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The Queen's Houses
by Alan TitchmarshThe Queen's life was dedicated to her public - every move was scrutinised, every word noted. But her homes were havens where peace could be found, away from watchful eyes; sanctuaries of private calm in a whirlwind life of public duty.In The Queen's Houses, Alan Titchmarsh takes us on a tour of the royal residences, examining the personal family stories behind these magnificent buildings. Through personal reflections, interviews with royal staff and meticulous historical research, Alan looks beyond the formal grandeur of Buckingham Palace, the imposing structure of Windsor Castle and the private escape offered by Balmoral and others.Illustrated with intimate family photographs and evocative memorabilia, The Queen's Houses offers a glimpse of life lived behind the state banquets and sovereign duties - a respectful study of the royal family at home.
The Queen's Green Canopy: Ancient Woodlands and Trees
by Adrian Houston Charles Sainsbury-PlaiceStunning photographs of the United Kingdom's most spectacular trees - with a foreword by His Majesty the King.The Queen's Green Canopy is a beautiful photography book showcasing 70 ancient trees and 70 ancient woodlands dedicated by the QGC initiative in honour of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.The book features extraordinary photographs of the United Kingdom's best-loved trees, many of which inspired historic figures, artists and writers through the centuries.Alongside these photographs are short written pieces from contributors including Dame Judi Dench, Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Joanna Lumley, Adam Henson, Archbishop Justin Welby and Danny Clarke, as well as conservation experts from the Woodland Trust and the Duchy of Cornwall. In these pieces they reflect on the trees that have made a mark on their lives and the importance of protecting Britain's woodlands for future generations.Selected trees include yews at a Cotswold's church which inspired JRR Tolkien; the apple tree believed to have inspired Sir Isaac Newton's theory of gravity; the Five Hundred Acre Wood in East Sussex immortalised in AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh books; and the 2,500-year-old tree where Henry VIII may have proposed to Anne Boleyn.So far 3 million trees have been planted by communities, schools and businesses across the country as part of the QGC initiative. Through incredible imagery and joyful pieces of writing, The Queen's Green Canopy celebrates Her Majesty's extraordinary life and the amazing legacy she leaves behind.
Queenie
by Jacqueline WilsonIt's 1953, the year Elizabeth is to be crowned Queen of England. Elsie Kettle can't wait to go to London to see the celebrations on Coronation Day. Elsie lives with her Nan - her mum works as a showgirl, so she's not around very often. Spirited and imaginative, but often lonely, Elsie longs for a best friend. Luckily, she and Nan are very close; Elsie just wishes she was allowed a cat to keep her company sometimes.Then tragedy strikes. Nan and Elsie both fall ill with tuberculosis, and Elsie finds herself whisked away to the children's ward of the hospital. Confined to bed for months on end, Elsie finds it very hard to adapt to the hospital's strict regime. But she invents astonishing ways of entertaining the other children on the ward, and for the first time finds herself surrounded by true friends - including Queenie, the hospital's majestic white cat.Finally, Elsie is well enough to leave hospital. But before she does, she has one very special, very unexpected visitor...A master storyteller - The Good Book Guide
Queen of the Road
by Lois PhoenixPrivate detective Toni Marconi has one golden rule: always mix business with pleasure. Provided, that is, she can be in charge. When she sets out on the trail of a missing heiress her friends worry she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Toni's leads take her to a nightclub on the edge of the Arizona desert where she meets characters with even stranger sexual appetites than her own. And then there is 'Red' - the enigmatic biker who holds a volatile sexual attraction for her. One thing's for sure, Toni will not give in until she's satisfied, whatever the consequences.
Queen of the Ploughing
by Anna May McHugh'The embodiment of the spirit of rural Ireland'Anna May McHugh's name is synonymous with 'the Ploughing' - the annual Championships of the National Ploughing Association. The event is the biggest outdoor agricultural show in Europe and Anna May is the driving force behind its spectacular growth.Anna May now tells her story. Her description of growing up as part of a large family in rural County Laois is an evocative and affectionate account of an Ireland that is now gone. But in her account of how she went from being a secretary of the Ploughing Association, her first job, to becoming - to her own amazement - its managing director twenty years later is a story of leadership and people skills that are very much of the twenty-first century. Anna May was truly ahead of her time.Still living in County Laois, close to where she grew up, and now in her eighties, Anna May still runs the multi-million euro operation from her home, alongside her daughter, Anna Marie. Queen of the Ploughing is a captivating read, full of warmth, lively stories and Anna May's sharp observations. And it's not just about Anna May's life, but is also a celebration of the best of Irish life over eight decades.
