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Philebus
by PlatoTaking the form of a discussion between the hedonist Philebus, his naïve disciple Protarchus and Socrates, Philebus is a compelling consideration of the popular belief that pleasure is the greatest attainable good. Here, Socrates speculates on the differing intensities of both pleasure and pain; explores the notion that they can be divided into pure and impure types; considers the relationship between the one and the many; and establishes knowledge as a far higher goal. A profound argument that true fulfillment can only be achieved by the pursuit of beauty, truth and moderation, Philebus is among the earliest and most fascinating explorations of one of the most fundamental human questions: how to lead a good life.
A Piano In The Pyrenees: The Ups and Downs of an Englishman in the French Mountains
by Tony Hawks'If you had to pick two things you wanted - if you had to - what would you pick?'I hesitated. This was a bigger question than usually got asked at these post-match debriefs. 'I suppose the honest answer would be,' I said, still accessing the last pieces of required data from a jumbled mind, 'meeting my soul mate, and finding an idyllic house abroad somewhere.'Inspired by breathtaking views and romantic dreams of finding love in the mountains, Tony Hawks impulsively buys a house in the French Pyrenees. Here, he plans to finally fulfil his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, untroubled by the problems of the world. In reality, the chaotic story of Tony's hopelessly ill-conceived house purchase reads like the definitive guide to how not to buy a house in France. It finds him flirting with the removal business in a disastrous attempt to transport his piano to France in a dodgy white van; foolishly electing to build a swimming pool himself; and expanding his relationship repertoire when he starts co-habiting, not with an exquisite French beauty, but with a middle-aged builder from West London.As Tony and his friends haplessly attempt to fit into village life, they learn more about themselves and each other than they ever imagined.
The Pillow Book
by Sei ShonagonA new translation of the idiosyncratic diary of a C10 court lady in Heian Japan. Along with the TALE OF GENJI, this is one of the major Japanese Classics.
Planet Earth, The Future
by Fergus Beeley Jonathan Porritt Rosamund Kidman CoxPlanet Earth is the most spectacular look at our planet that has ever been broadcast. It has made millions of viewers aware of the breathtaking beauty and variety of life on our planet, and just as importantly how fragile that life can be. The premise of Planet Earth - The Future is to identify environmental and conservation issues that surround some of the sequences in Planet Earth, and put these issues to leading commentators, including NGO's, politicians and religious leaders James Leape (WWF International), Jeffrey McNeely (World Conservation Union), and the Archbishop of Canterbury to name but a few of the 35 contributors. We are living in destructive times, and our responsibility for the planet's stewardship is something none of us can afford to ignore. Comprised of transcripts from the series interviews, thoughtfully edited and abbreviated, this compelling and insightful book serves as a timely reminder of what needs to be done and what can be done to keep Planet Earth alive.
The Playground Mafia
by Sarah TuckerMeet Caroline Gray: divorcee and newly-single mother. Firmly closing the door on her acrimonious divorce, Caroline and son Ben have moved to trendy Frencham where they join Caroline's long-time best friends, Heather and Eva. Settling into their new life is easy, but nothing has prepared Caroline for the demands of motherhood at The Sycamore, the school the trio's beloved offspring attend. Forget classroom bullies, forget trips to the head's office, this is full-scale adult playground politics. This is battle with the mothers who won't take no for an answer -- the Playground Mafia.Amidst the four-wheel drives, Ben's complicated afterschool play-date schedule and her friends' perilous extra-marital affairs, Caroline tries to keep a low and very single profile. But it's not long before she too finds herself under the mafia's scandal-radar, and her life takes an unexpected turn ...
Please Don't Come Back From The Moon: A Novel
by Dean Bakopoulos"Families, heartbreak, political and social comedy-there is little that Dean Bakopoulos doesn't grasp in an articulate, wittily perceptive, and soulful way, before he hands it back to the reader as literary art. Please Don't Come Back from the Moon is an original and brilliant first work of fiction." -Lorrie MooreThe summer Michael Smolij turns sixteen, his father disappears. One by one other men also vanish from the blue-collar neighborhood outside Detroit where their fathers before them had lived, raised families, and, in a more promising era, worked. One man props open the door to his shoe store and leaves a note. "I'm going to the moon," it reads. "I took the cash."The wives drink, brawl, and sleep around, gradually settling down to make new lives and shaking off the belief in an American dream that, like their husbands, has proven to be a thing of the past. Unable to leave the neighborhood their fathers abandoned, Michael and his friends stumble through their twenties until the restlessness of the fathers blooms in them, threatening to carry them away.This is a haunting, unforgettable novel for anyone who has ever been left longing.
