainly Quaker founding managers also exhibited the extreme paternalistic views endemic at the time, accepting the advice or support of the African American community only grudgingly. It was frank criticism in 1913 from W. E. B. Du Bois that highlighted the conflict between the orphanage and the community it served, and it wasn’t until 1939 that it hired the first black trustee. More than 15,000 children were raised in the orphanage, and throughout its history letters and visits have revealed that hundreds if not thousands of “old boys and girls” looked back with admiration and respect at the home that nurtured them throughout their formative years. Weaving together African American history with a unique history of New York City, this is not only a painstaking study of a previously unsung institution of black history but a unique window onto complex racial dynamics during a period when many failed to recognize equality among all citizens as a worthy purpose.
£56.70
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Why Love Hurts: A Sociological Explanation
Few of us have been spared the agonies of intimate relationships. They come in many shapes: loving a man or a woman who will not commit to us, being heartbroken when we're abandoned by a lover, engaging in Sisyphean internet searches, coming back lonely from bars, parties, or blind dates, feeling bored in a relationship that is so much less than we had envisaged - these are only some of the ways in which the search for love is a difficult and often painful experience. Despite the widespread and almost collective character of these experiences, our culture insists they are the result of faulty or insufficiently mature psyches. For many, the Freudian idea that the family designs the pattern of an individual's erotic career has been the main explanation for why and how we fail to find or sustain love. Psychoanalysis and popular psychology have succeeded spectacularly in convincing us that individuals bear responsibility for the misery of their romantic and erotic lives. The purpose of this book is to change our way of thinking about what is wrong in modern relationships. The problem is not dysfunctional childhoods or insufficiently self-aware psyches, but rather the institutional forces shaping how we love. The argument of this book is that the modern romantic experience is shaped by a fundamental transformation in the ecology and architecture of romantic choice. The samples from which men and women choose a partner, the modes of evaluating prospective partners, the very importance of choice and autonomy and what people imagine to be the spectrum of their choices: all these aspects of choice have transformed the very core of the will, how we want a partner, the sense of worth bestowed by relationships, and the organization of desire. This book does to love what Marx did to commodities: it shows that it is shaped by social relations and institutions and that it circulates in a marketplace of unequal actors.
£13.60
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Why Love Hurts: A Sociological Explanation
Few of us have been spared the agonies of intimate relationships. They come in many shapes: loving a man or a woman who will not commit to us, being heartbroken when we're abandoned by a lover, engaging in Sisyphean internet searches, coming back lonely from bars, parties, or blind dates, feeling bored in a relationship that is so much less than we had envisaged - these are only some of the ways in which the search for love is a difficult and often painful experience. Despite the widespread and almost collective character of these experiences, our culture insists they are the result of faulty or insufficiently mature psyches. For many, the Freudian idea that the family designs the pattern of an individual's erotic career has been the main explanation for why and how we fail to find or sustain love. Psychoanalysis and popular psychology have succeeded spectacularly in convincing us that individuals bear responsibility for the misery of their romantic and erotic lives. The purpose of this book is to change our way of thinking about what is wrong in modern relationships. The problem is not dysfunctional childhoods or insufficiently self-aware psyches, but rather the institutional forces shaping how we love. The argument of this book is that the modern romantic experience is shaped by a fundamental transformation in the ecology and architecture of romantic choice. The samples from which men and women choose a partner, the modes of evaluating prospective partners, the very importance of choice and autonomy and what people imagine to be the spectrum of their choices: all these aspects of choice have transformed the very core of the will, how we want a partner, the sense of worth bestowed by relationships, and the organization of desire. This book does to love what Marx did to commodities: it shows that it is shaped by social relations and institutions and that it circulates in a marketplace of unequal actors.
