Born & raised in the South Yorkshire mining village of Hoyland Common, Richard Hines remembers heaps of coal dust, listening out for the colliery siren at the end of shifts & praying for his father`s safe return. When he failed his eleven-plus it seemed all too likely that he would follow in his father`s footsteps & end up working in the pits
- unlike his older brother Barry, who had passed the exam to grammar school & seemed to be heading for great things. Crushed by this, Richard spent his time in the fields & meadows beyond the slag heap. One morning, walking in the grounds of a ruined medieval manor, he came across a nest of kestrels. Instantly captivated, he sought out ancient falconry texts from the local library & pored over the strange & beautiful language there. With just these books, some ingenuity & his profound respect for the hawk`s indomitable wildness, Richard learned to `man`, or train, his kestrel, Kes, & in the process found the passion that would shape his future. Richard`s experiences with kestrels inspired Barry`s classic novel A Kestrel for a Knave. When production began on what would become Ken Loach`s iconic film Kes, Richard himself trained the kestrels that would soar on screen & into cinematic history. No Way But Gentlenesse is a superb, moving memoir of one remarkable boy`s love for a forgotten culture, & his attempt to find salvation in the natural world.
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The summit of K2. 1st August 2008. An exhausted band of climbers pump their fists into the clear blue sky
- joining the elite who
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No Way Down: Life & Death on K2 tells of the horrifying & inspiring events that happened on the world’s second highest mountain on August 1st 2008. As an exhausted band of climbers celebrate reaching the summit of K2 beneath a beautiful clear blue sky, far below them their ropes are swept away by the collapse of an ice shelf. Forced to descend into the blackness with no lines, of the thirty who set out, eleven will never make it back. Following the stories of climbers from around the world, No Way Down weaves a tale of human courage, folly, survival & devastating loss. ...

The rags-to-riches story of one of the world`s greatest dancers, from his difficult beginnings living in poverty in the backstreets of Cuba to his astronomical rise to international stardom. In 1980, Carlos Acosta was just another Cuban kid of humble origins, the youngest son in a poor family named after the planter who had owned his great-great-grandfather. With few options & an independent spirit, Carlos spent his days on the streets, dreaming of a career in football. But even at a young age, Carlos had extraordinary talent. At nine, he was skipping school to win break-dancing competitions as the youngest member of a street-gang for whom dance contests were only a step away from violence. When Carlos`s father enrolled him in ballet school, he hoped not only to nuture his son`s talent, but also to curb his wildness. Years of loneliness, conflict & crippling physical effort followed, but today the Havana street-kid is an international star. This magical memoir is about more than Carlos`s rise to stardom, however. It is the story of a childhood where food is scarce but love is abundant, where the soul of Cuba comes alive to influence a dancer`s art. It is also about a man forced to leave behind his homeland & loved ones for a life of self-discipline, displacement & brutal physical hardship. Carlos Acosta makes dance look effortless, but the grace, strength & charm have come a cost
- here, in his own words, is the story of the price he paid.
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Bob Marley is the unchallenged king of reggae & one of music`s great iconic figures. Rita Marley was not just his wife & the mother of four of his children but his backing singer & friend, life-long companion & soul mate. They met in Trenchtown when he was 19 & she was 18, & she was very much part of his musical career, selling his early recordings from their house in the days before Island Records signed up the Wailers. She shared the hard times & the dangers
- when Bob was wounded in a gunfight before the Peace Concert, Rita was shot in the head & left for dead. Their marriage was not always easy, but Rita was the woman Bob returned to no matter where music & other women might take him, the woman who held him when he died at the age of 35. Today she sees herself as the guardian of his legacy. Full of new insights, No Woman No Cry is a unique biography of Marley by someone who understands what it meant to grow up in poverty in Jamaica, to battle racism & prejudice. It is also a moving & inspiring story of a marriage that survived both poverty & then the strains of global celebrity.` It will surely become the definitive biographical account of the reggae guitarist-singer-songwriter who changed pop music & in the process became a leader to millions` The Times ` Rita Marley is reggae royalty.. . In her own words, this is a revealing insight into Marley`s life & legacy` Daily Mirror
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Nancy & her sausage dog Roger are ready for a day out in London! But is London ready for naughty Nancy? From Alice Tait, illustrator of the iconic London Map print range, comes a stylish, action-packed lift-the-flap book
- the perfect introduction to the capital city for first-time sightseers! Blending her joyful London scapes with the story of a mischievous little girl, Nancy, & her long-suffering dachshund, Roger, Alice creates a wild & calamitous chase by boat, bus & bike across all of London`s most famous & best sights
- from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London... With over fifteen flaps throughout, an incredible pop-up Nelson`s column & a fold-out map, young readers will delight in this interactive adventure, & will love joining in with Roger`s catchy refrain: ”NO, NANCY, NO!”

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Nancy & her sausage dog Roger are ready for a day out in London! But is London ready for naughty Nancy? From Alice Tait, illustrator of the iconic London Range, comes a stylish, action-packed lift-the-flap book
- the perfect introduction to the capital city for first-time sightseers! Blending her joyful London scapes with the story of a mischievous little girl, Nancy, & her long-suffering dachshund, Roger, Alice creates a wild & calamitous chase by boat, bus & bike across all of London`s most famous & best sights
- from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London... With over fifteen flaps throughout, an incredible pop-up Nelson`s column & a fold-out map, young readers will delight in this interactive adventure, & will love joining in with Roger`s catchy refrain: ”NO, NANCY, NO!”

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How can Islam reconcile itself with the 21st century? This ” No-Nonsense Guide” explains the Islamic worldview, examining the Qur`an & Islamic law (sharia), Islam in history, & Islam`s relationship with the West. The authors analyze the struggle within the faith for a more humane & holistic interpretation of their religion, examine issues surrounding women rights, the absence of democracy in some Muslim countries, & economic development. This is a balanced portrayal of `real Islam`, looking beyond the common perceptions & polemical debates. It shows what Islam has achieved & shows why a better understanding of Muslims is needed throughout the world. But, it also explains why Islam needs to make itself more relevant by showing it can create just, tolerant & peaceful society, & explores the steps for reform. ...

This guide demystifies the often invisible impacts of global tourism, one of the biggest industries in the world, from labour conditions to development by stealth; to the role of elites & the cultural impacts on both the visitor & the visited. It also takes in themes like the gap year, the role of travel & vacations in western cultures, & examines the `happy smiling faces` syndrome & asks whether this is just a reworking of old colonial relationships. This title offers a plain-speaking, independent view that gives examples of healthy, sustainable tourism. ...

Covering fast food, organic food, junk food, institutional food, & more, this guide shows how real food has become increasingly

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