万本电子书0元读

万本电子书0元读

The Frozen Lake
The Frozen Lake
Elizabeth Edmondson
¥49.74
A novel of family secrets hidden through two generations, set against the stunning backdrop of the Lake District in midwinter. From the author of The Villa in Italy. One family Christmas uncovers two generations of secrets… The year of 1936 is drawing to a close. Winter grips Wetmoreland and causes a rare phenonmenon: the lakes freeze. For two local families, the Richardsons and the Grindleys, the frozen lake entices long-estranged siblings and children to return home for Christmas. Some are aware of the storm clouds of war gathering over Europe, yet everyone wants to put troubles aside, however personal, to enjoy a frozen Christmas. But one visitor carries a seed of violence and not even the matriarch of the Richardson clan can prevent the carefully buried secrets of the past from erupting to change everything. A compelling blend of family closeness and strife, dazzling passion and the dark influence of history, this is an enthralling read to curl up and savour.
Voyage of Innocence
Voyage of Innocence
Elizabeth Edmondson
¥36.50
From the author of THE FROZEN LAKE comes an enthralling novel of love, betrayal and idealism, as three very different young women go up to Oxford in the years immediately before World War Two. Vee – the clergyman’s daughter. Boyish, alluring, she plans to use her time at Oxford to put right everything that went wrong in her loveless childhood. Her friendship with Alfred introduces her to politics and the subversive attractions of secret societies; it will lead to her career as a secret agent, but at what cost to old loyalties and her true feelings? Claudia, radiant, intense, aristocratic, is equally drawn to the secret society and one member in particular; his dazzling influence will see her travel to Berlin and come under the spell of Fascism as war looms. And Lally, glamorous daughter of an Irish-American senator, is sceptical of the society and the arguments from both sides. Her own choices will bring her into Vee’s new life, with all its dangers and betrayals. As the world becomes embroiled in the events of war, what price personal values, losses and loves?
The Tiny Wife
The Tiny Wife
Andrew Kaufman
¥9.71
A remarkable short novella, a modern fable that is weird, uplifting and romantic all at the same time. A robber charges into a bank with a loaded gun, but instead of taking any money he steals an item of sentimental value from each person. Once he has made his escape, strange things start to happen to the victims. A tattoo comes to life, a husband turns into a snowman, a baby starts to shit money. And Stacey Hinterland discovers that she’s shrinking, a little every day, and there is seemingly nothing that she or her husband can do to reverse the process. The Tiny Wife is a weird and wonderful modern fable. Small, but perfectly formed, it will charm, delight and unnerve in equal measure.
Sorry
Sorry
Zoran Drvenkar
¥39.34
Berlin. Four friends. One extreme idea. One of the most gripping thrillers ever written. Kris, Tamara,Wolf and Frauke set up an agency called Sorry. An agency to right wrongs. Unfair dismissals, the wrongly accused: everyone has a price, and Sorry will find out what it is. It’s as simple as that. What they hadn’t counted on was their next client being a cold-hearted killer. But who is the killer and why has he killed? Someone is mocking them and hell is only just beginning.
Valley of Dreams (Text Only)
Valley of Dreams (Text Only)
Alan Curbishley
¥125.18
Charlton Athletic represent a model of how a Premiership football club should be run. Former manager Alan Curbishley reveals the secrets of the club’s success – from the boardroom and manager’s office down to the dressing room and pitchside – and reflects on how the club went from homeless strugglers to challenging football’s elite. Alan Curbishley encountered most of football's ill winds during the 15 years he was coach, co-manager, then sole manager of Charlton – a club once homeless, with gates of less than 3000, forced to sell players to pay the wages and to buy replacement kit for the first team, and teetering on the brink of extinction. Galvanised by fans, staff, forward-thinking board members and a shrewd manager, the Addicks now find themselves firmly established with the Premiership big boys and a shining example of how a successful football club should be run. In his book, Curbishley opens the lid on the soap opera that is Charlton FC. He writes about the political manoeuvrings behind the club's departure and then emotional return to The Valley. He describes how the they were torn asunder by drugs allegations involving three of its players, including a youthful Lee Bowyer. He re-lives the tortuous rollercoaster ride of falling out of the Premiership two years later before returning in 1999/2000. And he gives an insider's view of the club's success in establishing itself in the world’s toughest league, including a full update on their 2005/06 season. He also talks candidly about being shortlisted for the England manager’s job. His book is a radical insight into the workings of a football club and its staff, and is sure to attract widespread interest from football fans across the country. Note that it has not been possible to include the same picture content that appeared in the original print version.
