Search results for ""author simon""

Each of these Analysing Architecture Notebooks is devoted to a particular theme in understanding the rich and varied workings of architecture. They can be thought of as addenda to the foundation volume Analysing Architecture, which first appeared in 1997 and has subsequently been enlarged in three further editions. Examining these extra themes as a series of Notebooks, rather than as additional chapters in future editions, allows greater space for more detailed exploration of a wider variety of examples, whilst avoiding the risk of the original book becoming unwieldy.Shadows may be insubstantial but they are, nevertheless, an important element in architecture. In prehistoric times we sought shade as a refuge from the hot sun and chilling rain. Through history architects have used shadows to draw, to mould form, to paint pictures, to orchestrate atmosphere, to indicate the passing of time … as well as to identify place. Sometimes shadow can be the substance of architecture.

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WELCOME TO THE METROZONEPost-apocalyptic London, full of street gangs and homeless refugees. A dangerous city needs an equally dangerous saviour.Step forward Samuil Petrovitch, a genius with extensive cybernetic replacements, a built-in AI with god-like capabilities and a full armoury of Russian swear words. He's dragged the city back from the brink more than once - and made a few enemies on the way. So when his adopted daughter Lucy goes missing in Alaska, he has some clue who's responsible and why. It never occurs to him that guessing wrong could tip the delicate balance of nuclear-armed nations. This time it's not just a city that needs saving: it's the whole world.

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An illuminating exploration of how love has been shaped, idolized, and misconstrued by the West over three millennia, and how we might differently conceive it Love—unconditional, selfless, unchanging, sincere, and totally accepting—is worshipped today as the West's only universal religion. To challenge it is one of our few remaining taboos. In this pathbreaking and superbly written book, philosopher Simon May does just that, dissecting our resilient ruling ideas of love and showing how they are the product of a long and powerful cultural heritage.Tracing over 2,500 years of human thought and history, May shows how our ideal of love developed from its Hebraic and Greek origins alongside Christianity until, during the last two centuries, "God is love" became "love is God"—so hubristic, so escapist, so untruthful to the real nature of love, that it has booby-trapped relationships everywhere with deluded expectations. Brilliantly, May explores the very different philosophers and writers, both skeptics and believers, who dared to think differently: from Aristotle's perfect friendship and Ovid's celebration of sex and "the chase," to Rousseau's personal authenticity, Nietzsche's affirmation, Freud's concepts of loss and mourning, and boredom in Proust. Against our belief that love is an all-powerful solution to finding meaning, security, and happiness in life, May reveals with great clarity what love actually is: the intense desire for someone whom we believe can ground and affirm our very existence. The feeling that "makes the world go round" turns out to be a harbinger of home--and in that sense, of the sacred.

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‘What do you do when the Second Coming is scheduled for next Wednesday? . . . Assemble at your nearest church? Make sure you’ve got clean underwear on? Confess those last sins? Send some goodbye texts to unbelieving friends? Take Paracetamol in case the rapture gives you the bends?’ Those and other neglected theological questions are rigorously examined in this book. With its gently satirical take on some of the weird ways in which people express their beliefs, it’s a book that will help you appreciate the true value of religion by exploring the comedy of its wilder excesses. Whether you’re a believer or a non-believer, fond of religion or a more than just a bit suspicious of it, you’ll find your assumptions are far from safe after reading it!

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Over the course of the twentieth century, Mongolian life was transformed, as a land of nomadic communities encountered first socialism and then capitalism and their promises of new societies. The stories collected in this anthology offer literary snapshots of Mongolian life throughout this tumult. Suncranes and Other Stories showcases a range of powerful voices and their vivid portraits of nomads, revolution, and the endless steppe.Spanning the years following the socialist revolution of 1921 through the early twenty-first century, these stories from the country’s most highly regarded prose writers show how Mongolian culture has forged links between the traditional and the modern. Writers employ a wide range of styles, from Aesopian fables through socialist realism to more experimental forms, influenced by folktales and epics as well as Western prose models. They depict the drama of a nomadic population struggling to understand a new approach to life imposed by a foreign power while at the same time benefiting from reforms, whether in the capital city Ulaanbaatar or on the steppe. Across the mix of stories, Mongolia’s majestic landscape and the people’s deep connection to it come through vividly. For all English-speaking readers curious about Mongolia’s people and culture, Simon Wickhamsmith’s translations make available this captivating literary tradition and its rich portrayals of the natural and social worlds.

