Search results for ""author simon""

As the third and largest sister of the famous Olympic-class trio, Britannic is often and unjustly overlooked in comparison to Olympic and Titanic. Launched on the eve of war in February 1914, Britannic would never see service on the White Star Line’s express service on the North Atlantic mail run for which she was built. After being requisitioned by the Admiralty in November 1915 His Majesty’s Hospital Ship Britannic instead became indispensible to the thousands of injured and sick troops that needed transporting back to Britain from the Mediterranean theatre of war. However, as was the fate of many liners during the conflict, her life was cut tragically short when she was suddenly wracked by a mysterious explosion on 21 November 1916 and sank in less than an hour – three times faster than her sister ship Titanic, and yet thanks to the improvements in safety heralded by the tragedy of her sister 1,032 of 1,062 on board survived. Here Simon Mills brings together previously unseen material, including stunning colour images of Britannic’s wreck in the Aegean Sea, and this poignant story to tell a tale of heroism in the First World War, of an oftoverlooked but key ship to British maritime history and of the unique future that the wreck might still one day enjoy.

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The poems collected in Tribute: Three Commemorative Poems were composed by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage for three significant royal occasions. 'The Patriarchs: An Elegy' was written after Prince Philip passed away in April 2021, 'Queenhood' celebrates the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022, while 'Floral Tribute' was composed upon her death, three months later. Gathered together and introduced by a short author's note, this majestic collector's edition presents a lasting tribute as we come to terms with the end of an era.

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE DEREK WALCOTT PRIZE FOR POETRYIt is the current Poet Laureate who has done the most to bring medieval poetry to contemporary audiences . . . in its own eccentric way, [The Owl and the Nightingale] is every bit as enticing as Gawain . . . it is arguably the greatest early Middle English poem we have. ProspectA graceful, elegant translation. GuardianFollowing his acclaimed translations of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Pearl, Simon Armitage shines light on another jewel of Middle English verse. In his highly engaging version, Armitage communicates the energy and humour of the tale with all the cut and thrust of the original. An unnamed narrator overhears a fiery verbal contest between the two eponymous birds, which moves entertainingly from the eloquent and philosophical to the ribald and ridiculous. The disputed issues still resonate - concerning identity, cultural habits, class distinctions and the right to be heard. Excerpts were featured in the BBC Radio 4 podcast, The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed. Including the lively illustrations of Clive Hicks-Jenkins, this is a book for the whole household to read and enjoy.

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Simon Armitage is rightly celebrated as one of the country's most original and engaging poets; but he is also an adaptor and translator of some of our most important epics, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Death of King Arthur and Homer's Odyssey. The latter, originally a commission for BBC Radio, rendered the classical tale with all the flare, wit and engagement that we have come to expect from this most distinctive of contemporary authors, and in so doing brought Odysseus's return from the Trojan War memorably to life.

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Lead change through strategic alignment of project and process performance Practical and filled with expert advice, Strategic Project Portfolio Management: Enabling a Productive Organization presents a clear framework for your organization to complete impactful strategic projects. Providing executive-level guidance to build a powerful and efficient process from initial adoption to portfolio alignment, this essential resource contains case studies from small to global multinational organizations, arming you with the insights to ensure your strategic projects are given the resources they need to deliver business impact. This important guide Shows executives how to align their projects and processes with their business strategy for compelling competitive advantage Provides cases from best in class organizations, showing how they were able to achieve results by using processes outlined in the book Reveals how technology is the key to developing new collaborative platforms and innovative work management environments that have not been possible until now Defines a framework for assessing project portfolio management competence within your organization and driving momentum for compelling improvements Explores how to go beyond project portfolio management to a holistic work management system Strategic Project Portfolio Management: Enabling a Productive Organization offers the practical recommendations, guidance, and real world insights you need to immediately begin driving better project management strategy.

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Introducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience – classics which will endure for generations to come. ‘Maths is one of the purest forms of thought, and to outsiders mathematicians may seem almost otherworldly’ In 1963, schoolboy Andrew Wiles stumbled across the world’s greatest mathematical problem: Fermat’s Last Theorem. Unsolved for over 300 years, he dreamed of cracking it. Combining thrilling storytelling with a fascinating history of scientific discovery, Simon Singh uncovers how an Englishman, after years of secret toil, finally solved mathematics’ most challenging problem. Fermat’s Last Theorem is remarkable story of human endeavour, obsession and intellectual brilliance, sealing its reputation as a classic of popular science writing. ‘To read it is to realise that there is a world of beauty and intellectual challenge that is denied to 99.9 per cent of us who are not high-level mathematicians’ The Times

