Search results for ""author roy"

The technical details of British warships were recorded in a set of plans produced by the builders on completion of every ship. Known as the as fitted' general arrangements, these drawings represented the exact appearance and fitting of the ship as it entered service. Intended to provide a permanent reference for the Admiralty and the dockyards, these highly detailed plans were drawn with exquisite skill in multi-coloured inks and washes that represent the acme of the draughtsman's art. Today they form part of the incomparable collection of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, which is using the latest scanning technology to make digital copies of the highest quality. This book is one of a series based entirely on these draughts which depict famous warships in an unprecedented degree of detail - complete sets in full colour, with many close-ups and enlargements that make every aspect clear and comprehensible. Extensive captions point the reader to important features to be found in the plans, and an introduction covers the background to the design. This volume is devoted to the sloops of the Black Swan class and its improved derivatives, widely regarded as the Rolls-Royce' of Second World War convoy escorts. Heavily armed and superbly equipped for their role, they were among the most effective anti-submarine ships of the battle in the Atlantic. The design was gradually improved and this book uses plans of four selected ships to chart that development. These comprise: Black Swan as built; Flamingo as modified later; Starling, the single most successful U-boat hunter of the war, as in 1943; and Amethyst, as refitted after her clash with Chinese communists on the Yangtze in 1949.

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Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a special place of tranquillity in the crowded south of England. It is recognized nationally and internationally and is appreciated by many hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. This book, which includes previously unpublished memoirs and features famous figures from King Canute to P.G. Wodehouse, draws together the myriad threads that have given the harbour and its surroundings their unique character, telling an engrossing story that stretches far into the past, present and future. It encompasses topics as varied as geological and historical tumult, the harbour's vital importance as a refuge for threatened wildlife, the change from commercial port to centre for leisure pursuits, the impact of war and the threat from climate change. Liz Sagues brings to life the people who have contributed so much to Chichester Harbour, from the saintly Saxon cleric whose practical fishing skills ended a village famine to environmentally committed twenty-first-century farmers, and from a king's favourite mistress to Olympic medal-winning sailors. The book is for those who already love the harbour - and for the many more who, as they read on, will join them. Provides a unique broad-ranging study of Chichester Harbour AONB and its close surroundings Richly illustrated with approximately 200 colour photographs Includes previously unpublished memoirs and features famous figures from Kings Canute and Harold to P.G. Wodehouse, Sir Henry Royce and Clark Gable Tours through the harbour villages and suggests walks which cover millennia in minutes and give a real taste of the harbour Written with magical, compelling style by an award-winning journalist.

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Hunter's Rage, the third in The Civil War Chronicles, Michael Arnold's acclaimed series of historical thrillers, sees battle-scarred hero Captain Stryker, 'the Sharpe of the Civil War', take on his oldest foe. 'Stands in comparison with the best of Cornwell' Yorkshire PostPosted to the hostile territory of Dartmoor, Captain Innocent Stryker and his men are attacked by an elite cavalry unit commanded by the formidable Colonel Gabriel Wild and suffer heavy losses. Stryker has already clashed once with Wild, and the Roundhead has sworn to seek his revenge. After the attack, Stryker is faced with the annihilation of his company as he is hounded across the moor, eventually seeking shelter on an isolated tor populared by an enigmatic former priest who harbours no love for the King's cause. Colonel Wild is assisted in his revenge by Osmyn Hogg, Parliamentarian Witchfinder, who shares his own deadly history with Stryker. To save his honour and his life, Stryker must lead his men to glory from the protection of the lonely granite-topped hill. Into this atmosphere of intrigue and danger comes the beautiful but mysterious Cecily Cade. Stryker comes to her aid, unaware that she carries with her special knowledge that may prove the key to Royalist victory.The battle between Stryker and his old foes takes him from the bleak isolation of Dartmoor, through the war-ravaged lands of southern England and finally to Stratton, where the bloody battle between Cornwall and Devon will decide the fate of the south-west.

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On a perfect Spring morning at Windsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth II will enjoy a cup of tea, carry out all her royal duties . . . and solve a murder.'Like an episode of The Crown - but with a spicy dish of murder on the side' (DAILY MAIL)______________________The morning after a dinner party at Windsor Castle, eighty-nine-year-old Queen Elizabeth is shocked to discover that one of her guests has been found murdered in his room, with a rope around his neck.When the police begin to suspect her loyal servants, Her Majesty knows they are looking in the wrong place.For the Queen has been living an extraordinary double life ever since her coronation. Away from the public eye, she has a brilliant knack for solving crimes.With her household's happiness on the line, her secret must not get out. Can the Queen and her trusted secretary Rozie catch the killer, without getting caught themselves?Miss Marple meets The Crown in The Windsor Knot, the first book in the 'Her Majesty The Queen Investigates' mystery series by SJ Bennett - for fans of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin.______________________PRAISE FOR THE WINDSOR KNOT:'Hilarious, affectionate, and so well observed . . . I loved it' - JOANNE HARRIS'A total joy' - NINA STIBBE'A highly original and delightfully charming crime series' - ADELE PARKS'Possibly the most adorable crime novel out this year' - RUTH WARE'Charming, cosy and respectful' - GUARDIAN'Gently hilarious and utterly charming' - AMANDA CRAIG

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I believe in the individual. Look at me. Set in the early Thatcher years, Top Girls is a seminal play of the modern theatre, revealing a world of women's experience at a pivotal moment in British history. Told by an eclectic group of historical and modern characters in a continuous conversation across ages and generations it was described by The Guardian as ‘the best British play ever from a woman dramatist’. The play opens with an anachronistic dinner party hosted by Marlene, the newly-promoted manager of the ‘Top Girls’ employment agency. Her guests are five women from the past: a female Pope, a courtesan-cum-nun, a tireless adventurer, an obedient wife from Chaucer and the leader of a charge into hell from a Bruegel painting. The feminist themes introduced by this cacophonous scene echo throughout the more contemporary action of the play, as Churchill uses the setting of the ‘Top Girls’ agency to allow a glimpse into the lives of several very different working women. The play presents complex questions about a feminism which mimics aggressive, oppressive behaviour, and success which can only be achieved by abandoning family ties to force a way to the top. Top Girls premiered in 1982 at the Royal Court Theatre, London. Methuen Drama’s iconic Modern Plays series began in 1959 with the publication of Shelagh Delaney’s A Taste of Honey and has grown over six decades to now include more than 1000 plays by some of the best writers from around the world. This new special edition hardback of Top Girls was published to celebrate 60 years of Methuen Drama’s Modern Plays in 2019, chosen by a public vote and features a foreword by critic and journalist Ann McFerran.

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What would it take for one young Black man not only to rise above statistics but also become a Navy SEAL, actor, entrepreneur, writer, and successful husband and father?In Transformed, Remi Adeleke takes you back to stories from his childhood, from living as Nigerian royalty to losing his father early in life and being stripped financially of everything by the Nigerian government. Following his father’s death, he and his mother and brother relocated permanently to the Bronx where his single mother struggled to provide for the family.Statistics tell us that African American males who grow up in a single-parent household are nine times more likely to drop out of high school and twenty times more likely to end up in prison than any other demographic. While it would have been easy to believe that he could never beat those odds, Remi Adeleke refused to fall victim to that premise.Sharing his incredible journey through the struggles of his life, Remi doesn’t shy away from his illegal activities as a young man that threatened to derail his future as a Navy SEAL. He shares: How perseverance transformed his life despite all odds How taking ownership of his mistakes and shortcomings led him to success His hard-earned wisdom gained over years of struggle Belief that the adversities, trials, and tribulations he went through were specific moves by God At every turn, including throughout his naval career, Adeleke found a way to overcome the odds, even when it didn’t make sense. Remi Adeleke’s journey of following God’s voice, rising above statistics, and experiencing true personal transformation will inspire and move you.

