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Soft Keys
by Michael Symmons RobertsWhen Corpus won the Whitbread Poetry Award, the judges described it as 'an outstanding, perfectly weighted collection that inspires meditation on the nature of the soul...reading it feels like making an exciting discovery and coming back to an acknowledged classic all at once.' Michael Symmons Roberts' first book, Soft Keys, was the original and most exciting discovery of all. The poems in Soft Keys engage in a search for meaning and order in the everyday and in the extraordinary - a locust officer tracking swarms in an African desert, a hobbyist building a replica of the world out of matchsticks, a chance encounter with the French mystic Simone Weil playing video games in a Torquay arcade... Richly inventive, and written in a wide diversity of poetic forms, Soft Keys looks for those places and moments where the curtain between earth and heaven is thinnest; it was a powerful, arresting debut and the beginning of a remarkable career. As Les Murray said at the time: 'Like Nijinsky, he can leap into the air and stay there. You can reach up and feel the thump of the stage finely persisting in an ankle bone. Roberts is a poet for the new, chastened, unenforcing age of faith that has just dawned.'
Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens‘The image of little Oliver Twist victimised by poverty, almost seduced by the specious excitement of crime, and then offered the possibility of a lucrative career in authorship is always compelling’ GuardianOliver is an orphan living on the dangerous London streets with no one but himself to rely on. Fleeing from poverty and hardship, he falls in with a criminal street gang who will not let him go, however hard he tries to escape. In Oliver Twist, Dickens graphically conjures up the capital's underworld, full of prostitutes, thieves and lost and homeless children, and gives a voice to the disadvantaged and abused.
Blues
by John Hartley WilliamsSubversive and satirical, inventive, wry and unconventional, John Hartley Williams has long been celebrated for his maverick sensibility, for his outsider's take on the way we live our lives. In Blues, his eighth collection, he focuses with new directness on the turmoil of Germany and Eastern Europe, and writes eloquently about being English, and staying English, in a continental climate, through all the upheavals of the last fifteen years. Alert to the intricacies and ironies of the language, to the musculature of politics and passion, these poems are chronicles of change, wired to the energies of jazz and science fiction, yet the under-song is a threnody for the loss of a kind of Englishness - voiced powerfully in a moving elegy for the poet Ken Smith. While there is no diminishing of his comic brio, no dulling of his incisive, questioning intelligence, Blues finds John Hartley Williams taking on subjects of new depth and complexity - while maintaining his characteristic lightness of touch, imagination and profound originality.
The New Machiavelli: How to Wield Power in the Modern World
by Jonathan PowellThe New Machiavelli is a gripping account of life inside 'the bunker' of Number 10. In his twenty-first century reworking of Niccolo Machiavelli's influential masterpiece, The Prince, Jonathan Powell - Tony Blair's Chief of Staff from 1994 - 2007 - recounts the inside story of that period, drawing on his own unpublished diaries. Taking the lessons of Machiavelli derived from his experience as an official in fifteenth-century Florence, Powell shows how these lessons can still apply today. Illustrating each of Machiavelli's maxims with a description of events that occurred during Tony Blair's time as Prime Minister, The New Machiavelli is designed to be The Prince for modern times.
Collected Poems
by John FullerJohn Fuller is one of the most accomplished, prolific and popular of contemporary poets. His Collected Poems brings together most of his poems, from his first collection, Fairground Music (1961) to Stones and Fires (winner of the 1996 Forward Poetry Prize), and enables us to appreciate the full extent of his remarkable talents. From his strikingly assured early poems - dramatic monologues and playful rewritings of myth and fairytale - to his more complex, discursive later work, Fuller displays his virtuosity with a wide variety of subjects, moods and forms. Here are fantasies, poems about nature, riddles and nonsense poems; tender love poems and philosophical meditations; sombre, wistful sonnets and the lightest, most charming songs. But there are consistent themes: romantic love, a potent sense of the physical world, and a constant shifting between exuberant irreverence and the yearning for moral and metaphysical truths. Throughout, the poems are steeped in humour and learning, and display Fuller's easy command of the of the whole scope and richness of the English language.
Ghosts
by John FullerLike the possible phantoms that stalk the dark passageways of its title poem, John Fuller's beautifully lucid collection explores the grey area between life and death. Full of self-deprecating wit and subtle insight, the poems contemplate the inevitability that, when one reaches a certain age, the moment of one's own passing will start to haunt one.In 'Flea Market' there is the pathos of once-loved objects laid out, meaningless, 'on the cobbles for scavengers'. In 'Positions in the Bed', the restless search for a comfortable way to sleep leads to thoughts of the morning when 'we find/ Ourselves absconded from the body's/ Weary roll-call'. And yet, out of this sense of mortality, grows a determination to take delight in the moment, to appreciate fully 'the business of living'.These poems are not only intimate, domestic and often funny, they are uncompromising in the way they confront the huge and unanswerable questions of life. The movement of thought is rendered beautifully concrete in the intricate music of their langauge, and melancholy co-exists with a lightness of touch that builds a moving and humane barricade against 'life's brevity/ And it's insignificance'.Shortlisted for the Whitbread Award for Poetry.