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Bestselling phenomenon Simon McCleave is back with a gripping, atmospheric new crime thriller series set on the Isle of Anglesey. ‘Knocked my socks off. McCleave knows how to leave you gasping for air. Absolutely thrilling!’ International million-copy bestseller, Helen Fields The beautiful Isle of Anglesey has been rocked by the brutal murders of three female students at a local college. DI Laura Hart is called in to track down the murderer – who the papers have dubbed the Anglesey Ripper – before he strikes again. She quickly identifies a suspect but just as she is about to pounce, he slips through her fingers. Laura and the Beaumaris CID must pursue the serial killer across the island in an increasingly dangerous game of cat and mouse – but he’s always one step ahead of them. And soon, the hunters will become the hunted… An explosive, edge-of-your-seat read that’s perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Ann Cleeves and Elly Griffiths. Readers love Simon McCleave’s Angelsey Series! ‘This book was awesome! Suspense, intrigue, action, and great police work!’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Another fantastic page-turner… cleverly written and could easily be a TV show!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Twists and turns aplenty within a well-paced, exciting narrative. A superlative and atmospheric thriller’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Excellent’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A gripping and sublime crime thriller topped with plenty of action and exciting storylines.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This was an excellent read. Thoroughly recommended. It made me want to visit North Wales.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fantastic. I really enjoyed this book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Do yourself a favour and get a copy of The Dark Tide – you will not be disappointed.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The story of the Stuart dynasty is a breathless soap opera played out in just a hundred years in an array of buildings that span Europe from Scotland, via Denmark, Holland and Spain to England. Life in the court of the House of Stuart has been shrouded in mystery: the first half of the century overshadowed by the fall and execution of Charles I, the second half in the complete collapse of the House itself. Lost to time is the extraordinary contribution the Stuarts made to the fabric of sovereignty. Every palace they built, painting they commissioned, or artwork they acquired was a direct reflection of the lives that they led and the way that they thought. Palaces of Revolution explores this rich history in graphic detail, giving a unique insight into the lives of this famous dynasty. It takes us from Royston and Newmarket, where James I appropriated most of the town centre as a sort of rough-and-ready royal housing estate, to the steamy Turkish baths at Whitehall where Charles II seduced his mistresses. We see the intimate private lives of the monarchs, presented through the buildings in which they lived and the objects they commissioned, creating an entirely new narrative of the Stuart century. Palaces of Revolution traces this extraordinary period across the places and palaces on which the action played out, giving us a thrilling new history of this remarkable dynasty.

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In horse racing greatness is defined by speed. Being the second fastest counts for little. You have to win. And win. And keep winning until every challenger of your generation is put to the sword. Of the twelve horses lined up on Newmarket Heath that 2011 day, one would do just that. And more. To become the greatest racehorse that has ever lived. Frankel was born on 11 February 2008, with four white socks and a blaze, from impressive equine lines on both his parents’ sides. Simon Cooper revisits the whole of the horse’s life, giving readers an inside tour of the calm oasis that is life a stud farm, where a foal will live with his mother for the first year of his life. Next, the atmosphere of heady possibility that marks the early days of training. Roadwork. Gallops. Trials. Turning raw potential into something more. Frankel begins to set himself apart. A detailed and fast-paced narrative breathlessly recounts the racing career of the horse who, by his retirement to stud at the age of 4, would be rated the greatest of all time. Cooper weaves the horse’s tale with those of his trainer, battling cancer, the stablehands who coped with his explosive nature, the work rider who tamed him, the the jockey who rode in all fourteen of his races, and the owner who saw his potential from the very beginning. The result is a rich and multifaceted tale of modern horse racing, the lives of everyone involved, human and equine, and the unadulterated glory of winning. And winning everything.

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This book examines the concepts of subjectivity and selfhood developed in the oeuvre of Jean-Paul Sartre. Although Sartre is a prominent philosopher, the reception of his work is shrouded in misguided ideas concerning his alleged subjectivism. This book accurately positions Sartre in debates concerning the two themes which form a guiding thread throughout his work and remain immensely relevant in the philosophical landscape of today. Gusman expertly tracks and uncovers the nuances of the evolving notions of subjectivity and selfhood, paying particular attention to his claim that the Self is a ‘thing among things’ and to his views on narrative identity.Using as a framework the critical reception from thinkers in Sartre’s own tradition, the book also draws from the recent popularity of his thought in analytic philosophy of mind. Illuminating and impactful, this book provides an invaluable resource to scholars looking for a contemporary and up-to-date critical study of Sartre’s work.

