Whether you're planning your first seige, building a fortress or just looking for a way to escape the peasants below, 'Castles: A Very Peculiar History' is full of tips, tricks and horror stories from the castle-building trade. We can't all match up to the combined beauty and danger of the Tower of London, but in this title you'll learn who developed the world's first flat-pack castle, the difference between donjeons and dungeons (it's important, trust us) and even the best time of year for a siege. Discover how a fortress was brought down by forty pigs and even how to use a common plant to defect lightning! Gasp in horrible glee at the many horrid substances poured onto beseigers through those dastardly trebuchets (there are things worse than boiling hot oil!). From the keep to the bailey, 'Castles: A Very Peculiar History' is all you need to learn how to build, manage and defend a mighty fortress.

Ronnie Biggs: The Inside Story, written by two of Ronnie Biggs's closest friends and most ardent supporters, delivers exactly what it says on the label, giving a very personal, unique and yet disturbing insight into the mind and subsequent treatment by the judicial and penal systems of the man that became a legendary household name for his role in one of Britain's most notorious crimes, the Great Train Robbery of 1963, and his subsequent life on the run upon his escape from prison in 1965. Raising pointed questions and dispelling many myths, the story makes one wonder who is the greater criminal: the carpenter that played a bit part in an unarmed robbery 45 years ago, who has remained incarcerated since his return to the UK in 2001 despite the fact that he is now a frail, wheelchair-bound 79-year-old grandfather who is no threat to society, is fed via a tube to his stomach and can only communicate by pointing to letters on a laminated sheet; or the justice and prison systems that have allowed him to rot in jail for so long. One thing's for sure, although Ronnie Biggs's body is letting him down after a series of strokes and other illnesses, his legal team, campaign supporters, underworld friends and devoted family certainly aren't, and neither is his own fighting spirit or his humanity in the face of inhumanity. All he wants now is to be able to die a free man rather than suffer "e;a slow crucifixion on the Home Office cross"e;, and once all the facts have been digested one can only be moved to ask: "e;How could anyone deny him that?"e;

The exceptional circumstances of Lionel MosseIri's short but remarkable life and military career are described by his stepfather, Louis Marlio, in the Preface to letters which Lionel wrote home to his family.Highly-intelligent, articulate and revealing a disciplined, philosophical and visionary mind, Lionel's letters are sufficiently thought-provoking and well-written to justify publication. He had received an English public school education and was trained and served in both British and French armies. When he was killed on 25 November, 1944, Lionel MosseIri was leading a French detachment into Masevaux, the first city in Upper Alsace to be freed from the German Occupation. He was just twenty-three years old. Who knows the future there might have been for him in the peacetime Europe for which he fought so hard?This book is dedicated by his step-father and brothers in honour of his memory, and to his fallen comrades who are remembered with him.

Laura was just eighteen years of age when she fled her family home on the Serbian Kosovo border at the height of the former Yugoslavian conflict. Her father felt she would be safer in Kosovo, free from the rape camps, massacres and ethnic cleansing that took place on their doorstep, the streets of the capital patrolled by US peacekeeping forces. Reluctantly she made the long journey through the mountains and eventually arrived in Pristina. Neither Laura or her father were aware she had entered a city one US delegate described, "e;as one vast crime scene."e; She had no idea what terrors lay ahead, as she crossed the path of 'The Chief', a self professed freedom fighter in the Kosovan Liberation Army. On the face of it The Chief' claimed to be fighting a noble cause. Behind closed doors he was the mastermind of a huge operation dealing in organ harvesting, people trafficking and prostitution and his evil gang raped tortured and killed at will. Laura had stumbled through the gates of hell. Follow her quite unbelievable true story of kidnap, murder, brutality and abuse set against the backdrop of one of Europe's most recent and bloody conflicts and how she encountered some of the most evil men on the planet.This is Laura's story of courage and hope and how some of the most evil men on the planet did not break her spirit.

This book tells the incredible story of the cross-correspondence automatic writings, described by one leading scholar of the field, Alan Gauld, 'as undoubtedly the most extensive, the most complex and the most puzzling of all ostensible attempts by deceased persons to manifest purpose, and in so doing to fulfil their overriding purpose of proving their survival'. It is an intensely personal and passionate story on so many levels: May Lyttelton trying to convince her lover Arthur Balfour of her continued existence; Myers with indomitable persistence trying to produce evidence to prove survival generally; Gurney and Francis Balfour striving from beyond the grave to influence the birth of children who would work for world peace; Gerald Balfour and his lover Winifred Coombe-Tennant believing that their child, Henry, would be the Messianic leader of this group of children.