Poems of Thomas Hardy
by Thomas HardyThomas Hardy wrote some of the most moving and personal poems in his era and this collection brings together the best of his verse on life and love.Hardy's poems are by turn haunting, intense, songlike humerous and tender. From snatched lovers' meetings to the wreck of the Titanic from the death of a Dorest drummer boy in the Boer War to memories of his dead wife Emma, from ghosts, loss and longing to pleasure in landscape and weather, they tell the story of one of our best-loved writers, and the people and places that inspired him.
The Politics of Public Fund Investing: How to Modify Wall Street to Fit Main Street
by Ben FinkelsteinUntil now, there has never been a book to help public fund managers direct fixed-income portfolios while simultaneously balancing politics, or the need to preserve principal, with economics, or the need to optimize income. The Politics of Public Fund Investing approaches public fund management from the lay perspective, providing much-needed guidance to modify Wall Street strategies to serve the needs of Main Street. If you manage a public fund, if you are an elected official, or if you oversee a portfolio for a foundation or an endowment, you know the traditional money management strategy used every day on Wall Street doesn't necessarily apply to your situation. For you, investing isn't simply about economics. Wall Street strategies do not take into account election cycles, political risk factors, or the unique performance assessments public funds must undergo. When Wall Street builds a portfolio, it doesn't need to consider the opinions and desires of a wide variety of constituents, and the management of the portfolio's performance doesn't carry the same level of career risk. This groundbreaking book is the first resource ever available to the stewards of public fund investing entrusted with the responsibility to make financial decisions in this unique environment. The Politics of Public Fund Investing shows readers how to evaluate and measure their funds' performance through specific techniques, standards, and procedures. It begins by addressing the key differences between Wall Street and Main Street, explaining which methods of Wall Street are unsuited to public fund management and why. The book provides a framework for moving from a static investment policy to a dynamic investment plan, making the important distinction between what is "legal" in terms of policy and what is "suitable" in terms of the objectives of the stakeholders. The book goes on to propose exceptional and beneficial insights into appraising a fund's performance along with providing a four-step process to build a politically correct portfolio. Finally, it shows how to be safe and optimize income within the constraints of acceptable risk. Based on years of experience and invaluable research, The Politics of Public Fund Investing is an innovative, compelling, and much-needed guide to navigating the complex territory where the political environment meets public investing.
The Power of Dreams: a dramatic Welsh saga from from much-loved bestseller Rosie Harris
by Rosie HarrisFans of Dilly Court, Kitty Neale, Emma Hornby and Rosie Goodwin will love this vivid and compelling saga, set around Tiger Bay and Cardiff. Much-loved multi-million copy bestseller Rosie Harris has written such an immediate and beautiful novel, you'll feel you are living in the moment with the characters.WHAT READERS ARE SAYING!'Had me gripped from start to finish' -- ***** Reader review'A real page turner' -- ***** Reader review'I couldn't put it down until I finished it' -- ***** Reader review*****************************************************************************************************WHEN ALL HOPE IS GONE, ARE DREAMS ENOUGH? After losing both her parents, sixteen-year-old Merrion Roberts is left to bring up her baby sister. Unable to cope alone, she teams up with Rhonda Rees, a trained milliner, who also has a young baby. They share rooms in notorious Tiger Bay in Cardiff, struggling to make ends meet. In time, though, they are able to open up a little shop and it seems as if life is looking up for both young women.But fate soon intervenes and they are reduced to living in even greater squalor, barely able to eke out enough money to support themselves let alone their two children.Meanwhile, Merrion's brother and her childhood sweetheart have both gone to sea and she has almost given up hope of ever seeing them alive again...
Practically Perfect: A Novel
by Katie FfordeAnna, a newly qualified interior designer, has decided it's time to put her money and her expertise where her mouth is and risk everything to buy a tiny but adorable cottage in desperate need of renovation.Outside, the chocolate-box cottage is perfect, but inside, all is chaos. With a ladder for a staircase, no downstairs flooring, candles the only form of lighting, and a sleeping bag and camping mat for a bed, Anna soon wonders if she's bitten off more than she can chew.Her neighbor Chloe comes to the rescue, providing tea, wine, and sympathy---and a recently rescued greyhound, Caroline. But just as Anna's starting to settle in, make new friends, and see the house transforming before her eyes, the good-looking yet impossible Rob Hunter arrives on the scene and puts even more obstacles in her way. Will Anna be able to get over all of life's hurdles in the end, or will she stumble and fall?
