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万本电子书0元读

Seems Like a Nice Boy
Seems Like a Nice Boy
Malyon, Mike
¥48.95
The name Larry Grayson will be instantly recognisable to anyone who can remember the 1970s when his catchphrase 'Shut That Door' was on everybody's lips. However, Larry's rise to fame was slow in coming, born of years of perfecting his craft in clubs and theatres across the country. This biography details Larry's early life, how he was handed over as a baby to a miner's family in mysterious circumstances and brought up by his beloved foster sister, Flo, who was to become his lifelong companion. As a boy, encouraged by Flo, Larry would perform comedy routines for his school chums, standing on a tin bath in a wash-house yard, and he took his first steps into showbiz as a teenager with a local concert party. Seems Like a Nice Boy describes how, after a long career, Larry was eventually spotted by a top agent and set on the road to stardom, not only on stage but on television. Larry went on to host The Generation Game, attracting weekly audiences of around twenty million viewers and bringing Larry the kind of fame that he had always dreamed of. This fascinating book reveals how Larry Grayson's determination to succeed turned him into one of Britain's best-loved entertainers. This is a must-have read for Larry Grayson fans and anyone who enjoys classic comedy from a bygone age.
101 Interesting Facts on Doctor Who
101 Interesting Facts on Doctor Who
Pearson, Adam
¥24.43
Are you a Doctor Who fan? Have you followed the series through the years? Can you remember the names of all the past 'Doctors' and their companions? Would you like to know more about the iconic TV programme and its characters? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you won't want to be without 101 Interesting Facts on Doctor Who. Do you know where Dr Who's tomb is located or how many times The Doctor has regenerated inside the TARDIS? Which Doctor Who extra-terrestrials come from the plant Raxacoricicofallapatorius and what was The Doctor's companion, Romana's full name? Find out the answers, along with much more Doctor Who-related trivia, inside this new book. Discover fascinating facts about The Doctors, companions, their allies and enemies and the actors who bring them all to life, as well as information about the different storylines from programme past and present. This is a must-have book for all Doctor Who enthusiasts, whether you are a lifelong fan or one of the series many new followers.
Pop Diva Quiz Book
Pop Diva Quiz Book
Cowlin, Chris
¥39.14
The music industry has produced some iconic female artists in recent years. From princess of pop, Kylie Minogue, through to the eccentric Lady Gaga, these modern day divas belt out hit after hit for our entertainment. If you are a fan of powerful female singers, you are certain to enjoy The Pop Diva Quiz Book. Which American singer-songwriter was heavily influenced by gospel music when she was growing up? Which award-winning artist attended the BRIT school in the UK? Which singer released an album called 'Back to Basics' in 2006? The answers to these brain teasers and more can all be found inside this book. Featuring five multi-talented female artists; Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Adele, Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera, you are sure to learn something new about your favourite diva. With 100 questions on the women who have helped to shape the modern music landscape, this book will appeal to pop fans of all ages. Find out how much you really know about some of the most influential women in pop.
Enjoy the Highs, Survive the Lows
Enjoy the Highs, Survive the Lows
Buck, Paul
¥48.95
Enjoy the Highs, Survive the Lows follows one man's journey as a lifelong football fan and Spurs supporter. The book details the author's experiences attending hundreds of matches during the course of fifty years and his often strong opinions regarding the top teams and all things football. In this fascinating book, Paul Buck takes a light-hearted look at the great sides and players and expresses his view on the demise of the FA Cup, England's constant failure at major tournaments and the changing face and concerns of the modern game, all from the perspective of a dedicated and loyal fan. Paul also recalls his Sunday morning playing career and comments on youth football today, drawing from his time coaching at that level. Enjoy the Highs, Survive the Lows pays tribute to football fans of all ages, from any club, who have ever stood on a terrace, sat in the seats or simply pulled up an armchair to enjoy a match on TV. This book is for you.