This book gives us an in depth look at the court of Queen Elizabeth I from birth to death. Widely acclaimed to be one of the most accurate accounts, it features letters, quotes and even sonnets from all the leading people of the day. The intrigues and deceits are written about in great detail - A gripping classic read from AUK's Revisited series.

Planning for Learning through ICT aims to introduce young children to what ICT is, and provides over six weeks worth of activities that explore a range of technologies suitable for children 3-5. The book provides ideas for helping children learn about the different purposes of ICT and explores how to use ICT to create, to find information, to play, to shop. The book focuses in particular on how to use ICT creatively as well as outdoors. Whatever your daily learning, this book aims to show how ICT can be easily and appropriately included in your everyday play and learning.

Promoting positive community was something that just came naturally to Francis Boatwright, a pioneer educationalist who worked for many years in Mozambique. His great passion was helping others reach their potential and was also good at bringing healing to people, so they could know themselves as whole persons capable of contributing to human flourishing. Boatwright moved to Zimbabwe, a country of natural beauty, in the middle of the twentieth century with his wife Monica who had an excellent command of the Nguni languages. As they had no house at first, the Boatwrights camped out. But the bush was very thick. It wasn't long before they started getting visits from wild animals and snakes of all kinds...

A reflection on life, The Blood of Kings describes in raw emotion and evocative language all aspects of what it is to be a man, a poet, a soldier, a friend. This poetry, with a dark edge, covers the loss of love, death, religion, friendship, war and a philosophical outlook on what they all really mean. Not always easy reading, but with depth and passion, JB Brown describes a passage of rights where the juxtaposition of life, its highs and its accompanying pain are only too real.

Your child has an autism diagnosis. Now what??First, do no harm. Well, that’s a no-brainer, right??When your child receives an autism diagnosis, the research begins. You want to learn all that you can and find the best ways to help him or her.You will receive advice from specialists that makes sense to you - that fits with your life philosophy and with what you know of your child. You will receive advice that does not sit so well with you, the needs of your family and what you believe are the needs of your child.?Trust your instincts. You know your child the best and no one has his well-being at heart as much as you.Whether or not you feel prepared right now, you as the parent will be your child's primary therapist. You spend the most time with him and have the biggest impact on his life.?This book is for you. It's written by a parent who is also a special ed teacher, counselor, school psychologist, district consultant and autism consultant. The language won't require that you sit with a dictionary in your other hand but when you do find something that makes you want to research further, links and provided to help you with your search.Helping your autistic child be the best he can be is doable. It's within your reach and this is the book to guide you.

A hero’s journey starts with a single step—but what if that step rested on a broken foundation? When all you know about your world crumbles into ashes. When truth rests on a broken foundation. When what you believe to be true lies on a broken foundation. A book, a broken faith, a promise of hope. Never open a book without knowing what lies between its covers. When what you knew to be truth crumbles in the face of reality. When your heritage leads you to doubt all you’ve known. Diondray's Discovery is the first book in The Diondray's Chronicles that will transport you to the world of Kammbia, an imaginative and colorful world in which Diondray discovers his inner hero. If you can't get enough of rich new worlds, breathtaking adventure, introspective characters, and subtle social commentary, then you're ready to ride along with Diondray as he discovers his destiny.

Thirty Shades of Red Sheryl has lost her mojo Sheryl has seen better days, and now, on the wrong side of thirty-five she has lost it all and must start again. Not alone; but under the watchful eye of her mother. A woman with as much sensitivity as a comedian at a hen do.? Where does she start? With a newly discovered passion for belly dancing, Sheryl sets out to chase her fantasies. But, with a teacher like Nefertiti, and mother like Beatrice chasing your fantasies is easier said than done… Sheryl’s Last Stand is a Bridget Jones type comedy with a heroine we can all relate to and a great read if you’re having one of those "stick your head in the sand-I don’t want to get out of bed" days. Sheryl makes you laugh, cry but most of all not give up. She is the first in the Belly Dancing and Beyond series- laugh out loud stories about a group of women who have at one time or another danced with the great Nefertiti.? Each book is a stand-alone tale jam packed with familiar characters you will grow to love, maybe hate but will definitely want to read about again.? ?

Mark Hersch’s life changed for the better when he met Beth Azen. Except for those long drives from Richmond to Hartstown, Virginia, to see her. Mark jumps at a surprise trip for a routine investigation of a polluted stream, never expecting anything out of the ordinary. But a bizarre secret from before the town’s founding awaits. Can Mark, Beth, and their shared magic solve the deadly mystery before all of Hartstown runs out of time? An excerpt from Secrets in the Land: Sometimes, you need to leave the bad things in the past. Art smiled, but it didn’t get anywhere within a mile of his eyes. “I have to ask if this is something you’re willing to take on, Mark. I’m not fibbing or lying or anything else when I say I’d understand if you’re not. Whatever’s up there half scared the life out of me. You ever feel that way about a place?” This time Mark did shiver, and he didn’t try to hide it. Maybe it was time he admitted at least a bit of what he and Beth (and Clina) had actually gotten into back in December. “Just one time. When we were taking your lost miner’s bones out of that old house pit. I was sure then and I’m more sure now that he dropped the rock that hit Beth on purpose. Thing is, I know in my bones that the rock was really aimed at me.”

