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When the Lights Go Out
by Carys Bray'A powerful and truthful story about hope and how to find it' The Times 'A gem of a book' Emily MaitlisEmma's husband Chris is fretting about starvation and societal collapse. He's turned off the heating and is stockpiling off-label medicines and tins of baked beans.Chris, certain that society will soon spiral to its doom, finds Emma's optimism exasperating. Emma finds Chris's obsession with disaster relentless. She's beginning to wonder whether relationships, like mortgages, should be conducted in five-year increments. But when Chris's mother turns up for a visit, the cracks begin to show. Will Emma and Chris be able to find their way back to each other?
Venice: Four Seasons of Home Cooking
by Russell NormanA beautifully designed cookbook with easy, seasonal Italian recipes - perfect for any foodie!Russell Norman returns to Venice - the city that inspired POLPO - to immerse himself in the authentic flavours of the Veneto and the culinary traditions of the city. His rustic kitchen - in the residential quarter of the city where washing hangs across the narrow streets and neighbours don't bother to lock their doors - provides the perfect backdrop for this adventure, and for the 130 lip-smacking, easy Italian family recipes showcasing the simple but exquisite flavours of Venice.The book also affords us a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of the city, its hidden architectural gems, its secret places, the embedded history, the colour and vitality of daily life, and the food merchants and growers who make Venice so surprisingly vibrant.'Russell Norman is among the brightest stars of the British food scene' Esquire'Offers a rare insight into the beating heart of the city' i
When She Was Bad
by Penny BirchPenny's friend Natasha Linnett is a minx, and when she's bad she's very, very good. When a dominant, wealthy American wine buyer takes an interest in Natasha, she realises she can pretend to secure for him some bottles of real Napoleon-era brandy. She doesn't realise, however, just how many are the bizarre and lewd sex acts in which she must collude to maintain the deception. Will Natasha manage to line her pockets as she wishes, or will she be caught out ignominiously like the bad girl she really is?
Vacation
by Salley VickersFrom the author of Miss Garnet's Angel and the forthcoming The Cleaner of Chartres comes a relatable short story about family holidays.When Beth decides to treat her husband Hamish to a short holiday in the Scottish Highlands, his paternal home, she does not bet on the arrival of Una, her oddball mother-in-law. Una's quirks - swimming outdoors (naked) in the freezing cold, her St Tropez perma-tan and breaking into song- naturally put a strain on the holiday, and on their relationship.On the remote, windswept isle, surrounded by the idyllic Scottish countryside, it is almost possible to forget that they are accompanied by her.But when Hamish is called away on business, leaving his wife and mother together in the cottage, he fears that all hell may break loose...Vacation includes a four chapter preview of Salley Vickers' fantastic new novel The Cleaner of Chartres, a charming and timeless novel about motherhood, love and community.Salley Vickers is the author of the word-of-mouth bestseller Miss Garnet's Angel and several other bestselling novels including Mr Golightly's Holiday, The Other Side of You and Dancing Backwards as well as a collection of short stories Aphrodite's Hat. She has worked as a cleaner, a dancer, a university teacher of literature and a psychoanalyst. She is currently a RLF fellow at Newnham College Cambridge and she divides her time between Cambridge and London.
When Saturday Comes: The Half Decent Football Book
by When Saturday ComesThe best chants, the funniest nicknames, the greatest headlines and enough little-known facts to keep the average football supporter entertained - and entertaining - for several seasons. This is the story of the greatest game on earth, from 'abandoned matches' to 'Yeovil Town', via celebrity fans, mascots, punditry and superstitions, written from the fan's point of view and with a separate entry for every club in the English and Scottish leagues. Who cares why, if Torquay United's strikers had been more prolific in the 1950s, England may never have won the World Cup; or where football hooliganism actually began; or who the hell Captain Henry Blythe Thornhill Wakelam is?We do. Because as every true student of the game knows: it's important.
Us v Them: Journeys to the World's Greatest Football Derbies
by Giles GoodheadTravelling football fanatic Giles Goodhead drags a series of unsuspecting friends and relatives to eight of the world's greatest derby games. From the noisiest (Barcelona) to the scariest (a toss-up between Istanbul and Glasgow) Us vs Them desribes the thrills of gate-crashing grudge matches in cities split by football. Eight unique trips add up to a highly entertaining commentary on football - and tribalism - around the world.
