- Table View
- List View
No Name
by Wilkie Collins'A masterpiece' The TimesAfter the tragic deaths of their parents, Magdalen and Norah discover the devastating news that they are both illegitimate and not entitled to any inheritance. Norah is forced to become a governess to earn her keep but Magdalen has grander plans and embarks on an elaborate scheme of revenge against her cold-hearted relatives.INCLUDES 'MRS ZANT AND THE GHOST'
The Monk
by Matthew Lewis'One of the most shocking Gothic novels' Independent Noble and devout, Ambrosio is the abbot of a Spanish monastery and spends his days in prayer and preaching. However his monastery is harboring a malevolent force in the form of a young monk called Rosario. Rosario attaches himself to the abbot and then one fateful night reveals that he is in fact a beautiful woman in disguise. From this moment on Ambrosio finds himself seduced into a lurid maelstrom of sin and vice that it is impossible for him to resist.INCLUDES THE BRAVO OF VENICE
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (The\stirling / South Carolina Research Edition Of The Collected Works Of James Hogg Ser.)
by James Hogg'A Scottish classic, a world classic' Ian Rankin, ObserverRobert is a difficult and disturbed young man. He comes from a troubled family background and turns to his Calvinist faith for solace but finds it hard to get along with other people, particularly his brother and his dissolute father. After he falls in with the mysterious and charming Gil-Martin his actions become more and more extreme. He convinces himself that he is one of the lucky few who have been chosen for heaven and that therefore all his actions automatically right and good...even murder.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY LUCY HUGHES-HALLETT
Dr Johnson's Reliquary of Rediscovered Words
by Dr Neil JohnsonIn these pages you will discover words you never knew existed, and rediscover many that you had forgotten or had given up all hope of ever seeing again.If the amoindering of our language by fifish chuffs leads you to fleer and the infandous overslipping of orthoepy makes you feel wamble, this is most certainly the book for you.Prepare to fike, gane and gaure as Dr Johnson certiorates, carrying carotic catachresis to new heights, and providing all lovers of leguleian lexicographical detail with a rich feast of mullock, cultch and peltry.
Players: 250 Men, Women and Animals Who Created Modern Sport
by Tim HarrisIt may be natural to play games, but the sports we love aren't natural at all. Each and every one of them has been invented, tweaked, pushed and pulled to come up with better rules, cleverer tactics and more effective techniques. There are no prizes for guessing who invented the Cruyff Turn or the Fosbury Flop - but who invented the header or the sliding tackle? The dive pass or the scrum? The lob or the smash? The sand wedge or the tee? The googly or the flipper?This book introduces 250 men, women and animals, each of whom has transformed at least one major sport. Famous or infamous, remembered or forgotten, god-like or god-awful, the game was never the same after them.In making his selection, Tim Harris, author of Sport, has drawn on years of passion, argument and research to produce a list that is at once personal and authoritative, provocative and challenging: the rogues, rulers and revolutionaries who shaped the games we play today.
The Moonstone: A Romance
by Wilkie Collins'The first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels' T S EliotWhen Rachel Verinder receives a gift of an astonishing yellow diamond from her bitter old uncle for her eighteenth birthday, she has no idea that the stone brings great danger with it. When the diamond goes missing during the night the ensuing investigations gradually bring to light the sinister history of the jewel and the passions and plots of those close to Rachel.'Probably the very finest detective story ever written' Dorothy L. Sayers**AS DISCUSSED ON BBC2'S BETWEEN THE COVERS**
Advanced Homework for Grown-ups
by Elizabeth Foley Beth CoatesIf you paid attention to Homework for Grown-ups you should hopefully now have a grasp of the basics: know your chiasmus from your zeugma, your obliques from your acutes, and your Anne of Cleves from your Anne Boleyn. Now, sit up straight, and get your jotters and pencils out, because E Foley and B Coates are back to steer you through some of the more complicated elements of the curriculum and beyond.Advanced Homework for Grown-ups will revisit and refresh the core subjects of Maths, English, Science, Geography, History and Classics in a little more depth. This time, amongst other topics, they tackle logarithms, unlock the secrets of semantics, and explore the Agrarian Revolution, with a mix of really useful information and entertainingly esoteric material. In addititon, new subjects enter the timetable: Music, Modern Languages, Economics, Politics, Philosophy and Psychology, as well as Design and Drama.Packed with fun practical excercises and, of course, examination papers for the competitive, Advanced Homework for Grown-ups will be the perfect gift.