Mega Sleepover 3 (The Sleepover Club)
Mega Sleepover 3 (The Sleepover Club)
Lorna Read,Fiona Cummings,Narinder Dhami
¥53.76
Join the Sleepover Club: Frankie, Kenny, Felicity, Rosie and Lyndsey, five girls who want to have fun – but who always end up in mischief! In The Sleepover Club at Frankie’s, the gang decides to set up Brown Owl with Dishy Dave the school caretaker. But playing Cupid isn’t as easy as they think… It’s Lyndz’s birthday in The Sleepover Club at Lyndsey’s, and the gang plan a spooky video night. Only the spooks suddenly seem for real… And in The Sleepover Club at Felicity’s, Fliss goes diet-crazy. But sleepovers and food go hand in hand, and the girls must find emergency supplies!
Family Fan Club
Family Fan Club
Jean Ure
¥45.42
A humorous, poignant and heartwarming story of four girls and their exasperating parents, from the Queen of Tween, Jean Ure. “People always fall out after they’re married. I’m going to stay single.” Jasmine, Laurel, Rose and Daisy. Four very different sisters, four very different attitudes! As if living with each other wasn’t bad enough, living with their parents is worse – particularly parents who are both actors. Please! But after the Great Row, the girls find themselves living with Mum, while Dad has gone to America to find work. How are the sisters going to achieve their own personal ambitions: become an actress, model, writer, vet… when they can’t even achieve their joint ambition – to reunite parents who are on different continents?
Back from the Brink: The Inside Story of the Tory Resurrection
Back from the Brink: The Inside Story of the Tory Resurrection
Peter Snowdon
¥109.48
Lifting the lid on the most captivating story in British politics today, ‘Back from the Brink’ charts the Conservative Party's remarkable journey from the political wilderness to the threshold of power. Based on unprecedented access to key figures in the Conservative party, including every leader from John Major to David Cameron, political journalist Peter Snowdon sheds new light on the dramatic decline and renaissance of the party that dominated 20th century British politics. He reveals how the Conservatives were torn apart by in-fighting as they struggled to come to terms with their catastrophic electoral defeat in 1997 and the continuing trauma of Margaret Thatcher's sudden removal from office several years earlier. Under a succession of hapless leaders - William Hague, Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Howard - the party lost two further elections and at times effectively ceased to function as a political force across whole swathes of Britain. It took the emergence of a new generation of Conservatives, and David Cameron's election as leader in 2005, to set the party on the uneven road to electoral recovery. Packed full of fresh insights into what really goes on behind closed doors at Westminster, Back from the Brink exposes the bitter rivalries and recriminations that have blighted the Conservatives in Opposition, and gets to the heart of Cameron's quest for power and ambitions for office.
Armada
Armada
Brian Patten
¥44.93
Through the fads and fashions of the last thirty years Brian Patten has remained true to his own personal vision of poetry. Whether composing lamentations to the terrible beauty of human love, or writing his outstanding popular verse for children, he has continued to articulate and illuminate the joys and sorrows of the everyday world. His reputation has been enhanced progressively by each of his collections, and now with translations into numerous languages including Italian, Spanish, German and Polish he is acknowledged as one of Europe's foremost contemporary poets. Through his performance work he is certainly one of Britain's most popular poets. This new book of poems is Patten's eighth for adults. With its powerful opening section interweaving poems about the death of his mother and memories of his childhood with her, it is at one and the same time his most personal and universal collection. It is a book of remarkable poems offering sharp insights into life and the human condition.
Bad Boy
Bad Boy
Olivia Goldsmith
¥33.65
Jon is Mr Perfect – handsome (in a nerdy sort of way), caring, lots of money – so why can't he get a girlfriend? Even his best friend Tracie always goes for bad boys; because women secretly love BAD. Jon's desperate, but Tracie can help – she can teach him the Bad Boy Rules. A sharp haircut, cool new clothes and a complete attitude transplant later, and Jon's the man of the moment. He can have any woman he wants, and does! But now Tracie's not so happy… while her girlfriends are all fighting over the new Jon, she seems to be losing her best friend. And she's starting to wonder – has she created a monster?