The Queen of Spades and Other Stories: Newly Translated And Annotated - A Collection Of 18 Most Enduring Pieces Of Pushkin's Prose Fiction
by Alexander PushkinThe Queen of Spades, one of his most popular and chilling short stories, tells of an inveterate card player who develops a dangerous obsession with the secret of an old lady's luck, which he believes will bring him the wealth he craves. The Negro of Peter the Great, a story based on the life Pushkin's own great-grandfather, is a vivid depiction - and criticism - of both French and Russian society, while Dubrovsky is the Byronic tale of a dispossessed young officer. The Captain's Daughter tells of a young man sent to military service - based on the actual events of the rebellion against Catherine II, it demonstrates Pushkin's unparalleled skill at blending fiction and history. Together these four stories display the versatility and innovation that earned Pushkin his reputation as a master of prose and established him as the towering figure in Russian literature.
The Queen of Spades (Penguin Little Black Classics)
by Alexander Pushkin'Hermann waited for the appointed hour like a tiger trembling for its prey.'One of Pushkin's most popular and chilling stories, 'The Queen of Spades' tells of a young man who develops a dangerous obsession in pursuit of the wealth he craves.One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.
The Queen Charlotte's Hospital Guide to Pregnancy & Birth
by Adriana Hunter Queen Charlotte's HospitalThis book is a practical, sympathetic and complete guide to having a baby - from conception to delivery. Written in association with Britain's leading maternity hospital, it draws on the wide experience of the hospital's doctors and midwives and also contains insightful comments from parents themselves. Organised on a week-by-week basis and illustrated throughout, this comprehensive book shows step-by-step how the baby develops and what changes the mother will experience. It tells you how you may be feeling both phyically and emotionally and when, how to choose the right nutrition and exercise at various times of the pregnancy, how to prepare for the birth and the choices available to you, what to expect during labour and the options for pain relief, care after birth and much more. The very first book of its kind to obtain such a unique endorsement, The Queen Charlotte's Hospital Guide to Pregnancy and Birth answers every question parents might ask and promises to become the definitive book on this important subject.
Quarter Tones
by Susan MannThe most important things are hardest to find words for, her father once said. That's why people make music.When Ana returns to the ramshackle cottage of her youth in the seaside village of Noordhoek, near Cape Town, she does so with the intention of sorting out her father's affairs. It soon becomes clear that more is at stake. After a decade in London, where she has failed to find work as a musician, her return to South Africa puts further distance into an already strained marriage, not only because she is out of reach, but because Michael, her husband, has lost faith in the country.Quick to welcome her is her neighbour, Franz van der Veer, an architect searching for redemption. This is further complicated by the arrival of his eccentric brother, Daniel. Against a tangle of childhood memories, scarred histories and renewed hope, Ana finally starts to confront the death of Sam, her Irish luthier father, and with it, questions of guilt and belonging. Lyrical and beautifully told, Quarter Tones is a story about music and love and loss.
Quantum Mechanics (The Ladybird Expert Series #2)
by Jim Al-KhaliliWhat is quantum mechanics? Learn from the experts in the ALL-NEW LADYBIRD EXPERT SERIESA clear, simple and entertaining introduction to the weird, mind-bending world of the very, very small.Written by physicist and broadcaster Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Quantum Mechanics explores all the key players, breakthroughs, controversies and unanswered questions of the quantum world.You'll discover:- How the sun shines- Why light is both a wave and a particle- The certainty of the Uncertainty Principle- Schrodinger's Cat- Einstein's spooky action- How to build a quantum computer- Why quantum mechanics drives even its experts completely crazy'Jim Al-Khalili has done an admirable job of condensing the ideas of quantum physics from Max Planck to the possibilities of quantum computers into brisk, straightforward English' THE TIMESLearn about other topics in the Ladybird Experts series including The Big Bang, Gravity, Climate Change and Evolution.Written by the leading lights and most outstanding communicators in their fields, the Ladybird Expert books provide clear, accessible and authoritative introductions to subjects drawn from science, history and culture. For an adult readership, the Ladybird Expert series is produced in the same iconic small format pioneered by the original Ladybirds. Each beautifully illustrated book features the first new illustrations produced in the original Ladybird style for nearly forty years.