The Hidden Landscape: A Journey into the Geological Past
by Richard Fortey'A very well written book about geology and geological history' Sir David Attenborough, The Times'I travelled to Haverfordwest to get to the past. From Paddington Station a Great Western locomotive took me on a journey westwards from London further and further back into geological time, from the age of mammals to the age of trilobites...'So begins this enthralling exploration of time and place in which Richard Fortey peels away the top layer of the land to reveal the hidden landscape - the rocks which contain the story of distant events, which dictate not only the personality of the landscape, but the nature of the soil, the plants that grow in it and the regional characteristics of the buildings. We travel with him as our guide throughout the British Isles and as the rocks change so we learn to read the clues they contain: that Britain was once divided into two parts separated by an ocean, that Scottish malt whisky, Harris tweed, slate roofs and thatched cottages can be traced back to tumultuous events which took place many millions of years ago. The Hidden Landscape has become a classic in popular geology since its first publication in 1993. This new edition is fully updated and beautifully illustrated.
The Widow's Secret: Bella Wallis Mystery (Bella Wallis Victorian Mysteries #1)
by Brian ThompsonBella Wallis is a respectable society woman with a secret identity: in an office buried deep within the seedy backstreets of London, she writes sensationalist novels exposing the scoundrels that litter high society under the pen name Henry Ellis Margam.So when a crested cigar case is found near the body of a murdered prostitute, Bella and her friends are determined to trace the murderer and write a mystery that will avenge the poor girl's untimely death. But the owner of the cigar case is a dangerous - and rich - man who has already destroyed the lives of others who have crossed him. Will Bella see justice done, or will she meet the same fate as so many of her characters...?The Widow's Secret is the first in the Bella Wallis series of mysteries and takes us from London to Paris, from the highest of society to the lowest of the low. It is an entertaining, effervescent romp and a wonderful introduction to this most charismatic of heroines.
Pitt the Elder: Man of War
by Edward PearceThis remarkable book opens at the dawn of the British Empire - with the great sea battle at Quiberon Bay where French ships, intended for the 1759 invasion of Britain, are chased, caught and defeated by a fleet commanded by Admiral Sir Edward Hawke. In this momentous victory Britain effectively settled the outcome of the Seven Years' War and established itself as the world's dominant imperial power.At the heart of the conflict with France was William Pitt, the first Earl of Chatham and Britain's future Prime Minister. Weaving together military history and political biography Edward Pearce provides a portrait of the man 'with an eye like a diamond' - a man who had close ties with the slave trade and who preached war and British supremacy on a world stage. Alongside detailed descriptions of battles in Europe and North America we follow Pitt's career as a politician - one that was closely intertwined with General James Wolfe at Quebec; American independence; the slow mind of George III and the quick one of the rake and outsider John Wilkes.Edward Pearce scrutinises the real man at the heart of the historical events and mystique surrounding the legacy of Pitt the Elder, to present a rounded and masterful portrait of arguably the most powerful minister ever to guide Britain's foreign policy and of an age which marked a new epoch in history, when the balance of power in Europe and the world was set for almost two centuries.
Because I am a Girl
by Deborah Moggach Irvine Welsh Joanne Harris Kathy Lette Marie Phillips Tim Butcher Xiaolu GuoBecause I am a girl I am less likely to go to school Because I am a girl I am more likely to suffer from malnutritionBecause I am a girl I am more likely to suffer violence in the homeBecause I am a girl I am more likely to marry and start a family before I reach my twenties.Eight authors have visited eight different countries and spoken to young women and girls about their lives, struggles and hopes. The result is an extraordinary collection of writings about prejudice, abuse, and neglect, but also about courage, resilience and changing attitudes.Proceeds from sales of this book will go to PLAN, one of the world's largest child-centered community development organisations.
