It was a winter night, and the ground around Paris was covered with snow, although the flakes had ceased to fall since some hours.?Spite of the cold and the darkness, a young man, wrapped in a mantle so voluminous as to hide a babe in his arms, strode over the white fields out of the town of Villers Cotterets, in the woods, eighteen leagues from the capital, which he had reached by the stage-coach, towards a hamlet called Haramont. His assured step seemed to indicate that he had previously gone this road.?Soon above him streaked the leafless boughs upon the grey sky. The sharp air, the odor of the oaks, the icicles and beads on the tips of branches, all appealed to the poetry in the wanderer.??Through the clumps he looked for the village spire and the blue smoke of the chimneys, filtering from the cottages through the natural trellis of the limbs.?It was dawn when he crossed a brook, bordered with yellow cress and frozen vines, and at the first hovel asked for the laborer's boy to take him to Madeline Pi-tou's home.??Mute and attentive, not so dull as most of their kind, the children sprang up and staring at the stranger, led him by the hand to a rather large and good-looking cottage, on the bank of the rivulet running by most of the dwellings.?A plank served as a bridge.?"There," said one of the guides nodding his head to-wards it.?Gilbert gave them a coin, which made their eyes open still more widely, and crossed the board to the door which he pushed open, while the children, taking one another's hand, started with all their might at the handsome gentleman in a brown cloth coat, buckled shoes and large cloak, who wanted to find Madeline Pitou.?Apart from them, Gilbert, for such was the young man's name, simply so for he had no other, saw no liv-ing things: Haramont was the deserted village he was seeking.??As soon as the door was open, his sight was struck by a scene full of charm, for almost anybody, and par-ticularly for a young philosopher like our roamer.?A robust peasant woman was suckling a baby, while another child, a sturdy boy of four or five, was saying a prayer in a loud voice.?In the chimney corner, near a window or rather a hole in the wall in which was stuck a pane of glass, an-other woman, going on for thirty-five or six, was spin-ning, with a stool under her feet, and a fat poodle on an end of this stool.?Catching sight of the visitor the dog barked in a civil and hospitable manner just to show that he had not been caught napping. The praying boy turned, cutting the devotional phrase in two, and both females uttered an exclamation between joy and surprise.?"I greet you, good mother Madeline," said Gilbert with a smile.

This is not a book about writing or innovation, arts or craft but a guide to being more creative and to applying the creative process to everything. Orna Ross, award-winning and best-selling novelist, and founder of the global non-profit self-publishing association, the Alliance of Independent Authors, has gathered extracts from a selection of her books -- novels, poems and the Go Creative! series into this anthology of inspirations, aimed at helping you to be more creative in everything you do. Ranging widely across her work, this anthology is at once a memoir, a meditation on the creative process, and an eloquent companion to living life as a conscious creator: a creativist. At its core is the concept of creativism, the art of creating more of what you truly want in your life and less of what you don’t. Through a blend of stories from lore and literature, from science and psychology, from her students and from her own life, Orna offers enduring wisdoms about creative practice as it applies to life, love and the pursuit of happiness -- including how to foster flow, overcome self-sabotage and enjoy true creative living. Chapters include: "The Seven Stages of The Creative Process"; "How To Create Anything" and "Where The Law of Attraction Goes Wrong” but what makes this volume unique is the stories and poems. Extracts from Orna's novels illustrate creative principles in action in the lives of her characters. And inspirational poems ignite the state of creative presence as you read. The combination of ancient wisdoms and up-to-date creative research equips you for the creative age in which we now live. Guaranteed to inspire and ignite your own creative spark, this compendium is also an excellent introduction to the Go Creative! series, as well as a practical guide to being more creative at work, at home and in everything you do.

A fantastic resource for students and lovers of opera. This book contains a wealth of information about the works of the greatest opera composers. Includes information on the composers themselves, as well as discussions of the music and plot of the operas. Composers include Beethoven, Bizet, Mozart, Verdi, Wagner and many more.

Playing Sherlock Holmes contains three verbatim interviews - with John Wood, Robert Stephens and Christopher Lee - about their very different experiences of appearing as Holmes on stage and screen. The interviews were conducted in 1974. At the time, John Wood was appearing on stage in an acclaimed revival of William Gillette's play Sherlock Holmes, a Royal Shakespeare Company production; Robert Stephens had recently completed The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes for film director Billy Wilder; and Christopher Lee - who had a role as Mycroft Holmes in that film - had earlier played the lead role in Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace. The interviews have been transcribed from tapes held in the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection - Richard Lancelyn Green Bequest at Portsmouth Museum.

Pointless conversations: a selection of daft, ridiculous and utterly pointless meanderings from the mind of Scott Tierney. If you've ever wanted to know the answers to why Superman is a coward; why Spiderman should technically be deformed; and if Superdog caused the death of Krypton, then these bite-sized comics will reveal all. The discussions may be insane, and most of what is said is rambling, but despite this, you may find yourself agreeing with most of what is said. It's a fair point: where does Spiderman store all that web?

Are you the world's biggest Blink-182 fan? Do you know everything there is to know about pop-punk's greatest band? Or are you new to the scene and want to become an instant expert on the band everyone is talking about? Then this is the book for you. Contained within are 101 amazing facts covering everything from the band's early days through the more difficult times (including the infamous plane crash) right up to their 2016 comeback - although WE all know they never really went away! Amaze yourself and your friends with these handily-packaged facts which are easily organised into relevant categories for maximum enjoyment.