When Night Closes In: a tense and exciting story of fraud, blackmail, jealousy and passion from much-loved and bestselling author Iris Gower
by Iris GowerA gripping tale of deception and doubt from much-loved and bestselling author Iris Gower. A crime of passion that will have you hooked...Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Rosie Goodwin. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING'Well written with a real twist to the end of the story' -- ***** Reader review'Fantastic, Iris never lets you down' -- ***** Reader review'Couldn't put this book down' -- ***** Reader review'Absolutely loved this' -- ***** Reader review****************************************************************A ROMANTIC WEEKEND AWAY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING...Lowri is happier than she had ever been. A romantic weekend away with her brand-new fiancé Jon is proving just the break they both need - until he disappears from their bedroom, leaving nothing behind but a terrifying mystery.For Lowri soon discovers that the man she thought she had known and loved is a very different person in reality - particularly when she meets his wife, Sarah. And the police naturally treat Lowri as the prime suspect in what they assume to be a murder case.More evidence comes to light of Jon's double life, and Lowri wonders who she can trust. She begins to doubt her work colleagues, her friends, even her family.As the net tightens around the man she had thought she loved, she realises that her own life is in terrible danger...
The Victoria System
by Eric ReinhardtThe Victoria System is Eric Reinhardt's acclaimed and controversial French bestseller.LONGLISTED FOR THE IMPAC DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD.NOMINATED FOR THE PRIX GONCOURT, THE PRIX RENAUDOT AND THE GRAND PRIX DU ROMAN DE L'ACADEMIE FRANCAISEDavid Kolski never sleeps with the same woman twice - apart from his wife.Then he meets Victoria. Head of people at a multinational company, by day she is a ruthless executive in a lightning-paced, high-pressured whirlwind of power and productivity. By night she likes good wine, luxurious hotel rooms, and abandoning herself to her sexual fantasies.David is soon addicted. Under crushing pressure at work to oversee the construction of a huge Paris tower-block in near-impossible circumstances, he takes new vigour and inspiration from his hard-headed capitalist lover. He works harder, faster and better, and then escapes to indulge in the most intense sexual passion he's ever experienced. But when Victoria offers to use her position to help him in his career, a dark shadow falls over their affair. Is she really capable of helping anyone other than herself, or is she hiding something from him? And who are the two men in the Audi he keeps seeing, always a few cars behind him?Complex, compelling and ambitiously structured, The Victoria System is a daringly sensual story of an obsession. Part erotica; part thriller; part novel of ideas, like a series of slightly angled mirrors held up to our globalised, capitalist society, the twists and turns of its narrative create a dazzling interplay of reflections and compel us to question the assumptions and forces of our modern world.'Dark, twisted and devastating. . . A big novel of amorous adventures in the era of the blackberry. Eric Reinhardt is the new Alexandre Dumas' Nouvel Observateur'Erotic, raw, violent and vertiginous . . . We often accuse French writers of navel-gazing and ignoring the world around them, but Eric Reinhardt is one of those who gives the lie to this cliché' Emmanuel Carrère, author of Limonov'Part classic, part tragedy, part thriller: Eric Reinhardt merges genres and invokes elusive echoes in this highly contemporary novel of a rare depth' Libération'The Victoria System is a fantastic and sensual modern thriller, like nothing I've ever read' Christian Louboutin'A powerful novel about the philosophical and moral consequences of ultra-liberalism, and a subtle reflection on the urges of the powerful' MarianneÉric Reinhardt is one of the rising stars of French literature. He is the author of five novels and also a freelance publisher of art books. He lives and works in Paris. The Victoria System was first published in French in 2011 and was nominated for the Prix Goncourt, the Prix Renaudot and the Grand Prix du Roman de l'Académie Française. It is Éric Reinhardt's first novel to be translated into English.Sam Taylor is the English-language translator of HHhH, by Laurent Binet, and the author of the novels The Island at the End of the World, The Amnesiac and The Republic of Trees. He lives in France and the United States.
When Kids Kill
by Jonathan PaulJonathan Paul goes behind the sensationalist headlines of 'child killers' to investigate why these crimes happen. He examines child homicide in today's violent, confusing world and contextualises it against the cruel unforgiving retribution of yesterday.Children are increasingly experimenting with drugs and committing offences, but there are those who commit the worst possible crimes: to end another person's life before their own could properly have begun. The cases are shocking but sometimes the path towards them is even more so. This is a fascinating exploration of disturbing events aimed at discovering what happens when childhood is trodden underfoot, and when and why kids kill.
