How amazing would it be to have a dad who`s an astronaut? Rocket launches, zero gravity, & flying through space like a superhero! Jamie Drake`s dad is orbiting the Earth in the International Space Station & Jamie ought to think it`s cool but he just really misses him... Hanging out at his local observatory, Jamie picks up a strange signal on his phone. It looks like alien life is getting closer to home. But space is a dangerous place & when his dad`s mission goes wrong, can Jamie prove that he`s a hero too?A cosmic adventure for anyone who`s ever looked at the stars, from the author of The Many Worlds of Albie Bright. Cover illustration by Matt Saunders. ...

A concubine is strangled in the Sultan`s palace harem, & a young cadet is found butchered in the streets of Istanbul. Delving deep into the city`s crooked alleyways, & deeper still into its tumultuous past, the eunuch Yashim discovers that some people will go to any lengths to preserve the traditions of the Ottoman Empire. Brilliantly evoking Istanbul in the 1830s, The Janissary Tree is a bloody, witty & fast-paced literary thriller with a spectacular cast. ...

This exquisitely written account of the British countryside not only inspires us to don our boots & explore the 140, 000 miles of footpaths across the British Isles, but also illustrates how, on long-distance walks, we can come to an understanding of ourselves & our fellow walkers. Over the hills & along the byways, Christopher Somerville examines what moulded the men of his father’s generation – so reticent about their wartime experiences, so self-effacing, upright & dutiful – as he searches for ‘the man inside the man’ that his own father really was. ...

The January Man is the story of a year of walks that was inspired by a song, Dave Goulder’s ‘ The January Man’. Month by month, season by season & region by region, Christopher Somerville walks the British Isles, following routes that continually bring his father to mind. As he travels the country – from the winter floodlands of the River Severn to the lambing pastures of Nidderdale, the towering seabird cliffs on the Shetland Isle of Foula in June & the ancient oaks of Sherwood Forest in autumn – he describes the history, wildlife, landscapes & people he encounters, down back lanes & old paths, in rain & fair weather. This exquisitely written account of the British countryside not only inspires us to don our boots & explore the 140, 000 miles of footpaths across the British Isles, but also illustrates how, on long-distance walks, we can come to an understanding of ourselves & our fellow walkers. Over the hills & along the byways, Christopher Somerville examines what moulded the men of his father’s generation – so reticent about their wartime experiences, so self-effacing, upright & dutiful – as he searches for ‘the man inside the man’ that his own father really was. ...

Xenophobe’s Guide to the Japanese is a pocket-size guide that takes a frank & funny look at what makes the Japanese Japanese.“ Whatever sport you play, you must look the part. If you go cycling, you must have the full kit, as worn by the winner of the Tour de France.” Xenophobe’s guides attempt to forewarn readers of the main stereotypes & foibles that are associated with individual nationalities. Each guide explores the characteristics of a country’s people in a series of dedicated sections, encompassing nationalism & identity, behaviour, manners, character, obsessions, beliefs & values, leisure & pleasure, culture, custom & tradition, business, systems, health & hygiene, crime & punishment, government & bureaucracy, conversation & gestures & language. ...

An in-depth exploration spanning 800 years of the art, essence, & enduring impact of the Japanese garden. The most comprehensive exploration of the art of the Japanese garden published to date, this book covers more than eight centuries of the history of this important genre. Author & garden designer Sophie Walker brings fresh insight to this subject, exploring the Japanese garden in detail through a series of essays & with 100 featured gardens, ranging from ancient Shinto shrines to imperial gardens & contemporary Zen designs. Leading artists, architects, & other cultural practitioners offer personal perspectives in newly commissioned essays. ...

Includes: over 250 recipes, reflecting Japanese culinary history from ancient to modern times. The recipes tell how to:
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A follow-up to Luiz`s first book, Nikkei Cuisine, The Japanese Larder is a stunning cookery book that demystifies the best ...

From internationally bestselling author Isabel Allende comes an exquisitely crafted love story & multigenerational epic that sweeps from present-day San Francisco to Poland & the United States during WWII. In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis & the world goes to war, young Alma Belasco`s parents send her away to live in safety with an aunt & uncle in their opulent mansion in San Francisco. There she meets Ichimei Fukuda, the son of the family`s Japanese gardener, & between them a tender love blossoms. Following Pearl Harbor, the two are cruelly pulled apart when Ichimei & his family
- like thousands of Japanese Americans
- are declared enemies by the US government & relocated to internment camps. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma & Ichimei reunite again & again, but theirs is a love they are forever forced to hide from the world. Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long & eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to come to terms with her own troubled past, meets the older woman & her grandson, Seth, at Lark House nursing home. As Irina & Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts & letters sent to Alma, & learn about Ichimei & this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.

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From internationally bestselling author Isabel Allende comes an exquisitely crafted, multigenerational love story. In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis & the world goes to war, young Alma Belasco`s parents send her overseas to live with an aunt & uncle in their opulent San Francisco mansion. There she meets Ichimei Fukuda, the son of the family`s Japanese gardener, & between them a tender love blossoms, but following Pearl Harbor the two are cruelly pulled apart. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma & Ichimei reunite again & again, but theirs is a love they are forever forced to hide from the world. Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long & eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to reconcile her own troubled past, meets the older woman & her grandson, Seth, at Lark House nursing home. As Irina & Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts & letters sent to Alma, & learn about Ichimei & this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years. ...