Search results for ""author victoria"

Victoria's Children of the Dark tells the story of Queen Victoria's invisible subjects - women and children who laboured beneath her 'green and pleasant land' harvesting the coal to fuel the furnaces of the industrial revolution. Following the real fortunes of seven-year-old Joey Burkinshaw and his family, Alan Gallop recreates the events surrounding the 1838 Husker Pit disaster at Silkstone, Yorkshire - a tragedy which helped lead to better working conditions for miners. Chained to carts and toiling half-naked for eighteen-hour shifts in near darkness, children as young as four were employed by mine owners. Yet it was not until the catastrophe at Silkstone when twenty-six children were drowned in a mineshaft that Victoria and her subjects realised that many Britons were existing in virtual slavery. This powerful and dramatic account exposes the real lives and working conditions of nineteenth-century miners. A gripping human story, Victoria's Children of the Dark brings history, particularly the history of childhood, vividly to life.

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Debut author Kristen Callihan pens a dark atmospheric paranormal romance set in Victorian London, which will appeal to fans of New York Times bestselling authors Amanda Quick and Gail Carriger.

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Un tipo de 42 años sentado en una mesa de negociación con una de las más importantes empresas del mundo. La oferta de compra de su proyecto es suculenta. Sin embargo, y contradiciendo toda lógica, dice no.Una hormiga en París es un corto relato escrito en primera persona por el emprendedor de éxito Marc Vidal. Es un libro divertido pero realista, íntimo pero didáctico. Durante casi un centenar de páginas el autor explica como se puede innovar fracasando, sobrevivir a una decisión dura y a sobreponerse con creatividad. El hilo conductor es esa vivencia personal del autor, sucedida en París hace ya más de veinte años.

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This work covers 78 Italian bronze pieces from the V&A which are fully illustrated. Catalogue entries contain details of inscriptions and makers' marks and also substantial technical information, including data based on x-ray examination and metal analysis.

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Helen FitzGerald is the second youngest of thirteen children. She grew up in the small town of Kilmore, Victoria, Australia, and studied English and History at the University of Melbourne. Via India and London, Helen came to Glasgow University where she completed a Diploma and Masters in Social Work. She has worked as a probation and parole officer for ten years, most of it in Barlinnie, where she helps to prepare serious offenders for release. She's married to screenwriter Sergio Casci, and they have two children.

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In Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire Saul David explores the early part of Queen Victoria's reign,when the British Empire was well on the way to becoming the greatest empire the world had ever seen. This is the story of how it happened and the people who made it happen. In a fast-moving narrative ranging from London to the harsh terrain of India, Russia and the Far East, Saul David shows how Britain ruthlessly exploited her position as the world's only superpower to expand her empire. Yet little of this territorial acquisition was planned or sanctioned by the home government. Instead it was largely the work of the men on the ground, and to those at home it really did seem that the empire was acquired in a 'fit of absence of mind'. Saul David creates a vivid portrait of life on the violent fringes of empire, and of the seemingly endless and brutal wars that were fought in the name of trade, civilization and the balance of power.'Splendid . . . a terrific treasure-chest of anecdotes . . . a splendidly brisk, cool and judicious narrator' Daily Telegraph 'Incisive and acute . . . thorough and occasionally revelatory, [David] always finds a telling phrase, an eye-catching detail or a human story' Sunday Times Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and the author of several critically acclaimed history books, including The Indian Mutiny: 1857 (shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature), Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 (a Waterstone's Military History Book of the Year) and, most recently, Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire.

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Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort had nine children who despite their very different characters, remained a close-knit family. Inevitably, as they married into European royal families their loyalties were divided and their lives dominated by political controversy. This is not only the story of their lives in terms of world impact, but also of their own personal achievements, their individual contributions to public life in Britain and overseas and in their roles as the children of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort.

