Life and Times of Eccentric Yorkshiremen
¥98.00
They reckon you have to be a famous celebrity, climbed Mount Everest or lived through a war to write an autobiography. Well I haven't done any of those but I have written a musical, and had it performed on stage, appeared on TV and in national newspapers for various little escapades, and tried to live life to the full. People who know me call me eccentric or a touch bizarre and I have been described as "e;off the wall"e; (not sure of the origin of that or even if it fits). I have been called worse behind my back no doubt, but for better or worse the contents of this book are a bit of a record of what I've been getting up to in the past sixty odd years or so. You've picked this book off the shelf and read this bit so do give the inside a try. It's good for a laugh if nothing else. Although do remember. PLEASE DON'T TRY MOST OF THIS AT HOME
Walking the Hexagon
¥98.00
Why would a man retire from his job and take off on a unique 4,000-mile walk around France? What possessed him to wear out his sixty-year-old hips and knees when he could spend a comfortable retirement at home? In this fascinating book Terry Cudbird reveals the obsession which is long distance walking--the intoxicating freedom to go where you want, the escape from the complications and paraphernalia of everyday life, the unpredictable encounters. His itinerary covered the six sides of the French hexagon. In a year's walking he passed through the Pyrenees, the Languedoc, Provence, the Alps, the Jura, Alsace, Lorraine, Picardy, Normandy, Brittany and Aquitaine. En route he discovered the astonishing variety of France's regions; their culture, history, languages, architecture and food. He passed through cities and hamlets, idyllic mountains and bleak plains, the heat of Le Midi and the cold of Le Nord. The author relates the highs and lows of a sometimes gruelling trek: the dramatic changes in landscape, the unexpected acts of kindness but also the guard dogs, snorers in hikers' refuges, storms, man-eating insects, blisters, exhausted limbs, lack of water and a rucksack which was always too heavy. Most important, he met hundreds of French people, many with an unusual outlook on life and interesting stories to tell: hermits, hippies, pilgrims, monks and farmers to name but a few. He made some lasting friends. Terry Cudbird's journey is rich in incident and observation. It is also, in part, the story of an individual coming to terms with his parents' old age and growing dementia. Through walking he finds not only a source of endless new horizons but also the means of accepting the past and its loss. This book will be of interest to walkers, lovers of France and anyone who has ever dreamt of encountering real adventures not far from home.
Laurie Lee Selected Poems
¥98.00
Lee's first love was always poetry, though he was only moderately successful as a poet. Lee's first poem appeared in The Sunday Referee in 1934. Another poem was published in Cyril Connolly's Horizon magazine in 1940 and his first volume of poems, The Sun My Monument, was launched in 1944. This was followed by The Bloom of Candles (1947) and My Many-coated Man (1955). Several poems written in the early 1940s reflect the atmosphere of the war, but also capture the beauty of the English countryside. The poem "e;Twelfth Night"e; from My Many-coated Man was set for unaccompanied mixed choir by American composer Samuel Barber in 1968.
Never Again
¥98.00
Elderly British men display a variety of annoying habits. They write letters to the newspapers; they drink too much; they reminisce about the old days; they make lewd comments to younger women; they shout at the television screen; and they go for long walks and get lost. Jeremy Cameron chose the last of these options. Trying to emulate Patrick Leigh Fermor's feat of 1933, he walked from Hook of Holland to Istanbul. Leigh Fermor was a legendary figure. Scholar, multilinguist, beautiful prose stylist, war hero, tough guy, charmer and famous lover: Cameron is none of these things and he also suffers from a heart condition. Rest assured that there will be no tedious details of operations or stoicism in this book. Nor will there be descriptions of understated generosity, quiet irony or British phlegm. The main point of travel is to recognise the virtues of staying at home. When at home, it is not possible to get bogged down in Alpine snow, fall over on one's face on Kosovan tarmac or suffer a comprehensive mugging on deserted roads in Greece. Nor does one have to speak foreign languages, eat foreign food or, above all, drink terrible tea. It is about two thousand miles from Hook of Holland to Istanbul. Thirteen countries lie in wait for the walker. They have many wonderful sights and much fascinating history. Readers will not find them in this book. They will, however, find a number of stories of varying authenticity and some very dubious observations about life. By the time Turkey arrived, Cameron was utterly and completely fed up with the whole process. Never again would he do anything quite so stupid. He is currently walking round all the places in England beginning with the letter Q.
