Samuel Butler was born on 4th December 1835 at the village rectory in Langar, Nottinghamshire.His relationship with his parents, especially his father, was largely antagonistic. His education began at home and included frequent beatings, as was all too common at the time.Under his parents' influence, he was set to follow his father into the priesthood. He was schooled at Shrewsbury and then St John's College, Cambridge, where he obtained a first in Classics in 1858.After Cambridge he went to live in a low-income parish in London 1858-59 as preparation for his ordination into the Anglican clergy; there he discovered that baptism made no apparent difference to the morals and behaviour of his new peers. He began to question his faith. Correspondence with his father about the issue failed to set his mind at peace, inciting instead his father's wrath.As a result, the young Butler emigrated in September 1859 to New Zealand. He was determined to change his life.He wrote of his arrival and life as a sheep farmer on Mesopotamia Station in 'A First Year in Canterbury Settlement' (1863). After a few years he sold his farm and made a handsome profit. But the chief achievement of these years were the drafts and source material for much of his masterpiece 'Erewhon'.Butler returned to England in 1864, settling in rooms in Clifford's Inn, near Fleet Street, where he would live for the rest of his life.In 1872, he published his Utopian novel 'Erewhon' which made him a well-known figure.He wrote a number of other books, including a moderately successful sequel, 'Erewhon Revisited' before his masterpiece and semi-autobiographical novel 'The Way of All Flesh' appeared after his death. Butler thought its tone of satirical attack on Victorian morality too contentious to publish during his life time and thereby shied away from further potential problems.Samuel Butler died aged 66 on 18th June 1902 at a nursing home in St John's Wood Road, London. He was cremated at Woking Crematorium, and accounts say his ashes were either dispersed or buried in an unmarked grave.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky was born on 11th November 1821.He was introduced to literature very early. At age three, it was heroic sagas, fairy tales and legends. At four his mother used the Bible to teach him to read and write. His immersion in literature was wide and varied. His imagination, he later recalled, was brought to life by his parents' nightly readings.On 27th September 1837 tragedy struck. Dostoyevsky's mother died of tuberculosis.Dostoyevsky and his brother were now enrolled at the Nikolayev Military Engineering Institute, their academic studies abandoned for military careers. Dostoyevsky disliked the academy, his interests were drawing and architecture.His father died on 16th June 1839 and perhaps triggered Dostoyevsky's epilepsy. However, he continued his studies, passed his exams and obtained the rank of engineer cadet.Dostoyevsky's first completed work was a translation of Honore de Balzac's novel Eugenie Grandet, published in 1843. It was not successful. He believed his financial difficulties could be overcome by writing his own novel. The result was 'Poor Folk', published in 1846, and a commercial success.His next novel, 'The Double', appeared in January 1846. Dostoyevsky now became immersed in socialism. However, 'The Double' received bad reviews and he now had more frequent seizures. With debts mounting he joined the utopian socialist Betekov circle, which helped him to survive. When that dissolved he joined the Petrashevsky Circle, which proposed social reforms. The Petrashevsky Circle was then denounced and Dostoyevsky accused of reading and distributing banned works. Arrests took place in late April 1849 and its members sentenced to death by firing squad. The Tsar commuted the sentence to four years of exile with hard labour in Siberia.His writings on these prison experiences, 'The House of the Dead' were published in 1861.In Saint Petersburg that September he promised his editor he would deliver 'The Gambler', a novella on gambling addiction, by November, although work had yet to begin. It was completed in a mere 26 days.Other works followed but a different approach helped immensely. In 1873 'Demons' was published by the "e;Dostoyevsky Publishing Company"e;. Only payment in cash was accepted and the bookshop was the family apartment. It sold around 3,000 copies.However, Dostoyevsky's health continued to decline, and in March 1877 he had four epileptic seizures. In August 1879 he was diagnosed with early-stage pulmonary emphysema. He was told it could be managed, but not cured.On 26th January 1881 Dostoyevsky suffered a pulmonary haemorrhage. After the second the doctors gave a poor prognosis. A third haemorrhage followed shortly afterwards.Fyodor Dostoyevsky died on 9th February, 1881.

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Smell the Blue Sky: ENHANCED edition

The New Arrival can either be read as a full-length eBook or in 3 serialised eBook-only parts. This is PART 3 of 3 (Chapters 22-30 of 30). You can read Part 3 on release of the full-length eBook and paperback. Sarah completes her training, and, inspired by her experiences with a Health Visitor, she begins to realise that she may have found her passion… More than just a hospital, Hackney General was part of the community just as much as the Adam & Eve pub the staff frequent. A place where the poorly children of Hackney were nursed to health, a place where young nurses would discover just want they wanted from life, fall in love with shy photographers and grow into women. But it’s not all smooth sailing in Hackney: for every baby that goes home to its loving family another is abandoned, unloved, or never gets to go home at all. Funny, warm and deeply moving, Sarah Beeson’s poignant memoir captures both the heartache and happiness of hospital life and 1970s London through the eyes of a gentle but determined young nurse.