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'The chilling narrative presents a graphic and compelling self-portrait of the Nazi war criminal who oversaw Auschwitz concentration camp' JEWISH BOOK WORLD'This book is filled with evil ... and yet it is one of the most instructive books ever published' Primo LeviAn extraordinary and unique document: Hoess was in charge of the huge extermination camp in Poland where the Nazis murdered some three million Jews, from the time of its creation (he was responsible for building it) in 1940 until late in 1943, by which time the mass exterminations were half completed. Before this he had worked in other concentration camps, and afterwards he was at the Inspectorate in Berlin. He thus knew more, both at first-hand and as an administrator, about Nazi Germany's greatest crime than did any save two or three other men.Taken prisoner by the British, he was handed over to the Poles, tried, sentenced to death, and taken back to Auschwitz and there hanged. During the period between his trial and his execution, he was ordered to write his autobiography. This is it. Hoess repeatedly says he was glad to write the book. He enjoyed the work. And finally the most careful checking has shown that he took great pains to tell the truth. Here we have, painted by his own hand, a vivid and unforgettable self-portrait of one of the great monsters of all time. To this are added portraits of some of his more spectacular fellow-criminals. The royalties from this macabre but historically important book go to the fund set up to help the few survivors from the Auschwitz camps.

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The names of few medieval monarchs and their queens are better known than Eleanor of Aquitaine, uniquely queen of France and queen of England, and her second husband Henry II. Although academically labelled medieval', their era was the violent transition from the Dark Ages, when countries' borders were defined with fire and sword. Henry grabbed the English throne thanks largely to Eleanor's dowry because she owned one third of France. Their daughters also lived extraordinary lives. If princes fought for their succession to crowns, the princesses were traded - usually by their mothers - to strangers for political power without the bloodshed. Years before what would today be marriageable age, royal girls were despatched to countries whose speech was unknown to them and there became the property of unknown men; their duty the bearing of sons to continue a dynasty and daughters who would be traded in their turn. Some became literal prisoners of their spouses; others outwitted would-be rapists and the Church to seize the reins of power when their husbands died. Eleanor's daughters Marie and Alix were abandoned in Paris when she divorced Louis VII of France. By Henry II, she bore Matilda, Alienor and Joanna. Between them, these extraordinary women and their daughters knew the extremes of power and pain. Joanna was imprisoned by William II of Sicily and worse treated by her brutal second husband in Toulouse. If Eleanor was libelled as a whore, Alienor's descendants include two saints, Louis of France and Fernando of Spain. And then there were the illegitimate daughters, whose lives read like novels

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Avi Shlaim's The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World is the outstanding book on Israeli foreign policy, now thoroughly updated with a new preface and chapters on Israel's most recent leadersIn the 1920s, hard-line Zionists developed the doctrine of the 'Iron Wall': negotiations with the Arabs must always be from a position of military strength, and only when sufficiently strong Israel would be able to make peace with her Arab neighbours.This doctrine, argues Avi Shlaim, became central to Israeli policy; dissenters were marginalized and many opportunities to reconcile with Palestinian Arabs were lost. Drawing on a great deal of new material and interviews with many key participants, Shlaim places Israel's political and military actions under and uncompromising lens.His analysis will bring scant comfort to partisans on both sides, but it will be required reading for anyone interested in this fascinating and troubled region of the world.'The Iron Wall is strikingly fair-minded, scholarly, cogently reasoned and makes enthralling ... reading' Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph'Anyone wanting to understand the modern Middle East should start by reading this elegantly written and scrupulously researched book' Trevor Royle, Sunday Herald'A milestone in modern scholarship of the Middle East' Edward Said'Fascinating ... Shlaim presents compelling evidence for a revaluation of traditional Israeli history' Ethan Bronner, The New York Times Book ReviewAvi Shlaim is Professor of International Relations at St. Antony's College, Oxford. His previous books include Collusion Across the Jordan (1988) and War and Peace in the Middle East (1995).

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The Wars of the Roses were fought in England from the mid-fifteenth century, as the supporters of Lancaster and York wrestled over control of the crown. Books have analyzed the politics, battles and motives of its key characters. However, a discussion of women’s roles relating to the conflict is so far missing. Forgotten Women of the Wars of the Roses highlights their involvement, their lives during wartime and the consequences of their actions. Many women lost male relatives to battle, execution and rebellion, suffering emotional and legal consequences as rivals seized lands and livelihood. Despite the uneasy political atmosphere and challenges in marriage and parenting, women maintained the household and supported the family commercially and politically. Forgotten royal women acted as diplomats, negotiators and supporters to both York and Lancaster. Religious women were involved in the conflict and their individual experiences are examined. There is a discussion of women who fought to overcome potentially dangerous circumstances to secure safety and statusand those who directly supported of the war effort. There were organisers writing lists, planning defences and strategy and quietly supplying husbands with horses, silver and men. Defenders commanded soldiers during a siege, usually at their homes, and took active roles in family feuds. The existence of women rebels at this time is also discussed, as is women’s wider, more subtle contributions and experiences to the security of the monarchy. The book demands acknowledgement of women’s varied roles during the conflict at all levels of society. It draws on primary sources, aspects of their families, their daily lives, homes and fashions, thus presenting them as three dimensional people against the backdrop of the wars.

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This is the first biography of Boy Browning, whose name is inextricably linked with the creation and employment of Britains airborne forces in the Second World War. Commissioned into the Grenadier Guards, Browning served on the Western Front, earning a DSO during the Battle of Cambrai. As Adjutant at Sandhurst, he began the tradition of riding a horse up the steps at the end of the commissioning parade. Browning represented England as a hurdler and Great Britain at the 1928 Winter Olympics. In 1932 Browning married Daphne du Maurier, who was ten years younger and became one of the 20th centurys most enduring and popular novelists with titles such as Jamaica Inn and Rebecca. Browning commanded two brigades before being appointed to command 1 Airborne Division in 1941, later acting as Eisenhowers advisor on airborne warfare in the Mediterranean. In 1944 he commanded 1st Airborne Corps, which he took to Holland for Operation MARKET GARDEN that September. Allegedly coining the phrase a bridge too far, he has received much of the blame for the operations failure. In late 1944, Browning became Chief of Staff to Mountbatten. In 1948 he became Comptroller and Treasurer to Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip and then Treasurer to the latter following the Queens accession. He was a close adviser to the Royal couple who respected his judgment. By this time Boy and Daphne lived separate lives with Boy working at the Palace in London and Daphne reluctant to leave her beloved Cornwall although the marriage remained intact. Questions exist as to Daphnes sexuality and Boy had a succession of discrete mistresses. After a nervous breakdown probably due to marriage problems, he resigned in 1959 and retired to Cornwall. Browning died in March 1965.