101 Quirky Football Facts
101 Quirky Football Facts
Larkin, Hugh
¥24.43
Are you a football fan? Are you interested in football related trivia ? Would you like to discover more unusual facts about the beautiful game through the years? If so, you definitely won't want to be without 101 Quirky Football Facts? Do you know why India refused to take part in the 1950 World Cup finals, how Scottish team Ayr United got their nickname or where the world's first floodlit match was staged in 1878? Are you aware of how many English and Scotsmen were in the USA team that reached the World Cup semi-finals in 1930 and can you recall which pop superstar became an Honorary Director of Exeter City in 2002? Find out about the above and much more in this fun new book. Whether you are a life-long football aficionado or new to the game, 101 Quirky Football Facts has something for all ages. Packed with quirky facts that you can use to impress your friends and family, this book will appeal to anyone with a love of football.
Ryder Cup Trivia Quiz Book
Ryder Cup Trivia Quiz Book
Franks, Carl
¥39.14
The Ryder Cup is one of the biggest events in the golf calendar, attracting a huge global audience but how much do you really know about this eagerly awaited biennial tournament? If you are a fan of golf and would like to find out more about the history of the Ryder Cup from the very first match through to the present day, you won't want to be without this new quiz book. Where was the first ever international match played between Great Britain and USA in 1921? In what year was Sam Torrance the European Ryder Cup captain? Who was Tiger Woods first ever fourballs partner in the Ryder Cup? These are just a few of the 250 challenging questions in The Ryder Cup Trivia Quiz Book. Full of fascinating facts, this book includes origins, courses, captains, fourballs, foursomes, singles, legends, classic matches, milestones, records and much more Ryder Cup trivia. This is a must-have book for all golf fans from seasoned professionals to amateur enthusiasts.
Thames
Thames
Sinclair, Mick
¥98.00
It may not be the longest, deepest or widest river in the world but few bodies of water reveal as much about a nation's past and present, or as suggestive of its future, as England's River Thames. Tales of legendary lock-keepers and long-vanished weirs evoke the distant past of a river which evolved into a prime commercial artery linking the heart of England with the ports of Europe. In Victorian times, the Thames hosted regattas galore, its new bridges and tunnels were celebrated as marvels of their time, and London's river was transformed from sewer to centrepiece of the British Empire. Talk of the Thames Gateway and the effectiveness of the Thames Barrier keeps the river in the news today, while the lengthening Thames Path makes the waterway more accessible than ever before. Through quiet meadows, rolling hills, leafy suburbia, industrial sites and a changing London riverside, Mick Sinclair tracks the Thames from source to sea, documenting internationally-known landmarks such as Tower Bridge and Windsor Castle and revealing lesser known features such as Godstow Abbey, Canvey Island, the Sandford Lasher, and George Orwell's tranquil grave.
Provence
Provence
Garrett, Martin
¥88.19
Celebrated by writers from Petrarch to Peter Mayle, Provence's rugged mountains, wild maquis and lavender-filled meadows are world-famous. Historic cities like Arles, Avignon and Aix contain Roman amphitheatres, papal palaces and royal residences, while market towns and picturesque villages maintain age-old traditions of wine producing and agriculture. From the highland towns of Digne and Sisteron to the marshy expanse of the Camargue, Provence encompasses a rich variety of landscapes.Martin Garrett explores a region littered with ancient monuments and medieval castles. Looking at the vibrant dockside ambiance of Marseille and the luminous atmosphere of the Luberon, he considers how writers like Mistral and Daudet have captured the character of a place and its people. He traces the development of Provence as a Roman outpost, medieval kingdom and modern region of France, revealing through its landmarks the people and events that have shaped its often tumultuous history.Through its architecture, literature and popular culture, this book analyzes and celebrates the identity of a region famous for its pastis and petanque. Linking the past to the present, it also evokes the intense light and sun-baked stones that have attracted generations of painters and writers.
