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Poppy's War
by Lily BaxterAugust 1939: Thirteen-year-old Poppy Brown is evacuated to a village in Dorset. Tired and frightened, she arrives with nothing but her gas mask and a change of clothes to her name. Billeted at a grand country house, Poppy is received with cold indifference above stairs and gets little better treatment from the servants. Lonely and missing the family she left behind in London, Poppy is devastated when she hears that they have been killed in the Blitz. Circumstances soon force Poppy to move to the suburbs and into the company of strangers once more. Earning a meagre income as a hospital cleaner, as the war continues to rage, Poppy longs to do her duty. And as soon as she is able to, she starts her training as a nurse. While the man she loves is fighting in the skies above Europe, Poppy battles to survive the day-to-day hardships and dangers of wartime, wondering if she'll ever see him again...
Poppy's War
by Dilly Court Lily BaxterInternationally bestselling author Dilly Court writing as Lily Baxter returns with another emotional, heart-pounding saga set in World War II England.In 1939, thirteen-year-old Poppy is forced to evacuate her London home and flee to a grand country house on the coast of England. Alone and frightened, she arrives with only a set of clothes, a gas mask, and memories of the family she left behind, whom she may never see again. But the cruel inhabitants of the house make life a misery for her, and she longs for the love she once took for granted.The years pass, the endless war rages on, and Poppy grows into a lovely young woman determined to do her part. Training as a nurse, she meets a dashing pilot who captures her heart and, for the first time in years, reminds her of life before the war.While England battles over land, sea, and sky, Poppy must fight every day to gain the family she's always wanted, to find the love she's been missing, and to discover who she truly is.
Positive Child Guidance
by Darla Ferris MillerPOSITIVE CHILD GUIDANCE, Eighth Edition, equips readers with information on how to guide, manage, and cope with the behavior of children. The book provides insight into children's efforts to understand their own emerging needs and feelings while coping with adult expectations. The author outlines workable steps for creating a cooperative, respectful community of children and adults, with special emphasis on sensitivity to cultural needs, cultural differences, and developmentally appropriate practice. You'll also find a range of practical, effective, and flexible guidance strategies based on principles of straightforward communication and assertiveness. This new edition includes critical advances in research and addresses the cultural trends that are changing the way babies and children are cared for today.
The Power of Positive Drinking
by Cleo RocosThe Power of Positive Drinking isn’t a guide on how to get drunk. It is a guide to how to drink well. Drinking has a bad reputation in some quarters. But that’s largely because we don’t drink properly, as we have not yet been initiated in the art of drinking well. Most of us know plenty about healthy eating, but next to nothing about healthy drinking.This is Cleo Rocos’ master class on how to imbibe successfully, on how to reach that delicious level of intoxication where you and your fellow drinkers blossom into the favourite version of yourselves and stay there. From Rocos we learn how to ensure that every drinking occasion snowballs into a glorious and triumphant event.Inside these pages lie the secrets of alcohol. The finest hints and tips on stylish drinking gleaned from seasoned and successful drinkers around the globe; failsafe recipes for some of the world’s greatest snifters - martini recipes, margarita recipes, mojitos and cosmopolitans - along with a few of Cleo’s own specialities, guaranteed to avoid that awful hangover.Enjoy this book responsibly.