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This book engages with the relationship between ruins, dilapidation, and abandonment and cultural events performed within such spaces. Following the author’s fieldwork in the UK, Bosnia Herzegovina, Poland, Germany, Greece, and Sicily, chapters describe, investigate, and reflect upon live performance events which have taken place in sites of decay and abandonment. The book’s main focus is upon modern economic ruins and ruins of warfare. Each chapter provides several case studies based upon the author’s own site visits and interviews with actors, directors, producers, curators, writers, and other artists. The book contextualises these events within the wider framework of Ruin Studies and provides brief summaries of how we might understand the ruin in terms of time, politics, culture, and atmospheres. The book is particularly preoccupied with artists’ reasons and motivations for placing performance events in ruined spaces and how these work dramaturgically.

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When a young girl is found strangled in a pillbox (military blockhouse) on the edge of an isolated village, it looks like a tragic but uncomplicated sex crime--especially as Jed, the local boy with whom she was last seen, has disappeared. But when Jed's blood-soaked jacket is found in another pillbox further along the river bank, it becomes clear that the case is more complicated. Chief Inspector Dalliance and DS Riley set about untangling a skein of leads, and in the process discover that the respectability of an idyllic English village conceals dark undercurrents. An exclusive swingers' club includes members of the political elite, while the younger generation seems hell-bent on a nihilistic exploration of sexual boundaries. In the meantime, as the community prepares for its annual Morris Dancing festival, another body is found. The page-turning plot reaches a dramatic climax with the prime suspect leading Dalliance and Riley a merry dance through village streets thronged with handkerchief-waving, stave-wielding Morris men.

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'A slice of scary, escapist fun' Observer'The twists and turns are never-ending' Daily Mail'An unnervingly plausible and scintillatingly paced thriller' Radio Times'A phenomenal thriller, meticulously plotted and brilliantly realised' Clare Mackintosh, Books of the Year_______________________________If you can hear it, your time is running out.Teacher Kit Chaplin can't understand why some students at his north London school are experiencing an extreme ticking noise in their ears. Perhaps it's just a severe form of tinnitus? But only days later, it spreads to more students - and starts leaving bodies in its wake.Eminent vaccinologist Lilly Slater has never seen anything like this before. She must race against the clock to work out what is happening - and to find a cure.But their investigation throws up more questions than answers until they realise the mystery behind the illness is even bigger than they could have imagined...Will the truth behind this catastrophe become clear before it's too late?_______________________________Readers are loving Tick Tock'Well, BBC Radio presenter Simon Mayo sure can write a darned good thriller!''An excellent conspiracy theory thriller, it's exciting, full of danger... it's riveting and hard to put down''I was utterly gripped and read this in one sitting! I could feel the tension and fear in every page - loved it!''Never has there been a more timely thriller! I was gripped from the first page. I was so immersed, I read it in one night.'

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“Don’t go near Chris, he’ll make you cry, You can’t trust a crocolion, don’t even try.” Join Chris the Crocolion (half crocodile, half lion) on a journey through water, woods and mansions. He meets a series of hybrid animals along the way – Lesley the Lepiraffe, Emma the Elephena, Tim the Tigrilla and Peter the Parroboon - but will anybody take the time to get to know the real Chris and make his birthday dreams come true? This beautiful tale about the victory of friendship over hate and greed is sure to win hearts and minds as it tells an important lesson in a humorous and entertaining way.

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The University of Leeds has a long tradition of engagement with poets. Many of them were members of staff (for instance, Geoffrey Hill), some were students (Jon Silkin, Ken Smith, Tony Harrison, Jeffrey Wainwright, Ian Duhig), others creative writing fellows (James Kirkup, John Heath-Stubbs, Thomas Blackburn, Jon Silkin, Peter Redgrove, David Wright, Pearse Hutchinson and Wole Soyinka among them). The poetry archives in the Brotherton Library are extensive and valuable. The Academy of Cultural Fellows has included Helen Mort, Malika Booker, Vahni Capildeo, Zaffar Kunial and Matt Howard. Its long association with the magazine Stand continues. The Brotherton Poetry Prize is the University's latest expression of commitment to poetry as a living art.