All at Sea with Truffles
All at Sea with Truffles
Collins, Sheila
¥58.76
Truffles, the celebrity tabby cat of mature years (it would be far too impolite to state her exact age here), puts pen to paper once again to share her unique and delightfully amusing observations of the human world around her, this time embarking on a totally new adventure on the ocean waves, finding her sea paws as she sets sail on a luxury (as befits a superior and sophisticated feline) ship with cruise aficionado Sheila, her long-term carer and provider of every possible need. New sights, sounds, smells, tastes and experiences face Truffles at every turn, from the tiresome car journey and undignified customs procedures to the mystifying and sometimes frightening onboard facilities and activities. Allowed to leave her stateroom to peruse all the non-eating areas - on a lead with matching collar, of course, and wearing a purrfectly preened catsuit - Truffles revels in being the centre of attention, maintaining an outward air of decorum at all times, even when her nine lives are tested to the core. A fantastic insight into the mind of a cat and the puzzles and mysteries created by events and practices that we all take for granted without question, and also a tantalising taster for those humans that haven't yet been tempted by the cruising lifestyle. One thing's for sure: Truffles can highly recommend it (oh, and Sheila, too)!
Portuguese
Portuguese
Hatton, Barry
¥98.00
Portugal is an established member of the European Union, one of the founders of the euro currency and a founder member of NATO. Yet it is an inconspicuous and largely overlooked country on the continent's south-west rim.In the fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Age of Discovery the Portuguese led Europe out of the Mediterranean into the Atlantic and they brought Asia and Europe together. Evidence of their one-time four-continent empire can still be felt, not least in the Portuguese language which is spoken by more than 220 million people from Brazil, across parts of Africa to Asia.Analyzing present-day society and culture, The Portuguese also considers the nation's often tumultuous past. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake was one of Europe's greatest natural disasters, strongly influencing continental thought and heralding Portugal's extended decline. The Portuguese also weathered Europe's longest dictatorship under twentieth-century ruler Antonio Salazar. A 1974 military coup, called the Carnation Revolution, placed the Portuguese at the centre of Cold War attentions. Portugal's quirky relationship with Spain, and with its oldest ally England, is also scrutinized.Portugal, which claims Europe's oldest fixed borders, measures just 561 by 218 kilometres . Within that space, however, it offers a patchwork of widely differing and beautiful landscapes. With an easygoing and seductive lifestyle expressed most fully in their love of food, the Portuguese also have an anarchical streak evident in many facets of contemporary life. A veteran journalist and commentator on Portugal, the author paints an intimate portrait of a fascinating and at times contradictory country and its people.
Lagos
Lagos
Whiteman, Kaye
¥88.19
Lagos is one of the fastest growing cities in the world, expected in some projections to have a population of 25 million by 2025. This will make it the biggest metropolis in sub-Saharan Africa and possibly the world's third largest city. This phenomenal and continuing growth gives it a heady turbulence, especially as it only took on the form of a coherent urban entity in the eighteenth century. After Nigeria's independence Lagos remained both trading hub and, for thirty years, a federal capital and political vortex. Now its driving sense of 'can-do', its outreach and vitality, make it a fulcrum and a channel for commercial and cultural talent. Kaye Whiteman explores a city that has constantly re-invented itself, from the first settlement on an uninhabited island to the creation of the port in the early years of the twentieth century. Lagos is still defined by its curious network of islands and lagoons, where erosion and reclamation lead to a permanently shifting topography, but history has thrust it into the role of a burgeoning mega-city, overcoming all nature's obstacles. The city's melting-pot has fertilised a unique literary and artistic flowering that is only now beginning to be appreciated by a world that has only seen slums and chaos. COLONIAL CITY: Portuguese influences; the 1861 Treaty of Cession and the British colonialists; architectural traces: schools and government buildings; the move towards independence. CITY OF ENTREPRENEURS: trading through the centuries: Sierra Leoneans and Brazilians; traditional markets and modern malls; the Central Business District. THE CITY OF WORDS AND MUSIC: a counterpoint to the alleged philistinism of its businessmen; the views of writers Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe; artist and sculptor Ben Enwonwu; the musical genius Fela Kuti.
