The definitive guide to one of Ireland`s most fascinating natural & cultural wonders. The Giant`s Causeway is a place where myth & science meet. Were the spectacular basalt columns formed through the rapid cooling of lava from an underwater volcano, or created by mythical Irish giant, Finn Mac Cool? For centuries visitors have explored the causeway`s unique rock formations. Today the Giant`s Causeway is one of Ireland`s most popular attractions, with three-quarters of a million tourists each year from all over the world. This book takes the reader on an illustrated tour of this unique place. With a wealth of recent research into the landscape, history, folklore, wildlife & the underwater world, it

Includes:: walks & driving routes through the beautiful surrounding north Antrim coast.

...

A tense & thrilling ghost story from the internationally acclaimed author of War Horse. It all began with a necklace, made from glistening pink cowrie shells. A long, long necklace that had taken Cherry days
- weeks
- of careful, painstaking work. It was nearly complete, & Cherry was determined it would be the longest necklace she had ever made; that it would be fit for a giant! But the end of the holidays had arrived. ” You`ve only got today, Cherry, ” said her mother. ” Just today, that`s all.” Cherry didn`t mind, a day would be enough
- she only needed a few more shells. So, amidst the taunts of her older brothers, she set out to search for them. Then the clouds grew dark & the waves grew large, & as the storm blew in, Cherry realized, to her horror, that she was cut off from the shore. From then on, events began to take a decidedly dark turn. One from which there was no turning back...


...

The exceptional talents of Carol Ann Duffy & papercut artist Rob Ryan combine to present the story of a girl`s journey through life & the desires that shape it. With a kind of magic that is timeless, The Gift speaks to everyone who wonders about the mysteries that lie at the heart of the human experience. A unique gift book for all ages by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy This lyrical text about life, love & art is accompanied by stunning papercut illustrations. The Gift portrays the cycle of life in a subtle, accessible way while exploring themes of birth, death, love & the importance of family & friends. ...

Penang, 1939, sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. Half English, half Chinese & feeling neither, he discovers a sense of belonging in an unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, & in return Endo trains him in the art & discipline of aikido. But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. The enigmatic Endo is bound by disciplines of his own & when the Japanese invade Malaya, threatening to destroy Philip's family & everything he loves, he realises that his trusted sensei
- to whom he owes absolute loyalty
- has been harbouring a devastating secret. Philip must risk everything in an attempt to save those he has placed in mortal danger & discover who & what he really is. With masterful & gorgeous narrative, replete with exotic & captivating images, sounds & aromas
- of rain swept beaches, magical mountain temples, pungent spice warehouses, opulent colonial ballrooms & fetid & forbidding rainforests
- Tan Twan Eng weaves a haunting & unforgettable story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage & enduring love.



...

Penang, 1939. Sixteen-year-old Philip Hutton is a loner. Half English, half Chinese & feeling neither, he discovers a sense of belonging in an unexpected friendship with Hayato Endo, a Japanese diplomat. Philip shows his new friend around his adored island of Penang, & in return Endo trains him in the art & discipline of aikido. But such knowledge comes at a terrible price. The enigmatic Endo is bound by disciplines of his own & when the Japanese invade Malaya, threatening to destroy Philip`s family & everything he loves, he realises that his trusted sensei
- to whom he owes absolute loyalty
- has been harbouring a devastating secret. Philip must risk everything in an attempt to save those he has placed in mortal danger & discover who & what he really is. With masterful & gorgeous narrative, replete with exotic & captivating images, sounds & aromas
- of rain swept beaches, magical mountain temples, pungent spice warehouses, opulent colonial ballrooms & fetid & forbidding rainforests
- Tan Twan Eng weaves a haunting & unforgettable story of betrayal, barbaric cruelty, steadfast courage & enduring love.



...

We all know eloquence when we hear it. But what exactly is it? & how might we gain more of it for ourselves? This entertaining &, yes, eloquent book illuminates the power of language from a linguistic point of view & provides fascinating insights into the way we use words. David Crystal, a world-renowned expert on the history & usage of the English language, probes the intricate workings of eloquence. His lively analysis encompasses everyday situations (wedding speeches, business presentations, storytelling) as well as the oratory of great public gatherings. Crystal focuses on the here & now of eloquent speaking-from pitch, pace, & prosody to jokes, appropriateness, & how to wield a microphone. He explains what is going on moment by moment & examines each facet of eloquence. He also investigates topics such as the way current technologies help or hinder our verbal powers, the psychological effects of verbal excellence, & why certain places or peoples are thought to be more eloquent than others. In the core analysis of the book, Crystal offers an extended & close dissection of Barack Obama`s electrifying ” Yes we can” speech of 2008, in which the president demonstrated full mastery of virtually every element of eloquence-from the simple use of parallelism & an awareness of what not to say, to his brilliant conclusion constructed around two powerful words: dreams & answers. ...