The Storm Breaks Alex Collins and Etan Griffith thought love, hard work, and magic protected them from the end of the world. Until heartbreak struck much closer to home. Picking up the pieces brings new friends and new challenges. Threats unseen and unexpected. Will the power of family bring them all through, together? An excerpt from Fighting the Storm: Etan didn’t have to look at Alex to know he was biting his tongue, dying to say something. He could feel how tense Alex’s leg was against his own, could just about hear?his agitation. “What are you wanting to say, Alex?” “I don’t want to be an asshole, but if we have to set you up as a prophet, that’s what we need to do. I hated what happened in Maple Ridge and everywhere else. But we can’t have gone through so much hell to get here and let everything fall apart again. If people will follow the Great Prophet Etan and that lets us survive, then that’s who you need to be.” Etan did groan then, closing his eyes for a second. Not only because this was what he’d been afraid of. Because the words and the ideas sounded true. They felt?true, no matter how much he might dislike them. “I don’t know if I can agree to that, not right now. I have no idea how to do any?of this, much less create a new religion. I’m scared to death of making a hard situation worse.”

Looking for a walk on the dark side? These three suspenseful tales of the future might be best read with all of the lights on. No Walls A man discovers that he has the ability to pass through walls, but finds it’s more of a curse than a gift, only useful for petty crime. Then a secret intelligence organization gets its hooks into him, and his troubles have only begun. (First published in “Neo-opsis” Issue #18, 2009.) ? Lockdown In a future society, criminals on parole don’t even dare to think about committing a crime or their bodies could go into complete lockdown. So how does a guy get revenge on those who’ve wronged him? ? Body Of Opinion For a dying man, a replacement body is a godsend. Unless the body turns out to be a used model with some serious glitches. Can the new “tenant” discover what killed its first owner before it fails completely? Praise for Scott Overton: “A storyteller of boundless skill…a writer to watch.” “A gifted wordsmith.”

The only tie-in book for USA's award-winning series MR. ROBOT, Elliot's journalRed Wheelbarrowis written by show creator Sam Esmail and show writer Courtney Looney. Before and during the events of season two, Elliot recorded his most private thoughts in this journaland now you can hold this piece of the series in your hands. Experience Elliot's battles to gain control of his life and his struggles to survive increasingly dangerous circumstances, in a brand-new story rendered in his own words. The notebook also holds seven removable artifactsa ripped-out page, a newspaper clipping, a mysterious envelope, and morealong with sketches throughout the book. You'll discover the story behind MR. ROBOT season two and hints of what is to come. This book is the ultimate journey into the world of the showand a key to hacking the mind of its main character. MR. ROBOT is a psychological thriller that follows Elliot (Rami Malek, The Pacific), a young programmer, who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and as a vigilante hacker by night. Elliot finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader (Christian Slater, Adderall Diaries) of an underground hacker group recruits him to destroy the firm he is paid to protect.Praise for MR. ROBOT: ';Relentless, sensational, and unabashedly suspenseful' TheNew York Times ';. . . most narratively and visually daring drama series on television . . .' Entertainment Weekly ';Terrific' The New Yorker ';Sam Esmail is one of the most innovative creators to make his mark on television in a long time.' Rolling Stone ';A modern classic' Forbes ';MR. ROBOT has the potential to be one of the defining shows of our age.' TIME ';Brilliant' The Huffington Post Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series, Drama, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Christian Slater) Critics' Choice(R) Awards for Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series (Rami Malek), and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Christian Slater) Emmy Award(R) for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Rami Malek) Five Emmy(R) nominations, including for Outstanding Drama Series