£60.00
Hachette Australia The Very Last List of Vivian Walker
Vivian Walker is dying. This is not on her list of things to do. A darkly funny debut that proves even the most imperfect of lives is worth celebrating.'A heartbreakingly funny, unflinching, unforgettable debut. I just loved Vivian Walker!' LIANE MORIARTY'Will make you laugh, cry and realise that even the most ordinary life is full of extraordinary moments' MAMAMIAVivian Walker's life is exceptionally ordinary. Average husband, check. Darling son, check. Refrigerator in a state of permanent disarray, check. Everything is thoroughly and frustratingly routine, even being terminally ill.In preparation for D-day, Viv has made a list of essential things to do. She doesn't expect to become spiritually enlightened or have any outlandish last-minute successes. All she wants is to finish her unfinished business.The Very Last List of Vivian Walker will make you want to embrace humanity in all its selfishness, beauty and awkwardness.'This novel has humour and pathos in spades - I laughed and cried' THE SATURDAY PAPER'Compelling. Beautifully relatable. A touching story' BOOKS+PUBLISHING'Darkly funny and will leave you uplifted. Megan Albany blends the tragedy with the humorous' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN'A fun take on a tough topic' THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S WEEKLY'A fun read that gets to the meaning of life through death' SARAH L'ESTRANGE, ABC'Remarkably talented' WHO'Funny and heart-breaking in equal measure, a skilfully wrought study of the difficult art of dying in our society' LIVING ARTS CANBERRA'I cried reading this debut novel. I also laughed and despaired . . . the type of novel that you'll read quickly and that will compel you to find your family and hold them tight' READINGS'An abundance of humour, spirit and profundity . . . an accomplished debut' BETTER READING'Uplifting and impactful' BETTER HOMES & GARDENS'Megan Albany has written a novel that is funny, real, and never glib; it is clear she loves all her characters' QUEENSLAND REVIEWERS COLLECTIVE
£14.99
Princeton University Press Uneasy Street: The Anxieties of Affluence
A surprising and revealing look at how today's elite view their own wealth and place in society From TV's "real housewives" to The Wolf of Wall Street, our popular culture portrays the wealthy as materialistic and entitled. But what do we really know about those who live on "easy street"? In this penetrating book, Rachel Sherman draws on rare in-depth interviews that she conducted with fifty affluent New Yorkers--including hedge fund financiers and corporate lawyers, professors and artists, and stay-at-home mothers--to examine their lifestyle choices and their understanding of privilege. Sherman upends images of wealthy people as invested only in accruing and displaying social advantages for themselves and their children. Instead, these liberal elites, who believe in diversity and meritocracy, feel conflicted about their position in a highly unequal society. They wish to be "normal," describing their consumption as reasonable and basic and comparing themselves to those who have more than they do rather than those with less. These New Yorkers also want to see themselves as hard workers who give back and raise children with good values, and they avoid talking about money. Although their experiences differ depending on a range of factors, including whether their wealth was earned or inherited, these elites generally depict themselves as productive and prudent, and therefore morally worthy, while the undeserving rich are lazy, ostentatious, and snobbish. Sherman argues that this ethical distinction between "good" and "bad" wealthy people characterizes American culture more broadly, and that it perpetuates rather than challenges economic inequality. As the distance between rich and poor widens, Uneasy Street not only explores the real lives of those at the top but also sheds light on how extreme inequality comes to seem ordinary and acceptable to the rest of us.
£22.50
Yale University Press Marking the Hours: English People and Their Prayers, 1240-1570
Personal prayer books and the jottings in their margins tell us about their owners and about life in late medieval and Reformation England In this richly illustrated book, religious historian Eamon Duffy discusses the Book of Hours, unquestionably the most intimate and most widely used book of the later Middle Ages. He examines surviving copies of the personal prayer books which were used for private, domestic devotions, and in which people commonly left traces of their lives. Manuscript prayers, biographical jottings, affectionate messages, autographs, and pious paste-ins often crowd the margins, flyleaves, and blank spaces of such books. From these sometimes clumsy jottings, viewed by generations of librarians and art historians as blemishes at best, vandalism at worst, Duffy teases out precious clues to the private thoughts and public contexts of their owners, and insights into the times in which they lived and prayed. His analysis has a special relevance for the history of women, since women feature very prominently among the identifiable owners and users of the medieval Book of Hours.Books of Hours range from lavish illuminated manuscripts worth a king’s ransom to mass-produced and sparsely illustrated volumes costing a few shillings or pence. Some include customized prayers and pictures requested by the purchaser, and others, handed down from one family member to another, bear the often poignant traces of a family’s history over several generations. Duffy places these volumes in the context of religious and social change, above all the Reformation, discusses their significance to Catholics and Protestants, and describes the controversy they inspired under successive Tudor regimes. He looks closely at several special volumes, including the cherished Book of Hours that Sir Thomas More kept with him in the Tower of London as he awaited execution.