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'Beautifully written, passionate and moving, this is the book everyone should read about COVID-19' Kate Mosse'Hard to put down' Rachel Clarke'Gripping, humane, eye-opening and seriously tense' Ian DuntThe first book to tell the full story of the COVID-19 pandemic from a doctor on the frontline.ALL ROYALTIES FROM SALES GO TO HEROES, A CHARITY PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE WORKERS. On the 8th of February, Dr Dominic Pimenta encountered his first suspected case of coronavirus. Within a week, he began wearing a mask on the tube, and within a month, he moved over to the Intensive Care Unit to help fight the virus.From the initial whispers coming out of China and the collective hesitation to class this as a pandemic to full lockdown and the continued battle to treat whoever came through the doors, Dr Pimenta tells the heroic stories of how the entire system shifted to tackle this outbreak and how, ultimately, the staff managed to save lives.This incredible account captures the shock and surprise, the panic and power of an unprecedented time, and how, at this moment of despair, human generosity and kindness prevailed.'A startlingly personal account ... It can be described as a memoir, a thriller or a horror story, but it is really all at once' Observer'Reads like a thriller – a first-hand account of a group of individuals facing a terrible adversary – but it also moved me sometimes to tears because it communicates the humanity of the patients, as well as the NHS staff. As with all great writing, its honesty shines out' Tim Walker'An excellent book ... Moving and fascinating in equal measure' Xand van Tulleken

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Major General Rea Leakey was one of the Royal Tank Regiment’s greatest heroes of the Second World War. As a young tank commander, he fought Rommel’s Afrika Korps in the Western Desert of Egypt, before becoming trapped for six months in the siege of Tobruk and temporarily joining the Australian infantry as an honorary Lance Corporal. He later returned to the European theatre in 1944 and served as a Churchill tank commander in Normandy, the Rhine and Germany. Despite it being strictly forbidden, Leakey kept a diary throughout his soldiering career. Based on this valuable account, Leakey’s Luck documents Leakey’s wartime service in its entirety, and offers a view of the war through the eyes of a man who was there at the ‘sharp end’. Many of his exploits were hair-raising, some even too fantastic to believe. Incredibly, Leakey’s luck held out throughout the war, and he remained in the British Army until retirement in 1968.

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The Nehemiah Memoir, the narrative of the royal cupbearer sent to rebuild Jerusalem, is central to Ezra-Nehemiahs account of Persian Judah. Yet its emphasis on one individuals efforts makes it a text that ill-fits the books story of a communal restoration. Sean Burt analyzes the nature of this curious text through the lens of genre criticism and identifies the impact of its use of genres on its early reception in Ezra-Nehemiah. Drawing upon contemporary theorists of literary genre, within the field of biblical studies and beyond, he builds an understanding of genre capable of addressing both its flexibility and its necessarily historical horizon. Burt argues that the Nehemiah Memoir makes use of two ancient genres: the novelistic court tale (e.g. Esther, Ahiqar, and others) and the official memorial, or biographical genre used across the ancient Near East by kings and other governmental officials for individual commemoration. This study contends that the narrative subtly shifts genres as it unfolds, from court tale to memorial. Nehemiah the courtier becomes Nehemiah the governor. While these genres reveal an affinity to one another, they also highlight a central contradiction in the narratives portrait of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is, like the people of Jerusalem, beholden to the whims of a foreign ruler, but he also simultaneously represents Persias power over Jerusalem. Burt concludes that the Nehemiah Memoirs combination of these two ultimately incommensurate genres can account for how the writers of Ezra-Nehemiah modified and corrected Nehemiahs problematic story to integrate it into Ezra-Nehemiahs vision of a holistic restoration enacted by a unified people.

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“I Know This to Be True is the basis for the Netflix documentary series Live to Lead created and directed by Geoff Blackwell and executive produced by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”  The I Know This to Be True series is a collection of extraordinary figures from diverse backgrounds answering the same questions, as well as sharing their compelling stories, guiding ideals, and insightful wisdom. The inimitable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former associate justice of the US Supreme Court, embodied the power of persistence and integrity. Throughout her legal career, spanning nearly five decades, she was an unwavering force for progress and a leading voice for equality and justice. Here, she reflects on her many years of service to the law, as well as her family life and struggle with cancer. With disarming honesty, Ginsburg discusses everything from gender equality and fitness to literature and the importance of hard work. Strong, hopeful and wise, her words stand as a guide for budding feminists and those who fight for justice around the world. Inspired by Nelson Mandela's legacy and created in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, I Know This to Be True is a global series of books created to spark a new generation of leaders. This series offers encouragement and guidance to graduates, future leaders, and anyone hoping to make a positive impact on the world. • Royalties from sales of the series support the free distribution of material from the series to the world's developing economy countries. • A highly giftable and lovely hardcover with vivid photographic portraits throughout.

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My brother John Larmour was a police officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). On October 11th 1988 he was off duty and looking after my family-run ice cream parlour, Barnam's World of Ice Cream. I was on holiday in Spain with my wife and two young daughters at the time. John was shot dead that night by the IRA. A teenage couple were also in the parlour. The gunmen callously opened fire on them too. One of the guns they used had been taken from a murdered soldier. The other was a police issue pistol that had been used in other killings. My brother's brutal murder has been gently immortalised in a poem 'The Ice Cream Man' by award winning poet, Michael Longley. His thoughtful words brought a degree of comfort to my Mum and Dad who died of broken hearts. My brother, like all police officers, lived with constant danger. He knew that. But he couldn't have known the complexity of the story that would unfold after his death. My search for the truth behind John's murder started on that fateful night in October 1988. Wrangling with the police and the 'cold case' Historical Enquiries Team, raised suspicions, not lightly dispelled, of collusion. The more I learned the more I came to suspect that recruiting and protecting an agent, a 'Supertout' inside the upper echelons of the IRA was more important to some of John's police colleagues than catching his killers. This is my story.

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An award-winning journalist discovers that her grandfather, the legendary and heroic Lithiuanian "General Storm" who survived a Nazi concentration camp only to later be executed by the Russians, may also have been a Jew-killing antisemite. A fascinating story of bravery, betrayal, and the transformative power of seeking and finding the truth at whatever the cost.Hero–or Nazi? Silvia Foti was raised on reverent stories about her hero grandfather, a martyr for Lithuanian independence and an unblemished patriot. Jonas Noreika, remembered as “General Storm,” had resisted his country’s German and Soviet occupiers in World War II, surviving two years in a Nazi concentration camp only to be executed in 1947 by the KGB. His granddaughter, growing up in Chicago, was treated like royalty in her tightly knit Lithuanian community. But in 2000, when Silvia traveled to Lithuania for a ceremony honoring her grandfather, she heard a very different story—a “rumor” that her grandfather had been a “Jew-killer.” Storm in the Land of Rain is Silvia’s account of her wrenching twenty-year quest for the truth, from a beautiful house confiscated from its Jewish owners, to familial confessions and the Holocaust tour guide who believed that her grandfather had murdered members of his family. A heartbreaking and dramatic story based on exhaustive documentary research and soul-baring interviews, Storm in the Land of Rain is an unforgettable journey into World War II history, intensely personal but filled with universal lessons about courage, faith, memory, and justice. Previously published as The Nazi's Granddaughter.