Virtual Kombat (Pocket Money Puffins)
by Chris BradfordYoung Samurai meets The MatrixScott is selected as a games tester by Vince Power, creator of Virtual Kombat, the most realistic martial-arts video game ever invented. But when friend and rival Kate fails to return from the Virtual Arena, Scott begins to wonder if it's more than just a game...A thrilling adventure from Chris Bradford, creator of the bestselling Young Samurai series.
When It Is Darkest: Why People Die by Suicide and What We Can Do to Prevent It
by Rory O’ConnorAS FEATURED ON BBC RADIO 4Winner of the 2021 BPS Popular Science Book Award'Read this incredible book. I wept and I learnt' - Prof Tanya Byron'This book comes from the heart' - Roman Kemp'Compassionate, personal and thought-provoking' - Prof Steve PetersWhen you are faced with the unthinkable, this is the book you can turn to.Suicide is baffling and devastating in equal measures, and it can affect any one of us: one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds. Yet despite the scale of the devastation, for family members and friends, suicide is still poorly understood.Drawing on decades of work in the field of suicide prevention and research, and having been bereaved by suicide twice, Professor O'Connor is here to help. This book will untangle the complex reasons behind suicide and dispel any unhelpful myths. For those trying to help someone vulnerable, it will provide indispensable advice on communication, stressing the importance of listening to fears and anxieties without judgment. And for those who are struggling to get through the tragedy of suicide, it will help you find strength in the darkest of places.
Useful Work v. Useless Toil (Penguin Great Ideas)
by William MorrisVisionary English Socialist and pioneer of the Arts and Crafts movement, William Morris argued that all work should be a source of pride and satisfaction, and that everyone should be entitled to beautiful surroundings – no matter what their class. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
The Vicar of Wakefield
by Oliver GoldsmithWhen Dr Primrose loses his fortune in a disastrous investment, his idyllic life in the country is shattered and he is forced to move with his wife and six children to an impoverished living on the estate of Squire Thornhill. Taking to the road in pursuit of his daughter, who has been seduced by the rakish Squire, the beleaguered Primrose becomes embroiled in a series of misadventures - encountering his long-lost son in a travelling theatre company and even spending time in a debtor's prison. Yet Primrose, though hampered by his unworldliness and pride, is sustained by his unwavering religious faith. In The Vicar of Wakefield, Goldsmith gently mocks many of the literary conventions of his day - from pastoral and romance to the picaresque - infusing his story of a hapless clergyman with warm humour and amiable social satire.
When I Was a Nipper: The Way We Were in Disappearing Britain
by Alan TitchmarshIn When I Was a Nipper Alan Titchmarsh goes on a personal and nostalgic journey through post-War Britain in search of treasured values and traditions that were once the soul of society. With characteristic wit, warmth and humour he draws on the experience of his own childhood, and also takes a broader perspective, creating a wonderfully detailed and evocative portrait of a way of life that is fast disappearing, and asks what can we learn from this era of austerity to make our lives better today?Born in Yorkshire in 1949 and brought up in a Britain still recovering from World War 2, Alan remembers a time of relative calm, when it was enough to return home at night knowing that the house would still be standing. We were known throughout the world for our patience, resourcefulness and resilience. 'Mustn't grumble' was almost a national catchphrase, and queuing was second nature. Peppered with wonderful archive photographs and advertisements, When I Was a Nipper takes us back to those days, down high streets and through farmyards, on to trolley buses and into local pubs. As we move towards a global economy, as communities fragment and customs are lost, When I Was a Nipper captures a world that is fast receding into history. It's powerfully nostalgic for those who remember those days, but it's also Alan's timely call to all recession-hit Brits to heed the lessons of austerity Britain: 'make do and mend'; 'look on the bright side' and 'take the knocks on the chin'.