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En 1945, una vez finalizada la Segunda Guerra Mundial, Churchill, Roosevelt y Stalin condenaron abiertamente el régimen de Franco, condena a la que se añadió la Organización para las Naciones Unidas (ONU). Pero poco después estalló la Guerra Fría y España pasó a ser un peón más de los intereses americanos frente a la Unión Soviética.El aislamento internacional y las sanciones empezaron a producirse y ello llevó al inicio de un acercamiento al Vaticano.La cuestión que se aborda en este libro es precisamente la historia de este acercamiento que culminó con la firma del Concordato de agosto de 1953 por el cual el Vaticano, al frente del cual se entroba Pío XII, reforzaba la dictadura de Franco a través de un pacto que negaba la libertad religiosa y estrechaba los lazos entre la Iglesia y el Estado.La evolución de la Iglesia durante aquellos años en temas como el episcopado, el clero, las asociaciones de apostolado seglar o la asistencia caritativa y social es analizada por Pablo

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Set on the edge of the Pacific and bursting with culture and life, Vancouver is a delight to explore. Immerse yourself in the best of the city with Moon Vancouver.* Explore the City: Navigate by neighbourhood or by activity with colour-coded maps, or follow one of our self-guided neighbourhood walks* See the Sights: Cycle along the coast at Stanley Park, kayak local waterways, learn about indigenous history at the Vancouver Museum of Anthropology, and soak in gorgeous nature views from atop Grouse Mountain* Get a Taste of the City: Sip a perfect pour-over coffee, browse the artistically arranged stalls at the Granville Island Public Market, or dig into some of the best Chinese food in North America * Bars and Nightlife: Sample local craft beer, enjoy cocktails on lush patios or in cozy speakeasies, and plug into Vancouver's artsy side with an eclectic lineup of everything from indie rock to world music* Local Advice: Vancouver expert Carolyn B. Heller shares her favourite places in her adopted city* Strategic Itineraries: See the best of Vancouver with itineraries designed for families, gourmands, history buffs, nature-lovers, and artists, with day trips to Victoria, Vancouver Island, and Whistler* Full-Colour Photos and Detailed Maps so you can explore on your own, plus an easy-to-read foldout map to use on the go* Handy Tools: Background information on the landscape, history, and culture, packaged in a book slim enough to fit in your coat pocketExperience the real Vancouver with Moon's practical tips and insider know-how.Hitting the road? Check out Moon Vancouver & Canadian Rockies Road Trip.

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IN THE PAST, while visiting the First World War battlefields, the author often wondered where the various Victoria Cross actions took place. He resolved to find out. In 1988, in the midst of his army career, research for this book commenced and over the years numerous sources have been consulted. Victoria Crosses on the Western Front - Battles of the Hindenburg Line - Canal du Nord is designed for the battlefield visitor as much as the armchair reader. A thorough account of each VC action is set within the wider strategic and tactical context. Detailed sketch maps show the area today, together with the battle-lines and movements of the combatants. It will allow visitors to stand upon the spot, or very close to, where each VC was won. Photographs of the battle sites richly illustrate the accounts. There is also a comprehensive biography for each recipient, covering every aspect of their lives warts and all: parents and siblings, education, civilian employment, military career, wife and children, death and burial/commemoration. A host of other information, much of it published for the first time, reveals some fascinating characters, with numerous links to many famous people and events.

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The volume was originally published in 1954, and was the work of a team of distinguished historians. It broke new ground, for although separate histories of the university and its colleges had been written, it was the first comprehensive scholarly account of all those institutions. The opening chapter on the history of the university from its 12th-century beginnings to the mid 20th century is followed by chapters on the grammar schools of the medieval university and on the architectural and institutional history of the several university buildings. The greater portion of the book is devoted to the histories of the colleges and halls, each of which is the subject of a separate article. The articles are precise and fully referenced, telling of such matters as the foundation and buildings of the college, its estates, its religious and academic history, and its outstanding personalities. The many illustrationsinclude plates of old prints and drawings; there are also plans which carry forward the work of the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments. 'The book abounds in new and interesting information ... the result of research in muniments which have not before been so carefully and intelligently investigated.' (F. M. Powicke in English Historical Review).

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This True Tales Reading Book is packed with brilliant non-fiction reading practice for pupils in Years 5 & 6. It tells the fascinating life stories of four famous Kings and Queens: Boudica, Alfred the Great, King John and Queen Victoria. A wide range of non-fiction text types are integrated into each story, including diaries, advertisements, newspaper reports, instructions and many more. The whole book is in full colour, with plenty of illustrations to help hold children’s attention.

