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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
The Song of Kieu: A New Lament
by Nguyen DuEver since it exploded into Vietnam's cultural life two centuries ago, The Song of Kieu has been one of that nation's most beloved and defining central myths. It recounts the tragic fate of the beautiful singer and poet Kieu, who agrees to marry to save her family from debt but is tricked into working in a brothel. Over the course of a swift-moving story involving kidnap, war, jealous wives and rebel heroes, she will become a queen, wife, nun, slave, victim and avenger, surviving through the strength of her words and her wits alone.Translated with an introduction by Timothy Allen
Song For A Dark Queen
by Rosemary SutcliffFrom the day Cadwan fashioned a sword from a willow wand and composed a victory song for his young mistress, Boudicca, he has loyally charted her rise to Queen. Boudicca is the strong and brave leader of the Iceni tribe - courageously guiding her people from one victorious battle to her next. Then Emperor Nero rules that the royal line of the Iceni is to be ended, and Boudicca knows this is one battle she cannot afford to lose . . .
Son of a Silverback: Growing Up in the Shadow of an Alpha Male
by Russell Kane'Brilliantly written. Very funny and heartbreaking.' Davina McCallFrom one of Britain's most popular and prolific comedians comes a hilarious and deeply moving memoir of life lived under the rule of a Silverback dad. The Silverback is considered the undisputed king, a creature whose authority is never challenged and who does not yield to compromise. He walks proudly, feeds greedily, grafts tirelessly, mates voraciously, swears constantly and is threatened all too easily. The Silverback is known to nestle in the misty peaks of central Africa but can also be found in Barking, Essex. Meet Dave Kane, the disappointed, steroid-ingesting, metal-wielding, bouncer father of slight, effete Gamma Male, Russell Kane.SON OF A SILVERBACK is a story about fathers and sons, class and education and how one scrawny, sensitive, fake-tan-applying 'ponce' stepped out of his father's shadow and became a man - whatever that means.What readers are saying:***** 'This is so much more than a comedian's life story.'***** 'I read this book in about two days. It was gripping, funny, sad, and it felt deeply honest.'***** 'An exposing and candid exploration of Russell's family and foundations and all the better for its frankness . . . Full of laughs, poignancy and appropriate introspection.'
Somewhere Else
by Charles Rangeley-WilsonSomewhere Else is a thousand miles away and right next-door. It's where fly-fishing takes you: a place and state of mind. In fourteen beautifully crafted stories Charles Rangeley-Wilson takes us around the world, from Arctic Quebec to upland Croatia, from the Scottish islands to the Northern Territories, always journeying into the heart of the landscape to meet ordinary, extraordinary people. Somewhere Else is a book about escaping from what you think you know, to find out how things really are.
Somewhere (Nowhere #3)
by Jon RobinsonThe action-packed finale to Jon Robinson's debut conspiracy thriller trilogy, Nowhere.In hiding with the mysterious Guild, Alyn, Jes and their friends learn of a way to destroy the prison called Nowhere and end the Pledge's project for good. But another, far more dangerous figure, has plans to send the country spiralling into anarchy and chaos. Will the gang be able to stop him in time, or might it already be too late...?
Something Childish But Very Natural (Penguin Great Loves #Vol. 13)
by Katherine MansfieldHenry is naive and has never experienced love. When he meets golden-haired Edna in a train carriage, however, his world changes forever. But the intensity of their feelings threatens their innocence, and Edna knows she is too young to leave her childhood behind. United by the theme of love, the writings in the Great Loves series span over two thousand years and vastly different worlds. Readers will be introduced to love’s endlessly fascinating possibilities and extremities: romantic love, platonic love, erotic love, gay love, virginal love, adulterous love, parental love, filial love, nostalgic love, unrequited love, illicit love, not to mention lost love, twisted and obsessional love…
Something About Workmen
by Alison TylerCat Harrington leads a double life. A Los Angeles script editor with successful engineer boyfriend, she engages in a risky and risqué relationship with Brock, the rough-and-ready head of a movie road crew, who fulfills her sensuous cravings for honest, skin-on-skin sex. He's good-looking. And sexy. And built. Better yet, Brock likes her when she's dirty, while everyone in Cat's world expects her to be squeaky clean.Before she can make her decision about which man is right for her, her boyfriend is promoted, and his new position puts him directly in charge of her lover. Now Cat is about to learn something about herself, something about her boyfriend - and something about workmen.