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"In many respects it is a book unlike many others. It is an individual, as all good books should be. It is quirky, eclectic, eccentric even, but in a world intent on reproducing that which has already been regurgitated I personally felt the need for something a bit more idiosyncratic, I can only hope that you agree!" - Simon Owen A well known artist specialising in racing car subjects, the late Simon Owen's detailed, expertly executed work conveys the life, the vibrancy, the essence and passion of motorsports and racing cars, like no other. Simon's work is a visual feast for lovers of automotive art and motorsport. Over the last few years, Simon had worked on developing a series of stunningly detailed computer-generated digital images, focussing on individual racing cars and their liveries. Seventy-seven of these images have been compiled to create this extraordinary book, and each is presented with a relevant quote from a legend of the motor racing world. Along with these beautiful and unique artworks, this book represents a chance to gain a rare peek into the artist's working methods, revealing some of his developmental work and showing how the digital images were constructed.

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Do you know your Boosterism from your Backstopectomy? Can you tell Prometheus from Cincinnatus, and if so, do you know what Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to say when he namechecks esoteric figures from the classics, quotes obscure phrases from history, or even just plain makes words up? Certainly, Johnson is the most verbose Prime Minister of recent years, the result no doubt of a classical education, a closet full of public-school confidence and a former career as a wordsmith for The Times. Boris, more than perhaps any other leader, knows the importance of words, but he also knows how to have serious fun with them.

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THE BESTSELLING BIRDWATCHING CLASSIC - 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION'A delightful ode to the wild world outside the kitchen window - leaves you with the warm feeling that a shared love conquers all.' The Daily Telegraph'A witty, perceptive book; thoughtful, instructive and full of simple wisdom.' The Daily MailLook out the window. See a bird. Enjoy it. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now a bad birdwatcher.Anyone who has ever gazed up at the sky or stared out of the window knows something about birds. In this fun, eye-opening and inspiring book, award-winning nature writer Simon Barnes paints a riveting picture of how birdwatching has framed his life and can help us all to a better understanding of our place on this planet. How to be a Bad Birdwatcher shows why birdwatching is not the preserve of twitchers, but one of the simplest, cheapest and most rewarding pastimes around.

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From the celebrated author of The Last Protector comes an action-packed sequel about a man whose duty to his country threatens the life of the woman he has vowed to protect. Ex–Secret Service agent Clayton White doesn’t miss the relentless danger that defined his career. These days, he’s enjoying life at sea with his fiancée—who also happens to be the daughter of the double-dealing vice president, Alexander Hammond. But for the most part, Clayton has made peace with his old nemesis. Then their ship, the NOAAS Surveyor, comes under attack. That same day in Miami, the Second Lady of the United States is assassinated. Hammond, who dodged the bullet meant for him, calls upon Clayton to help him hunt down the responsible party. Clayton wants nothing to do with the notorious vice president, who boasts a violent and capricious history. But with his fiancée’s life in the balance, Clayton has no choice. He jumps back into the fray, where he’ll face off with enemies new and old. And unbeknownst to Clayton, a deep-rooted enemy has been waiting in the shadows and has now set his sights on him. This time, it’s not just the world Clayton’s trying to save—but the woman he loves.

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From the acclaimed author of the Pierce Hunt series comes a thrilling novel featuring a Secret Service agent who takes on a ruthless foe to protect the country he serves and the woman he loves. Former air force combat rescue officer Special Agent Clayton White now works for the Secret Service performing routine escort missions for politicians. These missions may not be quite as exciting as his time in the military, but Clayton’s okay with that. It gives him more time to see his girlfriend, Veronica Hammond—an archaeologist who also happens to be the vice president elect’s daughter. But Clayton’s seemingly manageable new routine takes a startling turn when South African mercenaries target Veronica at an awards gala celebrating her work. After this attempt on Veronica’s life, Clayton enters a complicated web of lies, betrayal, and dangerous government secrets. As Clayton gets closer to the truth, he encounters unexpected foes pitted against questionable allies. With enemies at every turn, the only constant Clayton can rely on is Veronica. But when the threat against her turns on him, too, he faces an impossible choice: love or country.

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'A fascinating treasure trove for plant lovers and gardeners alike.' - Frances TophillOften beautiful and sometimes strange, flowering plants have evolved to become masters of seduction.We are surrounded by extraordinary partnerships between plants and the birds, bees and other insects that pollinate them. In The Sexual Life of Flowers, botanist Simon Klein leads a beguiling and fascinating tour of the courtship between fifty flowers and the pollinators vital to their survival.From the siren scent of honeysuckle to the radiating warmth of the sunflower or the ultraviolet signal of the red poppy; tales of botanical charm, deception and intrigue are played out amid an annual explosion of activity in gardens, meadows and woodlands. Lavishly illustrated in full colour, this is a beautiful collection for gardeners and anyone with an interest in flowers.