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Un retrato tan lleno de admiración como de ironía de una reina que dió nombre a todo un periodo histórico.

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En septiembre de 1944 las tropas aliadas avanzaban por Holanda y se disponían a cruzar el Rin para invadir Alemania; pero el desastre de Arnhem, la última victoria alemana, iba a alargar el conflicto más allá de lo previsto. Basándose en una amplísima documentación, que se utiliza aquí por primera vez, Antony Beevor no solo reconstruye la verdad de lo sucedido -muy distinta a lo que contaron hace unos años una versión novelada y una película- sino que el hecho de disponer de diarios y de testimonios personales le permite revivir la verdad de la guerra, a través de las experiencias individuales de los soldados en el combate o del relato de los sufrimientos de los habitantes de Arnhem, sometidos tres veces al pillaje y masacrados por los alemanes. Beevor muestra aquí, no solo su conocimiento de la guerra, sino su maestría de gran narrador.

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Whether you want to follow the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania, explore Botswana’s Okavango Delta, or experience Victoria Falls, the local Fodor’s travel experts in Africa are here to help! Fodor’s The Complete Guide to Africa Safaris guidebook is packed with maps, carefully curated recommendations, and everything else you need to simplify your trip-planning process and make the most of your time. This new edition has been fully redesigned with an easy-to-read layout, fresh information, and beautiful color photos. Fodor’s The Complete Guide to Africa Safaris travel guide includes: AN ILLUSTRATED ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES GUIDE to the top things to see and do MULTIPLE ITINERARIES to effectively organize your days and maximize your time MORE THAN 35 DETAILED MAPS to help you navigate confidently COLOR PHOTOS throughout to spark your wanderlust! HONEST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCALS on the best sights, restaurants, hotels, activities, beach destinations, and more PHOTO-FILLED “BEST OF” FEATURES on “Wildlife,” “Plants and Trees,” and more TRIP-PLANNING TOOLS AND PRACTICAL TIPS including when to go, getting around, beating the crowds, and saving time and money HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS providing rich context on the local people, art, cuisine, music, geography, and more SPECIAL FEATURES on “The Big Five,” “The Great Migration, “The Namibia Dunes,” and more LOCAL WRITERS to help you find the under-the-radar gems UP-TO-DATE COVERAGE ON: South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Victoria Falls Planning on visiting South Africa? Check out Fodor’s Essential South Africa, 2nd edition. *Important note for digital editions: The digital edition of this guide does not contain all the images or text included in the physical edition. ABOUT FODOR'S AUTHORS: Each Fodor's Travel Guide is researched and written by local experts. Fodor’s has been offering expert advice for all tastes and budgets for over 80 years. For more travel inspiration, you can sign up for our travel newsletter at fodors.com/newsletter/signup, or follow us @FodorsTravel on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We invite you to join our friendly community of travel experts at fodors.com/community to ask any other questions and share your experience with us!

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A remarkable debut novel telling the story of Angus MacKay's (1812-1859) turbulent life. MacKay of Raasay is a legendary figure in the history of Scottish music, with his work still celebrated 160 years after his death. The sensational tale of the man himself, however, has been neglected until now. From humble beginnings on the Isle of Raasay, MacKay reflects on his rise through nineteenth-century society, gaining nationwide renown and becoming the first piper to the Sovereign. Yet, despite his fame and musical accomplishments, something is amiss. Why is MacKay writing his journal from the notorious Bedlam hospital? And why has he been dismissed from Her Majesty's service? MacDonald has written a debut for all fans of historical fiction.

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Part of a series covering all English counties, this volume provides an historical account of the county of Oxford, including the southern part of Wootton Hundred, the towns of Eynsham and Woodstock, and the parishes of Begbrooke, Bladon, Cassington, Cogges, Combe, and Wolvercote.

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Social and Economic History. Ecclesiastical History. Religious Houses. Industries. Political History.