Questions of Taste
Questions of Taste
Smith, Barry C
¥73.48
Interest in and consumption of wine have grown exponentially in recent years and there has been a corresponding increase in consumers' knowledge of wine, which in turn has generated discussions about the meaning and value of wine in our lives and how renowned wine critics influence our subjective assessment of quality and shape public tastes.Wine first played a part in Western philosophy at the symposium of the early Greek philosophers where it enlivened and encouraged discussion. During the Enlightenment David Hume recommended drinking wine with friends as a cure for philosophical melancholy, while Immanuel Kant thought wine softened the harsher sides of men's characters and made their company more convivial.In Questions of Taste, the first book in any language on the subject, philosophers such as Roger Scruton and wine professionals like Andrew Jefford, author of the award-winning book The New France, turn their attention to wine as an object of perception, assessment and appreciation. They and their fellow contributors examine the relationship between a wine's qualities and our knowledge of them; the links between the scientifically describable properties of wine and the conscious experience of the wine taster; what we base our judgements of quality on and whether they are subjective or objective; the distinction between the cognitive and sensory aspects of taste; whether wine appreciation is an aesthetic experience; the role language plays in describing and evaluating wines; the significance of their intoxicating effect on us; the meaning and value of drinking wine with others; whether disagreement leads to relativism about judgements of taste; and whether we can really share the pleasures of drinking.Questions of Taste will be of interest to all those fascinated by the production and consumption of wine and how it affects our minds in ways we might not hitherto have suspected.
Legacy
Legacy
Lawrence, Craig
¥39.14
Lucy Masters has just completed her PhD and is heading out to the Himalayas to climb some of the world's most challenging mountains. An assassin stalks a man whose company has developed a revolutionary new social media application. Harry Parker, an ex-Gurkha Army officer, is on leave between development contracts in Nepal. One of the City's most successful hedge fund managers is about to make his biggest ever fortune.Though they don't know it yet, the lives of these very different people come together in the most unexpected way. Add in a young and very beautiful emerging artist, a sociopath ex-special forces 'fixer' and an ambitious Police Commissioner and the stage is set for a dramatic adventure. From the mountains of Nepal and the Tors of Dartmoor to the streets of London and Edinburgh, the story that unfolds will grip you from the first page.
Indian Equator
Indian Equator
Strathcarron, Ian
¥73.48
In 1895/6 the sixty-year-old Mark Twain set off on a worldwide lecture tour to pay off his debts from a publishing company bankruptcy, notes from which a year later became his final travel book Following the Equator. Two years later he wrote, 'How I did loathe that journey around the world! except the sea-part and India.' Although he was only in India for just over two of the twelve months, his exploits and observations there take up forty per cent of the book-and by common consent are by far the best and liveliest part of it. In The Indian Equator the Mark Twain travel trilogist Ian Strathcarron, his wife and photographer Gillian and his factota Sita follow in his mentor's footsteps, train tracks and boat wakes tracing the route that Twain, his wife Livy, his daughter Clara, his manager Smythe and his bearer Satan took as they crisscrossed the sub-continent. Leaving from the Bombay that was and the Mumbai that is, both writers follow the lecture circuit of old India--including what is now Pakistan--across the plains and cities of the north up to the peaks of the Himalayas by way of Baroda, Jaipur, Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Benares/Varanasi, Calcutta/Kolkata, Darjeeling, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Staying in the same Raj clubs, travelling down the same train lines, meeting the high and mighty and the downtrodden and destitute, Twain and Strathcarron are absorbed by an India that then was and now is 'not for the faint of heart nor mild of spirit nor weak of mind nor dull of sense nor correct of politic'; a rapidly changing yet still deeply traditional society where 'a few hundred million have grabbed the twenty-first century by the whiskers and many more hundred million still tuck the nineteenth century into bed at night'. Mark Twain loved the India of 1896; like his trilogist, he would love it still.