A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...'Lucie Manette has been separated from her father for eighteen years while he languished in Paris's most feared prison, the Bastille. Finally reunited, the Manettes' fortunes become inextricably intertwined with those of two men, the heroic aristocrat Darnay and the dissolute lawyer Carton. Their story, which encompasses violence, revenge, love and redemption, is grippingly played out against the backdrop of the terrifying brutality of the French Revolution.‘Dickens's magnificent account of the revolution and one of his best (and shortest) novels’ Observer
Robinson Crusoe
by Daniel DefoeDiscover the legendary story of a marine adventurer shipwrecked on a desert island. Robinson Crusoe runs away from home to join the navy. After a series of adventures at sea, he is shipwrecked in a devastating storm, and finds himself alone on a remote desert island. He remains there many years, building a life for himself in solitude, until the day he discovers another man's footprint in the sand... ‘Robinson Crusoe has a universal appeal, a story that goes right to the core of existence’ Guardian
The Turn of the Screw and Other Stories: The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, The Friends of the Friends and The Jolly Corner
by Henry James*The inspiration behind Netflix's The Haunting of Bly Manor*Discover Henry James's most famous and terrifying story in an edition which also includes a unique selection of his best loved ghost stories. A young governess is sent to a great country house to care for two orphaned children. To begin with Flora and Miles seem to be model pupils but gradually the governess starts to suspect that something is very wrong with them. As she sets out to uncover the corrupt secrets of the house she becomes more and more convinced that something evil is watching her.'A most wonderful, lurid, poisonous little tale' Oscar Wilde
North and South
by Elizabeth Gaskell'A really remarkable picture of the reality, as well as the prosperity, of northern industrial life, and an interesting examination of changing social conscience' Joanna TrollopeMilton is a sooty, noisy northern town centred around the cotton mills that employ most of its inhabitants. Arriving from a rural idyll in the south, Margaret Hale is initially shocked by the social unrest and poverty she finds in her new hometown. However, as she begins to befriend her neighbours, and her stormy relationship with the mill-owner John Thornton develops, she starts to see Milton in a different light. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY JENNY UGLOW
Jane Eyre: Illustrations By Marjolein Bastin (Marjolein Bastin Classics Ser.)
by Charlotte BronteJane Eyre is the inspiring heroine of one of the best-loved British novels of all time. As an orphan, Jane's childhood is not an easy one but her independence and strength of character keep her going through the miseries inflicted by cruel relatives and a brutal school. However, her biggest challenge is yet to come. Taking a job as a governess in a house full of secrets, for a passionate man she grows more and more attracted to, ultimately forces Jane to call on all her resources in order to hold on to her beliefs.
The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins'The most popular novel of the nineteenth century, and still one of the best plots in English literature' Sarah Waters Marian and her sister Laura live a quiet life under their uncle's guardianship until Laura's marriage to Sir Percival Glyde. Sir Percival is a man of many secrets – is one of them connected to the strange appearances of a young woman dressed all in white? And what does his charismatic friend, Count Fosco, with his pet white mice running in and out of his brightly coloured waistcoat, have to do with it all? Marian and the girls' drawing master, Walter, have to turn detective in order to work out what is going on, and to protect Laura from a fatal plot . . .
Heart of Darkness: And Youth
by Joseph ConradWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY TIM BUTCHERThe silence of the jungle is broken only by the ominous sound of drumming. Life on the river is brutal and unknown threats lurk in the darkness. Marlow's mission to captain a steamer upriver into the dense interior leads him into conflict with the others who haunt the forest. But his decision to hunt down the mysterious Mr Kurtz, an ivory trader who is the subject of sinister rumours, leads him into more than just physical peril.
Sense and Sensibility
by Jane Austen‘I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way’Discover the beloved story of sisters, love and society that launched Jane Austen’s career.Elinor is as prudent as her sister Marianne is impetuous. Each must learn from the other after they are they are forced by their father's death to leave their home and enter into the contests of polite society. The charms of unsuitable men and the schemes of rival ladies mean that their paths to success are thwart with disappointment but together they attempt to find a way to happiness.
