In the remote Kingdom of Castalia, the scholars of the Twenty Third century play the Glass Bead Game. The elaborately coded game is a fusion of all human knowledge
- of maths, music, philosophy, science, & art. Intrigued as a school boy, Joseph Knecht becomes consumed with mastering the game as an adult. As Knecht fulfils his life-long quest he must contend with unexpected dilemmas & the longing for a life beyond the ivory tower.
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From Jan Pienkowski, much-loved illustrator of the Meg & Mog series, comes this beautiful collection of Polish folk tales, with vibrant & witty colour illustrations throughout. Using the traditional cut-paper technique he learned as a child, Jan brings eight of his favourite Polish stories to life
- featuring classic stories such as ” Pan Twardowski”, ” The Glass Mountain”, ” The Wawel Dragon” & ” The Fern Flower”. A brand new title from one of the giants of children`s literature, this magical collection is the perfect way to introduce children to Polish folk tales.
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Rajkumar is only a boy, helping out on a market stall in the dusty square outside the royal palace in Mandalay, when the British force the Burmese King, Queen & court into exile. Thus begins this novel which grasps the reach & fall of empires. The history of the twentieth century is told across three generations, spread over three interlinked parts of the British Empire: Burma, Malaya & India. ...

Cool. Balanced. Modern. The precisions of science, the wild variance of lust, the catharsis of confession & the fear of failure
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`A biographical orrery
- intricate, complex & fascinating` The Observer`A peerless intellectual biography. The Glass Universe
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Daniela the glassmaker`s daughter is grumpy & never smiles. Her father promises a beautiful glass palace to anyone who can make her laugh. People come from far & wide to try their luck in amusing Daniela. But mask makers, lion tamers & magicians cannot make you smile from the princess. It is only when a young apprentice makes the first looking glass that Daniela learns to smile
- at her own grumpy reflection! This beautiful fable set in sixteenth-century Venice features stunning illustrations from award-winning artist Jane Ray alongside a poetic text.
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When a decapitated head is seen floating down the river in the Devon village of Aller, the rural calm is shattered. Soon the corpses are multiplying, & the entire community is involved in the hunt for the murderer. Whilst many chase false trails, it is left to Gervase Fen, Oxford don & amateur criminologist, to uncover the sordid truth. Equal parts compelling, witty & ingenuous, The Glimpses of the Moon is a classic example of great British detective fiction. ...

A world expert on how trees chemically affect our environment, Diana Beresford-Kroeger has woven together ecology, ethnobotany, horticulture, spirituality, science & alternative medicine in The Global Forest to capture their enormous significance to us
- & our future. Trees absorb pollutants from the ground, comb particulates from the air & house beneficial insects. But what they do chemically in the environment is something we're only beginning to underst&. Trees not only breathe & communicate; they also reproduce, provide shelter, medicine & food, & each of these forty interlocking essays picks out a different aspect of the life of the forest, explains it & then shows why it is so vitally important. This is a truly unique, & mind-opening work, combining the precision of a scientist with the lyricism of a poet, Diana Beresford-Kroeger has written an unforgettable work of natural history that shows how we really can save the Earth, one tree at a time.
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In the global village that our world has become, travel & technology fuel each other & us. ” Everywhere is made up of everywhere else, ” motion is our most constant state of being, our very souls have been put into circulation. Yet, as Pico Iyer points out in his fresh, acutely observant, & witty new book, even a global person must have a home. Using his own multicultural upbringing (Indian, American, British) as a point of departure, Iyer sets out on a journey
- both physical & psychological
- toward a definition of home in this world gone mobile. He travels: to Los Angeles International Airport, where town life (shops, services, sociability) is available without a town; to Hong Kong, where hotels are self-contained communities; to Toronto, made cosmopolitan by its emigre population; to Atlanta, where the Olympic Village unintentionally commemorates the mass-produced universalism that shapes the games; to Engl&, where the effects of empire-as-global-village are still being sorted out; &, to Japan, where Iyer unexpectedly, & finally, finds a home for himself.

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Global Suitcase is a compilation of interviews with everyday people & well-known personalities who have travelled extraordinary journeys or lived unusual lives, often guided by a cause, in the name of work, or in pursuit of adventure. The author recounts in vivid & colourful detail a snapshot of each of their adventures as well as plenty of humorous anecdotes, before describing & presenting each interview. Many people within the pages have risked their lives for a cause or found a new cause through their travels. Many participants showed great strength of character during amazing & dangerous journeys, displaying courage beyond understanding. All of them have learned much about the world & share their philosophies with us. Each interview focuses on the precious & timeless memories each has of their journey. This unique celebration of travel & nostalgia

Includes:: Michael Palin-actor/author; Ardal O` Hanlon-actor from the Father Ted series; Jonathan Dimbleby-BBC; Geoff Hill-author; Simon Reeve-BBC; Chris P Baker-author; Dervla Murphy-travel author; exclusive interview Michael Palin`s personal cameraman Nigel Meakin; Daniel O` Donnell- singer; Carol Drinkwater-author & actress; & adventurer Marianne Du Toit.

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