Perfect for fans of the Warriors, Survivors, and Guardians of Ga'hoole series, this sequel to The Guardian Herd: Starfire, which Peter Lerangis called "an epic tale," will have readers eagerly turning the pages.When Star received his powers on his first birthday, he became the most powerful pegasus in Anok. However, many were afraid to follow him, and felt safer staying with their over-stallions. The rest unified with Star and formed River Herd.But now, not only does a horrible plague threaten the five herds, but Mountain Herd's over-stallion, Rockwing, has plans to kidnap Morningleaf, Star's closest companion, and take back Sky Meadow. Star begins to question his ability to keep his herd safe, especially with the threat of Nightwing the Destroyer's return. As much as Star wants to rely on his friends again for support, he's afraid of the starfire he's inherited. Star can heal, but he can also destroy. And the question is, will his dark powers overcome him?

The wackiest road trip in history continues in book four of the New York Times bestselling Genius Files series, following twins Coke and Pepsi as they dodge villains and visit weird-but-true landmarks from Texas all the way to Roswell, New Mexico!After their explosive escape at Graceland, twins Coke and Pepsi are ready to resume their trip across America—only now in a convertible instead of the RV. They travel through Arkansas and Oklahoma, visiting weird-but-true tourist stops along the way, and finally end up in Texas, home of the Weird Capital of the Country, Austin. The twins' many enemies—the bowler dudes, Mrs. Higgins, and Dr. Warsaw—all swear that they're done chasing Coke and Pepsi for good. But when the twins start receiving more codes and ciphers from a mysterious robotic voice, they know someone's after them. They just have to figure out who before the mystery villain finds them first.With the real-kid humor that has earned him millions of readers around the world, and featuring all new weird-but-true locations around America, this fourth book in the New York Times bestselling Genius Files series is absolutely batty!

Erin Hunter's New York Times bestselling Seekers series continues in the fourth book in the Return to the Wild story arc. With its thrilling blend of action and suspense, this epic animal fantasy is perfect for fans of the #1 nationally bestselling Warriors series.After a harrowing journey, the four bears finally arrive at Toklo's former home. Toklo is thrilled to be in the mountains, surrounded by warm memories of his cubhood, but his homecoming has come at a price. Yakone is dangerously ill and may not survive. Meanwhile, Lusa is unsure of what her future holds. Is she ready to find her own way if it means leaving her friends—the only family she has left?Also includes a sneak peek at Seekers: Return to the Wild #5: The Burning Horizon!

Which 462 words are so important that they've changed the course of American history more than onceThe Bill of Rights: the first ten amendments to the Constitution, the crucial document that spells out how the United States is to be governed.Newly revised and updated, packed with anecdotes, sidebars, case studies, suggestions for further reading, and humorous illustrations, Kathleen Krull's introduction to the Bill of Rights brings an important topic vividly to life for young readers.Find out what the Bill of Rights is and how it affects your daily life in this fascinating look at the history, significance, and mysteries of these laws that protect the individual freedoms of everyone—even young people.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

The first in a series with the makings of a modern classic, The Luck Uglies is an irresistible cross between Joseph Delaney's The Last Apprentice and Chris Colfer's Land of Stories series, overflowing with adventure, secrets, friendship, and magic.Rye O'Chanter has seen a lot of strange things happen in Village Drowning: children are chased through the streets. Families are fined for breaking laws that don't even exist. Girls aren't allowed to read anymore, and certain books—books that hold secrets about Drowning's past—have been outlawed altogether.Now a terrifying encounter has eleven-year-old Rye convinced that the monstrous, supposedly extinct Bog Noblins have returned. Before the monsters disappeared, there was only one way to defeat them—the Luck Uglies. But the Luck Uglies have long since been exiled, and there's nobody left who can protect the village.As Rye dives into Drowning's maze of secrets, rules, and lies, she begins to question everything she's been told about the village's legend of outlaws and beasts . . . and what she'll discover is that it may take a villain to save them from the monsters.This critically acclaimed debut middle grade novel was named an ALA Notable Book and a New York Public Library Title for Reading and Sharing and won the Cybil Award for Middle Grade Speculative Fiction.

In the tradition of Sharon Creech and Wendy Mass, Corey Ann Haydu's sparkling middle grade debut is a sister story with a twist of magic, a swirl of darkness, and a whole lot of hope.Silly is used to feeling left out. Her three older sisters think she's too little for most things—especially when it comes to dealing with their mother's unpredictable moods and outbursts. This summer, Silly feels more alone than ever when her sisters keep whispering and sneaking away to their rooms together, returning with signs that something mysterious is afoot: sporting sunburned cheeks smudged with glitter and gold hair that looks like tinsel.When Silly is brought into her sisters' world, the truth is more exciting than she ever imagined. The sisters have discovered a magical place that gives them what they truly need: an escape from the complications of their home life. But there are dark truths there, too. Silly hopes the magic will be the secret to saving their family, but she's soon forced to wonder if it could tear them apart.

