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The Origin Of Plants: The People And Plants That Have Shaped Britain's Garden History
by Maggie Campbell-CulverA fascinating history of Britain's plant biodiversity and a unique account of how our garden landscape has been transformed over 1000 years, from 200 species of plant in the year 1000 to the astonishing variety of plants we can all see today. Thousands of plants have been introduced into Britain since 1066 by travellers, warriors, explorers and plant hunters - plants that we now take for granted such as rhododendron from the Far East, gladiolus from Africa and exotic plants like the monkey puzzle tree from Chile.Both a plant history and a useful reference book, Maggie Campbell-Culver has researched the provenance and often strange histories of many of the thousands of plants, exploring the quirky and sometimes rude nature of the plants, giving them a personality all of their own and setting them in their social context. The text is supported by beautiful contemporary paintings and modern photographs in 2 x 8 pp colour sections.
No Place for a Woman
by Val WoodWhen Lucy’s parents are killed in a train crash, her kindly uncle steps in to look after the little girl – to the initial apprehension of his wife and her son. However, Lucy’s sweet, spirited charm slowly wins over her new family, and as she overcomes the trauma of her childhood, she grows up inspired to become a doctor, just like her father.But studying medicine in London takes Lucy far from her home in Hull and the people she loves, and she has to battle to be accepted in a man’s world.With the dark clouds of the First World War gathering on the horizon, an even greater challenge approaches. Can a woman find her place on the front line of battle? Will Lucy be able to follow her dreams – and find love – in a world shattered by war?Val Wood's wonderful historical sagas are perfect for readers of Dilly Court, Maggie Hope and Rosie Goodwin.
Run, Lily, Run
by Martha LongLilly and Ceily Carney are only seven and twelve when their mother is cruelly taken from them, leaving them at the mercy of the Church and the authorities. This is a terrifying prospect in 1950s Dublin, where it is likely that the girls will end up in one of Ireland’s notorious Magdalen laundries – a fate they are determined to escape.When Father Flitters and the ‘Cruelty’ people arrive to take the children into care, Lilly and Ceily resist, and a riot breaks out. The girls are helped by kind Mister Mullins and his daughter Delia, but events lead to further tragedy and Lilly is left to fend for herself on the dangerous streets. Heartbroken, hungry and vulnerable, she looks like easy prey and it seems there will be no safe haven for her to find.
Winter's Fire: (The Rise of Sigurd 2): An atmospheric and adrenalin-fuelled Viking saga from bestselling author Giles Kristian (Sigurd #2)
by Giles KristianA thrilling and breathtaking Viking saga of betrayal, bloodshed and brotherhood from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lancelot, Giles Kristian. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Games of Thrones."Nobody writes this type of swaggering historical fiction better than Kristian" -- THE TIMES"A belter of a novel...perfect for fans of historical fiction and fantasy alike, from Cornwell to Abercrombie" -- BEN KANE"Combines gritty, brutal history with the lyrical essence of men as war...written with a panache that made the pages fly by. More!" -- ANTHONY RICHES"I love a good Viking romp and these are really good!" -- ***** Reader review"Giles Kristian certainly knows how to spin a yarn." -- ***** Reader review***********************************A VOW OF VENGEANCE MUST BE KEPT...Norway AD 785. Sigurd Haraldarson has proved himself a great warrior . . . and a dangerous enemy.And yet the oath-breaker King Gorm, who betrayed Sigurd's father, still lives. The sacred vow to avenge his family burns in Sigurd's veins, but he must be patient and bide his time as he knows that he and his band of warriors are not yet strong enough to confront the treacherous king. They need silver; they need more fighters to rally to the young Viking's banner; they need to win fame upon the battlefield.And so the fellowship venture to Sweden, to fight as mercenaries. And it is there - in the face of betrayal and bloodshed, on a journey that will take him all too close to the halls of Valhalla - that Sigurd's destiny will be forged...The Vikings return in this thrilling, thunderous sequel to Giles Kristian's bestselling God of Vengeance. Sigurd's adventures continue in Wing's of the Storm.