The Quality of Love: an engrossing saga following one woman’s lessons in love set in Cardiff during the 1920s
by Rosie HarrisFans of Dilly Court, Kitty Neale, Emma Hornby and Rosie Goodwin will love this mesmerising and moving saga of love and loss from much-loved multi-million copy bestseller Rosie Harris. With strong characters and vivid descriptions, it's a real page-turner!WHAT READERS ARE SAYING!'Rosie Harris takes you to a different world with her fantastic stories. I find it very hard to put one of her books down' - 5 STARS'Brilliant'-- 5 STARS'Kept me engrossed from start to finish' -- 5 STARS'Delightful' - 5 STARS*******************************************************************************************************WOULD SHE ALWAYS BE UNLUCKY IN LOVE?The only child of over-protective parents, Sarah Lewis yearns to leave home. Studying hard to please them, she earns a place at Cardiff University. Here she is swept off her feet by handsome Gwyn Roberts, but when she becomes pregnant her parents are devastated and turn her from their door.All Gwyn and Sarah can afford are two squalid rooms in the infamous slums of Cardiff and Sarah soon realises she's made a terrible mistake. Gwyn becomes increasingly distant and when the baby dies in infancy, he leaves Sarah with little choice but to fall on her parents' mercy.But just when Sarah is starting to pull her life back together again, she is drawn to the charms of Stefan Vaughan and finds herself in trouble once more...
Pyramid Of Delights
by Kendal GrahameIn Ancient Egypt the pharaoh was seen as God. Able to indulge his every whim, the omnipotent ruler and his court enjoyed many and varied lascivious diversions, bound only by the extent of their imaginations.Into this world stumbles Aran, a handsome young soldier whose over-active libido soon finds welcome release at the hands of the beautiful Princess Nadhira and her handmaidens. All is well until he is drawn to the forbidden pyramid of delights - a temple shrouded in mystery where secret erotic rituals are carried out only for the benefit of the most privileged members of the pharaoh's court. However, Aran is determined to discover the supremely sexual secrets that lie within the golden pyramid even if it means incurring the wrath of the pharaoh.
The Pyramid Diet
by Danni LevyThe diet of a lifetimeLow carb, low fat, low calorie ... you've probably tried them all. But throw the word 'low' into the mix and your loyalty to any eating plan is not likely to last long enough to lose weight and keep it off.The Pyramid Diet is an exciting and rewarding diet which has lifetime sustainability. It is also the most balanced diet to date: you can eat carbs and you can eat fruit! It is also adaptable to any social situation: you can still go to your local Chinese restaurant, as long as you follow Danni's recommendations as to what to order. It is based on a simple, easy to follow, 3-day cycle:day 1: high carbs day 2: low carbs day 3: no carbsBy rotating your carbohydrate consumption, you keep your metabolism elevated. Danni also tells you which days are best for cardiovascular and resistance exercises if you want a bikini body in time for the beach this summer.Effective and achievable, The Pyramid Diet provides dieters with the structure they need and allows them to eat the food they love. The weight is over - welcome to a new you!