Gandhi was an icon, but what would he teach us if we knew him as a man? Arun Gandhi reveals his Grandfather`s ten vital & extraordinary lessons, more relevant than ever, in his SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING, The Gift (formerly published as The Gift of Anger)... The moving, often irreverent, story of Arun`s years growing up at the iconic Sevagram ashram provides the setting for the treasured moments spent his grandfather, which are an engaging & often surprising read. These memories give a rare insight into Gandhi the man behind the icon, & reveal the motivations behind his ten inspirational lessons. Arun believes that the violence in the world today makes Gandhi`s teachings more vital than ever, & The Gift places these lessons in a modern context, shedding new light on how Gandhi`s principles can
- & must
- be applied to today`s concerns.` Anger is good. It is an energy that compels us to define what is right & wrong`
- Mahatma Gandhi, to his grandson, Arun


...

From the acclaimed author of The Old Ways & Landmarks -- an essay on the joy of reading, for anyone who has ever loved a book Every book is a kind of gift to its reader, & the act of giving books is charged with a special emotional resonance. It is a meeting of three minds (the giver, the author, the recipient), an exchange of intellectual & psychological currency, that leaves each participant enriched. Here Robert Macfarlane recounts the story of a book he was given as a young man, & how he managed eventually to return the favour, though never repay the debt. From one of the most lyrical writers of our time comes a perfectly formed gem, a lyrical celebration of the transcendent power & humanity of the given book. ...

Next to the hustle & bustle of London`s St Pancras station, The Gilbert Scott, Marcus Wareing`s latest venture, is one of the hottest restaurants in town. Situated in the recently restored architectural gem that is the Renaissance Hotel, critics & food lovers alike have flocked to this stunning new brasserie & bar. The aim of the menu is simple: to pay tribute to the historic charm of the building with rediscovered & re-imagined traditional British classics. Yorkshire fishcakes, Dorset jugged steak, cock-a-leekie pie, Mrs Beeton`s barbecue chicken, London Pride battered cod, gingerbread pudding, Kendal mint cake choc ices & the best lemon drizzle cake you`ll ever taste are just some of the 130 recipes in the book. With stunning photography throughout, ” The Gilbert Scott Book of British Food” means that you can celebrate these recipes at home, be it for brunch, lunch, a weekend feast, an afternoon baking or a terrific cocktail to ease you into your meal. Above all, it is a glorious tribute to some of Britain`s greatest traditional dishes. ...

` With a sharp eye for detail & a historian`s capacious knowledge, Padraig Rooney has written a superbly amusing guide to all the writers who`ve been drawn to or emerged from Switzerl&. This is a book that should be stuffed into every stocking
- the perfect Christmas gift!` --Edmund White, author of THE FLANEUR In the summer of 1816 paparazzi trained their telescopes on the goings on of poets Byron & Shelley
- & their womenfolk
- across Lake Geneva. Mary Shelley babysat & wrote FRANKENSTEIN. Byron dieted & penned THE PRISONER OF CHILLON. His doctor, Polidori, was dreaming up THE VAMPYRE. Together they put Switzerland on the map. Switzerland has always provided a refuge for writers attracted to it as an escape from world wars, oppression, tuberculosis
- or marriage. While often for Swiss writers from Rousseau to Bouvier the country was like a gilded prison or sanatorium. The Romantics, the utopians (Wells, D. H. Lawrence) & other spiritual seekers (Hesse), viewed Switzerland as a land of milk & honey, as nature`s paradise. In the twentieth century, spying in neutral Switzerl&, spawned espionage & detective fiction from Conan Doyle to Maugham, Fleming, & Le Carre. Padraig Rooney peers through the chalet windows & finds the rooms crammed with curios: lederhosen & Lepidoptera, spas & spies, fool`s gold & numbered accounts. Literary detective work & treasure chest, history & scandal, THE GILDED CHALET will make you strap on your skis & come off-piste to find out the real Swiss story.



...