Straight From The Force's Mouth
Straight From The Force's Mouth
Prowse, David
¥88.19
Everyone has heard of Darth Vader, the infamous Star Wars villain we all love to fear, created by George Lucas and brought to life by Dave Prowse MBE, but people may not be so familiar with the story of the multi-talented man behind the mask. It required someone exceptional to turn a helmeted costume into the principal character in the highest grossing film series in cinema history - that someone was Dave Prowse. The towering, physical presence of the 6ft 7"e; bodybuilder was ideally suited to personify the intimidating Darth Vader. Straight from the Force's Mouth takes us behind the scenes of Star Wars and documents how this extraordinary man took on the role of the menacing central character to creating one of the most iconic villains in cinema history. In this book of memoirs, Dave shares his journey from disadvantaged child and poor student to champion weightlifter and international film star. The Dave Prowse story is one of determination and hard work and in this honest account he explains how he overcame the many setbacks in his life to achieve success and global recognition. This book is a must have for Star Wars fans of all ages and will appeal to anyone who enjoys a truly inspirational and motivating real life story.
Travels through Blood and Honey
Travels through Blood and Honey
Gowing, Elizabeth
¥98.00
Kosovo: the name conjures up blood: ethnic cleansing and war. This book reveals another side to the newest country in the world-a land of generous families, strong tastes and lush landscapes: a land of honey.
Germany
Germany
Melican, Brian
¥98.00
German military figures had a certain terrifying glamour,' wrote Patrick Leigh Fermor, recalling views about Germany during the First World War. When, he asked, had the bristling general replaced the 'philosophers and composers and bandsmen and peasants and students drinking and singing in harmony?' The enchanted forest, symbol of Romantic idealism and traditional folktales, had given way to other images of Germany and Germans. By following Leigh Fermor, and over eighty other British and North American literary visitors to Germany, this original anthology shows how different generations of English-speakers have depicted this country. Starting in the sixteenth century with some of the earliest travel accounts in English, Brian Melican presents a wide range of writing about, or set in, Germany. Letters from Johnsonians such as Boswell and Garrick and the Romantic poets Coleridge and Wordsworth; the journals of Herman Melville and Henry James; ante bellum fiction by authors such as D. H. Lawrence and Ford Madox Ford: all of this and more reveals an oft-forgotten richness in encounters with Germany before the horrors of the twentieth century. Work by Christopher Isherwood, Stephen Spender and wartime reporters through the 1940s exposes the country's darkest moments, while sometimes surprising takes on the conflict emerge from authors inside Germany with unique perspectives such as Christabel Bielenberg and Michael Howard. Post-war writing ranges from the spy fiction of Len Deighton to the writers who dissected post-Nazi Germany. The diversity of writing about Germany today encompasses light-hearted accounts and more searching passages taken from an eclectic selection of authors. Recorded and imagined images of Germany have changed dramatically across the centuries. Yet views on many of its features especially its cities and rivers, customs and cuisine have often remained constant. This anthology, with extensive introductions and annotations, offers a range of opinions, both typical and atypical of their time, and invites readers to venture beyond the usual discussion about this country at the very heart of Europe.
On The Buses
On The Buses
Walker, Craig
¥68.57
On The Buses was a classic British situation comedy, created by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney, which ran for seven series from 1969 to 1973, and introduced a host of much-loved memorable characters. The series followed the ups and downs of life on the buses as portrayed by two work shy-busmen, Stan Butler (played by Reg Varney) and his mate Jack Harper (Bob Grant) as they invented new scams to wind up their long suffering boss, inspector Cyril Blakey Blake (Stephen Lewis). This book tells the whole 'On The Buses' story from its inception through to the three spin-off feature films it spawned. It includes details of cast, crew, locations and the many famous faces and catch phrases which made-up one of the most popular sitcoms ever to appear on our TV screens. On The Buses aired in an era where entertainment was unrestrained by politically correct rules but hilarious scripts and quality acting guaranteed the series a legion of loyal fans around the globe. This book is a must have for anyone interested in learning more about On The Buses an example of British sitcom at its best.