When Sophie Met Darcy Day
When Sophie Met Darcy Day
Helen Yeadon
¥63.77
A heartwarming collection of stories from a woman who brings together disadvantaged children and abandoned racehorses, with remarkable results. Thirteen-year-old Sophie hadn’t uttered a word to anyone for over two years when she got out of her parents car at a remote farm in Devon. Her parents were beside themselves with worry, and at the end of their tether, but try as they might, nothing seemed to make a difference. They’d heard about a place called Greatwood through friends - where owners Helen and Michael Yeadon looked after retired racehorses - and decided to take Sophie along for a visit. Helen asked Sophie to help her change the dressings on the infected cuts on the legs of Darcy Day, one of their more troubled horses, and it was instantly clear that these two had some kind of special connection. Darcy Day would normally back away from people, but this time she lowered her head and stepped forward, to let Sophie stroke her nose. It was the start of an incredible relationship that would transform both horse and child, and it gave Michael and Helen an idea. They registered as a charity, moved to bigger premises, and began inviting children with a wide range of learning disabilities to volunteer to help with the animals. The results were amazing - traumatised horses and anxious or disturbed children bonded with each other, and every week little miracles were happening before their eyes. Boys with diagnoses such as Asperger’s Syndrome or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or those who’d been excluded from school for unruly behaviour, flourished through the discipline of working on the farm. Girls made timid and anxious by abusive backgrounds or school bullies came out of the shells. In this book are twenty of the most incredible tales of children who were given back their futures by the unique and extraordinary institution of Greatwood.
The Pale Abyssinian: The Life of James Bruce, African Explorer and Adventurer (T
The Pale Abyssinian: The Life of James Bruce, African Explorer and Adventurer (T
Miles Bredin
¥61.51
The biography of one of Britain’s greatest explorers by a brilliant young writer. The achievements of James Bruce are the stuff of legends. In a time when Africa was an unexplored blank on the map, he discovered the source of the Blue Nile, lived with the Emperor of Abyssinia at court in Gondar, commanded the Emperor’s horse guard in battle and fell in love with a princess. After twelve years of travels, and having cheated death on countless occasions, Bruce returned to England from his Herculean adventures only to be ridiculed and despised as a fake by Samuel Johnson and the rest of literary London. It was only when explorers penetrated the African Interior one hundred years later and were asked if they were friends with a man called Bruce, that it was finally confirmed that Bruce really had achieved what he had claimed. The Pale Abyssinian is the brilliantly told story of a man’s battle against almost insurmountable odds in a world nobody in Europe knew existed. Born in 1730, the son of a Scottish laird, James Bruce was an enormous man of six foot four with dark red hair, and he had to use all of his bearing and his wits to survive the ferocious physical battles and vicious intrigues at court in Abyssinia (Ethiopia today). His biographer, Miles Bredin, through ingenious detective work both in Bruce’s journals and in Ethiopia itself, has also unearthed a darker mission behind his travels: a secret quest to find the lost Ark of the Covenant. A highly talented and daring young writer, Miles Bredin has created a stunning account of the life and adventures of an extraordinary man. The Pale Abyssinian will re-establish once and for all the name of one of Britain’s greatest explorers who penetrated the African Interior over a century before the likes of Stanley, Livingstone and Burton set foot on the continent. Note that it has not been possible to include the same picture content that appeared in the original print version.