Powwow Counting in Cree
by Penny M. ThomasThis unique counting book introduces Cree numbers, from one to ten. Featuring powwow imagery that reflects the rich culture and tradition of the Cree people, rhyme, rhythm, and glowing illustration combine to make language learning a joyful experience for young readers. A pronunciation guide is included in the back of the book. Winner of McNally Robinson Book for Young People AwardSelected for The Canadian Children&’s Book Centre&’s Best Books for Kids & TeensApproved resource for Manitoba classrooms
Powwow Counting in Cree
by Penny M. ThomasThis unique counting book introduces Cree numbers, from one to ten. Featuring powwow imagery that reflects the rich culture and tradition of the Cree people, rhyme, rhythm, and glowing illustration combine to make language learning a joyful experience for young readers. A pronunciation guide is included in the back of the book. Winner of McNally Robinson Book for Young People AwardSelected for The Canadian Children&’s Book Centre&’s Best Books for Kids & TeensApproved resource for Manitoba classrooms
Practice to Deceive
by Ann RuleThis New York Times bestseller—from &“America&’s best true-crime writer&” (Kirkus Reviews) and the author of The Stranger Beside Me—is a shocking tale of greed, sex, scandal, and murder on an isolated and eerie island in the Pacific Northwest. The basis for the Lifetime movie event Circle of Deception. With more than 50 million copies of her books in print—from her chilling personal account of knowing Ted Bundy to sixteen collections in her #1 bestselling Crime Files series—Ann Rule is a legendary true crime writer. Here, in Practice to Deceive, Rule unravels a shattering case of Christmastime murder off the coast of Washington State—presented with the clarity, authority, and emotional depth that Rule&’s readers expect. Nestled in Puget Sound, Whidbey Island is a gem of the Pacific Northwest. Accessible only by ferry, it is known for its artistic communities and stunning natural beauty. Life there is low-key, and the island&’s year-round residents tend to know one another&’s business. But when the blood-drenched body of Russel Douglas was discovered the day after Christmas in his SUV in a hidden driveway near Whidbey&’s most exclusive mansion—a single bullet between his eyes—the whole island was shocked. At first, police suspected suicide, tragically common at the height of the holiday season. But when they found no gun in or near the SUV, Russel&’s manner of death became homicide. Brenna Douglas, Russel&’s estranged and soon-to-be-ex wife, allowed him to come home for a Christmas visit with their children. The couple owned the popular Just B&’s salon. Brenna&’s good friend Peggy Sue Thomas worked there, and Brenna complained often to her that Russel was physically and emotionally abusive. Peggy Sue&’s own life has been one of extremes. Married three times, hers is a rags-to-riches-and-back-again tale in which she&’s played many roles, from aircraft mechanic to &“drop-dead gorgeous&” beauty queen as a former Ms. Washington. But in 2003, her love affair with married guitarist Jim Huden led the two Whidbey Island natives to pursue their ultimate dreams of wealth and privilege—even at the expense of human life. Unravel the tangled web woven by Russel Douglas&’s murder in Practice to Deceive, a heart pounding true-crime tour de force.
Preserving with Pomona's Pectin: The Revolutionary Low-Sugar, High-Flavor Method for Crafting and Canning Jams, Jellies, Conserves, and More
by Allison Carroll Duffy Pomona's Universal PectinCraft low-sugar, high-flavor jams, jellies, and pie fillings with the updated, expanded edition of the official Pomona’s Pectin cookbook.If you’ve ever made jam or jelly at home, you know most recipes require more sugar than fruit—oftentimes four to seven cups!—causing many people to look for other ways to preserve more naturally and with less sugar. Pomona’s Pectin is the answer to this canning conundrum. Unlike other popular pectins, which are activated by sugar, Pomona’s is a sugar- and preservative-free citrus pectin that does not require sugar to jell.As a result, jams and jellies can be made with less, little, or no sugar at all and also require much less cooking time than traditional recipes, allowing you to create jams that are not only healthier and quicker to make, but filled with more fresh flavor. If you haven’t tried Pomona’s already (prepare to be smitten), you can easily find the pectin at your local natural foods store, hardware store, or online.In this updated and revised edition of Preserving with Pomona’s Pectin, you’ll continue to learn how to use this revolutionary product and method to create marmalades, preserves, conserves, jams, jellies, as well as new recipes for pie fillings and no-sugar options. The recipes, both sweet and savory, include:Classic StrawberryAll-Fruit Cherry-Peach JamCranberry-Habanero JellyVanilla-Plum PreservesGingered Lemon-Fig PreservesSavory Blueberry-Ginger ConserveGraperfruit-Honey MarmaladePear Cardamom Pie FillingAlternative Sweetener Grape JellyAnd many moreFrom crowd favorites to intriguing flavor combinations, you’ll find endless ways to delight your family all year round.