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Once upon a time, there was something called the sun … In a kingdom ruled by a witch, the sun is just part of a legend about Light-filled days of old. But now Siria Nightingale is headed to the heart of the darkness to try and restore the Light—or lose everything trying.Sixteen-year-old Siria Nightingale has never seen the sun. That’s because Queen Iyzabel shrouded the kingdom in shadow upon her ascent to the throne, with claims it would protect her subjects from the dangerous Light.The Darkness has always left Siria uneasy, and part of her still longs for the stories of the Light-filled days she once listened to alongside her best friend Linden, told in secret by Linden’s grandfather. But Siria’s need to please her strict and demanding parents means embracing the dark and heading to the royal city—the very center of Queen Izybel’s power—for a chance at a coveted placement at court. And what Siria discovers at the Choosing Ball sends her on a quest toward the last vestiges of Light, alongside a ragtag group of rebels who could help her restore the sun … or doom the kingdom to shadow forever.Ignite the Sun is: A YA fantasy adventure that is exciting and unique An allegorical exploration of the struggle with anxiety and depression Perfect for readers 13 and up A great gift for Christmas, birthday, or other gift giving holidays of young adult readers A good book club pick or cozy winter read

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Today some six million Freemasons around the world continue to perform their rituals regularly - an enormous legacy of spiritual endeavour, kept largely in secret. In Britain alone there are over 7,000 Lodges, with a quarter of a million members. What is this wealth, this appeal, and how did the philosopher and spiritual scientist Rudolf Steiner reinterpret or reconstruct Freemasonry's time-worn legacy? Unless one is a Freemason, the masonic world, with its arcane conventions and language, remains largely unknown: an obscurity that is almost impossible to fathom. Yet understanding its traditions and style are invaluable when approaching Goethe, Mozart, Herder, Lessing and Novalis - as well as Rudolf Steiner. Steiner himself renewed the 'Royal Art' of Freemasonry from 1906 to 1914 through his ritual work known as Mystica AEterna. When Steiner invigorated education, medicine, the social order and religion, he fully intended that committed and professional individuals should assume responsibility for the new initiatives. But this was not the case with the Masonic Order he founded, whose leadership he took upon himself. Even the celebration of his passing in 1925, led by Marie Steiner, was entirely Masonic in character. In the context of continuing resistance and misrepresentation, N.V.P. Franklin uncovers the living heart of Freemasonry and reveals why it was - and still is - immensely relevant to anthroposophy. With profound research into its older rituals and teachings, this detailed and conscientious study is a unique contribution to comprehending freemasonry and anthroposophy - both historically and in the present day.

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Established in 1917 to train Royal Flying Corps aircrew, during WWI Duxford was also the base for two United States Aero Squadrons, 137 and 159, and by the end was a mobilisation airfield for three DH9 day bomber squadrons. During the 1920s and 30s, expansion continued apace, with three fighter squadrons, 19, 29 and 111, and the presence of many illustrious names, including Harry Broadhurst, Johnny Kent and Frank Whittle. The first aerodrome in Fighter Command to receive the Spitfire (in August 1938), Duxford rose to supreme prominence during the early part of the Second World War. Part of 12 Group detailed to protect the industrial midlands and north east Britain, the base’s role during the Battle of Britain was mired in controversy due to the ‘Big Wing’ tactics of Douglas Bader and Trafford Leigh-Mallory. From October 1942 to the end of the war, Duxford was essentially an American base for, variously, the 8th Air Force, 350th and 78th Fighter Groups. Postwar the RAF operated jets from the station until 1961 when the future was put on hold. Managing to avoid the ignominy of becoming a prison or sports complex, the Imperial War Museum finally came to the rescue making Duxford into today’s premier international air museum. Richard Smith’s research has led him to numerous previously unpublished collections from which he has unearthed some marvellous images of historical significance. A must for the collector, historian or veteran of the times.

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The history of Calne, a market and industrial town in north Wiltshire, and the places around it. Calne, a small town in north Wiltshire, stood on a large royal estate, and the witan met there - St Dunstan survived the partial collapse of a building at one meeting. It sent members to parliament from the thirteenth century, andit became a pocket borough in the eighteenth. The town stands on what until 1971 was the main London to Bristol road; markets and fairs were held, and inns flourished. It was also industrial: water-powered mills were used for fulling, and from the sixteenth century to the 1840s it was a centre for cloth making. The topography of the town, its growth, government and cultural life are fully explored, and churches, chapels and schools discussed. In Calne's hinterland most settlement was in small villages with open fields and commonable pastures. Bowood park was inclosed from the forest c.1618 and Bowood House was built in the park c.1727. The house, the changes to it by Robert Adam and others, and the redesigning of its park by 'Capability' Brown are fully described. In the nineteenth century many estate cottages were built. For the places around Calne the history of the settlement and churches in each village, the manorial descents, and the evolution of farming and farms are all traced, and there are architectural descriptions of the churches.D.A.CROWLEY is County Editor, Victorial History of Wiltshire.

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Sir Richard Fairey was one of the great aviation innovators of the twentieth century. His career as a plane maker stretched from the Edwardian period to the jet age - he lived long enough to see one of his aircraft be the first to break the 1000mph barrier; and at least one of his designs, the Swordfish, holds iconic status. A qualified engineer, party to the design, development, and construction of the Royal Navy's state-of-the-art sea planes, Sir Richard founded Fairey Aviation at the Admiralty's behest in 1915. His company survived post-war retrenchment to become one of Britain's largest aircraft manufacturers. The firm built a succession of front-line aircraft for the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, including the iconic Swordfish. In addition, Fairey Aviation designed and built several cutting-edge experimental aircraft, including long-distance record-breakers between the wars and the stunningly beautiful Delta 2, which broke the world speed record on the eve of Sir Richard's death in 1956. Fairey also came to hold a privileged position in the British elite - courting politicians and policymakers. He became a figurehead of the British aviation industry and his successful running of the British Air Commission earned him a knighthood. A key player at a pivotal moment, Fairey's life tells us much about the exercise of power in early twentieth-century Britain and provides an insight into the nature of the British aviation manufacturing industry at its wartime peak and on the cusp of its twilight years.

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Examines sermons preached at national thanksgiving celebrations to show in detail what it meant to be properly British in the period. This book is the first concentrated study of almost 600 sermons from over forty national thanksgivings in Britain during the long eighteenth century. These included celebrations of the 'Glorious' Revolution, the Union of Englandand Scotland, the Hanoverian succession, and the numerous military successes stretching from the reigns of William and Mary and Queen Anne to the Battle of Waterloo. Preachers used such occasions to reinforce ideas associated with Britain and being British during a significant period of national growth. Although the thanksgiving ceremonies were instigated through royal order, and accompanied by prescribed liturgies, the composition and delivery of sermons by clergymen in thousands of churches resulted in numerous and diverse expressions on developments within British society across a period of over 125 years. Topics included assertions about Britain's favoured position in the world, perceptions of the growth of empire, ideas on the impact of war and of peace, views on the effects of commerce and trade, opinions on politics, responses to religious and cultural diversity, and reactions to the French Revolution. The sermons were written by ministers from across England, as well as some from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and colonial North America. In addition to those from Anglican pulpits, many of the sermons were by dissenting ministers.Overall, the book presents a vast array of information from a wide range of viewpoints, demonstrating how prominent national commemorations were used by preachers to convey compelling ideas about Britain and Britons from 1689 to1816.

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Numerous books have been written on airships, but few concentrate on the bases and infrastructure which supported their operations. British Airship Bases of the Twentieth Century documents the development of airship facilities, beginning with their primitive arrangement prior to the First World War. The outbreak of hostilities in 1914 resulted in the adoption of airships for military purposes: ambitious bases and mooring-out stations were established across Britain, operated chiefly by the Royal Naval Air Service for the protection of shipping against U-boats. Finally, Malcolm Fife also relates the aeronautical developments, airship accidents, and post-war vacuum which led to the closure and dismemberment of most British bases. In the 1920s, the Government tried to refashion these giants of the sky into a means of transport, to link together the far-flung regions of the Empire-a scheme that never came to fruition. This did not, however, bring an end to their fascination for certain private enthusiasts or communities marked by this industry.This is an enthralling chronicle of the birth and transitions of airships and their bases, from an experimental, to military, to commercial, to private purpose. The construction, accommodation, and individual service history of each airship station are researched and described in detail, as well as proposed passenger terminals overseas. Malcolm Fife pays equal attention to the attempts to revive the airship in the closing decade of the twentieth century, and the locations associated with them. This is a beautifully illustrated, informative, and moving read, essential to an understanding of Britain's aeronautical history.