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Eloise Lawrance, una hermosa y delicada bailarina de ballet, está a punto de lograr sus sueños cuando, de manera repentina, su carrera profesional se hunde. César King, un enigmático magnate del juego se pone en contacto con ella con una atractiva oferta que no podrá rechazar: bailar para los tenistas de los primeros puestos del ranking durante dos años y convertirse así en su fuente de inspiración.Implacable e inteligentemente, César manipula a Eloise hasta sumergirla en un mundo donde la supremacía de la forma física y la dominación prevalecen y la victoria dicta el poder absoluto tanto en la pista como en el dormitorio. Muy pronto Eloise se encuentra metida de lleno en una intoxicante y oscura relación con Stephan Nordstrom, el campeón por antonomasia del tenis. Pero con cada grand slam, llega un nuevo reto y nuevas posibilidades íntimas.Ni siquiera César será capaz de predecir las consecuencias de la última batalla en la pista entre los mejores jugadores cuando el premio fi

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From the bestselling team behind Horrible Histories! It’s time to delve into the totally true (sort of) and incredibly intriguing pages of Queen Victoria's Secret Diary. First! Terry Deary steps into the mind of one of history’s most quirky queens, bringing you Victoria's thoughts on: • the Government! • incredible inventions! • Buckingham Palace! • the Empire! Horrible Histories’ Secret Diaries of the most extraordinary (and Horrible) characters of all time will blow your mind. _______________________________________________________________ Horrible Histories’ Secret Diaries are the perfect introduction to important figures from history. Fully illustrated throughout and told from the character’s (sometimes delusional) point of view, each diary reveals the (quite likely) inner workings of their minds during the events that shaped their lives. Covering key moments in Victoria’s life and the history of the Victorian era, the Secret Diary of Queen Victoria reveals her: • reaction to ascending the throne at 18 • arguments with Prince Albert • experience of the open sewers at Buckingham Palace • thoughts on her enemies and allies Each diary is the perfect introduction to a pivotal era in British History, brilliantly immersive and sure to capture the imagination!

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Have you ever wondered what Queen Victoria ate for breakfast? Or pondered over George V's preferences for pudding? Straight from the kitchens of Buckingham Palace, this fascinating collection offers an extraordinary insight into royal gastronomy, featuring exclusive photographs, recipes, anecdotes and menus that span three generations of royal dining.This compilation offers a unique glimpse into the intimate affair of afternoon tea in the Royal Household, as well as the more formal proceedings of a state supper, alongside a brief insight into the history of royal cooking. Featuring a selection of menus used at actual royal events, alongside a series of exclusive private photographs of the royal family, this new insight into the world of royal dining will give you the inspiration you need to transform your own dinner parties and afternoon luncheons, enabling you to create exquisite dishes and decadent desserts that are truly fit for a king and queen.

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How to Make It as a Woman outlines the history of prosopography or group biography, focusing on the all-female collections that took hold in nineteenth-century Britain and America. The queens, nurses, writers, reformers, adventurers, even assassins in these collective female biographies served as models to guide the moral development of young women. But often these famous historical women presented untrustworthy examples.Beginning in the fifteenth century with Christine de Pizan, Alison Booth traces the long tradition of this genre, investigating the varied types and stories most often grouped together in illustrated books designed for entertainment and instruction. She claims that these group biographies have been instrumental in constructing modern subjectivities as well as relations among classes, races, and nations.From Joan of Arc to Virginia Woolf, Booth examines a host of models of womanhood—both bad and good. Incorporating a bibliography that includes more than 900 all-female collections published in English between 1830 and 1940, Booth uses collective biographies to decode the varied advice on how to make it as a woman.

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A century after Queen Victoria's death, debate still rages surrounding her relationship with her gillie, John Brown. Were they ever married? What was the extraordinary hold he had over her? This biography aims to shed new light on these questions and to discover the truth behind Brown's hold on his royal employer. Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, the Queen found solace in the companionship of John Brown, who had commenced his royal employment as a stable hand. He became "The Queen's Highland Servant" in 1865 and rose to be the most influential member of the Scottish Royal Household. While the Queen could be brusque and petulant with her servants, family and ministers, she submitted to Brown's fussy organization of her domestic life, his bullying and familiarity without a murmur. Despite warnings of his unpopularity with her subjects by one Prime Minister, the Queen was adamant that Brown would not be sacked. The Queen's confidence was rewarded when Brown saved her from an assassination attempt, after which he was vaunted as a public hero. The author reveals the names of republicans and disaffected courtiers who related gossip about Queen Victoria and John Brown and their purported marriage and child, and identifies those who plotted to have Brown dismissed. Based on research in public, private and royal archives, as well as diaries and memoirs of those who knew Brown and interviews with his surviving relatives, this text analyzes the relationship between Queen Victoria and Brown.