Someone To Watch Over Me: The True Tale of a Survivor Haunted by the Demons of Abuse
by Izzy Hammond Robert Potter'It is my dearest hope that this book will allow me to reach out to others in pain and give them hope, for they too can choose to be a survivor.'Izzy Hammond's deaf and partially blind parents attracted sympathy from the outside world, but no one knew of the horrific abuse their daughter was subjected to inside the family home.In Someone To Watch Over Me, Izzy is now able to reveal how the vicious childhood abuse she suffered, first at the hands of her father and then by subsequent predators, cast a shadow over three generations of her family and led to a violent assault upon Izzy by her eldest daughter. Finally able to break the cycle, she has at last reclaimed a life free from the demons that have haunted her for so long.
Someone Special
by Judith SaxtonOn 21 April 1926, three baby girls are born. In North Wales, Hester Coburn, a farm labourer's wife, gives birth to Nell, while in Norwich, in an exclusive nursing home, Anna is born to rich and pampered Constance Radwell. And in London, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, has her first child, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.The future looks straightforward for all three girls, yet before Nell is eight she and Hester are forced to leave home, finding work with a travelling fair. Anna's happy security is threatened by her father's infidelities and her mother's jealousy, and the Princess's life is irrevocably altered by her uncle's abdication.Set in the hills of Wales and the rolling Norfolk countryside, the story follows Nell and Anna through their wartime adolescence into young womanhood as they struggle to overcome their problems, while watching 'their' Princess move towards her great destiny. Only when they finally meet do the two girls understand that each of them is 'someone special'.
Someone Special
by Katie FlynnOn 21st April 1926, three baby girls are born. In North Wales, Hester Coburn, a farm labourer's wife, gives birth to Nell, whilst in Norwich, in an exclusive nursing home, Anna is born to rich and pampered Constance Radwell. And in London, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, has her first child, Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.The future looks straightforward for all three girls, yet before Nell is eight, she and Hester are forced to leave home, finding work with a travelling fair. Anna's happy security is threatened by her father's infidelities and her mother's jealousy, and the Princess's life is irrevocably altered by her uncle's abdication.Set in the hills of Wales and the rolling Norfolk countryside, the story follows Nell and Anna through their wartime adolescence into young womanhood as they struggle to overcome their problems, whilst watching 'their' Princess move towards her great destiny. Only when they finally meet do the two girls understand that each of them is 'someone special'.
Some Lucky Day (The Cliffehaven Series #7)
by Ellie DeanTHE SEVENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANMay 1942. War can bring hope as well s heart ache . . . Kitty Pargeter loves the life she’s leading as a talented young pilot, serving her country. But tragedy strikes when she is forced to crash-land and is badly injured. She is taken to a specialist hospital in Cliffehaven, where she must come to terms with the disabling injury that threatens her career. Then comes the shattering news that her beloved brother has been shot down and presumed dead. And she wonders if she’ll able to find the courage and fortitude to carry on.As Kitty slowly recovers – with the help of Peggy Reilly and her family at Beach View boarding house – she is more determined than ever to return to the job she loves, whatever it takes.A fabulous, heart-warming Second World War novel in Ellie Dean's bestselling Cliffehaven series (previously called the Beach View Boarding House series).