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The complete story of the remarkable canoe raid on German ships in Bordeaux Harbour – by the man who himself served in the Special Boat Squadron. In 1942, before El Alamein turned the tide of war, the German merchant fleet was re-supplying its war machine with impunity. So Operation Frankton, a daring and secret raid, was launched by Mountbatten’ s Combined Operations and led by the enigmatic ‘ Blondie’ Hasler – to paddle ‘ Cockleshell’ canoes right into Bordeaux harbour and sink the ships at anchor. It was a desperately hazardous mission from the start – dropped by submarine to canoe some hundred miles up the Gironde into the heart of Vichy France, surviving terrifying tidal races, only to face the biggest challenge of all: escaping across the Pyrenees. Fewer than half the men made it to Bordeaux; only four laid their mines; just two got back alive. But the most damage was done to the Germans’ sense of impregnability. Paddy Ashdown, himself a member of the Royal Marines’ elite Special Boat Squadron formed as a consequence of Frankton, has always been fascinated by this classic story of bravery and ingenuity - as a young man even meeting his hero Hasler once. Now, after researching previously unseen archives and tracing surviving witnesses, he has written the definitive account of the raid. The real truth, he discovers – a deplorable tale of Whitehall rivalry and breakdowns in communication – serves only to make the achievements of the ‘ Cockleshell’ heroes all the more heroic.

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'Gripping pulse-racing adventure by a true legend. Louis Rudd's courage and determination is admirable' – Andy McNab_____________________In 2018 Captain Louis Rudd MBE walked into the history books when he finished a solo, unsupported crossing of Antarctica, pulling a 130 kg sledge laden with his supplies for more than 900 miles. Louis’ skills had been honed in the SAS, on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but now – in the most hostile environment on earth – they would be tested like never before. Alone on the ice, Louis battled through whiteouts, 50 mph gales and temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius. It would take all his mental strength to survive.In this gripping book Louis reveals how a thirst for adventure saw him join the Royal Marines at sixteen and then pass the SAS selection course at only twenty-two. He describes his first gruelling polar expedition with legendary explorer Lieutenant Colonel Henry Worsley in 2011 and the leadership challenges he faced a few years later when he led a team of Army Reservists across Antarctica. And he takes us with him step by painful step as he pushes himself to the limit, travelling alone on his epic and lonely trek across the continent’s treacherous ice fields and mountains. With edge-of-the-seat storytelling, Endurance is an awe-inspiring account of courage and resilience by a remarkable man.‘Resilience and tenacity against the odds. An extraordinary tale of bravery, written with humility by the toughest of the tough’ – Levison Wood'Capt Rudd is an inspiration to us all, I believe his name will go down in polar history' – Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE

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From Gerald Ford's preemptive pardon of Richard Nixon and Donald Trump's claims that as president he could pardon himself to the posthumous royal pardon of Alan Turing, the power of the pardon has a powerful hold on the political and cultural imagination. In Theaters of Pardoning, Bernadette Meyler traces the roots of contemporary understandings of pardoning to tragicomic "theaters of pardoning" in the drama and politics of seventeenth-century England. Shifts in how pardoning was represented on the stage and discussed in political tracts and in Parliament reflected the transition from a more monarchical and judgment-focused form of the concept to an increasingly parliamentary and legislative vision of sovereignty. Meyler shows that on the English stage, individual pardons of revenge subtly transformed into more sweeping pardons of revolution, from Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, where a series of final pardons interrupts what might otherwise have been a cycle of revenge, to later works like John Ford's The Laws of Candy and Philip Massinger's The Bondman, in which the exercise of mercy prevents the overturn of the state itself. In the political arena, the pardon as a right of kingship evolved into a legal concept, culminating in the idea of a general amnesty, the "Act of Oblivion," for actions taken during the English Civil War. Reconceiving pardoning as law-giving effectively displaced sovereignty from king to legislature, a shift that continues to attract suspicion about the exercise of pardoning. Only by breaking the connection between pardoning and sovereignty that was cemented in seventeenth-century England, Meyler concludes, can we reinvigorate the pardon as a democratic practice.

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Want to play chess like a champ? Dummies can help. From Netflix's “The Queen’s Gambit” to podcasts, virtual and mobile gaming, and beyond, chess is back in a big way. But, with all those kings, queens, and knights, chess can be a royal pain to grasp. Chess For Dummies is here to help beginners wrap their minds around the rules of the game, make sense of those puzzling pieces, and sharpen their chess strategy such that even Paul Morphy would be impressed. You’ll learn the laws of chess, its lingo, and engage in the art of the attack with the easy-to-follow, step-by-step explanations found in the latest edition of Chess For Dummies. Whether you’re playing chess online, in a tournament, or across the dining room table with a family member or friend, this hands-on guide is sure to capture your interest (and your opponent's queen), getting you up to speed on the game and its components and giving you the know-how you need to put the principles of play into action from the opening to the endgame. Grasp the rules of play and the nuances of each phase of the game Familiarize yourself with the pieces and the board Pick the perfect chess set and chessboard for you Get to know each of the pieces and their powers If you feel like you’re in a stalemate before you even begin a game, Chess For Dummies is your guide to forcing moves, raking bishops, and skewering your opponents like a true champion.

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This collection of essays by American philosopher Alain Locke (1885-1954) makes readily available for the first time his important writings on cultural pluralism, value relativism, and critical relativism. As a black philosopher early in this century, Locke was a pioneer: having earned both undergraduate and doctoral degrees at Harvard, he was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford, studied at the University of Berlin, and chaired the Philosophy Department at Howard University for almost four decades. He was perhaps best known as a leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Locke’s works in philosophy—many previously unpublished—conceptually frame the Harlem Renaissance and New Negro movement and provide an Afro-American critique of pragmatism and value absolutism, and also offer a view of identity, communicative competency, and contextualism. In addition, his major works on the nature of race, race relations, and the role of race-conscious literature are presented to demonstrate the application of his philosophy. Locke’s commentaries on the major philosophers of his day, including James, Royce, Santayana, Perry, and Ehrenfels help tell the story of his relationship to his former teachers and his theoretical affinities. In his substantial Introduction and interpretive concluding chapter, Leonard Harris describes Locke’s life, evaluates his role as an American philosopher and theoretician of the Harlem Renaissance, situates him in the pragmatist tradition, and outlines his affinities with modern deconstructionist ideas. A chronology of the philosopher’s life and bibliography of his works are also provided. Although much has been written about Alain Locke, this is the first book to focus on his philosophical contributions.

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The Spanish cleric Bartolomé de Las Casas is a key figure in the history of Spain’s conquest of the Americas. Las Casas condemned the torture and murder of natives by the conquistadores in reports to the Spanish royal court and in tracts such as A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies (1552). For his unrelenting denunciation of the colonialists’ atrocities, Las Casas has been revered as a noble protector of the Indians and as a pioneering anti-imperialist. He has become a larger-than-life figure invoked by generations of anticolonialists in Europe and Latin America. Separating historical reality from myth, Daniel Castro provides a nuanced, revisionist assessment of the friar’s career, writings, and political activities. Castro argues that Las Casas was very much an imperialist. Intent on converting the Indians to Christianity, the religion of the colonizers, Las Casas simply offered the natives another face of empire: a paternalistic, ecclesiastical imperialism. Castro contends that while the friar was a skilled political manipulator, influential at what was arguably the world’s most powerful sixteenth-century imperial court, his advocacy on behalf of the natives had little impact on their lives. Analyzing Las Casas’s extensive writings, Castro points out that in his many years in the Americas, Las Casas spent very little time among the indigenous people he professed to love, and he made virtually no effort to learn their languages. He saw himself as an emissary from a superior culture with a divine mandate to impose a set of ideas and beliefs on the colonized. He differed from his compatriots primarily in his antipathy to violence as the means for achieving conversion.