When I Lost You: Searing police drama that will have you hooked
by Merilyn Davies__________________________Former Crime Analyst Merilyn Davies brings to life a gritty, heart-stopping crime thriller that will have you utterly obsessed.'Assured, fresh, engrossing' MEL SHERRATT'Taut, authentic and sensitively told' CHRIS EWAN‘Compassionately, confidently and beautifully written’ STEVE MOSBY‘A breath-taking, page-turning read’ CLARE MACKINTOSH'Fast-paced, authentic ... you’ll be desperate to get to the bottom of the case' CRIME MONTHLY MAGAZINE__________________________When a young couple are the lead suspects for the murder of their only child, Crime Analyst Carla Brown and DS Nell Jackson are assigned to investigate. The evidence seems conclusive, but something just doesn’t feel right. The case is quickly cast into doubt when the lead forensic pathologist starts receiving threatening letters – containing details only the police should know.Who’s sending them? What do they want? And how did they get hold of the information?As Carla and Nell dig deeper, it soon becomes clear that this case isn’t the first of its kind.They must stop at nothing to find the truth – even if it hits close to home.__________________________Readers can't stop talking about When I Lost You:‘An exciting and twisty police thriller’‘A very unusual but gripping storyline’‘I read this almost in one sitting as I was so gripped’‘A first class debut, a mix of psychological thriller meets police procedural’‘All the twists and turns kept me reading into the early hours’‘I love the two main characters - I really hope we see more of them.’‘Once I started, I couldn’t put it down.’
The Valley of Fear
by Arthur Conan DoyleFrom the annals of Dr Watson comes this dark tale of Sherlock Holmes’ early encounter with Professor Moriarty. When Holmes and Watson receive a cipher from one of Moriarty’s henchmen warning of dark doings at a manor house, they find themselves on the trail of a murderer.Almost immediately, they are on their way to Sussex where they discover a corpse with its head blown to pieces. But all is not as it seems. For the origins of this case lie in America, and involve a Pinkerton’s man and the doings of a terrible and secretive lodge ...
When I Find You: A gripping thriller that will keep you guessing to the final shocking twist
by Emma Curtis'An excellent read! So original and clever . . . Phenomenal.' Claire Douglas, bestselling author of Local Girl Missing and Last Seen AliveWhen Laura wakes up after her office drinks party and sees a man’s shirt on her bedroom floor, she is horrified. But this is no ordinary one-night-stand regret.Laura suffers from severe face-blindness, a condition that means she is completely unable to identify and remember faces. So the man she spent all night dancing with and kissing – the man she thought she’d brought home – was ‘Pink Shirt’.But the shirt on her floor is blue.And now Laura must go to work every day, and face the man who took advantage of her condition. The man she has no way of recognising.She doesn’t know who he is . . . but when she finds him she’ll make him pay.***** READERS ARE OBSESSED WITH WHEN I FIND YOU:'One of those smart, twisty-turny books that gets the cogs working, and keeps you up late reading''The premise and characters are completely different to anything else I've read''I read a lot of psychological thrillers and this one really stands out from the rest''Gripping and right up there with the best thrillers in the bookshops''A really original and clever story'*****'A clever 'who dunnit' with a twist that almost made me miss my flight.' Jane Corry, bestselling author of My Husband's Wife and The Dead Ex'A terrifying and disorienting thriller that will leave you questioning everyone and everything right to the very last page. It's so good that I had to put everything on hold just to finish it.' Nuala Ellwood, acclaimed author of My Sister's Bones'When I Find You is a winner. It leads you down blind alleys and in to disorienting situations - I absolutely raced to the end.' T. A. Cotterell, acclaimed author of What Alice Knew
Villette
by Charlotte BronteWith neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls' boarding school in the small town of Villette. There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, an initially suspicious headmaster and her own complex feelings, first for the school's English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor Paul Emmanuel. Drawing on her own deeply unhappy experiences as a governess in Brussels, Charlotte Brontë's last and most autobiographical novel is a powerfully moving study of isolation and the pain of unrequited love, narrated by a heroine determined to preserve an independent spirit in the face of adverse circumstances.
Villette
by Charlotte BronteRead this beautiful, romantic feminist classic from the author of Jane Eyre.When Lucy Snowe leaves England to look for a new life on the Continent she has no idea what lies in store for her. This quiet, lonely girl must learn quickly when she finds herself teaching in a foreign school, with no friends or family to rely on. However, it's not long before figures from Lucy's past appear and she becomes involved in dilemmas which inspire new and passionate feelings in her. 'I am only just returned to a sense of the real world about me, for I have been reading Villette ... There is something preternatural about its power' George Eliot
When Friday Comes: Football Revolution in the Middle East and the Road to Qatar
by James Montague'Passionate and moving and provides further evidence of the universality of football' Jonathan Wilson, FourFourTwoThe definitive story of the Middle East's unstoppable rise to football superpower, and the road to the Qatar World CupWhen James Montague first began covering football in the Middle East two decades ago, people asked him what future there could possibly be for the beautiful game in one of the most volatile regions in the world. In the years that followed, it would become one of the biggest stories in global sport, from the from revolutionary ultras of the Arab Spring and the takeover of some of the world's biggest clubs by the Emirati super rich, to Qatar's controversial journey towards hosting the 2022 World Cup finals.The only Western journalist covering the story on the ground from the very beginning, James Montague tells the definitive tale of the region's rise to ultimate power player in the global game in a fully revised and updated edition. Travelling to every country in the Middle East and meeting fans, players, workers and campaigners, he paints an unforgettable picture of football in a controversial, vibrant and surprising new world.