£22.50
The University of Chicago Press The Spirit of This Place: How Music Illuminates the Human Spirit
Artists today are at a crossroads. With funding for the arts and humanities endowments perpetually under attack, and school districts all over the United States scrapping their art curricula altogether, the place of the arts in our civic future is uncertain to say the least. At the same time, faced with the problems of the modern world—from water shortages and grave health concerns to global climate change and the now constant threat of terrorism—one might question the urgency of this waning support for the arts. In the politically fraught world we live in, is the “felt” experience even something worth fighting for? In this soul-searching collection of vignettes, Patrick Summers gives us an adamant, impassioned affirmative. Art, he argues, nurtures freedom of thought, and is more necessary now than ever before. As artistic director of the Houston Grand Opera, Summers is well positioned to take stock of the limitations of the professional arts world—a world where the conversation revolves almost entirely around financial questions and whose reputation tends toward elitism—and to remind us of art’s fundamental relationship to joy and meaning. Offering a vehement defense of long-form arts in a world with a short attention span, Summers argues that art is spiritual, and that music in particular has the ability to ask spiritual questions, to inspire cathartic pathos, and to express spiritual truths. Summers guides us through his personal encounters with art and music in disparate places, from Houston’s Rothko Chapel to a music classroom in rural China, and reflects on musical works he has conducted all over the world. Assessing the growing canon of new operas performed in American opera houses today, he calls for musical artists to be innovative and brave as opera continues to reinvent itself. This book is a moving credo elucidating Summers’s belief that the arts, especially music, help us to understand our own humanity as intellectual, aesthetic, and ultimately spiritual.
£25.16
Oxford University Press A History of the County of Sussex: Volume VI Part I: Bramber Rape (Southern Part)
This volume describes the southern part of Bramber rape, the easternmost of the three rapes of West Sussex. It tells the history of 19 parishes lying along the coastal strip and over the South Downs. The rape takes its name from the castle at Bramber, which was the centre of the feudal honour and in whose shadow the de Braoses, the lords of the rape, planted a new town. Neighbouring Steyning, once one of the chief towns of the county, was a Saxon foundation with a college of secular canons and a port on the river Adur. The port gradually silted up and was replaced by that at New Shoreham, another Norman town planted in a corner of Old Shoreham parish. New Shoreham, once a major channel port and a centre for shipbuilding, has been much affected by changes in the coastline; the modern harbour lies in Kingston Bowsey and Southwick. The silting and reclamation of the Adur estuary has also changed the face of Lancing, where the college and chapel overlook the new ground. Sompting near by has one of the several noteworthy Romanesque churches is the area. The growth of Worthing was impeded in the 19th century by sanitary problems, but thetown is now the second largest in Sussex. It was also formerly renowned for its glasshouse produce. It has swallowed its parent parish of Broadwater and the parishes of Durrington, Heene, and West Tarring, the last named including two fine medieval secular buildings. The urban sprawl takes in part of Findon, scene of the annual sheep fair, which like Clapham and Patching to the west retains extensive downland. Washington, north of the downs is noted for market gardening and sand quarrying, while at Wiston was one of the most important country houses in Sussex. The tally of parishes is completed by the deserted villages of Botolphs and Coombes.
£75.00
Reach plc Arsenal and After - My Story
A compelling, relevant and dramatic life story from the front line of the modern game. Paul Davis's story takes us on a journey through almost 50 years at the very top in football: a leading player's take on an extraordinary and memorable period in Arsenal's history, during which the club and football changed radically and forever around him. Davis won titles and cups with Arsenal but, to do so, had to battle against career-threatening injuries and to handle the frustrations and injustices of the worst kinds of club and dressing room politics. His subsequent experiences as a coach and as a coach-developer have been just as challenging, just as emotionally charged, and just as significant. It's a life story worth the telling, that's for sure. Arsenal And After - An Education offers more than just a fascinating football story. Paul's mum, Ruby, arrived in England from Jamaica in the late 1950s, as part of the Windrush generation. She brought up Paul and his sister, Sandra, on her own, on a council estate in Stockwell, South London. Much of the Davis family history was - and still is - a mystery to Paul, who never knew or knew anything about his father. He was already a senior player at Arsenal before he discovered he had siblings: the three children Ruby had left behind in Kingston when she'd struck out for a new life in England, thirty years before. As a teenager, Davis was often the only black player wearing Arsenal colours. As often as not, he'd be the only black player on the pitch. With that came challenges: racism in football and beyond in the early 1980s was undiluted and unapologetic. The fight for recognition - for opportunity and for change - has been part of the Davis story ever since. His own emotional experiences are the lens through which he now looks back on everything he's achieved as a player, as a coach and as an educator.