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Spain as a political entity can be traced to the joining of the two largest Iberian kingdoms through the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in 1469. Over the course of the next centuries, Spain rose to European dominance, presided over the world's largest empire, and saw its power and wealth decline until it was finally conquered and occupied by Napoleon in the early nineteenth century. Early Modern Spain: A Documentary History, the first broad-ranging collection in English of writings from the entire period from 1469 to the end of the eighteenth century, comprises 61 documents carefully selected and introduced by Jon Cowans. Beginning with the marriage contract of Ferdinand and Isabella, the volume unveils the rich and turbulent history of early modern Spain through contemporary writings, including documents on the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, a narrative of the conquest of Mexico, accounts of the Inquisition, a profile of King Philip II, a cleric's primer on "the perfect wife," a sermon on the defeat of the "Invincible Armada" in 1588, reports of a bread riot in Seville, a royal investigation of the painter Velázquez, Benito Feijóo's "defense of women" of 1737, a 1790 denunciation of bullfighting, and Charles IV's declaration of war on revolutionary France in 1793. Covering political, cultural, social, and economic history, Early Modern Spain: A Documentary History provides a valuable opportunity to explore the history of Spain through primary sources, revealing the problems and experiences of Spain's empire, tensions among ethnic groups and across regions, the place of women and minorities in Spanish society, and the outlooks and roles of Spanish artists.

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HARDCOVER, A5-Sized Journal: Standard A5 size (5.75 x 8.25 inches) allows for easily transporting in a handbag, backpack or tote. 144 DOTTED PAGES: Dotted grid pages give you the freedom to personalize your journaling experience. Are you an artist who wants to sketch? Are you a writer who wants to journal? Do you like to switch between text and art? The dotted pages give you both—the space to draw and guidelines to take notes—allowing you to have a one-stop location for all your writing needs. RIBBON BOOKMARK: Whether you're a chronic writer or more spontaneous, a ribbon bookmark will help keep track of where you left off writing, so that you don't have to flip through pages to find your last entry. The use of a colorful ribbon also adds a more classic, sophisticated look to the journal and can withstand constant use versus a paper bookmark. ACID-FREE PAPER: More difficult to decompose than regular paper and has a longer shelf-life. It is commonly used when someone wants to archive notes, daily journal entries or sketches for several years without the pages deteriorating or yellowing. FEATURED ART: Water symbolizes life. It's unpredictable, purifying, strong and flexible, a force that can both heal and sink you. The color gold is often associated with wealth, power, and royalty. Golden Waves Journal embodies the historical meanings of strength and power, illustrating gorgeous golden waves on a starry night makes the images pop and catches one's eye.

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Start a new holiday tradition as you read the Christmas story in the Bible’s own words.His coming went unnoticed by most people, but it was foretold from ages past.His birth wasn’t announced by royal proclamation, but it was lauded by the angels of heaven.There were no servants to attend Him, but shepherds left their flocks and wise men left their homes to catch a glimpse of His glory.At Christmastime, we gather to celebrate the birth of Jesus, an event that forever changed our world—and the hearts of billions. And there’s no better way to get in the true Christmas spirit than to immerse yourself in the story of His coming. Good Tidings of Great Joy is the story of the first Christmas as told by the Bible. Every word comes from the New King James Version of the Scriptures, but elements have been arranged to create one unbroken narrative, ideal for reading.Thoughtfully designed, this book is the perfect addition to your holiday traditions. Read it together as a family or cozy up near the fireplace by yourself to reflect on the day that the Son of God left His heavenly throne to be placed in a humble manger.Features: The complete story of the first Christmas as told in the Old and New Testaments Full-color illustrated design, ideal for group reading with all ages Index of verses cited for later study Six bonus Christmas hymns to enhance family worship Record section of family readings Special removable advent calendar

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Orford Ness was, for most of the twentieth century, a military research station so secret that nobody knew what went on there, and so remote that even now most people have never heard of it. Yet the contribution of its scientists, service and civilian, to the winning of the First World War, the Second World War and the Cold War places them on a par with the codebreakers of Bletchley Park. At this highly atmospheric and often inhospitable location on the Suffolk coast, the Royal Flying Corps (later RAF) conducted crucial experiments and trials, some brilliant, others futile, on effective gunnery, accurate bombing and improved navigational aids. It was the venue for Watson Watt’s early work on radar and for Barnes Wallis’ improved Tallboy bomb. From 1953, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment used it as the testing range for British nuclear bombs. In 1967 the world’s most powerful radar station, COBRA MIST, was constructed for the US Department of Defense. Why it was closed down is just one of many Orford Ness mysteries. Owned by the National Trust since 1993, Orford Ness is a National Nature Reserve of international significance. But its military history has proved no less important and its secrets highly intriguing. This book tells an incredible tale of ingenious, talented and brave men – and women – who operated with typically British patience and resourcefulness in often highly uncomfortable and, on occasions, fatal circumstances.

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When Jack the Ripper first prowled the streets of London, an evening newspaper commented that his crimes were as ghastly as those committed by Eliza Grimwood’s murderer fifty years earlier. Hers is arguably the most infamous and brutal of all nineteenth-century London killings. Eliza was a high-class prostitute, and on 26 May 1838, following an evening at the theatre, she brought a ‘client’ back to her home in Waterloo Road. The morning after, she was found with her throat cut and her abdomen viciously ‘ripped’. The client was nowhere to be seen. The ensuing murder investigation was convoluted, with suspects ranging from an alcoholic bricklayer to a royal duke. Londoners from all walks of life followed the story with a horror and fascination – among them Charles Dickens, who took inspiration from Eliza’s death when he wrote the murder of Nancy in Oliver Twist. Despite this feverish interest, the case was left unsolved, becoming the subject of ‘penny dreadfuls’ and urban legend. Unusually for a crime of this early period, the diary of the police officer leading the investigation has been preserved for posterity, and Jan Bondeson takes full advantage of this unique access to a Victorian murder inquiry. Skilfully dissecting what evidence remains, he links this murder with a series of other opportunist early Victorian slayings, and, in putting forward a credible new suspect, concludes that the Ripper of Waterloo Road was, in fact, a serial killer claiming as many as four victims.

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Copenhagen, sometimes referred to as a "fairytale place", is surely among the most delightful cities of Europe. The home of Hans Christian Anderson, and the location of the world-famous "Tivoli Gardens", which so inspired Walt Disney, it is one of the most heavily-visited destinations on the continent, attracting many millions of visitors each year. With this handy, pocket-sized, and thoroughly revised guidebook in hand, travelers will be able to organize their time in the smartest manner possible. The book contains: - Full color throughout with hundreds of photos and dozens of maps - Sample one-, two and three-day itineraries and thematic itineraries for families, art and architecture lovers and those in search of "royal Copenhagen" or Hans Christian Anderson sights. - Neighborhood walks and rewarding day trips from the city - Star ratings for all hotels, restaurants, and attractions that steer readers to the city's best finds - Exact pricing so there's never any guessing - Tear-resistant foldout map in a handy, re-closable plastic wallet and bulleted maps throughout that lead the read through the city . To do all this, we have called upon the considerable talents of Chris Peacock, who lives in Copenhagen and has written extensively about all things Scandinavian. Chris has more than a decade of experience in travel journalism and is a former contributing editor for National Geographic Traveller and ABTA Magazine in the UK. In addition to being responsible for our Copenhagen Day by Day, he produces numerous articles and reviews of Scandinavian travel for leading newspapers, magazines and websites.