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We can begin with a kiss, though this will not turn out to be a love story, at least not a love story of anything like the usual kind. So begins A Very Queer Family Indeed, which introduces us to the extraordinary Benson family. Edward White Benson became Archbishop of Canterbury at the height of Queen Victoria's reign, while his wife, Mary, was renowned for her wit and charm the prime minister once wondered whether she was "the cleverest woman in England or in Europe." The couple's six precocious children included E. F. Benson, celebrated creator of the Mapp and Lucia novels, and Margaret Benson, the first published female Egyptologist. What interests Simon Goldhill most, however, is what went on behind the scenes, which was even more unusual than anyone could imagine. Inveterate writers, the Benson family spun out novels, essays, and thousands of letters that open stunning new perspectives including what it might mean for an adult to kiss and propose marriage to a twelve-year-old girl, how religion in a family could support or destroy relationships, or how the death of a child could be celebrated. No other family has left such detailed records about their most intimate moments, and in these remarkable accounts, we see how family life and a family's understanding of itself took shape during a time when psychoanalysis, scientific and historical challenges to religion, and new ways of thinking about society were developing. This is the story of the Bensons, but it is also more than that it is the story of how society transitioned from the high Victorian period into modernity.

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Recent developments in the field of timing and time perception have not simply multiplied the number of relevant questions regarding psychological time, but they have also helped to provide more answers and open many fascinating avenues of thought. "Psychology of Time" brings together cutting-edge presentations of many of the main ideas, findings, hypotheses and theories that experimental psychology provides to the field of timing and psychological time. The contributors, selected for their ability to address various specific questions, were asked to discuss what is known in their field and what avenues remain to be explored. As a result, this book should point readers in the right direction and guide them to reflect on the various and most fundamental issues on psychological time. It offers a balanced integration of old and sometimes neglected findings and more recent empirical advances, all presented within the scope of the critical sub-fields of psychological time in experimental psychology.

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‘This book offers a front row seat to history as it is being made’ ANNE APPLEBAUM 'This is the Zelensky book we’ve been waiting for’ CATHERINE BELTON 'An elegant account of the invasion’s first year as seen by those in the very eye of the storm' DAILY TELEGRAPH TIMES: A BEST BOOK OF 2024 – NEXT YEAR’S TOP READS GUARDIAN: BOOKS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2024 INDEPENDENT: A BOOK OF THE MONTH WATERSTONES: JANUARY’S BEST BOOKS WRITTEN WITH UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS, THIS IS THE FIRST INSIDE, INTIMATE ACCOUNT OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY AND HIS TEAM. Based on four years of reporting; extensive travels with President Zelensky to the front; and dozens of interviews with him, his wife, his friends and enemies, his advisers, ministers and military commanders, The Showman tells an intimate and eye-opening story of the President’s evolution from a slapstick actor to a symbol of resilience, revealing how he managed to rally the world’s democracies behind his cause. Clear-eyed about the President’s early failures as a peacemaker and his willingness to silence political dissent, the book offers a complex picture of a man struggling to break what he sees as a historical cycle of oppression that began generations before he was born. Even as the war drags on, Zelensky lays out his vision for its future course and, through his actions, demonstrates his strategy for countering the Russians and keeping the West on his side. The result is a riveting, up-close picture of the invasion as experienced by its number one target and improbable hero. The Showman, as a work of eyewitness journalism, provides an essential perspective on the war defining our age. As a study in leadership and human resolve, its appeal is timeless and universal.