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'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 the investigation and cope with the media frenzy? Suave, prize-winning, Oxford-educated DI Ray Wilkins is passed over in favour of his partner, gobby, trailer-park educated DI Ryan Wilkins (no relation). You wouldn't think Ray would be happy. He isn't. You wouldn't think Ryan would be any good at national press presentations. He isn't. And when legendary cop Chester Lynch takes a shine to Ray - and takes against Ryan - things are only going to get even messier.

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'Move over Morse. Simon Mason Oxford crime novel breathes fresh life into the police procedural' Val McDermid'There is no one else like him' Mark Sanderson The Times/Sunday Times Crime ClubA DI RYAN WILKINS MYSTERYA SHOCKING DISAPPEARANCEA four-year-old girl goes missing in plain sight outside her nursery in Oxford, a middle-class, affluent area,her mother only a stones-throw away.A TRIGGERING RESPONSERyan Wilkins, one of the youngest ever Detective Inspectors in the Thames Valley force, dishonourably discharged three months ago, watches his former partner DI Ray Wilkins deliver a press conference, confirming a lead.A DARK WEBRay begins to delve deeper, unearthing an underground network of criminal forces in the local area. But while Ray's investigation stalls Ryan brings his unique talents to unofficial and quite illegal inquiries which will bring him into a confrontation with the very officials who have thrown him out of the force.Praise for the DI Ryan Wilkins Mysteries'Mason has reformulated Inspector Morse for the 2020s' The Times'Start now and avoid the rush' Guardian

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'A masterclass in understanding' ANNIE GRACE, author of This Naked MindTen questions to ask yourself, right now:* Do you have a sense that something is wrong, but you don't know what it is?* Do you have a feeling that you are hollow inside, that you are empty or have a void within?* Do you react badly to rejection?* Do you often feel sad, unhappy or down for no obvious reason?* Would you describe yourself as highly sensitive?* Do you have problems with relationships and intimacy?* Do you engage in addictive behaviour - alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, food, sex, work, exercise?* Do you have low self-esteem or self-worth - are you not 'good enough'?* Do you have a sense of being numb to your feelings?* Do you rarely experience true joy and happiness?If you have answered 'yes' to most of these questions, there is a strong chance you have experienced emotional neglect or trauma as a child. An emotionally neglected child may struggle to form strong and secure attachments as an adult. They may feel hollow or empty, worthless (or overly important), judge themselves harshly and struggle with addictive tendencies - drinking, eating or exercising too much, for example. If this describes you, Heal Your Inner Child will change your life and give you back the love, compassion and authenticity you needed as a child, and deserve as an adult.Fomer heavy drinker turned sobriety coach Simon Chapple is - like you - a survivor of childhood trauma. His unique brand of straight-talking, practical yet reflective and relatable advice has helped thousands of people quit drinking, and he can help you now to move on from childhood emotional neglect to a place of happiness free from past trauma. How to Heal Your Inner Child is a stepped and safe approach to confronting your past, with space for reflective and supportive strategies that will help you to foster self-compassion and break free from the destructive behaviours that have blighted your life. Clinically endorsed and verified by a psychotherapist, this deeply personal, unflinchingly honest exploration is designed to unlock your own epiphany and support you as you journey to a happier, less troubled and more authentic self.

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'Extraordinary yet previously untold true story . . . meticulously researched . . . it's also taut, compelling, and impossible to put down' Daily Express The police came for Peter Fleischmann in the early hours. It reminded the teenager of the Gestapo's moonlit roundups he had narrowly avoided at home in Berlin. Now, having endured a perilous journey to reach England - hiding from the rampaging Nazi thugs at his orphanage, boarding a Kindertransport to safety - here the aspiring artist was, on a ship bound for the Isle of Man, suspected of being a Nazi spy. What had gone wrong?In May 1940, faced with a country gripped by paranoia, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered the internment of all German and Austrian citizens living in Britain. Most, like Peter, were refugees who had come to the country to escape Nazi oppression. They were now imprisoned by the very country in which they had staked their trust. Painstakingly researched from dozens of unpublished first-hand accounts and previously classified documents, The Island of Extraordinary Captives tells, for the first time, the story of history's most astonishing internment camp and of how a group of world-renown artists, musicians and academics came to be seen as 'enemy aliens'. The Island of Extraordinary Captives is the story of a battle between fear and compassion at a time of national crisis. It reveals how Britain's treatment of refugees during the Second World War led to one of the nation's most shameful missteps, and how hope and creativity can flourish in even the most challenging circumstances.