The Unspoken Truth
by Angelica GarnettReal life and fiction meet as Angelica Garnett vividly evokes what it is to grow up in the shadow of artists. Her family appear in different guises in the stories, but at the centre of each one is Garnett herself. She is naïve and foolish as Bettina, desperately seeking acceptance into the grown-ups circle ('When All the Leaves Were Green, My Love'); shy and cautious, but finally disloyal, as Agnes ('Aurore'); a hesitant, uncomfortable Emily ('The Birthday Party'); and a contemplative, even witty older woman, full of appetite and guilt, as Helen ('Friendship'). Spanning an entire life, each story reveals a figure trying to understand her place not only within the polished circle of her family, but in an ever-changing world. Sharply observing a colourful social milieu and the vibrant characters that populate it, these are stories about family and friendships, yet also curdled relationships and small betrayals. A fictional counterpoint to her acclaimed memoir, Deceived with Kindness, here is a portrait of a woman seeking an understanding and acceptance of her past.
The Grudge: Scotland vs. England, 1990
by Tom EnglishShortlised for the 2022 SBA Best Sports Book of the 21st Century prizeThe gripping inside story of when an England-Scotland rugby match become more than a gameMurrayfield, the Calcutta Cup, March 1990. England vs. Scotland - winner-takes-all for the Five Nations Grand Slam, the biggest prize in northern hemisphere rugby.Will Carling's England are the very embodiment of Margaret Thatcher's Britain - snarling, brutish and all-conquering. Scotland are the underdogs - second-class citizens from a land that's become the testing ground for the most unpopular tax in living memory: Thatcher's Poll Tax. In Edinburgh, nationalism is rising high - what happens in the stadium will resound far beyond the pitch.Told with unprecedented access to key players, coaches and supporters on both sides (Will Carling, Ian McGeechan, Brian Moore and the rest), Tom English has produced a gripping account of a titanic struggle that thrusts the reader right into the heart of the action. Game on.'A priceless read' Guardian'Absolutely outstanding' The Times'An epic tale' Daily Telegraph'Gripping' Scottish Review of Books
Books Burn Badly
by Manuel RivasOn 19 August 1936 Hercules the boxer stands on the quayside at Coruña and watches Fascist soldiers piling up books and setting them alight. With this moment a young carefree group of friends are transformed into a broken generation. Out of this incident during the early months of Spain's tragic civil war, Manuel Rivas weaves a colourful tapestry of stories and unforgettable characters to create a panorama of twentieth-century Spanish history. For it is not only the lives of Hercules the boxer and his friends that are tainted by the unending conflict, but also those of a young washerwoman who sees souls in the clouded river water and the stammering son of a judge who uncovers his father's hidden library.As the singed pages fly away on the breeze, their stories live on in the minds of their readers.
New Light for the Old Dark
by Sam WillettsThe poems in this remarkable first collection have been hard won: 'Fruits of much grief they are,' as Donne said, 'emblems of more.' Having lost ten years to heroin addiction and recovery, Sam Willetts emerges now - suddenly, and apparently from nowhere - as a fully-fledged and significant English poet.In a book deeply conscious of history, one series of poems tracks his mother's escape, as a young girl, from the Nazis, in a narrative that moves from a Stuka attack on the Smolensk Road to the Krakow ghetto, the destruction of Warsaw, to Nuremberg and Nagasaki and, finally, his mother's grave. Other poems address Englishness, secular Jewishness, and the childhood pleasures of Oxfordshire - an increasingly deceptive pastoral, stalked and eventually shattered by heroin, which brings a grim new existence among dealers and users. The redemption the poet finds, through detox and rehab, love and writing, is full of regret for the years and lives wasted, but also offers a lyrical rebirth of the senses: 'In a new light, a new moon/ that isn't made of scorched tinfoil/will turn your tide again'.Deft, economical and wonderfully original, this is work that celebrates the peaks and troughs of a lived life, the poems' vivid clarity feeling both fresh and fully earned. It is rare to find an unknown poet of such mature quality, and New Light for the Old Dark represents a brilliant dawning.
The Young Mind
by Mike Shooter Sue BaileySadly, millions of children today are affected by mental health problems, almost a doubling of the number of sufferers in just one generation. Now, in this timely new book, mental health experts provide invaluable information and guidance for concerned parents, teachers and young adults. With chapters covering subjects such as child and adolescent development, parenting skills, problems at school, emotional health and wellbeing, The Young Mind also looks specifically at some of the most distressing problems facing young people today, including anxiety and stress disorders, drugs, alcohol, self-harm and psycho-sexual development.Illustrated and written in a completely accessible style by some of the most distinguished and respected professionals in the field of child and adolescent psychiatry, The Young Mind offers a guiding hand and insight into this most vital area of mental health.