When Daddy Came Home: How War Changed Family Life Forever
by Barry Turner Tony RennellCompelling and moving real-life accounts of the impact on family life of the return of the troops at the end of the Second World War.Summer 1945. Britain was in jubilant mood. At last, the war was over. Soon the men would be coming home. Then everything would be fine: life would get back to normal.Or would it? Six long years of war had profoundly changed family life. For years, Dad had been a khaki figure in a photograph on the wall, a crumpled letter from overseas, an occasional visitor on weekend leave. Now he was here to stay, a stranger in a group that had learned to live without him - and was not always prepared to have him back.Most homecomings were joyful, never-to-be-forgotten moments of humour and hope. Others were hard. And there was no one to deal with the tears and the trauma. It would take hope and courage for families to live and love together again.
Viking Age Iceland
by Jesse ByockMedieval Iceland was unique amongst Western Europe, with no foreign policy, no defence forces, no king, no lords, no peasants and few battles. It should have been a utopia yet its literature is dominated by brutality and killing. The reasons for this, argues Jesse Byock, lie in the underlying structures and cultural codes of the islands' social order. 'Viking Age Iceland' is an engaging, multi-disciplinary work bringing together findings in anthropology and ethnography interwoven with historical fact and masterful insights into the popular Icelandic sagas, this is a brilliant reconstruction of the inner workings of a unique and intriguing society.
When Christmas Bells Ring
by Katie FlynnThe new Christmas bestseller from Katie Flynn; the UK's bestselling saga authorLiverpool 1938It’s Christmas in the Courts, and single mother Rosheen Clarke and her mischievous twin daughters April and May have no idea of the cataclysmic events which will soon overtake them. When war is declared, April and May are evacuated to the countryside and Rosheen joins the WAAF where she befriends fellow Liverpudlian Cassie Valentine.While Rosheen worries about what trouble the twins will cause next, Cassie is fighting her love for her childhood friend Andy. Because ever since he joined the RAF, he has become arrogant and remote. Will he change back to the old Andy when it’s all over? Or will their love be another casualty of war?Cassie and Rosheen support each other as best they can, but it will be many years before the Christmas bells ring out again.
Vita Nuova
by Dante AlighieriA unique treatise by a poet, written for poets, on the art of poetry, LA VITA NUOVA is elaborately and symbolically patterned, consisting of a selection of Dante's early poems, interspersed with his own prose commentary. The poems themselves tell the story of his love for Beatrice, from their first meeting at a May Day party in her father's house, through Dante's sufferings and his attempts to conceal the true object of his devotion by the use of 'screen-loves', to his overwhelming grief ather death, ending with the transformative vision of her in heaven. These are some of the richest love poems in literature and the movement from self-pitying lament to praise for the beloved's beauty and virtue, illustrate the elevating power of love.
The Wheel Of The Wiccan Year: How to Enrich Your Life Through The Magic of The Seasons
by Gail DuffThousands more people today are discovering how the nature-based beliefs of Wicca can help them to connect with the natural world and with a sense of their spiritual heritage. The eight Wiccan festivals mark the turning of the seasons. In The Wheel of the Wiccan Year, experienced Wiccan Gail Duff describes--The core beliefs of Wicca and the significance of the festivals--The eight festivals - what they mark; how they relate to traditional spiritual beliefs and to our lives today--How to celebrate the festivals through rituals, affirmations, meditations, activities and decorations, spells, songs and chants--How to create oils, candles, incense, food and wine for the celebrations--Rituals for the lone practitioner as well as for groupsThe Wheel of the Wiccan Year is the perfect reference book for the growing pagan market and for anyone who simply wishes to enrich their life by re-aligning it with the natural cycle of the year.