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Hand in Hand with Love is a celebration of queer voices throughout the ages. Spanning from Sappho and the Ancient Greeks to Edna St. Vincent Millay and the modernists, this luminous anthology champions and redefines the spectrum of queer poetry.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, cloth-bound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited by Dr Simon Avery, a specialist in queer history and culture at the University of Westminster.Featuring visionary writers whose only space to express their intimate thoughts was on the page, pioneering poets who battled prejudice to be bold and forthright, and an electrifying range of famous authors such as Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and Oscar Wilde, these dynamic voices paved the way for decades to come. Together, they offer a vivid archive of queer identity to be celebrated, discovered and treasured.

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'A lyrical, fascinating, important book. More than just a family story, it is an essay on belonging, denying, pretending, self-deception and, at least for the main characters, survival.' Literary Review'Simon May's remarkable How to Be a Refugee is a memoir of family secrets with a ruminative twist, one that's more interested in what we keep from ourselves than the ones we conceal from others.' Irish TimesThe most familiar fate of Jews living in Hitler’s Germany is either emigration or deportation to concentration camps. But there was another, much rarer, side to Jewish life at that time: denial of your origin to the point where you manage to erase almost all consciousness of it. You refuse to believe that you are Jewish.How to Be a Refugee is Simon May’s gripping account of how three sisters – his mother and his two aunts – grappled with what they felt to be a lethal heritage. Their very different trajectories included conversion to Catholicism, marriage into the German aristocracy, securing ‘Aryan’ status with high-ranking help from inside Hitler’s regime, and engagement to a card-carrying Nazi. Even after his mother fled to London from Nazi Germany and Hitler had been defeated, her instinct for self-concealment didn’t abate. Following the early death of his father, also a German Jewish refugee, May was raised a Catholic and forbidden to identify as Jewish or German or British. In the face of these banned inheritances, May embarks on a quest to uncover the lives of the three sisters as well as the secrets of a grandfather he never knew. His haunting story forcefully illuminates questions of belonging and home – questions that continue to press in on us today.

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Worshipped by Rome. Betrayed by love. Stalked by death. Rome is enjoying a period of stability and prosperity. The Empire's borders are growing, and there are two sons in the imperial succession for the first time in Rome's history. But all is not as it appears. Cracks are beginning to show. Two decades of war have taken their toll, and there are whispers of a sickness in the East. The Empire stands on the brink of true disaster, an age of gold giving way to one of iron and rust, a time of reason and strength sliding into hunger and pain.The decline may yet be halted, though. One man tries to hold the fracturing empire together. To Rome, he is their emperor, their Hercules, their Commodus.But Commodus is breaking up himself, and when the darkness grips, only one woman can hold him together. To Rome she was nothing. The plaything of the emperor. To Commodus, she was everything. She was Marcia.

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In the late 4th century, pressure from the Huns forced the Goths to cross the Danube into the Roman Empire. The resultant Battle of Adrianople in 378 was one of Rome s greatest defeats. Both western (Visigoth) and eastern (Ostrogoth) branches of the Goths had a complex relationship with the Romans, sometimes fighting as their allies against other barbarian interlopers but carving out their own kingdoms in the process. Under Alaric the Visigoths sacked Rome itself in 410 and went on to establish a kingdom in Gaul (France). They helped the Romans defeat the Hunnic invasion of Gaul at Chalons in 451 but continued to expand at Roman expense. Defeated by the Franks they then took Spain from the Vandals. The Ostrogoths had a similar relationship with the Eastern Roman Empire before eventually conquering Italy. Adrianople, the events of 410 and the Ostrogoths long war with Belisarius, including the Siege of Rome, are among the campaigns and battles Simon MacDowall narrates in detail. He analyses the arms and contrasting fighting styles of the Ostro- and Visi- Goths and evaluates their effectiveness against the Romans.