The Price of Justice: A True Story of Greed and Corruption
by Laurence LeamerA nonfiction legal thriller that traces the fourteen-year struggle of two lawyers to bring the most powerful coal baron in American history, Don Blankenship, to justiceDon Blankenship, head of Massey Energy since the early 1990s, ran an industry that provides nearly half of America's electric power. But wealth and influence weren't enough for Blankenship and his company, as they set about destroying corporate and personal rivals, challenging the Constitution, purchasing the West Virginia judiciary, and willfully disregarding safety standards in the company's mines—in which scores died unnecessarily.As Blankenship hobnobbed with a West Virginia Supreme Court justice in France, his company polluted the drinking water of hundreds of citizens while he himself fostered baroque vendettas against anyone who dared challenge his sovereignty over coal mining country. Just about the only thing that stood in the way of Blankenship's tyranny over a state and an industry was a pair of odd-couple attorneys, Dave Fawcett and Bruce Stanley, who undertook a legal quest to bring justice to this corner of America. From the backwoods courtrooms of West Virginia they pursued their case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and to a dramatic decision declaring that the wealthy and powerful are not entitled to purchase their own brand of law.The Price of Justice is a story of corporate corruption so far-reaching and devastating it could have been written a hundred years ago by Ida Tarbell or Lincoln Steffens. And as Laurence Leamer demonstrates in this captivating tale, because it's true, it's scarier than fiction.
The Price of Power: Inside Ireland's Crisis Coalition
by Pat Leahy'The go-to political chronicler of our times' Sunday Times'Vivid and compelling ... excellent' Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times'A tremendous read. I'll be recommending it' Sean O'Rourke, RTÉ'Absorbing ... fascinating ... impressive amount of detail ... Leahy vividly sketches a picture of a mercurial political marriage' Lise Hand, Irish Independent'Explosive revelations' The Herald'Fascinating & believable' Cathal Mac Coille'Great read, great insights, highly recommended' David McCullagh'Very well written and a good pacy read ... excellent ... thoroughly readable and understandable .... Compelling' The Phoenix'Forensic and compelling ... Leahy transforms politics into a page-turner ... He writes with style, substance (some of the detail is astonishing) and no little wit' RTÉ Guide'Gripping' Irish Mail on Sunday'Pat Leahy's book is a page-turner' Gavin Duffy'A fantastic read. A really good narrative.' Noreen Hegarty'Excellent' James Downey, Irish Independent'Can't wait to read The Price of Power by Pat Leahy. His last [book], Showtime was the best book about Irish politics in years.' Dara O BriainWhen Fine Gael and Labour swept into government, in February 2011 they knew they were facing the greatest crisis in the history of the state. What confronted them was beyond their direst imaginings. Pat Leahy's The Price of Power is the riveting inside story of how they have led - and misled - Ireland.The Price of Power tells the story of trying to govern a country on the verge of ruin - the favours, the deals, the policy compromises and previously unthinkable choices that had to be made. It is a gripping tale of high drama (and high dudgeon), of betrayal, backstabbing and disillusionment, of those who rose to the challenge and those who withered under the strain.If there's one writer who can get the inside story on what's really going on at the higest levels in Irish poltiics, it's leading political journalist Pat Leahy. His account of Fianna Fáil in government, Showtime, is the considered the go-to book for anyone who wants to understand the disastrous politics led Ireland into economic meltdown. Now, with the same mix of unrivalled inside information, astute analysis and exciting writing, he lifts the lid on the coalition that is supposed to get us out of the fix.
Primrose Bakery Celebrations
by Lisa Thomas Martha SwiftLearn how to throw parties Primrose Bakery-style with this collection of brand new recipes from Primrose Bakery. Eight themed celebrations cover every age group and event, with sweet and savoury treats for small children, cocktail-laced cupcakes for grown-ups and inspiring ideas for everything in between.As always, the recipes are simple to make, easy to source, thoroughly tested and utterly delicious, with plenty of Primrose Bakery wit and creativity thrown in. Each one features quirky recipes for centrepiece cakes, cupcakes, drinks and other delectable treats, plus brilliant ideas for how to accessorize the perfect celebration.The perfect cookbook for parties or simply for treats to make humdrum days that little bit special.
A Private Collection
by Sarah FisherThe chauffeur stood still for a moment, then moved his broad hand up towards the button on his tight uniform jacket. His voice was low and hypnotic.'I can give you anything you want, Francesca,' he whispered. 'And I think I know what you want.'Behind an overgrown garden by the sea, a mysterious crumbling mansion harbours a tantalising secret. This fortress of grandeur is home to fading society beauty Alicia Moffat, her inscrutable chauffeur and a remarkable collection of priceless erotica.Francesca Leeman - a young writer - is commissioned to catalogue this very private collection. She finds her new acquaintances cultured, enigmatic - and a very perverse. In an atmosphere of perpetual stimulation, Francesca finds a strange security in their games of voyeurism and pleasure.