Putin's Prisoner: My Time as a Prisoner of War in Ukraine
by Aiden Aslin John SweeneyBrought to you by Penguin.Aiden Aslin joined the Ukrainian marines in 2018, compelled to defend his adopted homeland from the growing threat of Russian invasion. In February 2022, as Russia mounted a full-scale offensive, Aiden and his unit were stationed at the frontline at Mariupol.Pinned down at a Mariupol steelworks, after a month-long siege and running out of supplies, Aiden was part of the mass surrender of over a thousand Ukrainian troops, in April 2022. Then his real ordeal began.Singled out for his British passport, Aiden was interrogated, tortured, stabbed, turned into a propaganda zombie, tried by a kangaroo court and then sentenced to death. A victim of a catalogue of abuses of international law, Aiden struggled to cling on to any hope of survival. Certain that he was going to be executed, he was eventually freed in a prisoner exchange and permitted to return home.In Putin's Prisoner, Aiden will tell the full, harrowing story of his time fighting in Putin's war, of his six months in Russian captivity, and of his hardened resolve to defend the freedoms of the people of Ukraine.©2023 Aiden Aslin & John Sweeney (P)2023 Penguin Audio
Put Me Back on My Bike: In Search of Tom Simpson
by William FotheringhamDiscover the story of Britain’s ultimate cyclist and his ill-fated race during the 1967 Tour de France, from the bestselling author of Half Man Half BikeTom Simpson was an Olympic medallist, world champion and the first Briton to wear the fabled yellow jersey of the Tour de France. He died a tragic early death during the 1967 Tour. A man of contradictions, Simpson was one of the first cyclists to admit to using banned drugs, and was accused of fixing races, yet the dapper 'Major Tom' inspired awe and affection for the obsessive will to win which was ultimately to cost him his life. Put Me Back on My Bike revisits the places and people associated with Simpson to produce the definitive story of Britain's greatest ever cyclist. The fully revised and updated edition of William Fotheringham's classic biography features a new foreword and postscript further exploring the truth behind the legend.‘The best cycling biography ever written' Velo ‘A beautiful explanation of why Simpson's legend still exerts such a powerful hold’ Sunday Times
The Pursuit of the Well-beloved and the Well-beloved
by Thomas HardyHardy's two versions of a strange story set in the weird landscape of Portland. The central figure is a man obsessed both with the search for his ideal woman and with sculpting the perfect figure of Aphrodite.
The Pursuit of Perfection: The Life, Death and Legacy of Cormac McAnallen
by Dónal McAnallenIn 2001, Cormac McAnallen was voted Young Footballer of the Year. In 2003, he helped Tyrone to its first-ever All-Ireland championship win, and was named an All-Star. He was, by any measure, one of the best and most promising young footballers in Ireland.But in March 2004, Cormac McAnallen died suddenly of an undetected heart condition. He was, truly, a young star cut down just as he entered his prime. As he worked his way up through the ranks of club, school and inter-county football, Cormac almost always had his brother Dónal - just a year older - by his side. Nobody else in the world knew as well as Dónal did how badly Cormac wanted to succeed, how hard he worked, or how much thought he put into his game.In The Pursuit of Perfection, Dónal McAnallen draws upon Cormac's diaries and frank self-assessments, and his own memories of their experiences, to create a remarkable portrait of a young sportsman's mindset and methods. It is both one of the most remarkable GAA books ever written and - in its intimacy and depth - a book that transcends Gaelic games.'Exceptional ... Unique and compelling, raw and moving ... Much better than any myth or legend' Paul Rouse, Irish Examiner'A touching, sometimes bracing biography ... It feels like a final word, the family's last say on how he lived and how he died and how he ought to be remembered.' Malachy Clerkin, Irish Times'Beautifully told' Dermot Crowe, Sunday Independent'Stirs something deep around the concept of brotherhood' Belfast Telegraph'Heart-rending ... It is a painstakingly researched work - aided by the fact that both brothers kept meticulous diaries - and what's striking about the story is the pressure that Cormac was under despite or maybe because of his success with Tyrone' Sunday World
The Purple Cloud
by M P ShielDark, desolate and fantastical, The Purple Cloud was a pioneer in the genre of apocalyptic novels, and the first great science fiction work of the twentieth century. It inspired authors such as H. P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. The Purple Cloud tells the grandly bleak story of Adam Jeffson: the first man to reach the North Pole and the last man left alive on earth. A sweet-smelling, deadly cloud of poisonous gas has devastated the world, and as Jeffson travels the stricken globe in search of human life, he slowly succumbs to madness, and unleashes fire and destruction on his planet. John Sutherland's introduction discusses M. P. Shiel's dissolute life, the originality of his book and its place within the context of 'last man' novels. This edition also includes a chronology, notes and further reading.