Wings of the Storm: (The Rise of Sigurd 3): An all-action, gripping Viking saga from bestselling author Giles Kristian (Sigurd #3)
by Giles KristianA Viking saga of warmongering, honour and loyalty from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Lancelot, Giles Kristian. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Games of Thrones."A fitting end to a trilogy that fans of Bernard Cornwell should devour" -- THE TIMES"The master storyteller...whose books throw the reader headlong into the Viking age." -- BEN KANE"This remains Viking writing at its best: thrilling in it truest sense, heart-rendering and, yes, glorious." -- MANDA SCOTT"Probably the best Viking saga I have ever read -- ***** Reader review "Wonderfully written and researched, the whole series makes the entire Nordic world come alive" -- ***** Reader review"This trilogy is gripping from start to finish" -- ***** Reader review*****************************************THE GODS MUST BE FAVOURED...Norway, AD 785. A wild place, a place of blood, a place where the gods hold sway . . .Sigurd Haraldarson and his oathsworn band are winning fame and reputation. But to confront his hated enemy - the oath-breaker and betrayer King Gorm - they must win riches too.When a daring raid goes wrong, Sigurd finds himself a prisoner of the powerful Jarl Guthrum. Bound like a slave, he is taken to the sacred temple at Ubsola to face the sacrificial knife.But here Sigurd discovers a potent relic: Gungnir, a great spear that would give him the power to assemble a host strong enough to challenge King Gorm, and avenge the betrayal of his father and the murder of his family.The roar of Odin and the wild hunt will be as nothing compared to Sigurd's rage, for he and his warriors will be borne on the wings of the storm . . .Wings of the Storm concludes the Viking saga, started in God of Vengeance and Winter's Fire.
Second Best: My Dad and Me
by Calum BestTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERCalum Best should have had it all. As the only son of world-famous footballing legend George Best and his first wife Angie, a gorgeous English model, Calum was born into a world of privilege and opportunity.But his father’s fame came at a price, and George’s playing career was soon overshadowed by his playboy lifestyle and an increasing dependence on the comforting embrace of alcohol. Whilst his tumultuous later years could never diminish the memories of the peerless, often breathtaking, quality of his football, they had a profound effect on Calum.Growing up with his mother in California, Calum’s visits to see his father in England were all too rare, and he cherished every moment he could spend in the company of the man he adored. But as George’s alcoholism spiralled out of control, inebriation frequently led to violence and George’s self-destruction spilled over onto his son.Vivid, deeply moving, brave and honest, Second Best is the heart-breaking story of their relationship. It is a powerful tale of love and suffering, of an absent father and his wayward son, and of a family torn apart by addiction.
The Mill Girls of Albion Lane
by Jenny Holmes**Don't miss Jenny Holmes's latest wartime series, The Air Raid Girls. Part 3 - The Air Raid Girls: Wartime Brides - is available now!** ----------------------------On the cobbled streets of a Yorkshire mill town in 1931, Lily Briggs does all she can to keep trouble at bay for her and her family.She works hard at Calvert Mill to make ends meet and take care of her parents and younger siblings. Saturday nights at the dance hall and dressmaking with her two best friends keep Lily upbeat, and now there's a blossoming romance with childhood friend Harry Bainbridge to put an extra spring in her step, too.But then a run of misfortune threatens Lily's work, home and personal life, and she has to rely on the community at the mill to rally together for support. With so many others to worry about, will Lily always put them first or can she find her own happy ending?A heart-warming, nostalgic tale of triumph over adversity that readers of Katie Flynn, Donna Douglas and Call the Midwife will adore.---------------------------- Readers love Jenny Holmes: 'There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book' 5 star review 'I couldn't put this book down' 5 star review 'Loved the whole story' 5 star review 'This is a totally absorbing book' 5 star review 'An excellent read put together in fine style' 5 star review
Song of Myself
by Walt WhitmanDo I contradict myself?Very well then I contradict myself.(I am large, I contain multitudes.)Abundant, ecstatic, generous, courageous - this is the first American epic poem, a celebration of selfhood and a catalogue of nineteenth-century American life of all ages and races. Revolutionary in style and controversial in content when it was first published in 1855, Whitman's masterwork has since inspired generations with its intoxicating rhythms and images, and its inclusive, praiseful joy.THE ORIGINAL 1855 TEXT
Mushroom Season
by Nina Lyon'Mushroom Season' is a ramble through magic mushrooms, mountains and metaphysics. After heavy sanctions relegated their use to a spell in the stoner wilderness, are psilocybin mushrooms about to help reframe important social and philosophical debates about our minds, and ourselves?Where do they grow? What do they do to our brains? And why are they eschewed by the bourgois? Nina Lyon introduces us to Liberty Caps and Fly Agarics, the characters she encountered as a student tripper and the differences between home-grown hallucinogens and Mexican export. Among the anecdotes and observations are chemical facts, etymological revelations and philosophical speculation. Why are mushrooms subject to social stigma? What are the good effects they might have on us? And how does illegalisation damage a culture of free-thinking and experiment? Taking apart the teenage clichés and middle-class prejudice associated with the drug, Nina Lyon provides a wonderfully entertaining history of the magic mushroom.
