The perfect gift for Christmas, this book

Includes:: all your favourite carols brought vividly to life with

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This book provides a history of the alehouse between the years 1550 & 1700, the period during which it first assumed its long celebrated role as the key site for public recreation in the villages & market towns of Engl&. In the face of considerable animosity from Church & State, the patrons of alehouses, who were drawn from a wide cross section of village society, fought for & won a central place in their communities for an institution that they cherished as a vital facilitator of what they termed good fellowship. For them, sharing a drink in the alehouse was fundamental to the formation of social bonds, to the expression of their identity, & to the definition of communities, allegiances & friendships. Bringing together social & cultural history approaches, this book draws on a wide range of source material
- from legal records & diary evidence to printed drinking songs
- to investigate battles over alehouse licensing & the regulation of drinking; the political views & allegiances that ordinary men & women expressed from the alebench; the meanings & values that drinking rituals & practices held for contemporaries; & the social networks & collective identities expressed through the choice of drinking companions. Focusing on an institution & a social practice at the heart of everyday life in early modern Engl&, this book allows us to see some of the ways in which ordinary men & women responded to historical processes such as religious change & state formation, & just as importantly reveals how they shaped their own communities & collective identities. It will be essential reading for anyone interested in the social, cultural & political worlds of the ordinary men & women of seventeenth-century Engl&.BR> MARK HAILWOOD is Associate Research Fellow in History at the University of Exeter.

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This definitive biography of Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), the most notorious & controversial spiritual figure of the 20th century, brings together a life of world-shaking 'magick', sexual & psychological experimentation at the outer limits, world-record-beating mountaineering & startling prophetic power
- as well as poetry, adventure, espionage, wisdom, excess, & intellectual brilliance. The book reveals the man behind the appalling reputation, demolishing a century of scandalmongering that persuaded the world that Crowley was a black magician, a traitor & a sexual wastrel, addicted to drugs & antisocial posing, rather than the mind-blowing truth that Crowley was a genius as significant as Jung, Freud or Einstein. Churton has enjoyed the full co-operation of the world's Crowley scholars to ensure the accuracy & plausibility of his riveting narrative. The author has also been in contact with Crowley's grandson, who has vouchsafed rare, previously untold accounts of family relationships. The result is an intimate portrait that has never before been shown, & one that has great emotional impact. The book contains the first ever complete investigation of Crowley's astonishing family background
- including facts he concealed in his lifetime for fear of social prejudice. Tobias Churton also gives us a detailed account of Crowley's work as a British spy during World War I in Berlin during the early 1930s & during World War II. This information has not been available to any previous biographer.

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This definitive biography of Aleister Crowley (1875
- 1947), the most notorious & controversial spiritual figure of the 20th century,
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Two years ago in Miami, Abigail Leighton spent one unforgettable night with irresistible, enigmatic Alejandro Varga. But malicious lies broke them apart, & Abby left determined to forget about Alejandro forever. Now Abby is back & forced to face her Latin lover once more. To her surprise, passion between them flares as strongly as ever. But Alejandro hasnt forgotten the past, & hes intent on revenge by seduction... ...

When Aleksandr discovers that the stinky half metal, half mongoose scoundrel that is evil Doctor Robogoose has captured his beloved Princess Maiya, he has to don his Turbo-Charged Flying Cape & swoop to the rescue. Will he be successful? Will he save the girl & see the wind make patterns in her soft fur..? ...

' Welcome readers of all sizes! I think you are opening this very special book with feeling of great excitement. It has everything you could want in a story: Suspense! Action! Huge Braveness! & very importantly a hero of great handsomeness!' When Aleksandr discovers that the stinky half metal, half mongoose scoundrel that is evil Doctor Robogoose has captured his beloved Princess Maiya, he has to don his Turbo-Charged Flying Cape & swoop to the rescue. Will he be successful? Will he save the girl & see the wind make patterns in her soft fur..? Also available: " Bogdan & the Big Race", Maiya in the Beautiful Ballet, Sergei's Space Adventure, Vassily the King of Rock, Yakov Saves Christmas. ...

Bradt's Alentejo is the first full guide to the raw, beguiling heartland of southern Portugal. Dividing the Alentejo into three distinct sections, with detailed maps & itineraries suitable for all seasons, this guide offers by far the fullest & most complete coverage of the Alentejo region available. Aimed primarily at independent travellers & holidaymakers of all ages & on all budgets, it caters for nature lovers & hikers, history & archaeology enthusiasts, & anyone interested in discovering one of the least explored regions of western Europe. Regional food & wine specialities are also covered, along with details of the Alentejo's extraordinary range of accommodation, which is intricately bound with the region's history, from historic castles, palaces & monasteries converted into hotels & pousadas, to farm stays on cork-growing estates & budget pensoes & albergarias (inns). ...

Alentejo Blue is the story of the Portuguese village of Mamarrosa told through the lives of those who live there & those who are passing through
- men & women, children & old people, locals, tourists & expatriates. For some, such as Teresa, a beautiful, dreamy village girl, it is a place from which to escape; for others
- the dysfunctional Potts family
- it is a way of running from trouble (but not eluding it). Vasco, a cafe owner who has never recovered from the death of his American wife, clings to a notion that his years in America make him superior to the other villagers. One English tourist makes Mamarrosa the subject of her fantasy of a new life, while for her compatriots, a young engaged couple, Mamarrosa is where their dreams finally fall apart. At the book's opening an old man reflects on his long & troubled life in this beautiful & seemingly tranquil setting, & anticipates the return of Marco Afonso Rodrigues, the prodigal son of the village & a symbol of this now fast-changing world. The homecoming is the subject of continuing speculation, & when Marco Afonso Rodrigues does finally appear, villagers, tourists & expatriates are brought together & jealousies, passions & disappointments must inevitably collide.


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The new novel by the author of The Alchemist. Aleph marks a return to Paulo Coelho's beginnings. In a frank & surprising personal story, one of the world's most beloved authors embarks on a remarkable & transformative journey of self-discovery. Facing a grave crisis of faith, & seeking a path of spiritual renewal & growth, Paulo decides to start over: to travel, to experiment, to reconnect with people & the world. On this journey through Europe, Africa, & Asia, he will again meet Hilal--the woman he loved 500 years before--an encounter that will initiate a mystical voyage through time & space, through past & present, in search of himself. Aleph is an encounter with our fears & our sins; a search for love & forgiveness, & the courage to confront the inevitable challenges of life. ...