Purity
by Aishling MorganTruscott faces the prospect of living on his brother's charity. His efforts to make his fortune lead him along a path of debauchery and perversion, from stripping girls in a brothel to indulging three at once in a Belgravia drawing room. Meanwhile, his wife is pursued by the sadistic d'Aignan.Part of Aishling Morgan's Truscott saga.
Puritanism & Revolution
by Christopher HillThis illuminating collection of essays assesses the seventeenth century, interpreting what used to be called 'The Puritan Revolution', the ideas which helped to produce it and resulted from it, and the relation between these ideas and the political and economic events of the day. Each essay approaches the subject from a different angle, looking at aspects of the revolution - whether religious, constitutional, economic or biographical - in conjunction with a lively sympathy for the men who lived in that revolutionary time. Analysing the writings of Marvell, Hobbes, Harrington and Samuel Richardson, as well as less 'respectable' writers, Professor Hill examines the legacy of the Reformation and the inspiration provided by ideals like the Brotherhood of Man and the desire to re-create a pre-Norman Golden Age. A book that no serious student of our history should miss; it is a treasury of interesting detail and strong ideas, CV Wedgwood.
Purgatorio
by DanteIn Purgatorio Dante, having described his journey into Hell, narrates his ascent of Mount Purgatory with Virgil, as he encounters penitents who toil through physical agonies, starvation and flames to assuage their earthly vices. Only by learning from them can he achieve his final enlightened transition to the lost Earthly Paradise at the mountain’s summit, where he meets his dead love, Beatrice, and prepares to ascend to Heaven. Depicting a realm of intense sensation and physical experience, Dante’s poem transformed the traditional Christian idea of Purgatory by showing how the free will of the aspiring soul could change wordly perversions into perfection. It is a brilliantly nuanced and moving allegory of human possibility, hope and redemption.
Pure Evil: Inside the Minds and Crimes of Britain’s Worst Criminals
by Geoffrey WansellAs featured in Geoffrey Wansell's UPCOMING TRUE CRIME TV series, Murder By The Sea on CBS Reality . . . A fascinating exposé of the country's most violent murderers and their horrifying crimes, based on years of original research and intimate interviews.Pure Evil takes a close look at the country's deadliest criminals, from those who horrified the nation to those less famous but equally brutal; they are all serving life sentences behind bars, but what made them do it? Delving deeper into the stories of lifers such as Jeremy Bamber, Joanna Dennehy and Ian Huntley, Pure Evil asks whether they are just that...or something more complex.In this shocking, chilling and powerful book Geoffrey Wansell exposes killers' motivations and remorse, but also seeks out an answer to the vital question: should life always mean life?
The Puppy and the Orphan
by Suzanne LambertA heart-warming new story from the bestselling author of Christmas at the Ragdoll OrphanageChristmas, 1953When little Billy discovers a lost puppy in the grounds of his orphanage home, he knows that the nuns will never allow him to keep a pet. But as Billy stares into the adorable Labrador's big brown eyes, he knows in his heart that he can't bear to be parted from his new friend.So he comes up with a plan.With the help of his fellow orphans, Billy hides the puppy in the caretaker's cottage. Together the children swear not to reveal the secret to the grown-ups. Yet as Billy and the puppy's special bond develops, his dread of discovery and being separated from his beloved dog grows . . .The Puppy and the Orphan tells the story of many lost souls who have found refuge at the orphanage, and how love helps each of them to fight for a second chance of somewhere to call home.
The Punishment Club
by Jacqueline MastersonFudge and her mistress, Clarissa, belong to the Thames Valley Punishment Club, which puts on a series of kinky events at a refurbished army camp. Fudge is jealous when Clarissa seduces a young scaffolder, revealing his submissive side.But at least Fudge does not have to endure the camp for male re-education, where the Oxford Bluestockings, rivals of the TVCP, take measures to change Scott the scaffolder's tabloid-reading ways.
The Punishment Camp
by Jacqueline MastersonFudge and her mistress, Clarissa, belong to the Thames Valley Punishment Club, which puts on a series of kinky events at a refurbished army camp. Fudge is jealous when Clarissa seduces a young scaffolder, revealing his submissive side.But at least Fudge does not have to endure the camp for male re-education, where the Oxford Bluestockings, rivals of the TVCP, take measures to change Scott the scaffolder's tabloid-reading ways