Browning (Text Only)
Browning (Text Only)
Iain Finlayson
¥72.99
This edition does not include illustrations. A major biography of the most modern and the most underrated of English Literature's Great Victorians. Henry James called Robert Browning (1812–89) 'a tremendous and incomparable modern', and the immediacy and colloquial energy of his poetry has ensured its enduring appeal. This biography sets out to do the same for his life, animating the stereotypes (romantic hero, poetic exile, eminent man of letters) that have left him neglected by modern biographers. He has been seen primarily as one half of that romantic pair, the Brownings; and while the courtship, elopement and marriage of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning remains a perennially seductive subject (and one Finlayson evokes vividly, quoting extensively from their daily letters and contemporary accounts) there is far more to Browning than that. Chronological in structure, this book is divided into three sections which deal with his life's major themes: adolescence and ambition, marriage and money, paternity and poetry. Browning explores the many experiences that inspired his writing, his education and passions, his relationships with family and friends, his continual financial struggles and revulsion at being seen as a fortune-hunter, his most unVictorian approach to marriage (sexual equality, his helping wean Elizabeth off morphine and nursing her through various illnesses), fatherhood and fame (inviting a leading member of the Browning Society to watch him burning a trunk of personal letters): all of which contribute to a fascinating portrait of a highly unconventional Victorian. At once witty and moving, this critical biography will revolutionise perceptions of the poet – and of the man.
Etiquette (Collins Nutshell Books)
Etiquette (Collins Nutshell Books)
Martine Legge
¥37.96
Ever wondered about the correct way to address a Duke? Or how to get out of a car elegantly? What do you do if you embarrass yourself in public? These, and a whole host of other practical questions, are answered in this charming pocket-sized book. First published in 1960 this charming book provides a wealth of practical information on the right thing to do in just about every situation. Hailing from a time when it was not yet fashionable to condemn good manners and courtesy as hypocrisy, and social situations were distinct from each other with specific codes of conduct, Etiquette is both a delightful insight into the social mores of the '60s and a guide to good manners that is still relevant today. Chapters cover the problems involved in letter writing; sending out invitations; striking up conversation; telephone conversations; flat sharing; entertaining friends, business acquaintances - and their children; correct behaviour on a first date and even how to organise a wedding. Etiquette is part of a series of Collins Nutshell Books which cover hobbies, sports, practical activities and leisure-time interests of many kinds. Originally produced in the '60s, Collins Nutshell Books, recall a bygone era which flourished on the knowledge that many interests make for a happy life and that leisure means much more than watching television.
The English:A Field Guide
The English:A Field Guide
Matt Rudd
¥73.58
A hilarious field guide to the world’s most remarkable and unusual creatures: the English. Thanks to television documentaries by Bruce Parry and David Attenborough, we are better acquainted with the hunting rituals of the San bushmen and the mating habits of Papua New Guinean tribes than we are with the everyday lives of that most peculiar of species – the English. In ‘The English: A Field Guide’, Sunday Times journalist Matt Rudd, sets out to uncover what makes us, the English, tick. He will examine us in our natural habitats, starting with the living room and moving out to the kitchen, the garden, the commuter train, the office, the motorway, the high street, the sports stadium, the pub, club, bingo hall, balti house, beach and ending up in the bedroom. Hilarious, warm-hearted and surprisingly enlightening, ‘The English’ shines a strong searchlight on us all.
The Old Man and the Wasteland
The Old Man and the Wasteland
Nick Cole
¥54.74
The Old Man and the Wasteland is the first book in Nick Cole’s The Wasteland Saga. Part Hemingway, part Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, The Old Man and the Wasteland is a suspenseful odyssey into the dark heart of the Post-Apocalyptic American Southwest. Forty years after the destruction of civilization…Man is reduced to salvaging the ruins of a broken world. One man’s most prized possession is Hemingway’s classic ‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ With the words of the novel echoing across the wasteland, a survivor of the Nuclear Holocaust journeys into the unknown to break a curse. What follows is an incredible tale of survival and endurance. One man must survive the desert wilderness and mankind gone savage to discover the truth of Hemingway’s classic tale of man versus nature.
Broke:Who Killed the Middle Classes?
Broke:Who Killed the Middle Classes?
David Boyle
¥66.22
If you thought being middle-class meant your own home, something set aside for the kids and a comfortable retirement – think again. For the first time ever, today’s middle classes will struggle to enjoy the same privileges of security and comfort that their grandparents did. How did this situation come about? What can be done about it? In this beautifully shaped inquiry, David Boyle questions why the middle classes are diminishing and how their status, independence and values are being eroded. From Thatcher’s boost of the mortgage market to Blair and Brown’s posturing over public services, ‘Broke’ examines the key moments in recent history that created ‘the squeezed middle’. Can the middle classes be revived? Should they be? Although they were not innocent in their downfall, Boyle argues that a newly galvanised middle class could be the key to future economic stability. The middle class may be broke, but it is not beyond repair.