Pratt a Manger: (Henry Pratt) (Henry Pratt #2)
by David NobbsWhen pretty young TV researcher Nicky Proctor visits Cafe Henry in London's Soho, Henry Pratt's life changes forever. He becomes an instant star of the TV food quiz, A Question of Salt and before long he is given his own series, Hooray, it's Henry. The book of the series reaches Number Two. He's a celebrity. Henry Ezra Pratt has come a long way from his humble beginnings.But, as usual in Henry's life, things begin to go wrong. He incurs the deep hatred of rival celebrity chef Bradley Tompkins, with his bad manners, bad wig and no Michelin stars. A war is waged against him, escalating into plots and deceptions which threaten to destroy the reputation and career of the man dubbed 'The People's Chef'. It must be Bradley behind all this - or must it? On the domestic front, too, there are storms ahead. Henry is blissfully happy in his second marriage to Hilary, but he is sorely tempted by young Nicky and his lovely co-star Sally. Can he resist? Can he become a real man at last? Or will success spoil Henry Pratt for good...?We last met Henry Pratt in The Cucumber Man. Pratt à Manger continues the hilarious story of a great British underdog.
Prepare Your Child for School: How to make sure your child gets off to a flying start
by Dr Helen Likierman Valerie MuterPrepare Your Child for School answers the questions every parent asks when their child is about to leave their exclusive care and go out into the world of school:- Is my child ready for this challenge?- Will the teacher bring out the best in my child?- What can I do to help my child cope with the stresses, demands and expectations of school life?- Will other children play with my child?- Does my child know enough?- Can my child communicate well?- Is my child ready to learn to read and write? Aimed both at parents of pre-school children (3 to 6 years old) and at teachers and carers, this practical book, including numerous charts, checklists, questionnaires and structured activities for developing children's skills as well as promoting their emotional well-being, will act as a blueprint for action.
Princess Spider: True Experiences of a Dominatrix
by Princess SpiderPrincess Spider is the best known Female Dominatrix on the UK fetish scene, and a Sky TV television personality. In her book she will be offering unrestricted and unprecedented access to her fascinating, shocking, and very bizarre world:Extraordinary true stories from her private and public domination of both men and womenExpert detailed knowledge on every aspect of female domination: role-playing, imagery, dress-codes, rituals, equipment, playrooms anddungeonsAccess to slaves and their slave diaries: the slave-mistress relationship revealed in fullReportage on femdom rituals and sessions as they happen
The Promise: The Moving Story of a Family in the Holocaust
by Barbara PowersA Holocaust survivor's own story, told specially for young readers.This is the remarkable true story of a young Jewish girl and her brother caught in a world turned upside down by the Nazis during the Second World War. Eva Schloss describes her happy early childhood in Vienna with her kind and loving parents and her older brother Heinz, whom she adored. But when the Nazis marched into Austria everything changed.Eva's family fled to Belgium, then to Amsterdam where, with the help of the Dutch Resistance, they spent the next two years in hiding - Eva and her mother in one house, and her father and brother in another. But in the end they were all betrayed and deported to Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. Despite the horrors of the camp, Eva's positive attitude and stubborn personality (which had often got her into trouble) saw her through one of the most tragic events in history but sadly her father and brother perished just weeks before the liberation. Eva and her mother travelled back to the house in Amsterdam where Heinz and his father had hidden and discovered over thirty beautiful paintings by her brother. Heinz hadn't wasted any of his talents during his captivity. For Eva, here was a tangible, everlasting memory of her beloved older brother, and a reminder of her father's promise that all the good things you accomplish will make a difference.Heinz's paintings have been on display in exhibitions in the USA and are now a part of a permanent exhibition in Amsterdam's war museum.Eva Schloss is the posthumous step-sister of Anne Frank, after mother, Fritzi, was remarried to Otto Frank, the only surviving member of his immediate family.
Psychic Junkie: A Memoir
by Sarah Lassez Gian SardarThe future lies ahead.BUT YOU CAN PAY FOR A PREVIEW. When her promised stardom fails to materialize, struggling actress Sarah Lassez finds solace in psychics who predict the coming of the man of her dreams. She's sure she's found him in Wilhelm, a suave hotel sous-chef from Germany. But mayhem ensues when she takes the words of the psychics over the words of her actual boyfriend and is convinced he's about to propose -- when in reality he's planning to leave the country . . . without her. Sarah's world dissolves into a haze of credit card debt, loneliness, and a raging addiction to psychics that threatens to destroy her finances, her relationships, and her sanity. She knows she needs help. But getting it will mean confronting the fact that life is not to be controlled or predicted, and though dealing with reality isn't always easy, at least it doesn't cost $4.99 a minute. Psychic Junkie is a true story of life and love in Los Angeles, narrated by an endearing protagonist whose search for answers will resonate with everyone who has ever tried to make sense of career, relationships, and adulthood.
Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story
by S. D. NelsonA biography of Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian who was one of the six soldiers to raise the United States flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, an event immortalized by Joe Rosenthal's Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph.Growing up on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Arizona, Ira Hayes was a quiet, shy boy. He never wanted to be the center of attention, and at school, he felt lonely and out of place. By the time Ira was in his late teens, World War II was raging. When the United States called its men to arms, Ira answered by joining the Marine Corps. He believed it was his duty to fight honorably for his country, and with his Marine buddies by his side, Ira finally felt as if he belonged. Eventually they were sent to the tiny Japanese island of Iwo Jima, where a chance event and an extraordinary photograph catapulted Ira to national awareness and transformed his life forever. Filled with all the patriotism and tragedy of wartime and its afteraffects, Quiet Hero is the story of one person's courage in the face of both military and personal battles. It is a poignant tribute to Ira Hayes.
The Race for the 2012 Olympics
by Mike LeeLondon bid leader and British Olympic hero Sebastian Coe, Tony Blair and David Beckham all played a part in winning the most competitive race for the Games in Olympic history. But it was far from plain sailing and the campaign was a rollercoaster ride of emotions: full of drama, controversy and tears from the moment businesswoman Barbara Cassani was given the task of launching the bid in 2003, to the fateful day in Singapore when her successor, Lord Coe, and the rest of the world was told London had won.Mike Lee was at the heart of this intriguing journey through the entangled world of International Olympic Committee politics, international sport, British politics and the media as he travelled the world with Coe and other team members to present London's bid.
Rama the Steadfast: An Early Form of the Ramayana
by M ValmikiWarrior-prince Rama is about to be crowned Young King, when he hears the devastating news that his father, King of Ayodhya, has been tricked into banishing him to the forest. His devoted wife Sita insists on accompanying him in exile, but the evil ten-headed lord Ravana has fallen deeply in love with the beautiful princess and steals her away. Aided by Hanuman, mighty captain of the monkeys, Rama sets out across the world to find her and destroy Ravana in a deadly battle. Rama the Steadfast was composed in the oral tradition in about the fifth century BC and has been retold over the generations ever since. With its fantastical characters ranging from monsters to apes, a very human hero and its profound moral purpose, it is one of the greatest of all Indian tales.
Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories
by Ryunosuke AkutagawaRyünosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) is one of Japan’s foremost stylists - a modernist master whose short stories are marked by highly original imagery, cynicism, beauty and wild humour. ‘Rashömon’ and ‘In a Bamboo Grove’ inspired Kurosawa’s magnificent film and depict a past in which morality is turned upside down, while tales such as ‘The Nose’, ‘O-Gin’ and ‘Loyalty’ paint a rich and imaginative picture of a medieval Japan peopled by Shoguns and priests, vagrants and peasants. And in later works such as ‘Death Register’, ‘The Life of a Stupid Man’ and ‘Spinning Gears’, Akutagawa drew from his own life to devastating effect, revealing his intense melancholy and terror of madness in exquisitely moving impressionistic stories.
Return to Tuscany
by Gincarlo CaldesiGiancarlo and Katie Caldesi, the husband-and-wife team behind two Italian restaurants and a cookery school in London, are passionate about food and about Italy. Their eagerness to share this with others inspired them to relocate to Tuscany for a few months, to rediscover Giancarlos culinary roots and run a series of courses in traditional Tuscan cooking. Return to Tuscany is the result of their successful sojourn in Tuscany. Each chapter starts with a lesson, reflecting the different stages of their cookery course, guiding you through the basic techniques of pasta-making, choosing the best ingredients for an antipasti platter, cooking meat on an open fire, and many other aspects of Tuscan cooking. In 80 delicious regional recipes, Giancarlo and Katie pass on methods used by generations of the Caldesi family, with tips supplied by their Italian friends and neighbours. They describe how to make well-known Tuscan dishes, such Tomato Bruschetta, the classic Ribollita soup and the traditional Plum Crostata, as well as personal favourite that were popular with their students, including Mussel and Clam Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Chicken with Cinnamon and Lemon. Illustrated with a wealth of stunning location shots and food photography, Return to Tuscany is both an easy-to-follow cookery book and an inspirational introduction to the culture and traditions of this beautiful part of Italy.