Walking the Retreat
¥98.00
The opening month of the Great War ending in the Battle of the Marne (6-9 September 1914) was a turning point in modern history. The French and British armies were forced into a long retreat from Belgium but subsequently regrouped to mount a successful counter-attack. However, the miracle of the Marne, as it was later called, ended in the stalemate of the trenches. The failure of the Imperial German Army to achieve a decisive victory led to thirty years of hostility, warfare and destruction, which cost millions of lives. During the retreat to the Marne over a million soldiers marched 20 miles a day carrying 60-lb packs in temperatures above 30 degrees. They were often short of food and only managed short snatches of rest. They fought a series of engagements over two weeks which ended in a battle from the plains of Lorraine to the gates of Paris. This march tested them to the limits of endurance and beyond. In this book Terry Cudbird recreates the experience of the infantry during their gruelling journey. He describes his own August walk from southern Belgium to the battlefield, which followed the exact route taken by a French Lieutenant in the Fifth Army. He draws on a wide range of personal reminiscences, not only French but also British and German. He takes us back to the landscapes of Northern France in 1914 and explains how they have changed since that August one hundred years ago. He also reflects on the soldiers' origins and training, and their morale as they set out. This is not another military history but a unique evocation of the powers of endurance of ordinary soldiers. It will appeal to those interested in the history of the Great War, including readers who want to explore the route of the retreat for themselves.
Outstanding Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes
¥98.00
This compilation, comprising a Baker's (street) Dozen of his adventures, re-creates the gas-lit, fog-enshrouded world of Victorian London as once more Sherlock Holmes urges - Come, Watson, the game is afoot!
Next Level
¥98.00
The Next Level is not a conventional business book. It sets out to challenge assumptions and offers an alternative approach to old, traditional ways of business thinking. This book takes a refreshingly new look at how you, as a Leader, can achieve success with sustainable profit and growth, through an alignment of both yourself and your business. Laurence Udell utilises his own tried and tested thinking, life experience alongside research from leading edge philosophers, scientists, psychologists, and management thinkers to develop the 4 A's Strategy Model. Through this profoundly inspirational model, the book demonstrates how to work with your current business strategy, its dynamics, patterns and underlying root issues, to create a changed world for your business and yourself, the outcomes being greater financial success and a clearer understanding your own unique role and purpose. The Author's premise is that the health of an organisation is directly attributable to the spiritual, psychological and wellbeing of the leader and the leadership team. With The Next Level he advocates that long-term success and shareholder value can be achieved alongside ethical, authentic leadership and community spirit.
Bubble Wrapped Children
¥98.00
Numerous reasons cause adopted teenagers to reconnect with their birth family via Facebook, creating new challenges for adoption today and tomorrow. Incorporating theory, practice, anecdotes, metaphors, diagrams, models and case studies, this accessible book, written by an experienced adopter, clearly explains these complex issues. It maps connections between trauma, child development, grief, adolescence, contact, truth telling and parenting styles; offering fresh perspectives and strategies for parents and professionals.
TOK258 Morgan Winner at Le Mans 50th Anniversary Edition
¥98.00
In 1962 a small Morgan sports car TOK258 created history by defeating factory teams run by leading international manufacturers in the famous 24 hour race at the Le Mans circuit. The car crossed the finishing line on Sunday 24th June having completed 2256 miles in the twenty four hours from the start time on Saturday afternoon to win the 2 litre GT class. Although privately owned, the car was entered and supported by the Morgan Motor Company and driven by Chris Lawrence and Richard Shepherd-Barron. This new colour 50th anniversary edition of the original book by Ronnie Price, now with racing driver Richard Shepherd-Barron as co-author, covers the concept, preparation, and official testing at the circuit. It gives a blow-by-blow account of the race, with anecdotes, memorabilia, material and photographs only recently made available.
Reluctant Heroes
¥98.00
THE DUTCH CAPERFirst in the Cormack and Woodward series, it involves a dangerous mission into wartime Europe in order to try and find vital information about the 'Liechtenstein' onboard radar system that Luftwaffe night fighters are using to shoot down RAF bombers in ever increasing numbers. The only way to do this is to steal a night fighter from a securely guarded Luftwaffe air base... Based on a true story.EMERALDSequel to The Dutch Caper, where Cormack and Woodward have to fly into Berlin during the last days of the War, in order to bring out 'Emerald', a highly placed British agent, who is being hunted, not just by the Gestapo, but by Soviet Intelligence as well. The action takes place against a background of a Berlin that is being systematically destroyed by the attacking Red Army.BERLIN ENDGAMEThe third book in the series, set during the Berlin Blockade of 1948. Cormack and Woodward uncover an assassination plot that, if successful, could spark armed conflict in Berlin that, almost inevitably, will lead to World War Three... Bad enough that they don't know when or where the killing is to take place, but even worse is the suspicion that their own superiors could be involved...