Pearl Lowe’s Vintage Craft:50 Craft Projects and Home Styling Advice
Pearl Lowe’s Vintage Craft:50 Craft Projects and Home Styling Advice
Pearl Lowe
¥114.48
Vintage designer Pearl Lowe shows you how to create the authentic vintage look in your own home with her expert advice and simple craft projects. This practical guide, complete with inspiring photography includes … ? 50 step-by-step craft projects ? Sewing, painting, upcycling and crafting secrets ? A how-to guide to sourcing your own vintage treasures ? And Pearl’s little black book of shops and suppliers An absolute must-have for lovers of vintage and all things handmade. Craft projects include … Dyed lace window panels Vintage bunting Midsummer and winter wreaths Gypsy-style apron Two-toned fringed lampshade Personalised rubber stamp Sumptuous padded headboard Upcycled chest of draws Antique ghost mirror Handmade vintage-style tiles The patterns and templates in this ebook are best viewed on an ereader that supports colour and has a zoom function.
Circles of Stone (The Mirror Chronicles, Book 2)
Circles of Stone (The Mirror Chronicles, Book 2)
Ian Johnstone
¥58.86
The second volume in an epic fantasy trilogy that will thrill everyone who loves rich stories of wonder and magic. Together, they have unimaginable power. But unless they part, that power may destroy them. As the dark lord Thoth raises a monstrous army, Sylas and Naeo discover that their new-found power could also be their undoing. At the same time, Sylas longs to find his mother, and Naeo her father. So begins a mirrored quest that will bring Naeo into our world of science and take Sylas deep into the magic of the Other. They both hope to find the one the other loves, but also the ultimate truth: of our broken worlds and divided souls, of prophecy and of Sylas and Naeo’s wondrous power. But it’s a race against time. Even as they begin their journey, Thoth’s creatures mass at the gateways between our worlds – at the ancient circles of stone… War is coming and unless Sylas and Naeo can stop it, it may destroy us all.
The Bell Between Worlds (The Mirror Chronicles, Book 1)
The Bell Between Worlds (The Mirror Chronicles, Book 1)
Ian Johnstone
¥58.86
A glorious epic fantasy in the grand tradition of CS Lewis and Philip Pullman, and a major publishing event, The Mirror Chronicles will take you into another world, and on the adventure of your lifetime… Half of your soul is missing. The lost part is in the mirror. And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again. Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since his mother died. But then the tolling of a giant bell draws him into another world known as the Other, where he discovers not only that he has an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic of the Fourth Way, but also that his mother might just have come from this strange parallel place. Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring, and an astounding revelation awaits Sylas as to the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out a girl called Naeo who might just be the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…
Killing Us Softly:The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine
Killing Us Softly:The Sense and Nonsense of Alternative Medicine
Dr Paul Offit
¥80.25
More people than ever are using alternative medicine. But, as expert Dr Paul Offit explains, these untested therapies are ineffective, expensive and even deadly. Now that homeopathic remedies are offered on the Nhs, it's clear that various therapies once considered alternative or complementary, have become mainstream - prescribed to burn fat, shrink prostates, alleviate colds, reduce stress, eliminate pain and prevent cancer. At the same time, uptake of effective vaccines such as Mmr has fallen - a disturbing trend which, in the case of the Mmr, has lead to a sharp rise in the number of measles cases. In 'Killing Us Softly' Paul Offit reveals, alternative medicine - an unregulated industry under no obligation to prove its claims or admit its risks - can actually be very harmful. In 'Killing Us Softly' he exposes how: * Homeopathic asthma preparations and bogus cancer cures have replaced life-saving medicines. * Acupuncture needles have pierced hearts, lungs, and livers and transmitted viruses, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C and Hiv. * Chiropractic manipulations have torn arteries. * Megavitamins increase the risk of cancer and heart disease-a fact well known to scientists but virtually unknown to the public. Using real-life case histories to back his argument, Dr Offit shows us why any medical treatment - alternative or conventional - must be properly evaluated. 'There's no such thing as alternative medicine. There's only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't.'