'So beautiful, so haunting . . .bitingly real . . .Giles has given us a vital, glorious story: rich, rewarding, and utterly revealing of our times' Manda ScottFollowing his acclaimed Sunday Times bestseller, Lancelot, Giles Kristian's new novel returns us to the realms of Arthurian legend . . .The Saxons have returned and their war bands stalk the land. The lords of Britain look only to their own survival, unable or unwilling to unite as they once did under Arthur. And in a monastery hidden in the marshlands of Avalon, a novice monk prepares to take his vows.However, two strangers - the wild-spirited, Saxon-killing Iselle and the ageing warrior Gawain - will pluck him from his sheltered existence and his world will be turned upside down. Together they will go in search of the last druid, to find the cauldron of a god, and to raise an army to hold the darkness at bay. And as they journey, so the novice will cast aside his training and embrace his legacy.For he is a warrior born. His name is Galahad. And he is the son of Lancelot .. . Acclaim for Lancelot: 'A masterpiece.' Conn Iggulden 'Stands head and shoulders above the rest.' Manda Scott'Glorious.Tragic. Lyrical. Totally gripping.' Ben Kane'A gorgeous, rich retelling.' The Times'An extraordinary writer .. . an exceptional book.' Dr Janina Ramirez
What makes a nation happy? Is one country's sense of happiness the same as another's? In the last two decades, psychologists and economists have learned a lot about who's happy and who isn't. The Dutch are, the Romanians aren't, and Americans are somewhere in between...After years of going to the world's least happy countries, Eric Weiner, a veteran foreign correspondent, decided to travel and evaluate each country's different sense of happiness and discover the nation that seemed happiest of all.Eric Weiner discovers the relationship between money and happiness in tiny and extremely wealthy Qatar (and it's not a good one). He goes to Thailand, and finds that not thinking is a contented way of life. He goes to the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, and discovers they have an official policy of Gross National Happiness! He asks himself why the British don't do happiness? In Weiner's quest to find the world's happiest places, he eats rotten Icelandic shark, meditates in Bangalore, visits strip clubs in Bangkok and drinks himself into a stupor in Reykjavik.Full of inspired moments, "The Geography of Bliss" accomplishes a feat few travel books dare and even fewer achieve: to make you happier.
On his podcast Masters of Scale, Silicon Valley legend Reid Hoffman (founder of LinkedIn, investor at Greylock) sits down with the leaders of the world's most iconic companies, including Apple, Nike, Netflix, Spotify, Starbucks, Google, Instagram and
Founding member and guitarist of Joy Division and the lead singer of New Order, Bernard Sumner has been famous over the years for his reticence. Until now...An integral part of the Manchester music scene since the late 1970s, his is the definitive version of the events that created two of the most influential bands of all time. Chapter and Verse includes a vivid and illuminating account of Bernard's Salford childhood, the early days of Joy Division, the band's enormous critical and popular success, and the subsequent tragic death of Ian Curtis. Bernard describes the formation of New Order, takes us behind the scenes at the birth of classics such as 'Blue Monday' and gives his first-hand account of the ecstasy and the agony of the Hacienda days. Sometimes moving, often hilarious and occasionally completely out of control, this is a tale populated by some of the most colourful and creative characters in music history, such as Ian Curtis, Tony Wilson, Rob Gretton and Martin Hannett. Others have told parts of the story, in film and book form. Now, for the first time, Bernard Sumner gives you chapter and verse.
"Civilization rests on a series of successful conversations." Sam HarrisNeuroscientist, philosopher, podcaster and bestselling author Sam Harris, has been exploring some of the greatest questions concerning the human mind, society, and the events that shape our world. Harris's search for deeper understanding of how we think has led him to engage and exchange with some of our most brilliant and controversial contemporary minds - Daniel Kahneman, Robert Sapolsky, Anil Seth and Max Tegmark - in order to unpack and clarify ideas of consciousness, free will, extremism, and ethical living. For Harris, honest conversation, no matter how difficult or contentious, represents the only path to moral and intellectual progress.Featuring eleven conversations from the hit podcast, these electric exchanges fuse wisdom with rigorous interrogation to shine a light on what it means to make sense of our world today. 'I don't have many can't miss podcasts, but Making Sense is right at the top of that short list.' - Stephen Fry'Sam Harris is the most intellectually courageous man I know.' - Richard Dawkins
Norway 785 AD. It began with the betrayal of a lord by a king...But when King Gorm puts Jarl Harald's family to the sword, he makes one terrible mistake - he fails to kill Harald's youngest son, Sigurd. On the run, unsure who to trust and hunted by powerful men, Sigurd wonders if the gods have forsaken him: his kin are slain or prisoners, his village attacked, its people taken as slaves. Honour is lost. And yet he has a small band of loyal men at his side and with them he plans his revenge. All know that Odin - whose name means frenzy - is drawn to chaos and bloodshed, just as a raven is to slaughter. In the hope of catching the All-Father's eye, the young Viking endures a ritual ordeal and is shown a vision. Wolf, bear, serpent and eagle come to him. Sigurd will need their help if he is to make a king pay in blood for his treachery. Using cunning and war-craft, he gathers together a band of warriors - including Olaf, his father's right hand man, Bram who men call Bear, Black Floki who wields death with a blade, and the shield maiden Valgerd, who fears no man - and convinces them to follow him. For, whether Odin is with him or not, Sigurd will have his vengeance.And neither men nor gods had best stand in his way...It is a must read for all who enjoy thrilling, action-packed fiction fiction - from Bernard Cornwell to George R R Martin's Game of Thrones.
