In 1868, the first ever documented bicycle race was held in a Paris park, & to the locals` chagrin, was won by a Briton. Yet while cycling culture became ingrained in continental European culture, riders this side of the Channel were engaged in constant battles with the authorities to pursue their sport
- road racing was in fact banned as early as 1890. Its rise in popularity over the past 150 years, & the many triumphs of British cyclists in that time, have therefore been phenomenal. Never before has the full story of the sport been documented in one book, & in Great British Cycling, Ellis Bacon guides you through the development of our bike racing world, from weekend outings to British riders being able to compete in, then finish & win stages of the Tour de France. It takes you from cycling clubs & iconic frame-builders to a post-war explosion in cycling participation inspired by the likes of Brian Robinson, Tommy Simpson, Barry Hoban & Beryl Burton, from huge crowds witnessing the Tour of Britain & other races up & down the land to the modern era of glorious success by the likes of Mark Cavendish, Bradley Wiggins & Chris Froome. As the Tour de France returns to these shores for the fourth time, with Great Britain now firmly established at the top of the world of cycling, this is the ideal time for fans of the sport, both new & old, to explore its wonderful history.
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` Delightfully good.. .an exuberant & learned celebration of British culture.. .full of love for & fascination with everything from the origins of heavy metal in the metal-bashing industries of the West Midlands to John Lennon`s & Damien Hirst`s lust for money` Nick Cohen, Observer ` Terrific.. .I defy you not to be swept up in a narrative that`s as colourful as it is dramatic`
- John Preston, Mail on Sunday ` Dramatic, perceptive & often extremely funny` Spectator, Books of the Year Britain`s empire has gone. We no longer matter as we once did. & yet there is still one area in which we can legitimately claim superpower status: our popular culture. It is extraordinary to think that one British writer, J. K. Rowling, has sold more than 400 million books; that Doctor Who is watched in almost every developed country in the world; that James Bond has been the central character in the longest-running film series in history; that The Lord of the Rings is the second best-selling novel ever written (behind only A Tale of Two Cities); that the Beatles are still the best-selling musical group of all time; & that only Shakespeare & the Bible have sold more books than Agatha Christie. To put it simply, no country on earth, relative to its size, has contributed more to the modern imagination. This is a book about the success & the meaning of Britain`s modern popular culture, from Bond & the Beatles to Catherine Cookson & Coronation Street, from Harry Potter, heavy metal & Kate Bush to Damien Hirst, Downton Abbey & Grand Theft Auto. Dominic Sandbrook`s superbly rich, entertaining & thought-provoking book makes it clear that The Great British Dream Factory is a very strange & wonderful place indeed.
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Britain`s empire has gone. Our manufacturing base is a shadow of its former self; the Royal Navy has been reduced to a skeleton. In military, diplomatic & economic terms, we no longer matter as we once did. & yet there is still one area in which we can legitimately claim superpower status: our popular culture. It is extraordinary to think that one British writer, J K Rowling, has sold more than 400 million books; that Doctor Who is watched in almost every developed country in the world; that James Bond has been the central character in the longest-running film series in history; that The Lord of the Rings is the second best-selling novel ever written (behind only A Tale of Two Cities); that the Beatles are still the best-selling musical group of all time; & that only Shakespeare & the Bible have sold more books than Agatha Christie. To put it simply, no country on earth, relative to its size, has contributed more to the modern imagination. This is a book about the success & the meaning of Britain`s modern popular culture, from Bond & the Beatles to heavy metal & Coronation Street, from the Angry Young Men to Harry Potter, from Damien Hirst to The X Factor. ...

Not just a name on a yoghurt pot, Yeo Valley is a real organic farm in the picturesque West Country. In this stunning book ...

The Great British Mountain Bike Trail Guide reveals the best trails to ride across the British Isles. Road-tested by experienced rider Clive Forth, this is a must-have resource for any mountain biker. * A comprehensive guide
- covering the best purpose-built trail centres * Trail evaluation helps you decide which trail to ride: the grading, the facilities, the ride experience * Handy size, packed with clear maps, helpful photos & trail description * Trails from across Britain & Ireland featured.
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Here are three great things about Great Britain: Pubs; Pub quizzes; & Love of trivia. This book is a winner on all counts, providing the keen pub quizzer with more than 1, 000 questions (and multiple choice answers) all about the UK. Use this book to crib up for your next pub quiz or set your own! ...

My Country Right or Wrong Quiz Book is filled with questions all about the United Kingdom: people, places, history, customs & more! Each mini-quiz will test your knowledge of a particular part of British culture or geography & the many pot-luck quizzes force you to take your chances! Play with a friend or as a group game, or just use this treasure trove of information to brush up on your general knowledge! ...

An inspirational guide book to help you plan spectacular road rides. Each route is broken down into key elements, giving concise information on the essentials that make for a great day out on the bike, including route, road features, & public transport links for point to point rides, accompanied by inspirational images of the ride. Each ride will has a clear start & end point outlined & takes in fun, flowing roads, deliberately featuring roads that are quiet & offer stunning views of the British landscape, covering all areas across the UK. Browse the pages, choose a route, & head off out with a road ride companion packed with useful information for when you`re out on your bike.

Includes:: two ` Taste Le Tour` rides for each of the two Tour de France Yorkshire stages in 2014, & information on the Giro D` Italia routes coming to Irel&, also in 2014. Also

Includes:: printable routes from the Bloomsbury website.



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The ultimate book of sweetie nostalgia! A colourful, witty & irreverent encyclopedia of all the sweets & crisps of your youth. From Mojos to Rainbow Drops, Space Raiders to Trios, Corona to Kia Ora & everything in between. Fully illustrated with hundreds of wrappers, ads & specially recreated packshots this book will lead you down memory lane until you reach the corner shop, load up a 10p mix up bag & rot your teeth on the contents. The authors have been given access to the archives, factories & warehouses of some of the leading sweet & snack manufacturers in the country & have delivered a book that is packed full of fascinating historical research...and lots & lots of sweets. WITH A FOREWORD BY JONATHAN ROSS. ...

Britain is a place of remarkable beauty & surprising extremes: nowhere else in the temperate world boasts such extreme variety in such a small area. Our humble island has over 10, 000 miles of coastline; iconic animals & birds; & unique spectacles of migration that see wildlife from all corners of the globe descend upon our shores. Here, life is governed by the seasons: each month bringing extraordinary transformations to our land & its inhabitants. This lavish companion to the new BBC One series brings Britain to life, celebrating the vibrancy of the changing year through stunning photography & mesmerising time-lapse sequences, & revealing the unmissable drama & beauty to be witnessed on our very own doorstep. ...