Fortune Hunter
Fortune Hunter
Bowman, Peter James
¥112.72
The two decades after Waterloo marked the great age of foreign fortune hunters in England. Each year brought a new influx of impecunious Continental noblemen to the world's richest country, and the more brides they carried off, the more alarmed society became.The most colourful of these men was Prince Hermann von Pueckler-Muskau (1785-1871), remembered today as Germany's finest landscape gardener. In the mid-1820s, however, his efforts to turn his estate into a magnificent park came close to bankrupting him. To save his legacy his wife Lucie devised an unusual plan: they would divorce so that Pueckler could marry an heiress who would finance further landscaping and, after a decent interval, be cajoled into accepting Lucie's continued residence. In September 1826, his marriage dissolved, Pueckler set off for London.Pueckler is the most intelligent of the overseas visitors who noted their impressions of Regency England. His matrimonial quest brings him into contact with such luminaries as Walter Scott, George Canning, Princess Lieven, Nathan Mayer Rothschild, Beau Brummell and John Nash. The object of many rumours and caricatures, the prince sticks doggedly to his task for nearly two years. And just when it seems that he has failed, England fills his coffers in the most unexpected way, and in doing so launches him on a new career.In telling the story of Pueckler's adventures in the context of the trend for Anglo-European marriages based on the exchange of a title for money, The Fortune Hunter writes a new chapter in the history of England's relationship with its Continental neighbours.
Our Man in Paris
Our Man in Paris
Lichfield, John
¥132.34
Since 1997 John Lichfield, The Independent's correspondent in France, has been sending dispatches back to the newspaper in London. More than transient news stories, the popular 'Our Man in Paris' series consists of essays on all things French. Sometimes serious, at other times light-hearted, they offer varied vignettes of life in the hexagone and trace the author's evolving relationship with his adopted country. Many of Lichfield's themes concern the mysteries of Paris and its people. Who is responsible for the city's extraordinary plumbing? How can you drive around the Arc de Triomphe and survive? He also ponders the phenomena that intrigue many foreigners, such as the eloquence of the capital's beggars and the identity of the intimidating but fast disappearing concierge. Visiting places as different as the Musee d'Orsay and Disneyland, he explores culture high and low as well as the everyday pleasures and problems of living in Paris.
Northern Conquest
Northern Conquest
Holman, Katherine
¥98.00
Most historical accounts examine the Viking Age in one part rather than the whole region of the British Isles and Ireland. Very few pay attention to the continued contact between England and Scandinavia in the post-Norman Conquest period. This book aims to offer an alternative approach by presenting a history of the Viking Age which considers the whole area up to and beyond the Norman Conquest of 1066.The Vikings have been traditionally portrayed as brutal barbarians who sailed to Britain and Ireland to loot, rape and pillage. The evidence presented here suggests a considerably less dramatic but no less fascinating picture which reveals the Vikings' remarkable achievements and their influence in shaping the political history of these islands. Katherine Holman discusses their skills as farmers, their linguistic and artistic contribution, their rituals and customs and the conflict between paganism and Christianity, showing that the Viking cultural impact was complex and often rich.Based on extensive and original research, The Northern Conquest presents the available evidence and guides the reader through the process of interpreting it. This is not restricted to historical documents alone, but also includes archaeology, runes, inscriptions, artefacts and linguistic evidence to provide different and complementary types of information. In addition, the book considers the contemporary question of the Vikings' genetic legacy.Interest in the Viking Age is thriving and expanding, both in Britain and in North America. Highly readable and casting new light on the period, this book will appeal to a wide audience.