Some Kind of Wonderful
by Giovanna FletcherCurl up with the irresistibly funny and uplifting Sunday Times bestseller from the No. 1 bestseller and Queen of the Castle, Giovanna FletcherTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'A fun read with a big dose of girl power' SUN________When the love of your life says you're not The One . . . what next?After celebrating a decade together, everyone thinks Lizzy and Ian are about to get engaged. Including Lizzy.That is, until a romantic escape to Dubai leaves Lizzy with no ring, no fiancé and no future.Lizzy is heartbroken - but through the tears, she sees an opportunity . . .To find out what she's been missing while playing Ian's 'better half'.To rediscover the girl she was before.And, in the meantime, to have a little fun . . .________'Her funniest, freshest and best yet' Heat'Engaging, witty and heartbreaking' i'A must-read' Closer
Some Extraordinary Popular Delusions (Penguin Great Ideas Ser.)
by Charles MackayDescribing bizarrely popular Victorian street slang, the madness of crowds, stock market mania (from the South Sea Bubble to Tulip fever), popular fashions, fads, crazes, schemes and scams, this brilliantly entertaining and ever-more relevant study of human folly shows that we are always susceptible to hysteria and bamboozlement.GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
Some Anatomies of Melancholy
by Robert BurtonNot simply an investigation into melancholy, these unique essays form part of a panoramic celebration of human behaviour from the time of the ancients to the Renaissance. God, devils, old age, diet, drunkenness, love and beauty are each given equal consideration in this all-encompassing examination of the human condition. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.
The Soldier's Girl (The Adams Family #29)
by Mary Jane StaplesYoung Maisie Gibbs is a conscientious young woman, though life is harder since both her parents passed away. She is relieved when she finds a position as a housemaid in Kensington, under the watchful eyes of the formidable housekeeper, Mrs Carpenter, and she quickly settles in.When she meets a handsome young soldier, she is tempted to give him his marching orders. But gradually Corporal Daniel Adams starts to win her over. When tragedy strikes the Fairfax household, Maisie is lucky she has Daniel to rely on - a good sign of things to come?A delight for fans of the Adams family - the heartwarming story of Daniel and Chinese Lady.
A Soldier's Girl
by Maggie FordIn his absence, she will find her strength…After a childhood in poverty and leaving school to work at the age of thirteen, life is beginning to look up for Brenda Wilson. Freshly married to her handsome soldier husband, she finds her true vocation in hairdressing.However, Brenda is forced to give up her dreams of owning her own salon as Harry is called into service, leaving her to bring up their daughter all by herself...A warm-hearted and gripping saga, from the author of The Factory Girl and A Girl in Wartime
A Soldier's Friend
by Megan RixSAMMY is a football crazy rescue puppy.MOUSER is a fearless black and white tomcat.Together they make an unlikely pair that won't be parted, not even by the First World War.As the war rages in Europe, Londoners are sending brave animals to help the soldiers - and Mouser and Sammy are soon on their way to the trenches. Boldly criss-crossing no-man's land they make new friends of every nationality - and reunite with old ones. But on the muddy front line, under fire and constantly in danger, will their friendship be enough to save them so they can return home together?'If you love Michael Morpurgo, you will enjoy this' Express 'A moving tale told with warmth, kindliness and lashings of good sense that lovers of Dick King-Smith will especially appreciate' The Times'Every now and then a writer comes along with a unique way of storytelling . . . Meet Megan Rix . . . her novels are deeply moving and will strike a chord with animal lovers.' LoveReadingAbout the author:Megan Rix lives in England with her husband, and their adorable dogs, Traffy and Bella. Also available by Megan Rix:The Great Escape, The Victory Dogs and The Bomber Dogwww.meganrix.com
The Soldier's Bride
by Maggie FordTorn between love and duty...Letty Bancroft longs to be married but her father has other ideas – he wants his daughter to stay at home and help run his East End shop.Heartbroken, Letty must remain unwed while her sweetheart goes off to fight in France. But her love affair has had consequences that will see her more determined than ever to be a soldier’s bride...
