Japan, 1857. For centuries Japan has been on its own; isolated by choice from the rest of the world. But the Western powers are now at its shores demanding to be let in, the government is crumbling & revolution is building. The age of the samurai is ending & in its place a new Japan will be born. A young woman is readying herself for marriage in this, the most tumultuous period of her nation's history. The daughter of a doctor, Tsuru has been working alongside him & learning the ways of medicine all her life. When her father allows her to marry the man she loves
- a fellow doctor
- she believes her life will be all she's dreamed it could be. Happily married, working amongst men as an equal. But Japanese society does not work this way. The men of the times
- boys she's known since childhood
- are determined to expel the foreigners, using violence & whatever else they need to make their message heard. The women are expected to be hidden at home, or behind the paper walls of the tea houses. Tsuru is far too able to accept this & she is drawn into a shadowy world of subversion, political intrigue & a dangerous love. In time, she is working on the battlefields, alongside men, to care for the wounded. BLOSSOMS & SHADOWS is a compelling tale of love & war, women & men, & the rise of modern Japan. It shines a brilliant light on a time in history that few have known about until now, though the change it brought continues to ripple around the world.



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Japan, 1857. For centuries Japan has been on its own; isolated by choice from the rest of the world. But the Western powers are now at its shores demanding to be let in, the government is crumbling & revolution is building. The age of the samurai is ending & in its place a new Japan will be born. A young woman is readying herself for marriage in this, the most tumultuous period of her nation`s history. The daughter of a doctor, Tsuru has been working alongside him & learning the ways of medicine all her life. When her father allows her to marry the man she loves
- a fellow doctor
- she believes her life will be all she`s dreamed it could be. Happily married, working amongst men as an equal. But Japanese society does not work this way. The men of the times
- boys she`s known since childhood
- are determined to expel the foreigners, using violence & whatever else they need to make their message heard. The women are expected to be hidden at home, or behind the paper walls of the tea houses. Tsuru is far too able to accept this & she is drawn into a shadowy world of subversion, political intrigue & a dangerous love. In time, she is working on the battlefields, alongside men, to care for the wounded. Blossoms & Shadows is a compelling tale of love & war, women & men, & the rise of modern Japan. It shines a brilliant light on a time in history that few have known about until now, though the change it brought continues to ripple around the world.



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The seas of our planet cover more than seventy percent of the Earth, yet we know less about the ocean depths than the surface of the moon. Join marine biologist & fish-fanatic Tom `the Blowfish` Hird as he lifts the lid on a treasure chest of fascinating facts, to reveal just what we do know about what lurks beneath the waves. You`ll discover:- How the unassuming jellyfish can cause an ocean-wide apocalypse- Why walruses turn bright pink after a sunbathe- How a shoal of herring breaks wind to escape the jaws of predators- Why an archer fish spits missiles at its prey From the invisible world of meiofauna living in the sands of our beaches to a cephalopod called the ` Vampire Squid from Hell`, Blowfish takes us on an incredible journey as he follows the currents from shoreline to the bone-crushing pressure of the deep sea. Featuring a full-colour plate section & vintage line drawings throughout, Blowfish`s Oceanopedia is a beautifully designed, one-stop guide to all we know about our oceans & the weird & wonderful creatures that inhabit them. ...

A New Scientist Gift Pick 2017 From luminous squid to invisible plankton, from sandy shorelines to the bone-crushing pressure of the deep, marine conservationist Tom ” The Blowfish” Hird takes us on an incredible journey revealing what lurks beneath the waves. A treasure chest of fascinating facts, full-colour photos & vintage line drawings, Blowfish`s Oceanopedia is a stunningly beautiful guide to all we know about our oceans & the weird & wonderful creatures that inhabit them. ...

Come on an unexpected journey with a fearless blue penguin in the most captivating picture book debut of the year! Meet Penguin Blue! It`s a windy day, & he has a brand new kite
- but where`s he going on this maiden flight? Penguin Blue & his friends go on a gloriously illustrated adventure full of good ideas, homesickness & the perils of kites, from the sparkling new talent Rob Biddulph.
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Come on an unexpected journey with the fearless Penguin Blue! The bestselling winner of the Waterstones Children`s Book Prize, now as a board book. Meet Penguin Blue in this Waterstones Children`s Book Prize winning tale, now in board book format, so younger readers can join the ride! It`s a windy day, & he has a brand new kite
- but where`s he going on this maiden flight? Penguin Blue & his friends go on a gloriously illustrated adventure full of good ideas, homesickness & the perils of kites, from the sparkling talent of Rob Biddulph.
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Bloxwich in 1902 in a fascinating series of reproductions of old Ordnance Survey plans in the Alan Godfrey Editions, ideal for anyone interested in the history of their neighbourhood or family. The map covers much of Bloxwich, north of Walsall, & also

Includes:: Little Bloxwich & Wallington Heath. Features include Elmore Green (at foot of map), Highfield House, section of railway (but no station), section of Wyrley & Essington Canal, Wallington House, Bloxwich Park, brewery, cemetery, old coal shafts, Baytree House, The Hills, Selmans Hill Farm, etc. A Bloxwich Directory from the Walsall Red Book is on the reverse. About the Alan Godfrey Editions of the 25” OS Series: Selected towns in Great Britain & Ireland are covered by maps showing the extent of urban development in the last decades of the 19th & early 20th century. The plans have been taken from the Ordnance Survey mapping & reprinted at about 15 inches to one mile (1:4, 340). On the reverse most maps have historical notes & many also include extracts from contemporary directories. Most maps cover about one mile (1.6kms) north/south, one & a half miles (2.4kms) across; adjoining sheets can be combined to provide wider coverage.FOR MORE INFORMATION & A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL AVAILABLE TITLES PLEASE CLICK ON THE SERIES LINK.

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BLU Code including BLU Manual contains the Code of Practice for the Safe Loading & Unloading of Bulk Carriers, incorporating all amendments up to & including 2010, & the Manual on loading & unloading of solid bulk cargoes for terminal representatives, incorporating all amendments up to & including 2010. Also presented is Additional considerations for the safe loading of bulk carriers (MSC.1/ Circ.1357). ...

Map No. 32, Bludenz
- Schruns
- Klostertal, printed on sturdy, waterproof & tear-resistant plastic paper in a series of hiking

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Map No. 32, Bludenz
- Schruns
- Klostertal, in a series of hiking maps from Kompass providing extensive coverage of Austria

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