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Covering the lives and achievements of five English intelligence officers involved in wars at home and abroad between 1870 and 1918, this exceptionally researched book offers an insight into spying in the age of Victoria. Including material from little-known sources such as memoirs, old biographies and information from M15 and the police history archives, this book is a more detailed sequel to Wade's earlier work, Spies in the Empire. The book examines the social and political context of Victorian spying and the role of intelligence in the Anglo-Boer wars as well as case studies on five intriguing characters: William Melville, Sir John Ardagh, Reginald Wingate and Rudolf Slatin, and William Robertson. Responding to a dearth of books covering this topic, Wade both presents fascinating biographies of some of the most significant figures in the history of intelligence as well as a snapshot of a time in which the experts and amateurs who would eventually become M15 struggled against bias, denigration and confusion.

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En esta monumental obra reunida en dos tomos, resume todo su trabajo, analiza las causas que condujeron a Franco a ganar la guerra de una manera global y objetiva. El generalísimo, prohibió al Ejército publoicar una versiónh oficial sobre la Guerra Civi

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In 1864, amid headline-grabbing heresy trials, members of the British Association for the Advancement of Science were asked to sign a declaration affirming that science and scripture were in agreement. Many criticized the new test of orthodoxy; nine decided that collaborative action was required. The X Club tells their story. These six ambitious professionals and three wealthy amateurs--J. D. Hooker, T. H. Huxley, John Tyndall, John Lubbock, William Spottiswoode, Edward Frankland, George Busk, T. A. Hirst, and Herbert Spencer--wanted to guide the development of science and public opinion on issues where science impinged on daily life, religious belief, and politics. They formed a private dining club, which they named the X Club, to discuss and further their plans. As Ruth Barton shows, they had a clear objective: they wanted to promote "scientific habits of mind," which they sought to do through lectures, journalism, and science education. They devoted enormous effort to the expansion of science education, with real, but mixed, success. For twenty years, the X Club was the most powerful network in Victorian science--the men succeeded each other in the presidency of the Royal Society for a dozen years. Barton's group biography traces the roots of their success and the lasting effects of their championing of science against those who attempted to limit or control it, along the way shedding light on the social organization of science, the interactions of science and the state, and the places of science and scientific men in elite culture in the Victorian era.

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From the author of The Wicked Cometh comes a dark, page-turning tale of passion and romance in the darkest of places. . . 'Carlin can tell a good story' Observer 'A book of great beauty and lyricism' On MagazineAfter the death of his mother, young Alwin of Whittaker leaves the only home he has ever known to seek answers about his unknown father through a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. On the journey, Alwin falls in with a band of violent and marauding soldiers and is witness to their terrible crimes. When Alwin later joins up with a group of pilgrims, he must hide his identity . . . but he is not the only one with secrets to keep. Rosamund, a young woman travelling the same path, has much to conceal too. The journey to discovering who he really is will lead Alwin into great danger and great passion. These are dark times, and through them, Alwin must shine a light. Will the revelations to come destroy everything that came before?'Effortlessly transports the reader to fourteenth-century rural Derbyshire and the plight of young Alwin. With the deft touch of a master storyteller, Laura Carlin recreates the dangerous world Alwin must navigate as they flee the comforts of home for an entirely new life' Sophie Ward, author of Love and other Thought ExperimentsREADERS' PRAISE FOR REQUIEM FOR A KNAVE:'Hugely engaging''A gem of an historical novel with beautiful atmospheric writing''I loved Laura's first book and this is another fun, dark historical novel full of twists and turns. Atmospheric and passionate''Laura Carlin charmed and bewitched me with her Victorian era debut The Wicked Cometh and here again I am willingly sucked into the dark medieval world of pilgrims, lords and villains''Beautifully written with strongly portrayed characters, A very good read''The author gives us fully rounded, engaging characters, a compelling story and beautiful, lyrical prose. I loved this even more than The Wicked Cometh''A lyrical and engaging novel, with beautiful writing and a gripping storyline'