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All routes available to download as .gpx files from https://www.100climbs.co.uk/ride-britain-gpx'If you're looking for post-lockdown riding inspiration, this book delivers it in spades'ROAD.CC'This is a truly beautiful book'CHRIS SIDWELLS, author of Wild Cycling and Really Wild Cycling'Impeccable design and compulsive content . . . phenomenal . . . glorious photography, often colourfully spread across two wide-format pages, each numbered and graded ride is accompanied by a map, a profile that usually resembles the teeth of a tyrannosaurus, a summary of the key climbs, the total distance covered and the total vertical distance achieved on completion'thewashingmachinepostIn this inspirational book, filled with amazing photographs, Simon has showcased Britain's beautiful landscape in the same way that Michael Blann and others have done for the mountains of continental Europe. The aim is always to make people want to get out and ride Britain's roads, to entice people to put themselves in the pictures on every page and ride through the stunning scenery.The book is a seamless blend of beautiful photographs and information on the rides, including gradient diagrams and maps. This is Simon Warren taking his well-deserved reputation as the King of Climbs and displaying it in a bold new format, from pocket guide to cinemascope.The book contains 40 inspirational rides split across eight chapters covering the whole of mainland Britain. From Dartmoor through Wales, the Peak District and the Pennines all the way via the Lakes to the Highlands of Scotland. From Surrey and Kent to Lincolnshire and Northumberland, if there are hills Simon has found them and plotted a route to share his knowledge. Each ride includes a profile of the route, a detailed map and breakdown of the key climbs, also a description of what to expect along the way, all illustrated by inspirational photography.The eight chapters cover the South-west, the South-east, the Midlands, Yorkshire, the North-east, Scotland, the North-west and Wales, so, no matter where you live, there will be something close to your doorstep. There is even a route in Norfolk!

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'He does write beautifully, especially of his greatest love - our wild birds ... On The Marsh is a delightful read.' Christopher Hart, Daily MailHow the rewilding of eight acres of Norfolk marshland inspired a family and brought nature even closer to home. When writer Simon Barnes heard a Cetti's warbler sing out as he turned up to look at a house for sale, he knew immediately that he had found his new home. The fact that his garden backed onto an area of marshy land only increased the possibilities, but there was always the fear that it might end up in the wrong hands and be lost to development or intensive farming. His wife saw through the delicate negotiations for the purchase. Once they'd bought it, they began to manage it as a conservation area, working with the Wildlife Trust to ensure it became as appealing as possible to all species. For their son Eddie, who has Down's syndrome, it became a place of calm and inspiration. In On The Marsh, we see how nature can always bring surprises, and share in the triumphs as new animals - Chinese water deer, otters and hedgehogs - arrive, and watch as the number of species of bird tops 100 and keeps on growing. As the seasons go by, there are moments of triumph when not one but two marsh harrier families use the marsh as a hunting ground, but also disappointments as chemical run-off from neighbouring farmland creates a nettles monoculture in newly turned earth. For anyone who enjoyed books such as Meadowland and Wilding, or the writing of Stephen Moss, Roger Deakin or Adam Nicolson, this is a vivid and beautifully written account of the wonders that can sometimes be found on our doorsteps, and how nature can transform us all.

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Mainly covering the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, this collection of images offers a fascinating survey of one of the iconic locomotives of twentieth-century Britain: the Class 40. A common sight in Scotland and the north of England in the latter part of the century, the Class 40 continues to capture the imagination of railway enthusiasts everywhere. Used to haul both heavy freight and passenger trains, this book captures a locomotive at the peak of its powers, with previously unpublished images showing Class 40s both at work and rest. The vast majority of the photographs in this book were taken by the late Keith Holt. He was brought up in West Yorkshire and, like many youngsters at that time, developed an interest in railways as he cycled around the West Riding to visit places of interest. He always took photographs, including many of the iconic Class 40 locomotives. This book serves as a fitting tribute to his longstanding interest in the railways, and reflects the varied work carried out by the Class 40.

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Along with knives, hammers and axes, the saw is a tool that has been used by humans for thousands of years. A toothed piece of metal fitted with a handle has been applied to cutting almost every material ever invented, from the softest wood to the hardest metals. In Britain, an industry to supply the nation’s saw users began to grow rapidly in the eighteenth century, and marched with the Industrial Revolution to become the largest in the world. Millions of saws were made, and like most other tools, they were exported worldwide, but they don’t survive very well, because their blades are thin, can break, are used up by sharpening and rust away. The nineteenth century was the peak of British output, when saws made chiefly in Sheffield, from that city’s unique crucible steel, poured out of dozens of works, all employing specially skilled men to make beautiful tools of steel, brass and wood. These attractive objects are highly collectable, and an enlarging international community of tool enthusiasts is becoming avidly knowledgeable about the huge range of saws that are still to be had from car boot sales, specialist auction houses and online. Using a wide range of photographs, Simon Barley provides a collector’s guide to British saws.