A Private Collection: Black Lace Classics
by Sarah FisherThe chauffeur stood still for a moment, then moved his broad hand up towards the button on his tight uniform jacket. His voice was low and hypnotic.‘I can give you anything you want, Francesca,’ he whispered. ‘And I think I know what you want.’When Francesca Leeman is invited to catalogue a private collection of priceless erotica, she finds her new acquaintances cultured, fascinating – and intense. She is soon drawn to their intoxicating way of life and their voyeuristic games of seduction...Black Lace Classics – our best erotic fiction ever from our leading authors.
Project Chick 2
by Nikki TurnerTressa always thought that the best moment in her life was the day she gave birth to her twin boys, Khalil and Hadji, but even better was when she got the news that their abusive father, Lucky, was dead. His death gave the streets freedom and safety and gave Tressa an opportunity to start over. Thrilled the bad days were gone, it didn't take long for her to realize that even though Lucky was dead, she would never be free of him.When the twins discover that Indie, the man who raised them, had a hand in killing their father, nothing can stop them from plotting their revenge. In Project Chick II: What's Done in the Dark by Nikki Turner, Tressa's life thrown into chaos and she is about to find out that nothing is what it seems.
Prometheus Bound and Other Plays: The Persians / Prometheus Bound / Seven Against Thebes / The Suppliants (The\complete Greek Tragedies Ser.)
by AeschylusAeschylus (525–456 BC) brought a new grandeur and epic sweep to the drama of classical Athens, raising it to the status of high art. In Prometheus Bound the defiant Titan Prometheus is brutally punished by Zeus for daring to improve the state of wretchedness and servitude in which mankind is kept. The Suppliants tells the story of the fifty daughters of Danaus who must flee to escape enforced marriages, while Seven Against Thebes shows the inexorable downfall of the last members of the cursed family of Oedipus. And The Persians, the only Greek tragedy to deal with events from recent Athenian history, depicts the aftermath of the defeat of Persia in the battle of Salamis, with a sympathetic portrayal of its disgraced King Xerxes.Philip Vellacott’s evocative translation is accompanied by an introduction, with individual discussions of the plays, and their sources in history and mythology.
Proof: The Science of Booze
by Adam RogersA New York Times bestseller, science journalist Adam Rogers'sProof is a spirited narrative on the fascinating art and science of alcohol, sure to inspire cocktail party chats on making booze, tasting it, and its effects on our bodies and brains, from "one of the best science writers around" (National Geographic).Winner of Gourmand Award for Best Spirits BookAn IACP Cookbook Awards Winner Finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing AwardHumans have been perfecting alcohol production for ten thousand years, but scientists are just starting to distill the chemical reactions behind the perfect buzz. In a spirited tour across continents and cultures, Adam Rogers takes us from bourbon country to the world’s top gene-sequencing labs, introducing us to the bars, barflies, and evolving science at the heart of boozy technology. He chases the physics, biology, chemistry, and metallurgy that produce alcohol, and the psychology and neurobiology that make us want it. If you’ve ever wondered how your drink arrived in your glass, or what it will do to you, Proof makes an unparalleled drinking companion.“Lively...[Rogers’s] descriptions of the science behind familiar drinks exert a seductive pull.”—New York Times“Rogers’s book has much the same effect as a good drink. You get a warm sensation, you want to engage with the wider world, and you feel smarter than you probably are. Above all, it makes you understand how deeply human it is to take a drink.”—Wall Street Journal
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
Quirk Books Entertains Your Kids: 20 Crafts, Recipes, Activities, and More!