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As featured on CNN’s Amanpour & Company and BBC Radio 4’s Start the Week with Andrew Marr One of the Financial Times’ best books of 2021 In this compelling journey through twenty-six countries, Simon Mundy traces how the struggle to respond to the climate crisis is rapidly reshaping the modern world – shattering communities, shaking global business and propelling waves of cutting-edge innovation. Telling unforgettable human stories, meeting scientists and business tycoons, activists and political leaders, this is an account of disaster and survival, of frantic adaptation and groundbreaking innovation, of hope, and of the forces that will define our future. More praise ‘Urgent reading … A truly global journey’ SOPHY ROBERTS ‘Vivid and informed’ ADAM NICOLSON ‘I took a great sense of hope’ RICHARD POWERS ‘Reads like a thriller’ MARK LYNAS ‘An inspiring piece of work’ MICHAEL E. MANN ‘Utterly unlike any book yet written in this field’ ANAND MAHINDRA ‘Gripping … A must-read for every concerned global citizen’ NANDAN NILEKANI

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‘Will undoubtedly become a classic narrative of this scenically magnificent, legend-rich and geologically unique part of Scotland’ Cameron McNeish, The Herald Rising a kilometre out of the storm-scoured waters around Scotland’s Isle of Skye is a dark battlement of pinnacles and ridgelines: the Cuillin. Plagued by ferocious weather and built from rock that tears skin and confounds compasses, a crossing of the Cuillin is the toughest mountaineering expedition in the British Isles. But the traverse is only part of its lure. Hewn from the innards of an ancient volcano, this mountain range stands like a crown on an island drenched in intrigue. While nineteenth-century climbers flocked to the Alps, the ridge lay untrodden and unyielding. When a generation of mountaineers did come, they found a remarkable prize: the last peaks of Britain to be climbed – peaks that would be named after those who climbed them. Along the way, many others, from artists and poets to mystics and wanderers, have been lured by the Cuillin’s haunting beauty and magic. Those who have been seduced by the deadly magic of these mountains attest to the complexity of humans’ relationship with the intrigue of our wildest, most dangerous places. The Black Ridge is a journey through the history and into the heights of the Cuillin of Skye – from the ridge’s violent birth to the tales of its pioneers, its thrills, its myths and its monsters. From a night spent in a cave beneath its highest peak to the ascent of its most infamous pinnacle, this is an adventure on foot through all seasons across the most mesmerising mountain range in Britain.

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From the slums of London to the riches of an Edwardian country house; from the hot, dark seams of a Yorkshire coalmine to the exposed terrors of the trenches, Adam Raine’s journey from boy to man is set against the backdrop of a society violently entering the modern world. Adam Raine is a boy cursed by misfortune. His impoverished childhood in the slums of Islington is brought to an end by a tragedy that sends him north to Scarsdale, a hard-living coalmining town where his father finds work as a union organizer. But it isn’t long before the escalating tensions between the miners and their employer, Sir John Scarsdale, explode with terrible consequences. In the aftermath, Adam meets Miriam, the Rector’s beautiful daughter, and moves into Scarsdale Hall, an opulent paradise compared with the life he has been used to before. But he makes an enemy of Sir John’s son, Brice, who subjects him to endless petty cruelties for daring to step above his station. When love and an Oxford education beckon, Adam feels that his life is finally starting to come together – until the outbreak of war threatens to tear everything apart.

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The much anticipated final instalment in the bestselling conspiracy thriller trilogy by Simon Toyne, author of SANCTUS: ‘Plenty of action, plenty of intrigue and wonderfully imaginative. The sort of novel to devour in one sitting' Kate Mosse. For all fans of Dan Brown. AFTER THE RISE, COMES THE FALL. The forbidden Citadel at the heart of the ancient Turkish city of Ruin opens its gates for the first time in history. Why now, after centuries of secrecy? A deadly disease has erupted within, and threatens to spread beyond its walls. Infected charity worker Gabriel Mann may hold the cure – but can one dying man stop an epidemic? Without him, former journalist Liv Adamsen is vulnerable, surrounded by strangers in the desert oasis that is her new home. Liv, however, has far bigger concerns than just her own life… In the USA, newly qualified FBI Agent Joe Shepherd investigates the disappearance of NASA’s most senior professor. Is it a vanishing act, an abduction, or something darker? Shepherd’s investigation approaches a powerful conspiracy with global reach, and profound consequences. For them all, this much is clear: something big is coming. Something that will change everything. But will it be a new beginning or the End of Days?