Of Love and Desire
by Louis de BernieresOf Love and Desire is a rich collection of love poems from Louis de Bernières, written over a lifetime, and capturing its many forms – from rapture, infatuation, urgency, to sorrow, heartache and disillusion. Poetry was de Bernières’ first and greatest literary love, a passion evident in the musicality and emotion of his poems, which are full of stories and the truth of lived experience. This, his second collection, bears the mark of many influences, from the classical Persian poets, to Neruda, to Quintus Smyrnaeus, to Brian Patten.Beautifully illustrated by Donald Sammut, this is an indispensable companion on the lover’s journey.
Two Brothers
by Bernardo AtxagaAn elegiac tale of lost innocence and the ruthlessness of the natural world, where the hunter all too soon becomes the prey. As he dies leaving his two boys orphans, Paulo's father lays on him the duty to look after his retarded but overgrown younger brother, for otherwise Daniel will be put away in an institution. But Daniel never listens to his brother, who is unable to exert any authority over him. Instead Daniel, aged twenty and still in the throes of puberty, goes off in an inept, fumbling pursuit of the village girls, as they ride past on their bicycles on the way to sewing lessons or cake-baking classes. Among these girls are pretty Teresa and her plain friend, Carmen, a girl disfigured by a birthmark on one cheek. Both of them are sweet on Paulo, the quiet, irresolute but handsome lad who works in the family sawmill, while Teresa is the reluctant, indeed disgusted, object of Daniel's dreams. Each girl schemes to cut the other out and win favour with Paulo. All ends in tears. And the narrators of this story, who take turns to continue the tale, are creatures of the wild, driven by their inner voices - a bird, squirrels, a black snake.
Why Men Skim Stones: An Illustrated A-Z of Modern Man
by Chris WindleHave you ever watched a man angling in the rain, building a shelter when there’s a bed waiting for him at home or peeing as high as he can up a wall?In Why Men Skim Stones, Chris Windle provides an amusing and indispensable insight into why men do the things they do. Here, finally, is a guide that tackles the big questions: why do male friends express their affection by subjecting each other to casual acts of violence? Why is it common for a man to have more of an idea of what he might do in the event of a zombie apocalypse, than what he might buy his mum for Christmas? If you’ve ever been dumbfounded when faced with a man who would rather talk to an inanimate object than read the instruction booklet, this is the book for you.Why Men Skim Stones is a compendium of oddness which, by offering explanations for man’s often bizarre behaviour, seeks to promote tolerance and understanding. This is a book that could save relationships, smooth family life or provide much needed reassurance for any man seeking to better understand his own actions.