Why is it that incredibly unlikely phenomena actually happen quite regularly and why should we, in fact, expect such things to happen? Here, in this highly original book - aimed squarely at anyone with an interest in coincidences, probability or gambling - eminent statistician David Hand answers this question by weaving together various strands of probability into a unified explanation, which he calls the improbability principle. This is a book that will appeal not only to those who love stories about startling coincidences and extraordinarily rare events, but also to those who are interested in how a single bold idea links areas as diverse as gambling, the weather, airline disasters and creative writing as well as the origin of life and even the universe. The Improbability Principle will change your perspective on how the world works - and tell you what the Bible code and Shakespeare have in common, how to win the lottery, why Apple's song shuffling was made less random to seem more random. Oh and why lightning does in fact strike twice...
Norway, AD 785 - a vow of vengeance must be kept... Sigurd Haraldarson has proved himself a great warrior ...and a dangerous enemy. He has gone a long way towards avenging the murder of his family. And yet the oath-breaker King Gorm, who betrayed Sigurd's father, still lives. And so long as he draws breath, the scales remain unbalanced.
From the bestselling author of Escape to the French Farmhouse comes a deliciously feel-good story about making your dreams come true, set in sun-kissed southern Italy. Pre-order your perfect slice of escapism now! A summer escape she'll never forge
This title, from the acclaimed author of }Behind the Scenes at the Museum{, explores the nonsensical nature of language and meaning. It reached number 4) in the }Sunday Times{ bestseller list on original publication. Kate Atkinson is to tour when this is published in March. "Funny, bold and memorable" }The Times{.
Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) has stars in her eyes. She and her daughter, Minnie, have joined husband Luke in LA-city of herbal smoothies and multimillion-dollar yoga retreats and the lure of celebrity. Luke is there to help manage the career of famous actress Sage Seymour - and Becky is convinced she is destined to be Sage's personal stylist, and go from there to every A - list celebrity in Hollywood! Red carpet here she comes! But things become complicated when Becky joins the team of Sage's arch rival without telling Luke. Will her ambition to make it in Hollywood cost too much?
MESSAGE: THIS IS THE SYSTEM OPERATOR. WHO IS USING THIS ACCOUNT? PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF ...When Vicky's father is arrested, accused of stealing over a million pounds from the bank where he works, she is determined to prove his innocence. But how? There's only one way - to attempt to break into the bank's computer files. Even if Vicky is the best hacker in the world, will she find the real thief before they find her?'Accept the expertise and race along with the plot' Observer
* Seeria 6, värv hall * 9 kg * Isepuhastuv kondensaator (SelfCleaning Condenser™) * Iron Assist aurutöötlus, AutoDry * Poole masinatäie valik * AntiVibration-disain, sisevalgustus * Müratase 64 dB * Mõõdud 842 x 598 x 613 mm ( k/ l/ s )
Audrey's father taught her that to stay human in the modern world, she had to build a moat around herself; a moat of books and music, philosophy and dreams. A moat that makes Audrey different from the echoes: sophisticated, emotionless machines, built to resemble humans and to work for human masters. Daniel is an echo - but he's not like the others. He feels a connection with Audrey; a feeling Daniel knows he was never designed to have, and cannot explain. And when Audrey is placed in terrible danger, he's determined to save her. Echo Boy is a powerful story about love, loss and what makes us truly human.
The Nazi Blitzkrieg was unlike any invasion the world had ever seen. It hit Europe with a force and aggression that no-one could counter. Within weeks the German armies were at the French coast and looking across at Britain, a country still reeling from the opening salvoes of the war. It seemed impossible that she would be able to resist invasion. But between the Nazis and glory stood more than just the pilots of Fighter Command. There was Bomber and Coastal Command, the Royal Navy and the incredible Auxiliary Patrol Service. In this darkest hour, Britain's defence was truly a national effort, and one that had been considerably better prepared for than the German attack. For the first time, "The Battle of Britain" tells this most epic of stories from a 360degree perspective, drawing on extensive new research from around the world that challenges some of the long-held myths about the battle. Holland paints a complete picture of that extraordinary summer - a time in which the fate of the world truly hung by a thread.