Northern Conquest
¥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.
Black Carib Wars
¥98.00
The Garifuna people today live all along the Caribbean littoral of Central America, from Belize, through Guatemala and Honduras down to Nicaragua, and also in some of the biggest cities of the United States. For more than two hundred years they have preserved their unique culture and language--the direct descendant of that spoken in the islands at the time of Columbus. All of them, however, trace their origin back to the island of St. Vincent--YouroumaA n in their own language--where shipwrecked and runaway slaves joined together with the local Carib Indians to form a distinct society, known to the European colonists as the Black Caribs. Relations with the French veered between conflict and cooperation but when a deal struck in Paris in 1763 ceded the island to Britain, the stage was set for the Black Caribs final, desperate struggle to preserve their freedom. What followed was a series of bloody wars punctuated by periods of wary coexistence in which a small but determined people stood up to the might of the British Empire. The product of extensive original research in St. Vincent, the United Kingdom and France, The Black Carib Wars combines a compelling narrative with new details of the Black Caribs' fight to stay free. It draws in characters such as Daniel Defoe, the first man to describe an eruption of St. Vincent's volcano, and Captain Bligh, who belatedly brought Tahitian breadfruit to the island after his mission was interrupted by the mutiny on The Bounty. It looks at who the Black Caribs were, why they fought so tenaciously and how leaders such as Tourouya, Bigot and Chatoyer managed to marshal a fiercely individualistic society against the external threat. In the wake of the revolutions in France and Haiti, the Black Caribs fought their last battle, ending in agonising defeat and decimation in British captivity. The Black Carib Wars recounts how the survivors were shipped off to the faraway shores of Central America and what became of those who escaped deportation from St. Vincent.
More Than Cowboys
¥98.00
So many books about the American West leave out the more intriguing details:When, in 1803, the young USA doubled its size with the purchase from France of an unexplored vastness called La Louisiane, it was a British bank which lent the Americans most of the $15 million that they didn't have. So the financial papers for the biggest real-estate deal in history are, to this day, held in a London vault. Not many people know that... If his ranching uncle-by-marriage had had his way, the teenaged Winston Churchill - a disappointing scholar - might have been sent west to Wyoming to train as a cowboy. Who knows but, in time, he himself might have become a rancher. How then would history have turned out? Another ranching Englishman played a key role in recruiting a small army of Texas gunmen to "e;invade"e; northern Wyoming and kill more than 40 small settlers, men who had too easily been accused of being rustlers. The plan went badly wrong. But the Englishman had slipped away - gone home on holiday... It seems unlikely that Butch Cassidy was killed in a Bolivian shoot-out. It seems that he returned, under a false name, to live out his days in the West. In 1935, he even submitted a autobiographical script to Hollywood - only to have it rejected as being "e;too preposterous to be believable"e;. He died two years later - penniless. "e;Royal tourist visits the Colonies"e; was the local headline. In her VC-10, the Queen had flown into the small town of Sheridan in Wyoming. First, she took an extended walkabout along Main Street and then she holidayed for several days on a friend's ranch in the shadow of the Big Horn Mountain ... Tim Slessor, a one-time BBC producer, has filmed "e;out West"e; for nearly 50 years. In this book, he picks out a selection of fascinating stories that range from the mountain men and their fur trade to the pioneers of the overland trail, from Custer and the disaster at the Little Big Horn to the last stand of the Sioux at Wounded Knee, from the early cow-towns and the railroads to the cattle barons and the emigrant sod-busters.
Thames
¥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.
Planning for the Early Years
¥98.00
Planning for the Early Years: Storytelling and storymaking is a lovely book packed with adaptable ideas that can be extended for older children, or more focused for the under threes. It focuses on the prime areas of learning, especially the development of early language, defined in the 2011 Tickell review of the EYFS as the foundations for all learning. It includes photos, examples, tips, and pre- and post activity advice.
Rugby World Cups - 2003 and 2015
¥98.00
History was made on November 22 2003 - England was crowned the World Champion. Everything was ready for rugby to explode in England, for the national team to kick-on, for the level of the domestic game to continue growing and for the sport to truly become prominent nationwide. It did not eventuate. England lost far too many matches and the Aviva Premiership does not match the French Top 14. The result for Rugby World Cup 2015 is a match schedule allocating more games to Wales than to the north of England. Understanding how this came about and also how and why Wales secured matches is an important part of the puzzle and carries substantial implications for future Rugby World Cups. Local and global issues including decision making, rival sports and nationalized players are all tackled in an analysis that seeks to offer realistic and viable solutions for the benefit of English and global rugby.