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The name of every Parisian metro station tells a story. In Metrostop Paris Gregor Dallas recounts a series of extraordinary but true tales about the city as he leads his readers around the metro. Both the armchair traveller and the visitor wil enjoy an illuminating journey in the company of a compelling storyteller and veteran of the city.The book includes visits to Paris catacombs at Hell's Gate, the literary cafés and old jazz cellars of Montparnasse and Saint-Germain-des-Pres and the seventeenth-century alleys of the Marais, along with trips to the Palais-Royal at the time of the Revolution and the world of opera during Claude Debussy's lifetime. Through the eyes of the existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, Dallas describes the German occupation of Paris during the Second World War and the intellectual wars that immediately followed. A visit to the futuristic Cit de la Science at La Villette prompts the story of the Marquis de Morés, the French cowboy and anti-semite, who was eventually murdered by tribesmen of the Sahara Desert in 1896. Outside the Jesuit church of Saint-Paul Dallas tells us about Gabriel de Montgomery, forgotten ancestor of Montgomery of Alamein, who accidentally killed his king just there and, after leading the Protestant armies against Catherine de Medicis, was executed on the Place de Grève. This exciting journey through time and space concludes at the Père Lachaise Cemetery with the unknown tale of Oscar Wilde's strange involvement in the Dreyfus Affair, the greatest legal scandal of all time.

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*As featured in the landmark BBC2 documentary Our Falklands War: A Frontline Story*Published to mark the fortieth anniversary of the Falklands war'There was a time when we did extraordinary things.' On 28 May 1982, 450 men of the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment - 2 Para - went into action to retake the settlement of Goose Green on East Falkland, where more than 1,000 Argentine soldiers were holding 119 Falkland Islanders - men, women, children and one baby - in squalid conditions. Forty years on, Goose Green is still the biggest and bloodiest battle the British Army has fought in modern times. This book is the living narrative of the battle told by the very men who fought it; not just the soldiers of 2 Para, but also the SAS, the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, and others, in more than a hundred exclusive and untold personal accounts.Some are extremely funny, some touching, and some heart-breaking. All were recorded face to face, the speakers' own words adding a gritty authenticity to each account and conveying the confusion and terror of battle, as well as the courage and selflessness of men in action. Goose Green is a book that goes beyond the official histories and the many memoirs to bring to life the first and, as it turned out, the decisive battle of this country's outstanding campaign to retake the Falkland Islands from a foreign invader. This is a true story of a great victory against all the odds, told by the men who fought it.

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'Delightful... The Hidden Horticulturists pulsates with the extraordinary energy and excitement of the time.' Daily MailChosen as one of the Sunday Telegraph's 'Top Ten Gardening Books of the Year' _____________________The untold story of the remarkable young men who played a central role in the history of British horticulture and helped to shape the way we garden today.In 2012, whilst working at the Royal Horticultural Society's library, Fiona Davison unearthed a book of handwritten notes that dated back to 1822. The notes, each carefully set out in neat copperplate writing, had been written by young gardeners in support of their application to be received into the Society's Garden.Amongst them was an entry from the young Joseph Paxton, who would go on to become one of Britain's best-known gardeners and architects. But he was far from alone in shaping the way we garden today and now, for the first time, the stories of the young, working-class men who also played a central role in the history of British horticulture can be told.Using their notes, Fiona Davison traces the stories of a selection of these forgotten gardeners whose lives would take divergent paths to create a unique history of gardening. The trail took her from Chiswick to Bolivia and uncovered tales of fraud, scandal and madness - and, of course, a large number of fabulous plants and gardens. This is a celebration of the unsung heroes of horticulture whose achievements reflect a golden moment in British gardening, and continue to influence how we garden today.

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Decorating picture-perfect cookies is easier than ever with this helpful guide to making dazzling cookie art with buttercream, from Melissa Broyles, the professional baker behind Sugarbombe. Buttercream icing is easy to make and forgiving to work with, unlike the finicky and traditionally used royal icing. This book brings this simple technique front and center, so you can pipe creative and contemporary cookie designs without the fuss! You’ll perfect Melissa’s foolproof buttercream recipe, then pipe over 25 of her most sought-after designs, from spooky Halloween characters to whimsical springtime scenes. Each project is laid out with step-by-step photos and detailed directions that guide you through the hand motions. You’ll decorate with success no matter your skill level! Make enchanted forest scenes with Pinecone Bouqetes and Mythical Mushrooms, or cute desert critters such as Lovely Little Llamas and Desert Lighting Bugs. From cookies perfect for celebrating sweater weather, like Spooky Little Ghosts and Frosty Snowmen, to charming springtime designs like the Cheery Chicks and Blooming Tulips, this book has the perfect cookie for every holiday and event. Best of all, you can find the stencil for each cookie right in the back of the book, so you have everything you need at your fingertips. Get ready to bring your baking to a whole new level, with this beginner-friendly guide to making beautiful buttercream cookies.

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Bee shamanism may well be the most ancient and enigmatic branch of shamanism. It exists throughout the world--wherever in fact the honeybee exists. Its medicinal tools--such as honey, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly--are now in common usage, and even the origins of Chinese acupuncture can be traced back to the ancient practice of applying bee stings to the body’s meridians. In this authoritative ethnography and spiritual memoir, Simon Buxton, an elder of the Path of Pollen, reveals for the first time the richness of this tradition: its subtle intelligence; its sights, sounds, and smells; and its unique ceremonies, which until now have been known only to initiates. Buxton unknowingly took his first steps on the Path of Pollen at age nine, when a neighbor--an Austrian bee shaman--cured him of a near-fatal bout of encephalitis. This early contact prepared him for his later meeting with an elder of the tradition who took him on as an apprentice. Following an intense initiation that opened him to the mysteries of the hive mind, Buxton learned over the next 13 years the practices, rituals, and tools of bee shamanism. He experienced the healing and spiritual powers of honey and other bee products, including the “flying ointment” once used by medieval witches, as well as ritual initiations with the female members of the tradition--the Mellisae--and the application of magico-sexual “nektars” that promote longevity and ecstasy. The Shamanic Way of the Beeis a rare view into the secret wisdom of this age-old tradition.

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Drawn from National Geographic's unparalleled image collection, the photographs in this breathtaking volume celebrate the vibrant beauty and rich cultural heritage of Egypt on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tuts tomb. Egypt’s rich history astonishes us again and again with priceless treasures, exquisite craftsmanship, and a bounty of artifacts that enables us to envision the past with extraordinary detail. It is an epic saga 5,000 years in the making, and one that National Geographic has covered for more than a century. This magnificent book, published to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tut’s tomb, portrays the hallowed country’s most remarkable achievements, viewed through decades of discovery chronicled in National Geographic magazine. From the breathless opening of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 to the astonishing find of perfectly preserved boats, entombed for eternity near Giza’s pyramid, here is the story of a proud and dynamic empire that changed the world; its colossal architecture and imposing statues force us to re-think the engineering limitations of the world before modern tools were available. Documenting a series of incredible discoveries—including a complex of royal graves filled with dazzling gold artifacts at the ancient city of Tanis, intriguing clues to the life and times of Cleopatra, and newly uncovered traces of Alexandria, Abydos, and other fabled sites—Treasures of Egypt embodies the culture’s most fascinating historical milestones. Filled with vivid photographs, revealing time lines, and profiles of major explorers in the field, this exquisite book will inform and inspire.