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (Cambridge Texts In The History Of Political Thought Ser.)
by Mary WollstonecraftA key work of proto-feminism, Mary Wollstonecraft's readable and impassioned argument is as relevant today as it was two hundred years ago. Before the concept of equality between the sexes was even conceived, Wollstonecraft wrote this book, a treatise of proto-feminism that was as powerful and original then as it is now. In it she argues with clarity and originality for the rational education of women and for an increased female contribution to society. It was a cry for justice from a woman with no power other than her pen and it put in motion a drive towards greater equality between men and women, a movement which continues to this day. ‘The first great piece of feminist writing’ Independent
Uncle Tom's Cabin
by Harriet Beecher StoweBeecher Stowe’s vivid descriptions uncover the harrowing situations faced by slaves in Civil War America.When a Kentucky farmer faces financial ruin, he reluctantly sells his slaves, and Uncle Tom finds himself the property of a cruel plantation owner, fighting for his freedom and ultimately, for his right to live. With a rich narrative and wonderfully realised characters, this is a panoramic, incredibly accomplished work. Originally published to much acclaim in 1852, it quickly established Harriet Beecher Stowe as one of America’s most influential female novelists and was crucial in helping to secure the abolition of slavery.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
by Frederick DouglassFrederick Douglass was a key figure in helping to secure the abolition of slavery in America – discover his Narrative. A masterpiece … [Douglass] was not only self-educated, with a love of language which should still be an inspiration; he was also self-created’ New York Times Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818. After his escape in 1838 he became an ardent abolitionist, and his autobiography was an instant bestseller upon publication in 1845. In it he describes with harrowing honesty his life as a slave – the cruelty he suffered at the hands of plantation owners; his struggles to educate himself in a world where slaves are deliberately kept ignorant; and ultimately, his fight for his right to freedom. A passionately written, intelligent and highly emotive indictment of slavery, his principle preoccupation was that slavery could be eradicated only through education. This text was key in helping to secure its eventual abolition.
A Local Habitation: Life and Times, Volume One 1918-40
by Richard HoggartRichard Hoggart's book, The Uses of Literary, established his reputation as a uniquely sensitive and observant chronicler of English working-class life. In this vivid first volume of autobiography he describes his origins in that milieu. Orphaned at an early age, Hoggart grew up in a working-class district of Leeds, in an intimate world of terraced back-to-backs, visits from the local Board of Guardians, clothing checks and potted-meat sandwiches. With affectionate insight he recreates the family circle - a loving grandmother, one domineering and on gentle aunt, and a bibulous, melancholy uncle - and recalls his early schooling, the friends he made and the mentors he admired. Hard-working and articulate, Hoggart did well enough at grammar school to go on to Leeds University. This volume ends as, having earned a higher degree and travelled in Nazi Germany, he prepares to leave Yorkshire, via the Army, for the world beyond. Wry, compassionate, exact, A Local Habitation is a classic recreation of working-class England between the wars.
Meringue Girls: Everything Sweet
by Alex Hoffler Stacey O’GormanFeast your eyes upon unusual edible gifts, cool confectionary and delicious things in all colours of the rainbow in recipes that burst with flavour and are totally on trend. Get your glitter out and get inspired.Think raspberry & lemon layer cake decorated with splattered buttercream and Persian fairy floss. Flavoured honeycombs from hazelnut & coffee to rhubarb & rose. 'CRACK' brûlée tart with homemade vanilla bean paste. Coyo, mango and raspberry rockets and the MOTHER of all carrot cakes. This book is EVERYTHING SWEET - Meringue Girls-style. Chapters include Gifts, Gifts, Gifts; Cakes & Dreams; Ain't No Party Like An MG party; Save Room for Dessert; Just Add Glitter and Back to Basics.
Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen (Vintage Classics Austen Series)
by Jane Austen**One of the BBC's 100 Novels That Shaped Our World** Discover 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. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ALEXANDER MCCALL SMITH VINTAGE CLASSICS AUSTEN SERIES - all six of Jane Austen's major novels, beautifully designed and introduced by our finest contemporary writers.
Persuasion: NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX FILM (Vintage Classics Austen Series)
by Jane Austen**FEATURED IN THE TIKTOK BOOKCLUB**'In Persuasion, Jane Austen picks up the pen to tell us who we are and what we want' Independent Eight years ago Anne Elliot bowed to pressure from her family and made the decision not to marry the man she loved, Captain Wentworth. Now circumstances have conspired to bring him back into her social circle and Anne finds her old feelings for him reignited. However, when they meet again Wentworth behaves as if they are strangers and seems more interested in her friend Louisa. In this, her final novel, Jane Austen tells the story of a love that endures the tests of time and society with humour, insight and tenderness. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY LYNNE TRUSS VINTAGE CLASSICS AUSTEN SERIES - all six of Jane Austen's major novels, beautifully designed and introduced by our finest contemporary writers.