Avasta põnev Mahjongi maailma selle 49-osalise komplektiga! Klassikalise jaapani mängu lasteversioon arendab loogikat, tähelepanu, mälu ning peenmotoorikat. Komplekt sisaldab kahte tüüpi žetoone: mustad žetoonid mereelukatega ja värvilised žetoonid metsloomadega. Mängukomplekt pakub kolme erinevat mängurežiimi: 1. Mahjong: Kahele mängijale. Mängijad pööravad kordamööda žetoone ümber, eesmärgiga koguda võimalikult kiiresti neli ühesugust pilti. Jokeri žetoon sobib ükskõik millisesse ritta. 2. Memoriin: 2-6 mängijale. Žetoonid paigutatakse juhuslikult tagurpidi. Igaüks püüab kordamööda leida kokkusobiva paarilise võetud žetoonile. Kõige rohkem paare kogunud mängija võidab. 3. Kogumismäng: 2-4 mängijale. Igaüks saab 4 žetooni, eesmärk on koguda võimalikult palju paare. Ülearuseid žetoone võib naabritega vahetada. Kõige rohkem paare kogunud mängija võidab. Toote omadused: 49 žetooni Kaks temaatikat: mereelukad ja metsloomad Arendab loogika ja peenmotoorika oskusi 3 erinevat mängurežiimi Valmistatud naturaalsest puidust Pakendi suurus: 5.5 x 22 x 22 cm
For once in Becky Bloomwood's life, things are going smoothly. She's got the dream job as a personal shopper (spending other people's money - and getting paid for it). She's got a fabulous Manhattan apartment with her boyfriend Luke. They've even opened a joint bank account (although they can't quite agree on whether a Miu Miu skirt counts as a household expense). Then Luke proposes - and all of a sudden life gets hectic. Becky's mum in rural Surrey wants one thing, Luke's mother in New York wants the complete opposite. Becky knows she has to sit down and decide - but to be honest, it's a lot more fun testing cake, trying on dresses and registering wedding presents. But time's ticking by, plans are being made both sides of the Atlantic and soon she realizes she's in trouble...
Language: English, Binding: Paperback, Number of pages: 496, Publishers: Simon & Schuster, Author: JOHN NICHOL, ISBN-13: 9781471180552, Date of issue: 2022
Dinosaurs have taken over the Earth! They're stomping and stamping all over the place. Young readers will love finding out why in this classic environmental tale from best-selling author/illustrator Michael Foreman. This is a fable for our time, and as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1972.
Antonia Senior in The Times said:'Superb . . . authentic and terrifying . . . fans of Bernard Cornwell’s Winter King trilogy will devour this and conclude that Kristian has surpassed the Master.'And readers are loving ARTHUR . . .'By far the best Arthurian story I have had the honour to read.’ *****'Brilliant writing, excellent characterization, and immersive storytelling.’ *****'I've adored this trilogy. The best re-telling of Arthur's legend I've read, and I'd include Cornwell's in that.’ *****'The ending is bloody and glorious, and very well done. One last thunder of hooves, one last trill of the trumpets. I'm just gutted it's over, I could have read on and on.’ *****'Enough originality and sheer writing talent to make it a literary must.’ *****'This is proper storytelling that does not let down those characters of legend.’ *****Years have passed since the clash of shield-walls echoed across the land . . .The Saxons are now the lords of Britain. And yet the bards still sing of Arthur - 'In our darkest time, when we need him most, shall he come again.'Ageing mercenary Beran has no love of bards' songs. Nor of people. Unless they are paying him to steal or kill. Now he has been ordered to murder a boy. But this is no ordinary child. The son of King Constantine and the grandson of High King Ambrosius, this boy could be the saviour of Britain . . . if he lives.Betraying his companions and returning to a world he believed he'd forsaken, Beran vows to take the boy to the one place that still holds out against the invader: Camelot.Hunted by Saxons, Queen Morgana and those he deceived, he will seek the help of Guivret, called the Little King, and the Saracen, Palamedes who once rode beneath Arthur's banner. They will meet the doomed lovers, Tristan and Isolde. And they will fight for their lives and for each other.For if there's to be any hope for Britain, Beran must deliver the boy to Camelot. And to do that, he must come to terms with his past . . .Arthur is the breathtaking new novel from the author of the bestselling Lancelot, hailed 'a masterpiece' by Conn Iggulden.