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane AustenDiscover Jane Austen’s most beloved classic. When Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr Darcy, she is repelled by his overbearing pride and prejudice towards her family. But the Bennet girls are in need of financial security in the shape of husbands, so when Darcy’s friend, the affable Mr Bingley, forms an attachment to Jane, Darcy becomes increasingly hard to avoid. Polite society will be turned upside down in this witty drama of friendship, rivalry and love – Jane Austen's classic romance novel. **One of the BBC’s 100 Novels That Shaped Our World**
Emma
by Jane AustenDiscover the classic story behind the major new film'Jane Austen's Emma is her masterpiece, mixing the sparkle of her early books with a deep sensibility' Observer Emma is young, rich and independent. She has decided not to get married and instead spends her time organising her acquaintances' love affairs. Her plans for the matrimonial success of her new friend Harriet, however, lead her into complications that ultimately test her own detachment from the world of romance.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ANDREW MOTION
Green Men & White Swans: The Folklore of British Pub Names
by Jacqueline SimpsonWhy do British pubs have such curious names? What tales lie behind the Moonrakers, the Hooden Horse, the Derby Tup? And why does the Green Man come in different shapes and sizes?In Green Men & White Swans, leading folklorist Jacqueline Simpson explores the fascinating stories behind pub names, uncovering the myths and legends, euphemisms and wordplays, heroes and even ghosts that have inspired pub landlords over the centuries. Spanning beloved locals from the Three Witches to the Three Nuns, from the Ashen Faggot to the Twa Corbies, this book is both an intriguing insight into the history of the British pub and a captivating journey through the country's dramatic past.
101 Uses Of A Dead Roach
by Simon Bond Howard MarksHoward Marks is king of the dope-smoking world: Mr Nice is now at a staggering half a million copies sold, and the Book of Dope Stories has sold 100,000 copies in six months. Simon Bond is a well-known cartoonist: the classic 101 Uses For A Dead Cat came out in an omnibus edition last year - twenty years after it was first published. 101 Uses For A Dead Roach will be a humour classic - 101 cartoons ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, of how to use the un-useable part of your joint.
A Class Apart
by Susan LewisJenneen, Kate, Ellamarie and Ashley are enviable women. They are desirable and powerful, with glamorous jobs in the media and the theatre and, most importantly, the closest of friendships. But each of the friends has a dark secret, and none of them can ever be entirely safe from the passion, deceit and danger which threatens to seduce and then destroy them.
Remembering Ronnie Barker
by Richard WebberRonnie Barker was one of our most respected and best-loved comedy actors and here, in this fascinating biography, Richard Webber delves deep in to the heart of Barker's life and career, peppering his narrative with original and incisive memories from some of Barker's closest contemporaries, including Ronnie Corbett, Michael Palin and Barry Cryer. Star of the much-adored comedy classics Porridge, The Two Ronnies - one of the most successful and long-running television comedy shows ever on British television - and Open All Hours, Ronnie Barker was universally admired by the public and industry insiders alike. From his early days writing for and performing skits on The Frost Report right up to his retirement in 1988, he lit up television screens across the country with his wonderful gift for comedy and his remarkable skill for character acting. Beyond his performances on the stage and screen, Barker was also an accomplished comedy writer, providing many of the sketches and songs for The Two Ronnies and contributing material to a number of other television and radio shows. And despite his retirement he retained pole position in the public's affection, returning to the screen in 1999 to team up with his erstwhile comedy partner and great friend Ronnie Corbett for a Two Ronnies night on BBC1, followed by a BAFTA tribute in 2004 and a final appearance on television in 2005 on The Two Ronnies Christmas Sketchbook. Effortlessly funny, universally adored and an actor and writer responsible for some of Britain's best-loved and most-respected comedy, Ronnie Barker was a true comedy legend. Here he's brought to the page in winning style as he's remembered by those who best loved and knew him.
The Lore of the Playground: One hundred years of children's games, rhymes and traditions
by Steve RoudFrom conkers to marbles, from British Bulldog to tag, not forgetting 'one potato, two potato' and 'eeny, meeny, miny, mo', The Lore of the Playground looks at the games children have enjoyed, the rhymes they have chanted and the rituals and traditions they have observed over the past hundred years and more. Each generation, it emerges, has had its own favourites - hoops and tops in the 1930s, clapping games more recently. Some pastimes, such as skipping, have proved remarkably resilient, their complicated rules carefully handed down from one class to the next. Many are now the stuff of distant memory. And some traditions have proved to be strongly regional, loved by children in one part of the country, unknown to those elsewhere. All are brilliantly and meticulously recorded by Steve Roud, who has drawn on interviews with hundreds of people aged from 8 to 80 to create a fascinating picture of all our childhoods.