Keeping Quiet
¥98.00
Keeping Quiet is a love-letter to the modern sight-gag on film and television, tracing the history of physical clowning since the advent of sound. Taking up the story of visual humour where Paul Merton's Silent Comedy leaves off, Julian Dutton charts the lives and work of all the great comedians who chose to remain silent, from Charlie Chaplin - who was determined to resist the 'talkies' - right through to the slapstick of modern-day performers such as Rowan Atkinson, Matt Lucas and Harry Hill. This fascinating chronicle - spanning nine decades - shows how physical comedy, at first overshadowed by dialogue-films in the 1930s, reinvented itself and how this revival was spearheaded by a Frenchman: Jacques Tati.Julian Dutton draws on his own experience as a comedy writer and performer to give an expert analysis of the screen persona and the comedy style of dozens of the screen's best-loved performers including Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, Harpo Marx, Norman Wisdom, Jerry Lewis, Benny Hill, Peter Sellers, Eric Sykes, Ronnie Barker, Marty Feldman - and many more.This book will appeal both to the serious student of film, television and theatre - including those aspiring to write or perform comedy - and to the general reader and comedy fan.
Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes
¥98.00
Norman Schatell was the leading Sherlock Holmes artist of the 1970s. 'The Lighter Side of Sherlock Holmes' is a collection of over 300 humorous cartoons and illustrations based on the characters that appear in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's' famous stories. Many of the cartoons and drawings originally appeared in 'The Baker Street Journal', the British 'Sherlock Holmes Journal', 'The Armchair Detective', 'The Baker Street Miscellanea', and 'The Serpentine Muse'. Murder Ink, a former New York City mystery book shop, used fifteen of the cartoons to illustrate a line of stationery. The book includes the comical 'Arts and Crafts' Sherlock Holmes drawings, 'The Anthropological Holmes' (a fanciful look at Sherlock Holmes in ancient civilizations and around the world), and many of the illustrated envelopes he mailed to his friends. The book is a must for all Sherlock Holmes buffs - and a treat for anyone who enjoys the stories, movies, and television shows.
Danny Boyle - Lust for Life
¥98.00
Danny Boyle is one of contemporary filmmaking's most exciting talents. Since the early 1990s he has steadily created a body of work that crosses genres and defies easy categorisation, from black humour (Shallow Grave), gritty realism (Trainspotting), screwball comedy (A Life Less Ordinary), cult adaptations (The Beach), and horror (28 Days Later), to science fiction (Sunshine), children's drama (Millions), love stories (Slumdog Millionaire) and tales of personal redemption (127 Hours). Unlike many of his peers, Boyle seems most comfortable when working with modest budgets, relying on acting ability rather than special effects, and surrounding himself with a trusted team of writers, cinematographers and production designers. His restless energy, vitality and drive find their expression in the celebratory tone of his films - their lust for life.In this book, Mark Browning provides a rigorous but highly accessible analysis of Boyle's work, discussing the processes by which he absorbs generic and literary influences, the way he gains powerful performances both from inexperienced casts and A-list stars, his portrayal of regional identity, his use of moral dilemmas as a narrative trigger, and the religious undercurrents that permeate his films.
Portuguese
¥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.
Enduring Freedom
¥98.00
This brand new anthology has been compiled to commemorate 10 years in Afghanistan. Announced in November 2010, contributions for a book of war poems were sought, and aided by appeals in the media, including BFBS Radio, the Army Families Federation and the charity Combat Stress, to name but a few; poems came from serving personnel of all ranks, veterans, families and friends. These poems all have one thing in common: they speak from and with the very soul of our Armed Forces of which we are so proud. With an introduction by Sir Andrew Motion, Poet Laureate 1999-2009 and foreword by the former Head of the TA (Territorial Army), His Grace, The Duke of Westminster, this high-profile anthology is sure to stimulate poetry enthusiasts and those with an interest in supporting HM Forces personnel. The book contains a large proportion of new poetry inspired by events and operations relating to Afghanistan, written by both previously unpublished, and established poets who have found this book a suitable and timely vehicle for their powerful prose and poetry. One of the most powerful entries is from a schoolgirl, whose Wootton Bassett inspired poem is sure to stir the emotions. AGBP2 from each book supports Combat Stress.