In February 1944, a rag-tag collection of clerks, drivers, doctors, muleteers, and other base troops, stiffened by a few dogged Yorkshiremen managed to hold out against some of the finest infantry in the Japanese Army, and then defeat them. It became know as The Defence of the Admin Box. This book deals with this battle.
Love can be a truly terrible thing.Marriages are tricky at the best of times, especially when one of you is dead.Vincent Banecroft, the irascible editor of The Stranger Times, has never believed his wife died despite emphatic evidence to the contrary. Now, against all odds, it seems he may actually be proved right; but what lengths will he go to in an attempt to rescue her?With Banecroft distracted, the shock resignation of assistant editor, Hannah Willis, couldn't have come at a worse time. It speaks volumes that her decision to reconcile with her philandering ex-husband is only marginally less surprising than Banecroft and his wife getting back together. In this time of crisis, is her decision to swan off to a fancy new-age retreat run by a celebrity cult really the best thing for anyone?As if that wasn't enough, one of the paper's ex-columnists has disappeared, a particularly impressive trick seeing as he never existed in the first place.Floating statues, hijacked ghosts, homicidal cherubs, irate starlings, Reliant Robins and quite possibly several deeply sinister conspiracies; all-in-all, a typical week for the staff of The Stranger Times.
BOOK 1 OF THE BELGARIAD, the worldwide bestselling fantasy series by one of the godfathers of the tradition. Discover the epic stories that inspired generations of fantasy writers - from Raymond Feist's The Riftwar Cycle to George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. A battle is coming...And in that battle shall be decided the fate of the world Myths tell of the ancient wars of Gods and men, and a powerful object - the Orb - that ended the bloodshed. As long as it was held by the line of Riva, it would assure the peace. But a dark force has stolen the Orb, and the prophecies tell of war. Young farm boy Garion knows nothing of myth or fate. But then the mysterious Old Storyteller visits his aunt, and they embark on a sudden journey. Pursued by evil forces, with only a small band of companions they can trust, Garion begins to doubt all he thought he knew...
BOOK 2 OF THE BELGARIAD, the worldwide bestselling fantasy series by master storyteller David Eddings. Discover the epic story that inspired thousands - from Raymond Feist's The Riftwar Cycle series to George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. The Accursed One is not dead...He only sleeps...The evil God Torak covets dominion over all men. If the stolen Orb of Aldur reaches him, he will surely gain what he desires. Garion travels through strange lands with master sorcerers Belgarath and Polgara in frantic pursuit of the Orb. But as his own powers grow, Garion starts to realize that he too may have a part to play - a part he is not sure he wants...
BOOK 3 OF THE BELGARIAD, the worldwide bestselling fantasy series by master storyteller David Eddings. Discover the epic story that inspired thousands - from Raymond Feist's The Riftwar Cycle series to George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. Fate leads on...To stranger lands and darker magic...Travelling through ever more dangerous realms, Garion and his companions pursue the stolen Orb. Among them Ce'Nedra, the Imperial Princess - one whose fate seems bound to his. As they get closer to their goal and battle looms, Garion's powers of sorcery - and his spirit - are tested to their limits.
'James Holland is the best of the new generation of WW2 historians.' Sebastian Faulks'Holland's skill lies in bringing these warriors to life with vivid prose.' The TimesShortlisted for the 2021 British Army Military Book of the Year_________________________________________________This is the story of the biggest seaborne landing in history. Codenamed Operation HUSKY, the assault on Sicily on 10 July 1943 remains the largest amphibious invasion ever mounted. That day, over 160,000 Allied troops were dropped from the sky or came ashore to begin the fight for Europe.The subsequent thirty-eight-day Battle for Sicily was one of the most dramatic of the entire war, involving daring raids by special forces, deals with the Mafia, attacks across mosquito-infested plains and perilous assaults up almost sheer faces of rock and scree. Made worse by virulent disease and extreme heat, the Allies also had to fight their way across an island of unforgiving landscape and limited infrastructure against a German foe who would not give up. Victory would signal the beginning of the end of the War in the West.From here on, the noose began to tighten around the neck of Nazi Germany. The coalition between the United States and Britain finally came of age. And it was a crucial dry run for Operation OVERLORD, the invasion of Normandy on D-Day a year later.
Former tiffinboy Ram Mohammad Thomas has just got twelve questions correct on a TV quiz-show to win a cool one billion rupees. But he is brutally slung in prison on suspicion of cheating. Because how can a kid from the slums know who Shakespeare was, unless he is pulling a fast one. In the order of the questions on the show, Ram tells us which amazing adventures in his street-kid life gave him the answers. From orphanages to brothels, gangsters to beggar-masters, and into the homes of Bollywood