Soldiers and Lovers
by Leslie ThomasIn a sunlit, secret valley in the green mountains of central Italy, two people meet away from the horrors and clamour of battle. David Hopkins, a young fisherman from west Wales and Kate Medhurst, from a genteel town in the Thames Valley, embark upon an idyllic love affair away from the conflict that surrounds them. However, they cannot escape the war forever, and when they are targeted by a single enemy aeroplane their dreams are destroyed.Weeks later, Hopkins wakes up in a Russian hospital in Vienna where he's slowly recovering from serious wounds - with no recollection of the past. Eventually, transferred to an American hospital and then repatriated to Britain, Hopkins reluctantly returns to Wales. And there, alone and haunted by the months he cannot remember, Hopkins embarks upon a journey of rediscovery...
Soldier Spy
by Tom MarcusThe explosive, shocking and honest account from an MI5 officer, revealing never-before-seen detail into MI5's operation 'I do it because it is all I know. I'm a hunter of people and I'm damn good at it.' Recruited after the 7/7 attacks on London, Tom quickly found himself immersed in the tense world of watching, following and infiltrating networks of terrorists, spies and foreign agents. It was a job that took over his life and cost him dear, taking him to the limit of physical and mental endurance. Filled with extraordinary accounts of operations that saved countless lives, Soldier Spy is the only authentic account by an ex-MI5 officer of the round-the-clock battle to keep this country safe. ________ 'Very well written, gives a startling amount of operational detail, the biggest shock of all - MI5 agreed to its publication' Sunday Times 'A blistering, visceral insight into life on the front line against terror, revealed in remarkable detail' Daily Telegraph 'Startling, absolutely fascinating. A footsoldier's account out on the street.' Radio 4 'Gripping. One of the most successful MI5 undercover surveillance officers of his time' Sun
Soldier Girls
by Yolanda CelbridgeStripped of her uniform for 'sexual outrage' solier nurse Lise Gallard is forced to endure corporal punishment in the Foreign legion woman's prison. But she is spotted there by dominatrix Dr Crevasse, who engineers her release of her own flagellant purposes.
Sold as a Slave (Great Journeys Ser. #No. 8)
by Olaudah EquianoIn an adventurous and extraordinary life, Equiano (c.1745-c.1797) criss-crossed the Atlantic world, from West Africa to the Caribbean to the USA to Britain, either as a slave or fighting with the Royal Navy. His account of his life is not only one of the great documents of the abolition movement, but also a startling, moving story of danger and betrayal.Great Journeys allows readers to travel both around the planet and back through the centuries – but also back into ideas and worlds frightening, ruthless and cruel in different ways from our own. Few reading experiences can begin to match that of engaging with writers who saw astounding things: Great civilisations, walls of ice, violent and implacable jungles, deserts and mountains, multitudes of birds and flowers new to science. Reading these books is to see the world afresh, to rediscover a time when many cultures were quite strange to each other, where legends and stories were treated as facts and in which so much was still to be discovered.
The Soho Leopard
by Ruth PadelBeautiful, disturbing and a pleasure to read, Ruth Padel's new poems are her most ambitious yet, adding animal legend and zoological science to her glitteringly imaginative canvas. With her gift for bringing together experiences and tones of voice that normally stay far apart, she sweeps us from Dulwich Pizza Hut to ancient Siberia, King's Cross to nineteenth-century Burma. We meet Socrates, urban foxes, Louisiana alligators and the endangered Amur leopard in poems resonating with sensuous delight in nature, but also with history and loss.Finally, a Chinese painter searches for tigers in a forest doomed to the sawmill while the minister who sold it scoffs an aphrodisiac bowl of tiger-penis soup.Hallucinatory and lyrical, passionately musical, seething with life, The Soho Leopard explores our human need for wildness- and also for stories, wherever we find them. A wonderfully ferocious new collection from one of our most exciting poets.
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.'