In his quest to seek the occult stone, which is also sought by his Father to push the planet into war, Sabienn Feel and his brothers venture to the disputed territories of Rotnadge-Minora in Deerland. In order to find the next clue in this journey, Sabienn needs to seek a coffee mug with the words “The World’s Greatest Dad”. This mug is a solid lead for him as a reader. But big men with influence have other plans. A powerful and mysterious General follows Sabienn’s travel throughout the land under his military control. And his Father, the Grand Inquisitor Profound Murrlock Hyde requires that Sabienn and his brothers must die on the fateful ground of Mount Farewell. Their deaths are to be at the hands of two men who now call themselves the Hot Cold Coal and the Diamond; the two men who kill to be carbon. One man used to be one of Sabienn’s best friends. The other man killed the woman Sabienn loved. Or did he? The Two Men Who Kill To Be Carbon is the fourth of twelve books in the Sabienn Feel Adventures. Interview with the Author Q - What inspired you to write The Sabienn Feel Adventures? A – I’ve always loved the idea of the epic journey. I’m acquainted with the book Journey to the West but was more familiar with the TV series in the 80’s based on the book called Monkey. The idea of four souls travelling across a wide expanse of geography to complete a quest appealed to me. So I planned a series of twelve books to go from one place in the south of this space colony that they live on twice removed from Earth, to end up in the north, meeting danger at every turn. Q – Why does your main character Sabienn Feel grow wings? A - Good question. I wanted something very drastic to occur to these people physically. Something that would be difficult to hide and offer an immediate prejudice. The idea of growing wings constantly came up for me. There’s a Pearl Jam song I found inspiring that says, “And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky. A human being that was given to fly”. And in my mind’s eye, I could see this figure. Almost like the Led Zeppelin Icarus logo but with bat wings. But they couldn’t fly otherwise they’d hit the sky and the journey would be over in no time. I made them only able to swim because being submerged in water has elements of dealing with the subconscious. To me it satisfies all elements of those prophecy, fantasy, epic adventure type of stories that involve friendship and brotherhood. Q - So, why should readers give these books a try? A – Well I would say they were humour-filled, page-turning, epic, fantasy adventure novels which involve a quest. But then that’s what you would expect me to say. Why not try and read one of the books and let me know what you think? Some of the books are free so you’ve got nothing to lose.

A shapeshifter hero battles ancient spirits, a covert government agency, and his own dark past in a race to solve a murder that could mean the end of the world. Cree and Ojibwe legends mix with current day environmental conflict in this fast-paced urban fantasy that keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to its explosive conclusion. With an introduction by Charles de Lint. The Heroka walk among us. Unseen, unknown. Shapeshifters. Human in appearance but with power over their animal totems. Gwyn Blaidd is a Heroka of the wolf totem. Once he led his people in a deadly war against the Tainchel, the shadowy agency that hunts his kind. Now he lives alone in his wilderness home, wolves his only companions. But when an Ojibwe girl is brutally killed in Gwyn’s old hometown, suspicion falls on his former lover. To save her, Gwyn must return, to battle not only the Tainchel, but even darker forces: ancient spirits fighting to enter our world… And rule it. “An immersive and enjoyable reading experience. Readers will delight in learning more about Native American mythology, which is skillfully woven throughout the story. Smith’s novel is both well paced and deftly plotted—leaving readers curious about what comes next for the Heroka in the modern world.” — Publishers Weekly “What makes THE WOLF AT THE END OF THE WORLD such an engrossing read are the characters and Doug’s wonderful prose, a perfect blend between matter-of-fact and lyricism. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that spoke to me, so eloquently, and so deeply, on so many levels. ... I’ll be rereading it in the future because it’s that sort of book. Richly layered and deeply resonant. An old friend, from the first time you read it.” — Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award winner

A ghost train carries a murderous secret deep through the North Georgia mountains. Betrayal colder than the wind blowing through the pines. A young girl with a burden a hundred years out of time.An old man’s tale of guilt and regret.A heartbroken woman caught in a mystery only she can solve.A boy long past living holds the key. Can unearthed secrets end the nightmare at last?

Called to a crime scene, caught in a pursuit that will change his life forever. Or end it. Chief Deputy Randall Steadman knows how to read people, making him tough to face in the interrogation room. He learns the hard way those tactics don't apply at the poker table. Watching the last of his money disappear in a pile of plastic chips, Steadman thinks it can’t get worse. Then new disaster strikes, spinning him off on a quest to catch a killer and protect an innocent girl, aided only by his new and untried partner, Detective Cory Frost. Extortion, a deadly volcano, and a triple homicide mark the beginning of a long and winding road for Steadman and Frost. If you like books by C.J. Box, Thomas Perry, and Jeffery Deaver, you’ve just found a new favorite in Steadman’s Blind!

After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, one solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra with a broken leg, a female orang-utan - and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Since it was first published in 2002, Life of Pi has entered mainstream consciousness and remains one of the most extraordinary works of fiction in recent years. In October 2005 Canongate launched a competition with The Times to find an artist to illustrate Yann Martel's international bestseller. Soon the competition expanded as the Globe and Mail and The Age newspapers also launched a search in Canada and Australia. From thousands of entries, Croatian artist Tomislav Torjanac was chosen as the illustrator for this new edition of Life of Pi. Now readers can enjoy this extraordinary tale with his glorious colour illustrations.