Back From The Brink: Ireland's Road to Recovery
by Marc ColemanWe're in the midst of a global economic crisis and a domestic economic disaster.But enough of the hand-wringing. Where did this all come from, where are we now and, most importantly, what's going to happen next?In a compelling and jargon-free argument, economist Marc Coleman makes sense of this mess we're in with clear, accessible analysis of Ireland's economic situation and where it might be heading.Addressing first the global dimension - how early warnings were ignored, why American monetary policy failed the world and why an unfinished revolution in globalisation left us defenceless - Coleman makes a case for a new kind of capitalism.The unravelling threads that created the Irish financial crisis are also untangled. The death of competitiveness, the mismanagement of tax revenues, issues of demographics, bad urban planning, stupid banks and an unsuccessful regulator are all examined and, combined with dysfunctional politics, are shown to be the root causes of the predicament we now find ourselves in.But all is not lost.With a positive, can-do approach to the economic crisis, Coleman creates a fix-it manual for the future, explaining how Ireland can prosper again by adopting a smart economy, reforming social partnership and curing a warped fiscal cycle with budgetary and electoral reform.Ireland's economic nightmare will end. It is a dream not destroyed, merely delayed.
Positively Yours
by Amanda HeartyBeth Prendergast has fallen hook, line and sinker for her boss. But when Beth discovers she is pregnant he makes it clear that a baby was never part of his plan. Is Beth really ready to take on motherhood all on her own? Grace Miller's life changed when fell in love with Ethan. A house in sunny San Diego is a far cry from where she grew up in North Dublin. But when Ethan's firm offers a transfer to Ireland, Grace is unsure about moving back home.Erin Delaney has the perfect marriage, but still yearns for one thing - a child. Her husband John reassures her that this will happen in good time but Erin's obsession is getting worse and soon puts a strain on their relationship. As Beth, Grace and Erin all face big choices and changes of the heart, they soon realize their lives will never be the same again.
The Devil Rides Out: Wickedly funny and painfully honest stories from Paul O’Grady
by Paul O'GradyTHE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER'Far and away the best writer of the lot . . . his turn of phrase is a joy.' The Sunday TimesBirkenhead, 1973. The eighteen-year-old Paul O'Grady gets ready for a big Saturday night out on the town. New white T-shirt, freshly ironed jeans, looking good. As he bids farewell to his mum, who's on the phone to his auntie, and wanders off down the street in a cloud of aftershave, he hears her familiar cry: 'Oh, the devil rides out tonight, Annie. The devil rides out!'The further adventures of Paul O'Grady - following on from the million-copy-selling At My Mother's Knee - are, if anything, even more hilarious and outrageous than what has come before. To say that The Devil Rides Out is action-packed is an understatement. Its extraordinary cast of characters includes lords and ladies, the legendary Vera, a serial killer, more prostitutes than you can shake a stick at and drag queens of every shape and size. Wickedly funny, often moving, and searingly honest, Paul's tales of the unexpected will make your jaw drop and your hair stand on end. And you'll laugh like a drain. The Devil Rides Out is one hell of a read!Readers love The Devil Rides Out:'At times heart-breaking but . . . incredibly funny.' *****'A powerful story of the man behind the persona . . . the most fabulous and modest tart with a heart of gold.' *****'Very down to earth, heart-breaking at times but Paul always comes back making you laugh.' *****
Village Teacher
by Jack SheffieldThe fourth installment of the hilarious Ragley-on-the-Forest village school seriesIt's 1980: recession and unemployment have hit Britain, a royal wedding is on the way, and the whole country is wondering Who Shot JR?As Jack returns for his fourth year at Ragley-on-the Forest School, there's a definite chill in the air. Village schools are being closed down all over the place - will his be one of them?As school life continues - Vera, the school secretary, has to grapple with a new-fangled electric typewriter, Ruby celebrates ten years as the school cleaner, and the village panto throws up some unusual problems - Jack wonders what the future holds...'Wry observation and heartwarming humour in equal measure' Alan Titchmarsh