by Raising QuirkThis summer, Raising Quirk&’s mission is to keep your kids from ever having to say &“I&’m bored.&” So we&’ve rounded up our favorite crafts, recipes, games, and activities from Quirk Books titles and jam-packed them into our funnest, awesomest, and kid-friendliest e-sampler yet. Whether you&’re taking your family on the road or stuck indoors on a rainy day, we&’ve got you covered. Projects include: COOKING: How to Teach a Kid to Cook Robot Bites Banana Split Pops Little-Bitty Fudge Puppies CRAFTING: Bottle-Cap FramesStarburst Straws Turtle Magnet Get Your Kid to Clean Up OUTDOOR ADVENTURE: Get Your Kid to Put On Sunscreen Plan a Scavenger Hunt Yakima! Choreograph a Fight Scene Nick and Tesla&’s Low-Tech (Practically No-Tech) Bottle Rocket and Launcher RAINY DAY ANTICS: Get Your Kid to Play Alone Futaleufú Mattress Rafting Put on a Comedy Show Learn a Magic Trick FUN ON THE GO: How to Keep a Family Happy During Car Trips Make Trail Mix and Hit the Trails! How to Build a Sand Castle Games to Play in the Car Children don&’t come with an owner&’s manual, so Raising Quirk brings together advice, activities, entertainment, and, most important, other parents who still feel kinda like kids themselves. Our motto: We help cool parents raise cool kids. After all, parenting is a lifelong adventure, and we&’re all in it together. Consider us your virtual playgroup and join us at Raising Quirk online.
The Quotable A**hole: More than 1,200 Bitter Barbs, Cutting Comments, and Caustic Comebacks for Aspiring and Armchair A**holes Alike
by Eric GrzymkowskiWhoever said, "sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you" never met an a**hole. Here, you'll find more than 1,200 of the most biting quotes, comments, and comebacks ever uttered, including:"I would like to take you seriously, but to do so would be an affront to your intelligence." --George Bernard Shaw"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." --Albert Einstein"If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you." --Muhammed AliYou won't just find quotes from typical a**holes like Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Mark Twain, either. You'll also see what happens when practically perfect folks like Walt Disney, Mahatma Ghandi, and Audrey Hepburn lose their cool.So embrace your dark side and get ready to enjoy every over-confident, over-blown, over-the-top a**hole comment you'll ever need.
Quotes to Live By: Words That Inspire Those Who Inspire Us
by Adams MediaThe quotes that helped shape today's greatest minds!Who do you look up to? Is it Oprah Winfrey? Steve Jobs? Hillary Clinton? Have you ever wondered what inspires them?Quotes to Live By reveals the source of the fire that burns bright in icons of politics, philosophy, business, art, and science--and holds the inspiration to light your fire inside.Featuring 125 quotes that have impacted some of the world's most influential individuals, this book is the first step in your journey toward greatness. Just think: Would J. K. Rowling have written seven bestselling novels if she hadn't stumbled upon Pultarch's quote, "What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality"? What adventure might you embark on when you read Nelson Mandela's words: "There is no passion to be found playing small--in settling for a life that's less than the one you're capable of living"?With Quotes to Live By, you'll follow in the footsteps of celebrated trailblazers to discover--and fulfill--your lifelong dreams.
The Race Against Time
by Edward PickeringWhen Chris Boardman first raced against Graeme Obree, in a time trial in Newtonards, Northern Ireland, in 1990, it was the start of a rivalry that captivated the British public for a decade and brought cycling on to the front pages. Boardman was the establishment figure: reserved, scientific, middle-class. Obree was the rebel: the Flying Scotsman, working-class, riding a home-made bike. Both were after one thing - to be the fastest man on two wheels.After Boardman had won Britain's first cycling gold medal for 72 years at the Barcelona Olympics (inspiring none other than Bradley Wiggins to get on a bike), attention turned to the world hour record, the blue riband event of track cycling. Between 1993 and 1996, the pair took it in turns to smash the record, with Boardman's team breaking the boundaries of technology and the loner Obree constantly reinventing ways of building and riding bikes while battling his many demons.The Race Against Time tells the story of how Britain first started to dominate cycling, but is also about the struggle between art and science, tradition and innovation, commercialism and individuality. It is the tale of two complex characters who redefined the sport and set in motion a new era in British cycling, the legacy of which we enjoy to this day.