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'If you are hungry for truth and beauty, read this book' Roisin Ingle, The Irish Times'A demonstration of a will to live that is breathtaking ... a work of documentary poetry ... an extraordinary read' The Herald'An unforgettable read about what it means to be alive' Woman's Way'The world "inspirational" is over-used, but if ever a book deserved this epithet, this is it' Sunday Independent'Sparsely and beautifully written .. the human spirit and will to live shines out of these pages' Irish IndependentA No.1 bestseller, It's Not Yet Dark is an unforgettable book about relationships and family, about what connects and separates us as people and, ultimately, about what it means to be alive.In 2008, Simon Fitzmaurice was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (mnd). He was given four years to live. In 2010, in a state of lung-function collapse, Simon knew with crystal clarity that now was not his time to die. Against all prevailing medical opinion, he chose to ventilate in order to stay alive.Here, the young filmmaker, a husband and father of five small children draws us deeply into his inner world. Written using an eye-gaze computer and told in simply expressed and beautifully stark prose, the result is an astonishing journey into a life which, though brutally compromised, is lived more fully and in the moment than most, revealing at its core the power of love its most potent.

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This is the true story of a Londoner who gives up his job as an estate agent in the city, moves to the wilds of Exmoor, starts a smallholding and becomes self-sufficient, with a few bumps along the way. Simon's journey from urbanite to self-sufficient smallholder is brimming with incidents - some funny and some tragic - leading him to question Mother Nature, himself, the food he eats, and his role in it all. Which makes the transition from city life to self-sufficient smallholder slow, emotional and, for him, often confusing, but it is also beautiful, warming and laugh-out-loud funny.So if you would like to spend time with an accidental smallholder who completely changed one drunken night in Devon, then join Simon, his wife and their extended family as they learn the truth of what it takes to live a self-sufficient life, before eventually becoming as happy as the proverbial pigs in clover.

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'A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans' P. D. James'Murder most enjoyable' Colin DexterThe latest hair-raising adventure featuring the aristocratic brother and sister sleuthing duo!Praise for Simon Brett'One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Crime writing just like in the good old days, and perfect entertainment' Guardian'Few crime writers are so enchantingly gifted' Sunday Times'Simon Brett writes stunning detective stories. I would recommend them to anyone' Jilly Cooper

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The Holocaust is the most researched and written about genocide in history. Known facts should be beyond dispute. Yet Holocaust memory is often formed and dictated by governments and others with an agenda to fulfil, or by deniers who seek to rewrite the past due to vested interests and avowed prejudices. Legislation can be used to prosecute hate crime and genocide denial, but it has also been created to protect the reputation of nation states and the inhabitants of countries previously occupied and oppressed by the regime of Nazi Germany. The crimes of the Holocaust are, of course, rightly seen mainly as the work of the Nazi regime, but there is a reality that some citizens of subjugated lands participated in, colluded and collaborated with those crimes, and on occasion committed crimes and atrocities against Jews independently of the Nazis. Others facilitated and enabled the Nazis by allowing industries to work with the Germans; some showed hostility, indifference and reluctance to assist Jewish refugees, or, due to antipathy, apathy, greed, self-interest or out-and-out anti-Semitism they allowed or even encouraged barbaric and cruel crimes to take place. Survivors of the Holocaust often express a primary desire that lessons of the past must be learned in order to reduce the risk of similar crimes reoccurring. Yet anti-Semitism is still a toxin in the modern world, and racism and hostility to other communities -including those who suffer in or have fled war and oppression -can at times appear normalised and socially acceptable. This book seeks to explore aspects of the Holocaust as it is remembered and reflect ultimately on parallels with the world we live in today.

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Legio IX Hispana had a long and active history, later founding York from where it guarded the northern frontiers in Britain. But the last evidence for its existence in Britain comes from AD 108. The mystery of their disappearance has inspired debate and imagination for decades. The most popular theory, immortalized in Rosemary Sutcliffe’s novel The Eagle of the Ninth, is that the legion was sent to fight the Caledonians in Scotland and wiped out there. But more recent archaeology (including evidence that London was burnt to the ground and dozens of decapitated heads) suggests a crisis, not on the border but in the heart of the province, previously thought to have been peaceful at this time. What if IX Hispana took part in a rebellion, leading to their punishment, disbandment and damnatio memoriae (official erasure from the records)? This proposed ‘Hadrianic War’ would then be the real context for Hadrian’s ‘visit’ in 122 with a whole legion, VI Victrix, which replaced the ‘vanished’ IX as the garrison at York. Other theories are that it was lost on the Rhine or Danube, or in the East. Simon Elliott considers the evidence for these four theories, and other possibilities.

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