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''A true crime history that reads like a thriller ... a foggy, lamp-lit descent into the chilling cases that established the Yard''s reputation. A macabre and fascinating page-turner.'' John Douglas, co-author of MindhunterFrom the victims of a teenage murderess to dismembered corpses in train station luggage racks, London is home to some of the most macabre and gruesome murders in history. And for more than 200 years, Scotland Yard has built its name and reputation pursuing death merchants, psychopaths and serial killers.From its inception in 1829 up to the eve of World War II, Scotland Yard: A Bloody History tells the full story of how the Yard developed and advanced modern crime-fighting techniques one infamous case at a time.Following detectives in pursuits across the sea, midnight hunts through Whitechapel and a grand manor death that inspired many a murder mystery, this enthralling book shows how the Yard helped pioneer bloodstain a

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Antarctica is a unique blend of Stargate and Philip Pullman''s His Dark Materials, with an emotionally driven story that is sure to captivate readers.Following the events of volume one we return to a happier time in Hannah’s past. Dr. Hannah Curtis is seven years old and loves her father. With her sister away, she goes to bed dreaming of the presents she will open in the morning, little realizing the events about to unfold. But Hannah''s resourceful and has help on the inside, and when she discovers what''s truly happening, she runs to the only place she''s told not to, into the Fracture itself. Collects ANTARCTICA #6-#10

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A TIMES TOP TEN CRIME AND MYSTERY BOOK FOR 2024''Ryan and Ray go from strength to strength, and this, their third outing, is the best yet. Simon Mason has created crime fiction''s most entertaining double act in decades'' Mick HerronOxford, city of rich and poor, where the homeless camp out in the shadows of the gorgeous buildings and monuments. A city of lost things - and buried crimes. At three o''clock in the morning, Emergency Services receives a call. ''This is Zara Fanshawe. Always lost and never found.'' An hour later, the wayward celebrity''s Rolls Royce Phantom is found abandoned in dingy Becket Street. The paparazzi go wild. For some reason, news of Zara''s disappearance prompts homeless woman Lena Wójcik to search the camps, nervously, for the bad-tempered vagrant known as ''Waitrose'', a familiar sight in Oxford pushing his trolley of possessions. But he''s nowhere to be found either. Who will lead

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Carbon plays a fundamental role on Earth. It forms the chemical backbone for all essential organic molecules produced by living organisms. Carbon-based fuels supply most of society's energy, and atmospheric carbon dioxide has a huge impact on Earth's climate. This book provides a complete history of the emergence and development of the new interdisciplinary field of deep carbon science. It traces four centuries of history during which the inner workings of the dynamic Earth were discovered, and documents extraordinary scientific revolutions that changed our understanding of carbon on Earth forever: carbon's origin in exploding stars; the discovery of the internal heat source driving the Earth's carbon cycle; and the tectonic revolution. Written with an engaging narrative style and covering the scientific endeavours of more than a hundred pioneers of deep geoscience, this is a fascinating book for students and researchers working in Earth system science and deep carbon research.

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Magna Carta: The most famous legal text in history. The foundation of the rule of law. Stolen. When Huckleberry Jones is packed off by his parents from New York to a camp for "exceptional teenagers" at Oxford University, his first question is: Why? But meeting the beautiful, enigmatic Kat might just make his time there worthwhile. Together with new friends Mei and Tshombe, he discovers that teenagers from four continents can have more in common than their differences. Then Huck finds himself trapped in a mystery linked to an 800-year-old parchment-and solving it could cost him his life.

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Arcadia Greentree knows she isn't exactly normal. But then she discovers she isn't Arcadia Greentree either. Arcadia sees the world like no one else. Exceptionally observant, the sixteen-year-old is aware of her surroundings in a way that sometimes gets her into trouble and out of it again. But when she seeks to unravel a mystery at school, a tragedy at home forces her to use her skills to catch a killer.