Sense and Sensibility: Jane Austen (Vintage Classics Austen Series)
by Jane Austen'Beautifully designed... Perfect collectable gift for Austen fans and design devotees' So Darling 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. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY FRANCESCA SEGAL VINTAGE CLASSICS AUSTEN SERIES - all six of Jane Austen's major novels, beautifully designed and introduced by our finest contemporary writers.
Northanger Abbey: Jane Austen (Vintage Classics Austen Series)
by Jane AustenJane Austen takes a satirical swipe at the gothic novel in this classic book bursting with sly subversive wit. 'Jane Austen is a genius, and Northanger Abbey is hugely underrated' Martin Amis Catherine Morland is a young girl with a very active imagination. Her naivety and love of sensational novels lead her to approach the fashionable social scene in Bath and her stay at nearby Northanger Abbey with preconceptions that have embarrassing and entertaining consequences. WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY P.D. JAMES VINTAGE CLASSICS AUSTEN SERIES - all six of Jane Austen's major novels, beautifully designed and introduced by our finest contemporary writers.
Simple Pleasures: Little Things That Make Life Worth Living
by VariousWhat are the little things that make life worth living? A walk in the countryside, perhaps; a log fire; a letter from a friend. In Simple Pleasures, some of the UK's best-loved writers and public figures ponder this conundrum and come up with their own answers, sharing their thoughts on, among other things, the joys of picking up litter, whittling sticks, reading aloud, and devouring a good cheese sandwich. With contributions from A. C. Grayling, Robert McCrum, Prue Leith, Sebastian Faulks and Ann Widdecombe, to name just a few, Simple Pleasures is perfect reading for anyone who appreciates - or aspires to - the finer, simpler things in life.
Valley Of Decision
by Stanley MiddletonA novel from the Booker-Prize winning author Stanley Middleton. Rejacked and reissued in Windmill.Mary and David Blackwell are content in their marriage but when Mary, a talented opera singer, is offered the chance to sing in America, everything changes. David, a music teacher and amateur cellist, is left behind in England and, when he suddenly stops hearing from her, he must decide how to carry on and what to do.'It is a very, very long time since any book made me physically cry. But Stanley Middleton's Valley of Decision did just that, twice... The story is simple... Anyone, well almost anyone, could write that story... But only Mr Middleton could turn it into something approaching a small masterpiece.' Martyn Goff, Daily Telegraph'Increasingly, Middleton's command of the ordinary has become extraordinary... In this new novel the rigours and solaces of making music are cleverly (but uninsistently) counter-pointed with the human relationships that accompany them.' Anthony Thwaite, Observer
Nightingales at War: (Nightingales 6) (Nightingales #6)
by Donna DouglasAs the war takes its toll, the Nightingale nurses must do their bit for king and country…Dora is the devoted mother of twin babies but, determined to help the war effort, she goes back to work at the Nightingale Hospital.More used to nights out in the West End, Jennifer and Cissy volunteer in the hope of tending to handsome soldiers. They soon find out that nursing isn’t quite what they were expecting.For shy and troubled Eve, the hospital provides an escape from the pressures of home, but the life of a nurse is never easy, especially at wartime.Can the nurses rally together while war rages all around them? And will the Nightingale Hospital survive the Blitz?
Nightingales Under the Mistletoe: (Nightingales 7) (Nightingales #7)
by Donna DouglasChristmas 1941 and the nurses at the Nightingale are facing their toughest winter yet.With shortages everywhere, and every news bulletin announcing more defeats and losses, the British people are weary and demoralised and The Nightingale Hospital is suffering too. Millie is recently widowed and dealing with the demands of her family’s estate. It’s not long before her old world of The Nightingale begins to beckon, along with a long-lost love…Jess is struggling with her move from East London to the quiet of the countryside.Effie finds herself exiled to a quiet village, but the quiet doesn’t last for long as she soon finds excitement in the shape of a smooth-talking GI. As Christmas approaches, even the shelter of the countryside can’t protect the girls from heartache.