£20.00
Little, Brown Book Group Funny You Should Ask
'Delightful banter, hot romance and a love story that's worthy of the big screen' KATE SPENCERTen years later and she still has butterflies. But does he feel the same way?Then. Twenty-something writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former classmates are nabbing high-profile book deals, all she does is churn out puff pieces. Then she's hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker: her number one celebrity crush and the latest James Bond. All Chani wants to do is keep her cool and nail the piece. But what comes next proves to be life changing in ways she never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing - and Chani getting closer to Gabe than she had planned. Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a healthy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles as a successful writer with the career of her dreams. Except that no matter what she's promoting, someone always asks about The Profile. It always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she's forgotten about the time they spent together. But the truth is that Chani wants to know if those seventy-two hours were as memorable to Gabe as they were to her. And so . . . she says yes. Alternating between their first meeting and their reunion a decade later, this deliciously irresistible novel will have you hanging on until the last word.Praise for Funny You Should Ask'A breezy, addictive romance - I couldn't put it down!' Rachel Lynn Solomon'A smart, sensitive story full of love and longing - not to mention a totally swoonworthy hero' Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan'A beautiful, fun, heartfelt love story that I couldn't put down' Maurene Goo
£9.99
Penguin Books Ltd Unapologetically You: Harness Your Individuality and Stand Out at Work
Being yourself has never been so important (or so lucrative).The working world has changed. In an era where the cost of living is rising and competition increasing, it's no longer good enough to have a university degree, a cushy corporate job and a strong work ethic. The once-guaranteed routes to success are leaving employees poorer and undervalued. More and more, people are finding that they have to take alternative paths to their careers - whether that's by starting a side hustle, or by finding a breakthrough idea at work, or even by quitting the rat race entirely and pursuing their own passion projects.With an increasingly educated and experienced population to contend with, discovering what makes you stand out as an individual is more important than ever - within a corporate structure, a freelance market, a virtual collective or any other workplace. So how do you do it? The answer, according to world-renowned strategy consultant Dorie Clark, is to be yourself, entirely and unapologetically.You might not know what your breakthrough idea is. Or you might know, but have no idea how to implement it. You might think you have an idea, but you don't trust yourself enough to pursue it. Regardless of what's holding you back, this book will teach you how to burst through that barrier and establish yourself as an individual thought leader - and it starts with being true to who you are. Drawing on interviews from some of the most influential thought leaders in the world, including Seth Godin, Daniel Pink and David Allen, Clark shows you how to break through the clamour of everyday life, understand yourself and your worth, and ultimately inspire others to embrace your vision.Unapologetically You is a manifesto for individuality. Whoever you are, whatever your perspective, your ideas matter. The world won't wait for you. It needs your insights, and now is the time to be bold, daring and unapologetic.
£10.99
Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd Death in the new republic
At the heart of the title is an engaging, strongly drawn central character, Nossel, a Jhb Northern suburbs, middle age Jewish attorney who was involved in the struggle in the 1980's and more recently worked in the National Intelligence Agency until he overplayed his hand and was eased out in what he sees as an act of betrayal by his own people. His part in solving the crime that forms the main plot of the story restores him to favour and to a sense of self-worth. He's a captivating character - gutsy, passionate, vulnerable, smart, who wears his heart on his sleeve and uses his wit and charm to get out of tricky corners. More interesting than the surface plot is the bigger story of what it means, and takes, to live in the new SA post- Mandela. This problem is figured in the story of Nossel - he begins the title, a dillusioned, middle aged man who hankers for the lost idealism, clear-cut morality and comradely activism of the Struggle in which he played a role. But times have changed, and the moral crusade against apartheid and the honeymoon years of the Mandela era have been replaced by the ordinariness, the sordid power games and rampant pursuit of self-enrichment characteristic of the Mbeki years. Even the grand and generous compromises that made possible the transition to democracy have been shown up as strategic mistakes, for many of the villains of apartheid were allowed to get off scot-free and to continue their evil ways in the new regime, as compromising one's own values and without giving way to cynicism, whingeing or complete withdrawal? How does one find a place and a role as a decent and caring citizen committed to the long-term transformation of the country in line with the values that the struggle once espoused? This is the real story at the heart of the title.
£17.99