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The people I work with call me ''Finder''. I''m a specialist, a finder of missing people.July 2015, Sevenoaks. 12-year-old schoolgirl Alice Johnson went missing while doing her paper round, her bag found discarded on the pavement. At 08.00, she was spotted standing in heavy rain at the side of the busy by-pass. At 11.00, she was seen talking to the driver of a black car in Tonbridge. After that, nothing. Alice was never found.Nine years later the body of another schoolgirl, Joleen Price, is pulled from a nearby lake and a local man named Vince Burns detained. Convinced that Burns is guilty in both cases, SIO Dave Armstrong calls in the Finder to investigate the earlier disappearance.Interviewing those who thought they knew her, the Finder gradually reveals a hidden Alice, a girl of surprising contradictions. Seeking answers from her divorced parents - an over-protective mother, a negligent father - the Finder is forced to consider violentl

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In the annals of ancient history the lights of Alexander the Great and Gaius Julius Caesar shine brighter than any other, inspiring generations of dynasts and despots with their imperial exploits. Each has been termed the greatest military leader of the ancient world, but who actually was the best? In this new book Dr Simon Elliott first establishes a set of criteria by which to judge the strategic and tactical genius of both. He then considers both in turn in brand-new, up-to-date military biographies, starting with Alexander, undefeated in battle and conqueror of the largest empire the world had seen by the age of 26\. Next Caesar, the man who played the crucial role in expanding Roman territory to the size which would later emerge as the Empire under his great nephew, adopted son and heir Augustus. The book's detailed conclusion sets each of their military careers against the criteria set out earlier to finally answer the question: who was the greatest military leader in the ancient world?

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Exam Board: SQA Level: Higher Subject: HistoryGet your best grade with comprehensive course notes and advice from Scotland's top experts.This revision guide contains all the advice and support that you need to revise successfully for your Higher History exam. It combines an overview of the course syllabus with advice from top experts on how to improve exam performance, so you have the best chance of success.> Refresh your knowledge with comprehensive, tailored subject notes> Prepare for the exam with top tips and hints on revision techniques> Get your best grade with advice on how to gain those vital extra marks

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A no-nonsense study guide helping seafarers to pass their MCA or Flag State oral exams for Deck Officer qualifications. This handy revision guide is the one book that Deck Officer Cadets, Master and Deck Officers will want by their side when studying for the much-feared oral exams. Expert marine training director Simon Jinks strips back the masses of information to the core essential points that are easy to absorb and quick to remember when it comes to the oral assessment. The MCA Deck Officer (Officer of the Watch, Chief Mate and Master) syllabi cover a vast amount of information that candidates are required to understand and use in their oral exam, which for many presents a major stumbling block to qualification. While it inevitably takes a long time for candidates to build up this wealth of knowledge, this study aid is the perfect refresher, listing the key points and including helpful sample questions and worked examples on tidal working, radar plotting and more. Written in simple terms, this trusted crammer covers all the principal areas of the MCA’s exam syllabus, including sections on business and law conventions, pollution prevention, responses to emergencies and distress signals. Clearly presented, it is packed with straightforward diagrams and flow charts, making it ideal for revising. This is an invaluable reference for all international STCW Deck Officer candidates, and covers both MCA and Flag State oral exams. It is also suitable for Near Coastal and Boatmaster apprentices, Workboat crew apprentices, Yachtmaster Offshores, Yachtmaster instructors, and fishermen going for their fishing licences on larger vessels, and for shore workers such as vessel superintendents, maritime managers and trainers. There is specific information for all vessels, with sections on smaller, code and domestic vessels.

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Simon is packed and heading off to a region of the Amazon Basin in northern Bolivia. Despite its size, it's a fragile biome, of mixed forest and river habitats. Simon plans to document his journey down the River Enatahua, but things go wrong right from the start: a rucksack is missing, along with his canoe ...Simon Chapman, winner of the Blue Peter Book Award, brings geography to life, and his Expedition Diaries are a great way to introduce the world's biomes and habitats to children, direct from someone who's actually been in them - sometimes up to his neck! These books are perfect for sparking interest in this key school topic.