Did you know that you're almost two thousand times more likely to die from an asteroid hitting the earth than you are from a terrorist attack? Would you be shocked to learn that almost half of pilots surveyed admitted to falling asleep during a flight? Do you think world population growth is increasing or declining? And does a regular social drinker earn more or less than their alcohol-free counterpart? This fascinating book contains over one hundred statistics that will surprise, shock and amaze you. With sections covering life, death, crime, education, the environment and much more, this is a great quick read for readers of any age.

The A-Z of Nintendo Game Boy Games: Volume 1 features reviews of three different games for each letter of the alphabet. The games range from the very earliest releases in 1989 to the modern homebrew games of today. This book shows you just how diverse the library of titles is for the Nintendo Game Boy and how it became one of the most popular consoles of all-time.

Are you the world's biggest Arctic Monkeys fan? Or do you want to know everything there is to know about one of the biggest bands of the era?If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are more than one hundred amazing facts about everything, from how the band got started in the music industry to their success in multiple awards ceremonies and much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is perfect for all ages!

Are you the world's biggest One Direction fan? Do you know more than any other Directioner out there? Or do you want to learn some fantastic new facts about the biggest and most successful boy band of all time?If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are more than one hundred amazing facts about everything, from how the boys got started in the music industry to their relationships, closely-kept secrets, media controversies and much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is perfect for all ages!

For those who just can't get enough of the Kardashians and the Jenners, this is the perfect book for you! With over one hundred facts about not just Kendall and Kylie but the rest of the Klan as well - including their father Bruce's transition into a woman - this is a great read which you can pick up and put down at your leisure. If you enjoy spending time reading the latest celebrity gossip, you'll love finding out even more about the legendary sisters, their family, fashion, fun facts and shocking moments! Easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast, this is an unmissable addition to any fan's bookshelf.

Are you the world's biggest Lionel Richie fan? Or do you want to find out everything there is to know about the former Commodores lead vocalist and one of the world's best-loved singer-songwriters? If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are 101 amazing facts about how Lionel got started in the music industry, the numerous awards he has won, his family and much, much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is the perfect addition to any fan's bookshelf.

Are you the world's biggest Cheryl Cole fan? Or do you want to know everything there is to know about the singer, X Factor judge and former member of Girls Aloud? If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are 101 amazing facts about everything, from her upbringing to her huge success both in a girl band and as a solo artist plus much more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast and is perfect for all ages!

Did you know that in medieval times dogs were known to have accompanied their masters into battle wearing suits of armour? Or that the Rhodesian Ridgeback was first bred to fight lions? This fantastic quick-read eBook featured over one hundred facts about dogs split into categories such as evolution, health, behaviour, record breakers and many more. So if you want to know who the heaviest dog ever to have lived was, or what the wagometer was invented for, then this is the book for you! Find the information you want, fast.

Are you a fan of the film - Back To The Future - Do you think you know all there is to know about the film. Containing questions about the plot, characters and actors, as well as facts about the making of the film. This fun quiz book will test you, your family and friends knowledge of this great film.

Firefly is the brainchild of the hugely talented Joss Whedon. A space western drama that lasted on 14 episodes but in that time gathered a hardcore and vociferous following that like to call themselves Browncoats. This quiz book contains well over 100 questions from subjects like the original crew of the Firefly-class ship Serenity, the interpersonal relationships of the crew members, the deadly Reavers, the antics of the hero they call Jayne and many more. Prepare to test your knowledge on this short lived but much loved series.You can't stop the signal.

The A-Z of Sega Mega Drive Games: Volume 1 features reviews of three different games for each letter of the alphabet. The games range from the very earliest releases in the mid-eighties to the modern homebrew games of today. This book shows you just how diverse the library of titles is for the Sega Mega Drive and how it became one of the most popular consoles of all-time.

The A-Z of Atari 2600 Games: Volume 2 features reviews of three different games for each letter of the alphabet. The games range from the very earliest releases in the 70s to the modern homebrew games of today. This book shows you just how diverse the library of titles is for the Atari 2600 and how it became one of the best selling consoles of all time.

Are you the world's biggest fan of The Wanted? Or do you want to find out everything there is to know about the world's greatest boy-band?If so, then this is the book for you! Contained within are 101 amazing facts about how they boys got started in the music industry, the women they have dated, incredible things about their personal lives plus many more. The book is easily organised into sections so you can find the information you want fast!

Are you the world's biggest Red Hot Chili Peppers Fan? Do you know everything there is to know about Anthony, Flea and the rest of the boys? Then this is the book for you! In this easy-to-digest eBook are 101 facts about your favourite band - do you know all of them?Test yourself and your friends with these handily-packaged facts easily organised into categories for maximum enjoyment. Sections include the members of the band, how they formed, awards they have won and some crazy facts about their antics over the years. Show everyone that you are the master of RHCP knowledge!

How well do you know your 90s Movies? This Quiz book will test even the most avid fan, with questions that span the 90s films of all genres! Test yourself and your friends with this 90s Movies Quiz Book.