The River: A Love Story, a New Life in the Country, and One Idyllic Year With Otters
by Philippa ForresterWhen TV presenter Philippa Forrester first met Charlie, a wildlife cameraman, she thought he was a show-off - and he thought she was arrogant. The second time, despite being hungry, thirsty and trapped in torrential rain aboard the world's most uncomfortable boat, they fell in love. This is the story of their move out of London, deep into the heart of the English countryside. When they impulsively buy an old mill-worker's cottage, they are entranced by its river, teeming with kingfishers, mink and water fowl. But they are overjoyed when they spot an animal long thought to have abandoned the area: an otter, swimming happily past their house. Inspired, they decide to make a film about the otters on their doorstep ... at the same time as having a baby, setting up house, and pursuing their careers. Unsurprisingly, things turn out to be easier said than done.Written with endless charm and real affection, featuring a cast of memorable characters, The River is packed with hilarious stories spanning floods, chicken keeping and wildlife watching. The result is sheer delight.
Lieutenant Fury: a brilliantly engaging and rip-roaring naval adventure set during the French Revolutionary Wars that will keep you hooked!
by G.S. BeardIf you like Hornblower and Sharpe, you will love this all-action nautical page-turner from much loved author G.S.Beard. You'll feel as if you are in the midst of the action!'If you like sea stories, you will enjoy this, and even if you think you don't but enjoy things like Sharpe, it might just convert you' - HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW'Kept me spellbound' -- ***** Reader review'A fun, fast read' -- ***** Reader review'Excellent story and very exciting' -- ***** Reader review*************************************************************1793: the French Revolutionary Wars continue...When HMS Amazon is returning from an arduous duty in the Indian Ocean, she encounters a French frigate in the Atlantic which unexpectedly opens fire - a bloody sea battle ensues resulting in both triumph and personal tragedy for Acting Lieutenant John Fury.A battered Amazon puts into Gibraltar for repairs and newly promoted Fury finds he is to be transferred away from his home on the Amazon and set a new challenge: he will be the fifth lieutenant on the 74-gun-man of war Fortitude.The action never stops in Toulon, where Fury is posted and he eventually finds himself defending a prominent fort ashore as the Republican armies, inspired by a young artillery officer by the name of Napoleon Bonaparte, establish a brutal siege of the port. It is soon clear that Britain and her allies are going to be hard pressed to hold onto their prize.But Fury has more to lose than most - in the maelstrom of the siege he has met and fallen in love with a pretty French girl, Sophie Gourrier.Somehow, as the defence crumbles, he must rescue his men and Sophie from the doomed city.John Fury's adventures started in Mr Midshipman Fury - have you read it?
Mr Midshipman Fury: a rollicking, lively naval page-turner set during the French Revolutionary Wars which will capture you from the very first page
by G.S. BeardFans of Hornblower and Sharpe will love this captivating and compelling nautical adventure from much loved author G.S.Beard. Guaranteed to stir into life even the most sluggish of readers!'If you like sea stories, you will enjoy this, and even if you think you don't but enjoy things like Sharpe, it might just convert you' - HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW'Excellent gripping story gives you little time to put the book down' -- ***** Reader review'Read almost overnight, difficult to put down, a memorable yarn' -- ***** Reader review'A proper page turner' -- ***** Reader review'A brilliant read, I was hooked from the beginning to the end' -- ***** Reader review'I felt like I was on the high seas with them!' -- ***** Reader review*************************************************************1792: the start of the French Revolutionary Wars.A shadow hangs over John Thomas Fury in this his first voyage as a midshipman aboard the 32-gun frigate Amazon. The son of a violent and unstable brig commander who drove his crew to mutiny, Fury finds himself an outcast onboard and working doubly hard to prove that he isn't cursed like his father.Redemption arrives when Amazon reaches Bombay, only to discover that ships of the East India Company have disappeared, including the Company's warships. Somewhere in the Indian Ocean a very powerful privateer is at work and the Governor despatches Amazon to find and destroy her.Soon afterwards Amazon is in a desperate fight for her life against a much stronger foe. In such crucibles of fire are the officers in His Majesty's Service forged.Can Fury cover himself in glory and banish the shadows of the past are forever?Fury's adventures continue in Lieutenant Fury.
Eat Yourself Slim
by Rosemary ConleyWhether you are a vegetarian or a meat-eater, want to cook a snack or prepare a dinner party, Eat Yourself Slim includes a wide variety of recipes and meal suggestions to choose from. The book shows you how you can calculate your personal basal metabolic rate - ie how many calories your body needs to function properly - which helps you work out the level of eating that will optimise your weight loss, while not leaving you hungry. You won't feel deprived - you're even allowed a high-fat treat every day!But losing weight and staying slim isn't just about eating fewer calories and less fat. It's about finding the will power and getting your head into gear, so Eat Yourself Slim includes lots of motivational tips to help with that too. Full of delicious low-fat recipes suitable for you and all the family as well as dinner party guests, you won't even notice you're on a diet! There really is something for everyone.Cooking healthily, losing weight and keeping it off has never been so simple. Enjoy the journey and revel in your ultimate success.