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You don't know it exists, but when you have nowhere else to turn, the Haven will find you ... An adrenaline-fuelled adventure in a new series by top thriller writer Simon Lelic. *Shortlisted for the CrimeFest Awards*Our city. Our secret. Our rules. Alone. On the run. Ollie Turner has nowhere to hide. But he gets a second chance. Underneath the city there's a secret organisation, far from adult eyes. It's called the Haven. Soon Ollie is caught up in their battle: to stop Maddy Sikes destroying the city. Time is running out for Ollie and his new friends, and millions of lives are at stake ... 'What a cool idea. Modern street kids doing it for themselves and kicking adult butt.' Charlie Higson'One of those grab 'em by the throat thrillers that takes off on the first page.' Eoin Colfer'Adventurous, and thrilling.' Harsh Budhdeo, age 11, LoveReading4Kids'An action-packed book, rammed full of adventure and danger. I loved reading this book.' Bella Rix-Clancy, age 11, LoveReading4Kids'A riveting read - fast-paced from the off and with breathless action. A perfect haven for young readers!' Chris Bradford, author of Young SamuraiAn explosive and compelling read from the writer of thrillers THE HOUSE, THE LIAR'S ROOM and RUPTURE.

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Southdown Motor Services was formed in 1915 and went on to become the well-known and highly respected operator of green-and-cream buses and coaches seen along the south coast of Sussex and Hampshire. Fast forward to today and there are over a hundred former Southdown buses and coaches surviving in preservation. This is quite remarkable, and possibly represents the highest number of preserved single-operator vehicles outside of London. Most of the examples have been restored to a very high standard, with some licensed to carry passengers for hire and see service on a regular basis. Others attend rallies and shows for us all to enjoy and rekindle those memories from the past. Some not so fortunate vehicles languish in storage awaiting restoration or have been dismantled to provide parts allowing sister vehicles to survive.Simon Stanford presents a vivid collection of images of Southdown buses and coaches that have been lovingly restored and preserved, including a small number from other

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There is much talk today of 'new ways of being church' and 'new monastic spirituality'. As Simon Reed explored the Celtic roots of the Christian faith, in community with others who drew inspiration from our spiritual ancestors in the British Isles, he came to realise that the third millennium church has much in common with the first millennium church, and more importantly, much to learn from it. In Creating Community, he introduces us to a new but at the same time very old way of being church which is based upon three core elements: a Way of Life, a network of Soul Friends, and a rhythm of prayer. The book shows how the rediscovery of these elements by Christians today offers a vital key that opens up an ancient way for modern churches, one which not only helps to bring believers to lasting maturity but creates genuine and much-needed community in an increasingly fragmented world.

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Takes the reader on a journey through the world built and run by the Romans, from its legendary origins and the growth of the republic to the height of the empire. This title includes stories of interesting characters, important battles and events. It sheds light on Roman themes such as roads and baths, and temples and forums.

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'The greatest enterprise of its kind in history,' was the verdict of British prime minister Stanley Baldwin in June 1928 when The Oxford English Dictionary was finally published. With its 15,490 pages and nearly two million quotations, it was indeed a monumental achievement, gleaned from the efforts of hundreds of ordinary and extraordinary people who made it their mission to catalogue the English language in its entirety. In The Meaning of Everything, Simon Winchester celebrates this remarkable feat, and the fascinating characters who played such a vital part in its execution, from the colourful Frederick Furnivall, cheerful promoter of an all-female sculling crew, to James Murray, self-educated son of a draper, who spent half a century guiding the project towards fruition. Along the way we learn which dictionary editor became the inspiration for Kenneth Grahame's Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, and why Tolkien found it so hard to define 'walrus'. Written by the bestselling author of The Surgeon of Crowthorne and The Map That Changed the World, The Meaning of Everything is an enthralling account of the creation of the world's greatest dictionary.