Control: (Reuben Maitland: book 4): a heart-stopping and engrossing nightmarish thriller that you won’t be able to stop reading
by John MackenFans of Kathy Reichs, Karin Slaughter and Patricia Cornwell will love this hard-hitting and riveting forensic thriller by bestselling author John Macken."Cutting -edge forensics, an all-too-human hero and a nightmarish scenario: Control is one you won't put down" - Simon Beckett"Tense and absorbing" - OBSERVER"This kept me engrossed from start to finish" -- ***** Reader review"Has everything a good crime thriller should have: killings, suspense, terror..." -- ***** Reader review********************************************************IF YOUR CHILD WAS KIDNAPPED, HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO GET THEM BACK?Two murders, days apart but clearly linked. Each victim has had the tips of their fingers removed with a hacksaw. The killer is sending a message and wants his next victim to know who they are - and be very afraid. But beside the gruesome nature of their deaths there is no obvious connection between the two victims.Reuben Maitland, freshly returned to GeneCrime, must investigate the case. The forensics come in, DNA is sampled, the clues begin to mount up.Then the killer strikes again. Reuben's young son, Joshua, is snatched from his pram. The murderer sends Reuben a message: 'Stop hunting me. I will kill again, a third and final victim and you must not stop me. Come after me and your son will die.
The Shroud: Fresh Light on the 2000 Year Old Mystery
by Ian WilsonTwo decades after radiocarbon dating declared the Turin Shroud a mediaeval fake, brand-new historical discoveries strongly suggest that this famous cloth, with its extraordinary photographic imprint, is genuinely Christ's shroud after all.In 1978 in his international bestseller The Turin Shroud Ian Wilson ignited worldwide public debate with his compelling case endorsing the shroud's authenticity. Now, 30 years later, he has completely rewritten and updated his earlier book to provide fresh evidence to support his original argument. Shroud boldly challenges the current post-radiocarbon dating view - that it is a fake. By arguing his case brilliantly and provocatively, Ian Wilson once more throws the matter into the public arena for further debate and controversy.
On The Third Day
by Rhys ThomasSociety is on the brink of collapse. The Old World is vanishing, the New World is taking over. There are no rules. Not now that a deadly disease is spreading that causes its victims to turn violent. Previously loving people become murderous. No-one can tell who will turn and who will not. A work of force and dark brilliance - the perfect expression of the terrors of the 21st Century
Wild Things: (Churchminster: book 3): an addictive, funny and feel-good rom-com you’ll want to devour (Churchminister #3)
by Jo CarnegieMuch loved author, Jo Carnegie, brings us another riveting and raunchy read - a really steamy, romantic and hilarious indulgence that fans of Jilly Cooper will adore...'Fabulous... Sexy and scandalous... If the countryside was always this exciting, we'd swap our stilettos for shooting sticks in a flash' -- Heat'Sex, gossip and laughs aplenty' -- Image'Sexy shenanigans and hilarious goings on '' -- Saturday Magazine'Easy holiday read or curling up on the sofa with a cuppa on a rainy Saturday!' -- ***** Reader review'A cracking pace and the characters are fantastic' -- ***** Reader review'I had many a late night reading those extra few pages!' -- ***** Reader review************************************************************************THE SCENE IS SET FOR A PERFECTLY SCANDALOUS YEAR...When an A-list film set descends on the quiet village of Churchminster, so begins a very interesting time for the village...Meet the glamorous cast of Wild Things!Sophia - the leading lady who gets what she wants. And she wants...Jed - the village's gorgeous gardener, living with devoted girlfriend...Camilla - sweet-natured and desperate for a baby, unlike her sister...Calypso - fiercely ambitious, and unimpressed by the penetrating gaze of...Rafe - dashing leading man, who quickly wins over Calypso's grandmother...Clementine - whose only desire is for Churchminster to win 'Britain's Best Village'!Wild Things is a racy, pacy and sexy romp - guaranteed to have you laughing out loud and crying for more!The Churchminster adventures continue in Dirty Tricks. Have you read Country Pursuits and Naked Truths, the first two books in the series?