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A beautifully illustrated history of the iconic ocean-going gunboats of British 'gunboat diplomacy', the hundreds of little warships that for 50 years demonstrated the power of the Royal Navy worldwide, and which maintained and enforced the rule of the British Empire at its peak. In recent years the phrase 'gunboat diplomacy' has been used to describe the crude use of naval power to bully or coerce a weaker nation. During the reign of Queen Victoria, 'gunboat diplomacy' was viewed very differently. It was the use of a very limited naval force to encourage global stability and to protect British overseas trade. This very subtle use of naval power was a vital cornerstone of the Pax Britannica. Between the Crimean War (1854–56) and 1904, when the gunboat era came to an abrupt end, the Royal Navy’s ocean-going gunboats underpinned Britain’s position as a global power and fulfilled the country’s role as a 'global policeman'. Created during the Crimean War, these gunboats first saw action in China. However, they were also used to hunt down pirates in the coasts and rivers of Borneo and Malaya, to quell insurrections and revolts in the Caribbean or hunt slavers off the African coast. The first gunboats were designed for service in the Crimean War, but during the 1860s a new generation of ships began entering service – vessels designed specifically to fulfill this global policing role. Better-designed gunboats followed, but by the 1880s, the need for them was waning . The axe finally fell in 1904 when Admiral 'Jackie' Fisher brought the gunboat era to an end in order to help fund the new age of the dreadnought. This exciting New Vanguard title describes the rise and fall of the gunboat, the appearance and capability of these vital warships, and what life was like on board. It also examines key actions they were involved in.

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Poor Queen Victoria! She loves to swim, but can't quite figure out how to get to the water without her devoted subjects glimpsing her swimming suit. (Because, of course, such a sight would compromise her regal dignity.) Fortunately for the water-loving monarch, it's Prince Albert to the rescue with an invention fit for a queen! This quirky tale about the longest reigning monarch in British history is as fun as it is authentic, and the book includes a picture of the actual bathing machine Prince Albert created.

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'An almanac for the heart.' EVIE WOODS, author of The Lost Bookshop'Haunting prose that cracks the English pastoral novel and lets the darkness in. A pleasure to read.'SARAH MOSS, author of Ghost Wall'A clever, heartbreaking, heartwarming depiction of family love, grief and the possibility of hope.'JO BROWNING WROE, author of A Terrible Kindness'Poignant and unexpected . . . brave and subtle.'EMMA HEALEY, author of Elizabeth is Missing'Wonderful . . . brave in its deep truths about loss and love.'INGRID PERSAUD, author of Love After LoveAin't nothing wrong with being broken. Nothing at all. You're like these houses, not a whole brick in em and look how strong they are.As Tess traces the sunrise over the floodplains, light that paints the house a startling crimson, she yearns for the comforting chaos of life as it once was. Instead of Max and Sonny tracking dirt through the kitchen - Tess and Richard's 'rainbow twins' - Tess absorbs the quiet. The nights draw in, the soil cools and Richard fights to get his winter crops planted rather than deal with the discussion he cannot bear to have.Secrets and vines clamber over the broken red bricks and although its inhabitants seem to be withering, in the damp, crumbling soil Sonny knows that something is stirring . . . As the seasons change, and the cracks let in more light, the family might just be able to start to heal.This is the story of a broken family, what they see and what they cannot say laid bare in their overlapping perspectives. It is a tale of life in the cracks, because in the space for acceptance, of passing and of laying to rest, the possibilities of new energy, light and love, are seeded.Readers are loving The House of Broken Bricks:***** 'It's only the first week of January and already I have a strong candidate for my book of the year.' ***** 'Fiona Williams' stunning nature-writing and poetic prose, turns a relatively simple story into a hauntingly beautiful experience.' ***** 'This is one of those books that stays with you long after you've finished reading it.' *****'Absolutely spot-on in how it portrays children's emotional intuition, this is a beaut of a book.' ***** 'Blown away! This books is stunning and haunting and structurally beautiful.'