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Bestselling phenomenon Simon McCleave is back with another Anglesey-set gripping, crime thriller full of twists that will keep you guessing until the last page. Pre-order now!When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes from her home overnight, DI Laura Hart knows that time is of the essence.Then, an inmate at the local prison is murdered in her cell and suddenly Beaumaris CID is juggling two major investigations.With inmates refusing to talk to the police, Laura is forced to take drastic action: going undercover behind bars.With everyone under suspicion, Laura's true identity must be kept a secret, meaning no one can protect her.Locked in with a killer, it's a race against time can Laura find a lead before she's found out?

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Text in Arabic. Is there always an endless question of (why?) in your little one's heads, now, satisfy the children's desire for knowledge and work together to find answers to their questions and look at the interesting knowledge hidden in these pages! Learning to read is quite hard, but why do you need to learn reading?

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In 1856, just months after Britain and Siam had finalised the historic Bowring trade treaty that would prevent the countries colonisation, the violent death of a Siamese official at the new British consulate threatens to scuttle the deal and lead to war. The King and the Consul explores UK and Thai archives to reveal the twists, turns and tensions of this little-known episode that pitted Thailand’s renowned King Mongkut, Rama IV, against the first British Consul, Charles Hillier. The crisis was resolved without war, but not without cost for the participants who suffered unintended tragic outcomes. By examining the background to this tragedy, the book reveals how history has often overlooked the importance of an issue that lay behind it the right of foreigners to own land in the country, and issue that continues to be a thorn in the side of Thailand’s foreign relations to this day. “The tragic deaths in 1856 of the first British consul to Siam and a Siamese official had an unusual impact on Thailand‘s property law and Britain’s diplomatic presence in the country. This intriguing book could only be written by someone with long residence in Bangkok, through knowledge of Thailand’s property law, and enthusiasm for history. Simon Landy gives us a slice of legal and diplomatic history with close attention to its human dimensions. An unusual and lovely read" - Chris Baker

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Waiting for Music is the fifth collection of poetry from the acclaimed writer Simon Mundy. A great champion of the arts, his relationships with musicians, visual artists and dancers are the main driving force behind his poetry, and this book sets out a playlist that stems from music, visual art and dance – from Brahms’ late piano works to a scene for soprano and dancers, written to be set by Roxanna Panufnik, that was inspired by a 16th century picture in the National Gallery. Published after a year spent waiting for music to appear on our landscape once more, Waiting for Music collects the voices of an array of composers, cultures and forms, set against backdrops ranging from Valparaiso to the Veneto, and celebrates the sounds and stages that have been missing from our lives this silent year.

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Stand Up Paddleboarding is the fastest growing watersport worldwide. The comparatively low cost, the convenience of inflatable boards and the fact that you can just get on and go all add up to its appeal. But, as with everything, a little bit of knowledge and technique makes the experience so much more enjoyable! That is where this book – the first UK how-to book on paddleboarding – comes in. It provides a perfect introduction to the sport: how to paddleboard, what kit to use and where to go. The book guides you through launching, the correct stance, paddling in a straight line, the different types of turns and landing. It shows you how to choose your board and paddle, inflate and deflate an inflatable board, and talks about where to ride as well as weather, safety, maintenance and repair of your equipment. It covers the main types of paddleboarding: touring, racing, surfing and yoga / fitness. All aspects are heavily illustrated with colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.

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'At Home With Simon Wood' is the first cook book from the 2015 MasterChef Champion. It showcases Simon's unique approach to fine dining at home and shares his tips, tricks and signature recipes to take your home cooking to the next level. The chef shares tips, tricks and signature recipes that will take your home cooking to the next level, including everything from how to maximise flavours and textures, to plating to perfection. Wanting to share his journey, and more importantly his food with the rest of the world, `At Home With Simon Wood’ is a lesson in making the very best out of your ingredients. It’s all about attention to detail and learning those crucial few tricks that can turn a simple dish into something extraordinary. With a specific section dedicated to extra flourishes that can take your dish to the next level plus super salads, perfect pasta, gluten-free goodness, fabulous fish, poultry, meat, vegetarian dishes and plenty of sweet things to finish it all off, you’ll have everything covered here to create anything from a full tasting menu to a simple dinner for two.

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