The Dungeoneers is an action-packed, funny, and heartbreaking middle grade fantasy-adventure from the author of the acclaimed Sidekicked and Minion, John David Anderson.The world is not a fair place, and Colm Candorly knows it. While his parents and eight sisters seem content living on a lowly cobbler's earnings, Colm can't help but feel that everyone has the right to a more comfortable life. It's just a question of how far you're willing to go to get it.In an effort to help make ends meet, Colm uses his natural gift for pickpocketing to pilfer a pile of gold from the richer residents of town, but his actions place him at the mercy of a mysterious man named Finn Argos, a gilded-toothed, smooth-tongued rogue who gives Colm a choice: he can be punished for his thievery, or he can become a member of Thwodin's Legions, a guild of dungeoneers who take what they want and live as they will. Colm soon finds himself part of a family of warriors, mages, and hunters, learning to work together in a quest to survive and, perhaps, to find a bit of treasure along the way.

The Newbery Honor author of Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine, weaves a thrilling tale of mystery in this companion to A Tale of Two Castles. Elodie, the dragon detective Meenore, and the kindly ogre Count Jonty Um are all on their way to Elodie's home island of Lahnt. Elodie has barely set foot on land before she learns that the Replica, a statue that keeps her island's deadly volcano from erupting, has been stolen! If the Replica isn't found in three days, a mountain will be destroyed. And when Elodie ends up alone with a cast of characters each of whom may be guilty, she has to use her wits to try to unravel a tangled web of lies.New York Times bestselling author Gail Carson Levine has written an imaginative, fast-paced mystery that will be enjoyed by fans of A Tale of Two Castles as well as those meeting Elodie, Meenore, and Count Jonty Um for the first time.

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.

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...

When Robin Barratt and his wife first met Maria in Moscow, they had no idea how much of an impact she would have on their own lives. From the initial interest in her story, the horror of discovering her daily struggle to survive through to active involvement in trying to improve her life. Living on the streets and begging is a harsh reality for many in Russia but for those with a disability life can be doubly cruel. Overlooked by the authorities and people who should have helped her, Maria willingly shared her story with the author who, in turn, made a promise, not only to tell the world about her situation, but to try and make a real difference. Maria's Story documents the true story of one woman's fight for survival against all the odds and those who tried to help her. It uncovers the truth of how many people continue to live in poverty in one of the world's most vibrant cities. Desperately sad, haunting but frequently uplifting, this book is a tale about overcoming adversity and, above all, never losing hope.

Jamie is a long-haired, bearded collie, bursting with life and energy, but his sense of fun and his lively curiosity are apt to lead him into trouble.Written in rhyme, Marian Bythell recounts some of the adventures of the rollicking, frolicking, lovable dog.This lovely book, which is skilfully illustrated, will not only captivate the imagination of young children, but will also appeal to all ages.

This compelling autobiography details the true life story of one woman's fight for survival. It details the depth of resilience that some extraordinary individuals can display when facing their own mortality. Fight for your dream epitomises Elaine's life story and personal struggle with breast cancer, OCD and depression. It is an inspirational, honest and often humourous account of how one Alpaca and one Llama gave Elaine a lifeline to hang onto and formed the catalyst to change her life forever. From government office worker, to award winning Alpaca breeder, businesswoman and self made millionairess this is Elaine's true life story. This amazing read gives a heart warming and moving account into her incredible journey to success.

Filling in the Gaps follows on from Peter Keogh's acclaimed and popular autobiography My Hi-de-Highlife: Before, During and After Su Pollard. This exciting sequel explores aspects of Peter's life that were left out of his autobiography, including how a gay boy raised on a farm, and in spite of abuse both physical and emotional, was finally able to come out as a homosexual man. This book is at times comical, sexual and heartbreaking and provides further insight into Peter's relationships with people like Debbie Reynolds, Australian producer John Frost and a distasteful encounter with a famous English MP. The book also reveals more of Peter's life with the stars, his well-publicised trial in London and his relationship with his partner of 25 years, Sacha. Peter's life has been a complex mix of highs and lows and his experiences have ranged from hilarious to terrifying. Filling in the Gap details how, against difficult odds, Peter has managed to survive to be the man he is today and will inspire people of all ages, gay or straight, to realise that there is light at the end of every dark tunnel.

The true story of how one British man chose castration and a new identity as a woman, rather than continue to live his life as a man. But before he eventually submits to the knife, Alan Taylor's life is as a policemen and eventually as a senior manager at Heathrow Airport, is an intense and often lonely sexual odyssey, a journey which includes most every type of sexual practice, many you couldn't imagine, and, not least, true love.

This is the story of how, and why, Emma Cantons stayed with her husband Anthony after she discovered he was a transexual woman. The book covers three years from the moment when Victoria declared her existence, to their vow renewal celebration in 2012.