Revolution: The Great Crisis of the British Monarchy, 1685-1720
by Tim HarrisTo an extraordinary extent everyone in Britain still lives under the shadow of the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688. It was a massive, brutal and terrifying event, which completely changed the governments of England, Scotland and Ireland and which was only achieved through overwhelming violence. Revolution brilliantly captures the sense that this was a great turning point in Britain's history, but also shows how severe a price was paid to achieve this.
The Revolution Will Be Accessorized: BlackBook Presents Dispatches from the New Counterculture
by Aaron HicklinSince it first went to press in 1996, BlackBook has established itself as an arbiter of style, and a forum for new and dynamic writing. The Revolution Will Be Accessorized gathers many of the magazine's strongest pieces, and the result is a star-studded collection that addresses the intersection of pop culture, the arts, politics, and fashion, with provocative contributions from many of today's best writers, including: Augusten Burroughs on Christmas with his motherJonathan Ames on his boyhood sneaker fetishMeghan Daum on L.A. bourgeoisAlso included are pieces by Neal Pollack, Sam Lipsyte, Joan Didion, Naomi Klein, William T. Vollmann, DBC Pierre, Emma Forrest, and Douglas Coupland, among others. Raw, edgy, and always insightful, The Revolution Will Be Accessorized is a window on to what's happening outside the mainstream.
The Rice Diet Solution: The World-Famous Low-Sodium, Good-Carb, Detox Diet for Quick and Lasting Weight Loss
by Kitty Gurkin Rosati Robert RosatiCan you really lose twenty pounds in a month? Will you really keep it off this time? With The Rice Diet Solution, you will! The Rice Diet Program has been helping dieters successfully lose weight since 1939. Now in book form, this world-renowned weight-loss method can help you change the way you eat forever.The Rice Diet Program in Durham, North Carolina, was one of the first medical facilities in America to use diet as the primary way to treat disease. On this high-complex-carb, low-fat, and low-sodium whole-foods diet, “Ricers” lose weight faster, more safely, and more effectively than people on any other diet. Men lose on average twenty-eight to thirty pounds and women on average nineteen to twenty pounds per month! The Rice Diet also detoxes your body, ridding it of excess water weight and toxins from processed foods and the environment. The program's results have been documented by extensive studies and confirmed by thousands of people who report amazing weight loss, as well as immediate improvement in such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension.Here’s how it works: The Rice Diet strictly limits salt and sodium-rich ingredients. Salt, like refined sugar, is an appetite stimulant, so when you reduce salt intake, you lose water weight and are less inclined to overeat. The Rice Diet also limits saturated fats and instead relies on carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans) as the main source of nutrition. The fiber cleanses your system and satisfies you so you feel full quickly. The Rice Diet makes it easy to limit calories; when you’re eating foods that truly satisfy your hunger, it’s a challenge to eat 1,500 calories per day!To make it easy to follow the program, The Rice Diet Solution includes hundreds of tasty, filling, easy-to-prepare recipes—some from the Rice House kitchen, others inspired by major chefs and adapted to Rice Diet standards.
Riders Down (Jack Doyle Series)
by John McEvoy"[An] intriguing tale of espionage, murder and suspense"—Publishers WeeklyNine surviving members of a U-boat crew captured duringWorld War II gather in North Carolina for their 60th reunion, only to find themselves targets for a group kill.Meanwhile, after scouring hospital records to find her biological parents, a 36-year-old unwed mother from Oklahoma stumbles upon an obscure family connection to the murders. Carolyn Baker unknowingly holds the clue that could solve the crime, explain her own past, and expose long-concealed secrets. As she thrusts herself into the FBI investigation, the killer's plan shifts....
The Ripening Sun
by Patricia AtkinsonFor most people giving up the day job and moving to a beautiful area of France and living off the vines is an impossible but delicious dream. In 1990, Patricia Atkinson and her husband decided to sell up in Britain and emigrate to the Dordogne. Their idea was to buy a house with a few vines attached and employ someone to tend to the wine while they earned their living with some financial consultancy work. There followed a series of disasters: the stock market crashed leaving their small holding as their sole source of income; the first red wine harvest turned to vinegar; and Patricia's husband returned to Britain, unable to cope with the stress. He never returned. Patricia Atkinson, whose only knowledge of wine up to that moment was 'that it came from a bottle' and who had not a word of French, was left to salvage their life savings form the vineyards. What follows is a remarkable story of struggle and transformation whereby her tiny 4 hectare plot has become a major estate of 21 hectares, where her Clos d'Yvigne wines have won awards and been adopted by wine merchants throughout the world and where she has been hailed as a superstar by UK wine writers.