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The inspiring, long-awaited autobiography of video game designer and DOOM cocreator John Romero DOOM Guy: Life in First Person is the long-awaited autobiography of John Romero, gaming’s original rock star and the cocreator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein—some of the most recognizable and important titles in video game history. Credited with the invention of the first-person shooter, a genre that continues to dominate the market today, he is gaming royalty. Told in remarkable detail, a byproduct of his hyperthymesia, Romero recounts his storied career—from his early days submitting Apple II code to computer magazines and sneaking computers out of the back door of his day job to do programming projects at night in his garage to a high-profile falling out with his id Software cofounder John Carmack, as well as his continued role in the gaming industry today as the managing director of Romero Games Ltd. His story is truly one of a self-made man, founding multiple companies after a childhood filled with violence and abuse drove him to video game design, where he could create new worlds and places to escape to. An alcoholic father, a racist grandfather who did not approve of Romero’s parents’ mixed-race coupling, and a grandmother who once ran a brothel in Mexico combine for an illuminating story his youth—a story that has never before been revealed. After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—THE WHOLE STORY—in his own words.

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This wonderfully funny follow-up to Nick Sharratt's acclaimed début novel, The Cat and the King, is a feast of fun and glorious illustration. Alas and alack! The Royal Money Box is almost empty. The king has to get a job - but what kind of job would be fit for a king? Butcher? Baker? Candlestick Maker? It takes many comical disasters, and a surprisingly helpful visit from a dragon, before both cat and king find their perfect jobs. Spectacular two-colour illustrations throughout Beautiful gold foil cover PRAISE FOR THE CAT AND THE KING: "A majestic treat", Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week 2016 "Nick Sharratt's debut novel is an entertaining mix of familiar experience and fairy-tale fantasy underscored by a thread of anarchic humour. This is a beautifully-presented storybook, in which the fabulous illustrations are as integral as the text, and will appeal to adults as well as independent readers." - BookTrust PRAISE FOR NICE WORK FOR THE CAT AND THE KING In this second book about the long-suffering, loyal cat and the well-meaning but somewhat ineffectual King, there are plenty of laughs and brilliant illustrative detail (the department store is particularly lovely) from Nick Sharratt, whose recognisable illustration is such a favourite with children. A heavily illustrated short novel for early readers, it’s a perfect book for younger ones that want something a bit longer than a picture book but still love silly humour and a great, well-written concept. - BookTrust

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In the early medieval world, the way people remembered the past changed how they saw the present. New accounts of former leaders and their deeds could strengthen their successors, establish novel claims to power, or criticize the current ruler. After 888, when the Carolingian Empire fractured into the smaller kingdoms of medieval western Europe, memory became a vital tool for those seeking to claim royal power for themselves. Commemorating Power in Early Medieval Saxony looks at how the past was evoked for political purposes under a new Saxon dynasty, the Ottonians, who came to dominate post-Carolingian Europe as the rulers of a new empire in Germany and Italy. With the accession of the first Ottonian king, Henry I, in 919, sites commemorating the king's family came to the foreground of the medieval German kingdom. The most remarkable of these were two convents of monastic women, Gandersheim and Quedlinburg, whose prominence and prestige in Ottonian politics have been seen as exceptional in the history of early medieval western Europe. In this volume, Sarah Greer offers a fresh interpretation of how these convents became central sites in the new Ottonian empire by revealing how the women in these communities themselves were skilful political actors who were more than capable of manipulating memory for their own benefit. In this first major study in English of how these Saxon convents functioned as memorial centres, Greer presents a new vision of the first German dynasty, one characterized by contingency, versatility, and the power of the past.

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The 50-mile stretch of the River Tamar forms a unique county boundary between the counties of Devon and Cornwall. The Tamar's source is East Youlstone near Bude less than 4 miles from the north Cornish coast. But instead of flowing northward into the Atlantic Ocean it flows slowly south. through reed-fringed mudscapes passing the towns of Launceston, Gunnislake, and Saltash before widening out and eventually meeting the English Channel at Plymouth Sound. In the sound the river merges with the rivers Tavy, Plym and Lynher to form the Tamar Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The river has some 20 road crossings, including some medieval stone bridges, and the famous Tamar Bridge, opened in 1961 which carries the A38 and the Royal Albert Bridge built in 1859 by Brunel ,to carry the railway from Devon into Cornwall. The natural wonders of the environment contrast sharply with the manmade industrial relics which are strewn along the middle reaches of the river. The cries of the raven and the peregrine falcon echo around the site of abandoned mines in which men toiled for more than two centuries. The Tamar has always played an important role in the region's economy with mineral extraction a key industry in the Tamar valley. The Tamar has also served naval interests since 1691, when William of Orange commissioned a new dockyard at the mouth of the river in Devon.

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Assassin's Reign, the fourth in The Civil War Chronicles, Michael Arnold's acclaimed series of historical thrillers, sees battle-scarred hero Captain Stryker, 'the Sharpe of the Civil War', in the fight of his life.'Stands in comparison with the best of Cornwell' Yorkshire PostThe forces of King Charles are victorious; their Parliamentarian enemies in deep crisis. In the west, the crucial port city of Bristol has fallen, and Royalist eyes fall quickly upon neighbouring Gloucester. Its walls are weak, its garrison under strength, and its governor - Sir Edward Massie - suspected of harbouring sympathy for the King.Stryker and his men are with the army as it converges on Gloucester, still reeling from the loss of a close friend at the bloody Battle of Stratton. Ordered to infiltrate the rebel city on a mission to discover whether Massie will indeed surrender, Stryker reluctantly embarks upon his most desperate mission yet. But Gloucester's defenders are more resolute than any had imagined, and catastrophe soon befalls him. With his life seemingly forfeit, Stryker is spared by an unlikely saviour; Vincent Skaithlocke, his former commander. The mercenary has returned to England to fight for Parliament, and offers Stryker his protection. As old friends adjust to life fighting for opposing sides, Stryker begins to question his own loyalties . . . but a chance discovery makes him realise that all in Gloucester is not what it seems, for a hidden menace threatens his own life, and that of King Charles himself.

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Robert Graves, aged nineteen, left school within a week of the outbreak of World War I, and immediately volunteered with the Royal Welch Fusiliers. His experiences as a junior officer form the heart of this compelling autobiography. Beginning with an ironic overview of his Edwardian childhood, he proceeds to a tongue-in-cheek account of a young poet's life at public school (not helpful to be half-German, but handy to take up boxing), progressing to caricatures of military stereotypes he encounters in training, and the devastating farce of the War itself, the blundering and mismanagement, and the appalling human consequences. Graves's handling of the horrors of war is always deadpan, honest and unadorned. It is wholly in line with his sense of the absurd that his commanding officer should write to inform his parents that he had died of wounds during the battle of the Somme. He soon found that patriotism was meaningless to the men in the trenches; loyalty to comrades alive and dead drove him back to active service though still suffering from shell-shock. Goodbye to All That takes Graves through his convalescence in England, his efforts to protect the poet Siegfried Sassoon, a friend and fellow officer, from the consequences of his public denunciation of the war; marriage to artist and feminist Nancy Nicholson, postwar undergraduate years at Oxford and a decade as a struggling writer with four young children, beset with money problems and neurasthenia. It is written in a spirit of defiance as he prepared to put 'all that' behind him and begin a new life in Majorca with the American poet Laura Riding.

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