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Of Queen Victoria's four sons, the eldest married a Danish princess, one a Russian Grand Duchess, and the other two princesses of German royal houses. The first to join the family of the Grandmama of Europe' was Alexandra, eldest daughter of the prince about to become King Christian IX of Denmark. Charming, ever sympathetic and widely considered one of the most attractive royal women of her time, she was prematurely deaf and suffered from a limp which was made fashionable by court ladies due to her popularity. Alexandra proved an ideal wife for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Grand Duchess Marie, daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and wife of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh and later Saxe-Coburg Gotha, was cultured and intelligent, but dowdy, haughty and, convinced of the Romanovs' superiority, resented having to give precedence at court to her in-laws. Louise of Prussia, a niece of William I, German Emperor, had the good fortune to escape from a miserable family life in Berlin and marry Arthur, Duke of Connaught, a dedicated army officer who was always the Queen's favourite among her children. Finally, Helen of Waldeck-Pyrmont, sister of Emma, Queen Consort of the Netherlands, became the wife of the cultured Leopold, Duke of Albany, but he was haemophiliac and their marriage was destined to be the briefest of all, cut short by his sudden death less than three years later. All four were very different personalities, proved themselves to be supportive wives, mothers and daughters-in-law in their own way, and dedicated workers for charity at home and abroad. Based partly on previously unpublished material from the Royal Archives at Windsor and Madrid, and the Leonie Leslie Papers, University of Chicago, this is the first book to study all four as a family group.

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WINNER OF THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023'Mesmerising, macabre and murderously funny. The Botanist is M.W. Craven at his sinister best. I couldn't love this series more' Chris Whitaker'Another classy thriller from the king of Cumbrian crime' Paul Finch'I swear I'm one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .'Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria. And then there's Estelle Doyle. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'Meanwhile, a poisoner the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high profile celebrities poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able to kill with impunity.For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life . . .Praise for The Botanist: 'Unputdownable, gripping, clever and with a rich seam of trademark Craven humour running through it' Imran Mahmood'A sinful treat' Vaseem Khan'Fast, furious, and utterly enjoyable.' Keith NixonPraise for M W Craven:'Heart-pounding, hilarious, sharp and shocking, Dead Ground is further proof that M.W. Craven never disappoints. Miss this series at your peril.' Chris Whitaker'Dark and entertaining, this is top rank crime fiction.' Vaseem Khan, Author of the Malabar House series and the Baby Ganesh Agency series'M. W. Craven is one of the best crime writers working today. Dead Ground is a cracking puzzle, beautifully written, with characters you'll be behind every step of the way. It's his best yet.' Stuart Turton'Fantastic' Martina Cole'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James'I've been following M.W. Craven's Poe/Tilly series from the very beginning, and it just gets better and better. Dead Ground is a fast-paced crime novel with as many twists and turns as a country lane. I can't wait for the next one.' Peter Robinson'Dead Ground is both entertaining and engaging with great characters and storyline. I loved this first dip into the world of Tilly and Poe!' BA Paris'A brutal and thrilling page turner' Natasha Harding, The Sun'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series' Mick Herron'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint hearted!'David Mark'A gripping start to a much anticipated new series' Vaseem Khan'Satisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read.' Michael J. Malone'Nothing you've ever read will prepare you for the utterly unique Washington Poe' Keith Nixon

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A captivating exploration of the role in which Queen Victoria exerted most international power and influence: her role as matchmaking grandmother. In the late nineteenth century, Queen Victoria had over thirty surviving grandchildren. To maintain power in Europe, she hoped to manoeuvre them into dynastic marriages with royalty across the world. Yet her grandchildren often had plans of their own, fuelled by strong wills and romantic hearts. Her matchmaking plans were further complicated by tumultuous international upheavals; revolution was in the air and after her death, her most carefully laid plans fell to ruin. Queen Victoria’s Matchmaking travels through the glittering palaces of Russia and Europe, weaving in scandals, political machinations and family tensions, to enthralling effect. It is at once an intimate portrait of the royal family and an examination of the conflict caused by the power, love and duty that shaped the marriages that Queen Victoria arranged. At the heart of it all is Queen Victoria herself: doting grandmother one moment, determined manipulator the next.

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