Ruth Patchett never thought of herself as particularly devilish. Rather the opposite in fact
- simply a tall, not terribly attractive
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Bill Bryson`s first travel book opened with the immortal line, `I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.` In this deeply funny & personal memoir, he travels back in time to explore the ordinary kid he once was, in the curious world of 1950s Middle America. It was a happy time, when almost everything was good for you, including DDT, cigarettes & nuclear fallout. This is a book about one boy`s growing up. But in Bryson`s hands, it becomes everyone`s story, one that will speak volumes
- especially to anyone who has ever been young.
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One night in St Petersburg, two men meet, both adrift in the brash new Russia: Shutov, a writer visiting after years of exile in Paris, & Volsky, an elderly survivor of the Siege of Leningrad & Stalin`s purges. His life story
- one of extreme suffering, courage & an extraordinary love
- he considers unremarkable. To Shutov it is a revelation, the tale of an unsung hero that puts everything into perspective & suggests where true happiness lies.

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This is a much-needed & authoritative account of Common Buzzards gained from extensive studies by the author over 60 years & also from enthusiasts in this country & across northern Europe. The accounts describe the life history & ecology of Buzzards mainly inhabiting the British uplands where historically they have always been most numerous. For the first time, population activities are followed through successive seasonal stages of their life cycle. These include the vital & inter-related aspects of Buzzard territories & social behaviour, diets & hunting methods, food requirements, prey abundance & breeding success, survival & life spans & how Buzzard numbers & distribution have changed, particularly in relation to the influence of Man. The book also demonstrates how well Buzzards have adapted to living in our modern & rapidly-changing landscapes, constantly adapting their habits in response to prey resources & environmental conditions. In the book`s first section, The Year of the Buzzard, the sequential changes in the composition & behaviour of a Buzzard community, their seasonal patterns of food habits & hunting methods, their breeding season from courtship until fledging of broods & their subsequent dispersal are outlined. The second section, Special Topics, provides greater detail of six key aspects of their ecology which are explored within the following chapter topics: Territory; Energy & Food Needs; Predation; Food Supply & Breeding Success; Demography & Population Dynamics; & Changes in Buzzard Abundance. ...

The villagers had never seen anything like it: dense white curtains of snow that instantly transformed the landscape. Not in autumn, not here in Burgundy. & on the same night a baby was discovered, dark-eyed little Maria, who would transform all their lives. Hundreds of miles away in the mountains of Abruzzo, another foundling, Clara, astonishes everyone with her extraordinary talent for piano-playing. But her gifts go far beyond simple musicianship. As a time of great danger looms, though the girls know nothing of each other, it is the bond that unites them & others like them, which will ultimately offer the only chance for good to prevail in the world. ...

Great traveller & explorer Wilfred Thesiger was born in Addis Ababa & spent his early years in Abyssinia. In this book he reveals to what extent the early experience of Abyssinia influenced his future & provides a precious personal account of the tragic history of East Africa. ...

Harper Collins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics. Meet the greatest entertainer of the 19th Century... In 1834, desperate to create a better life for his family, small-time Connecticut businessman P. T. Barnum moved to New York City. With true entrepreneurial spirit & against all odds, he wowed audiences with his ensemble of musical spectacles, attractions & variety shows
- often exploiting the vulnerable for entertainment value. A master showman, his crowning achievement was the world-famous circus, Barnum & Bailey`s Greatest Show on Earth. In this account of his life & work, written by the man himself & first published in 1855, P. T. Barnum creates an aura of excitement about himself & his enduring fame, confirming his reputation as the greatest impresario of all time & revealing the controversial decisions that helped him to his fortune.
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To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl`s birth, this book traces his life from his childhood, to his time in Africa & as a fighter pilot & his early writing
- leading to Roald becoming one of the funniest, most famous & best-loved children`s authors of all time. The book also

Includes:: information about his legacy. A fun quiz & brief summaries of four of Roald Dahl`s best-loved books (James & the Giant Peach, Matilda, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, The BFG) are included to inspire children to read them. Every page features easy-to-follow text & a black-&-white line drawing to help bring Roald Dahl`s adventures to life. Accessible to readers aged 6 & up.


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In this book Steven Parissien examines the impact, development & significance of the automobile over its turbulent & colourful 130-year history. He tells the story of the auto, & of its creators, from its earliest appearance in the 1880s
- as little more than a powered quadricycle
- via the early pioneer carmakers, the advances of the interwar era, the ` Golden Age` of the 1950s & the iconic years of the 1960s to the decades of doubt & uncertainty following the oil crisis of 1973, which culminated in the global mergers of the 1990s & the bailouts of the early twenty-first century. This is not just a story of horsepower & performance. The Life of the Automobile is a tale of people: of intuitive carmakers such as Benz, Agnelli, Royce & Citroen; of exceptionally gifted designers such as Issigonis, Lefebvre, Michelotti & Bangle; & of visionary industrialists such as Ford, Tata & Porsche. Above all, The Life of the Automobile demonstrates how the epic story of the car mirrors the history of the modern era, from the brave hopes & soaring ambitions of the early twentieth century to the cynicism & ecological concerns of a century later.

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” In this book Steven Parissien examines the impact, development & significance of the automobile over its turbulent & colourful 130-year history. He tells the story of the auto, & of its creators, from its earliest appearance in the 1880s
- as little more than a powered quadricycle
- via the early pioneer carmakers, the advances of the interwar era, the ` Golden Age` of the 1950s & the iconic years of the 1960s to the decades of doubt & uncertainty following the oil crisis of 1973, which culminated in the global mergers of the 1990s & the bailouts of the early twenty-first century. This is not just a story of horsepower & performance. The Life of the Automobile is a tale of people: of flamboyant entrepreneurs, shrewd businessmen & gifted engineers; of outstanding success & abject failure. It is a chronicle of innovation, & a testimony to the value of good design. Above all, The Life of the Automobile demonstrates how the epic story of the car mirrors the history of the modern era, from the brave hopes & soaring ambitions of the early twentieth century to the cynicism & ecological concerns of a century later.”

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