The Raven's Shadow: The Wild Hunt Book Three (The Wild Hunt #3)
by Elspeth CooperThe Raven's Shadow, the third book of Elspeth Cooper's The Wild Hunt series finds war brewing on both sides of the Veil between the worlds.The desert of Gimrael is aflame with violence, and in the far north an ancient hatred is about to spill over into the renewal of a war that, a thousand years ago, forged an empire. This time, it may shatter one.Wrestling with his failing grip on the power of the Song, and still trying to come to terms with the horrifying events he witnessed in El Maqqam, Gair returns to the mainland with only one thing on his mind: vengeance. It may cost him his life, but when everything that he had to live for is being stripped away from him, that may be a fair price to pay.Old friends and old foes converge in a battle of wills to stem the tide of the Nimrothi clans as they charge south to reclaim the lands lost in the Founding Wars. If they succeed, the rest of the empire may be their next target. And with the Wild Hunt at their head, the overstretched Imperial Army may not be enough to stop them.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things
by Paula Byrne“A vivacious portrait. . . . Byrne’s Austen emerges as a worldly woman, profoundly enmeshed in a wider world than she’s often acknowledged to occupy. This is an Austen with a sense for the political as well as for the finer points of sensibility—and one who will be unfamiliar (though never unrecognizable) to many readers.” — Publishers WeeklyIn The Real Jane Austen, acclaimed literary biographer Paula Byrne provides the most intimate and revealing portrait yet of a beloved but complex novelist.Just as letters and tokens in Jane Austen’s novels often signal key turning points in the narrative, Byrne explores the small things – a scrap of paper, a gold chain, an ivory miniature – that held significance in Austen’s personal and creative life.Byrne transports us to different worlds, from the East Indies to revolutionary Paris, and to different events, from a high society scandal to a case of petty shoplifting. In this ground-breaking biography, Austen is set on a wider stage than ever before, revealing a well-traveled and politically aware writer – important aspects of her artistic development that have long been overlooked.The Real Jane Austen is a fresh, compelling, and surprising biography of the author of some of our most enduring classic books – from Pride and Prejudice to Sense and Sensibility, Emma to Persuasion – and a vivid evocation of the world that shaped her.
Really?: The World According To Clarkson
by Jeremy ClarksonJEREMY CLARKSON'S LATEST - AND MOST OUTRAGEOUS - TAKE ON THE WORLDCLARKSON'S BACK - AND THIS TIME HE'S PUTTING HIS FOOT DOWNFrom his first job as a travelling sales rep selling Paddington Bears to his latest wheeze as a gentleman farmer, Jeremy Clarkson's love of cars has just about kept him out of trouble.But in a persistently infuriating world, sometimes you have to race full-throttle at the speed-bumps.Because there's still plenty to get cross about, including:· Why nothing good ever came out of a meeting· Muesli's unmentionable side effects · Navigating London when every single road is being dug up at once· People who read online reviews of dishwashers· ****ing driverless carsBuckle up for a bumpy ride - you're holding the only book in history to require seatbelts . . .Praise for Jeremy Clarkson: Brilliant . . . Laugh-out-loud' Daily Telegraph'Outrageously funny . . . Will have you in stitches' Time Out 'Very funny . . . I cracked up laughing on the tube' Evening Standard
Recipe for Life: The Autobiography
by Mary BerryAs well as starring on The Great British Bake Off, Mary Berry is returning to our TVs with her brand new series, Britain's Best Home Cook . . . so indulge, and discover her autobiography.From the moment she came into the world - two weeks early, throwing her parents' lives into disarray - Mary has gracefully but firmly done things her own way. Born in 1935, in the city of Bath, Mary's childhood was a curious mix of idyllic picnics and ramblings, and alarming air raids; of a spirited and outdoorsy home life and a dreaded school existence. All nearly cut horribly short by an almost fatal bout of polio when she was thirteen, which isolated Mary in hospital, away from beloved family and friends for months. Recovery saw her turn to her one true passion - cookery. And so began a love affair that has spanned six remarkable decades; from demonstrating ovens in the early 1950s to producing glossy food magazines in the 60s and 70s, gradually becoming the country's most prolific and - many would say - best loved cookery writer. Until her emergence in the 21st century as a TV sensation and style icon on the Great British Bake Off. In this touching, evocative and fascinating memoir, we accompany Mary on her journey of nearly eighty years; a life lived to the full, with a wicked sense of fun and an eye for the absurd, it is the life of a delightfully traditional but thoroughly modern woman.