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A Dictionary of the English Language: an Anthology
By Samuel Johnson. 2005
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary, published in 1755, marked a milestone in a language in desperate need of standards. No English dictionary…
before it had devoted so much space to everyday words, been so thorough in its definitions, or illustrated usage by quoting from Shakespeare and other great writers. Johnson's was the dictionary used by Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, Wordsworth and Coleridge, the Brontës and the Brownings, Thomas Hardy and Oscar Wilde. This new edition, edited by David Crystal, will contain a selection from the original, offering memorable passages on subjects ranging from books and critics to dreams and ethics.Desert Survival (Air Ministry Survival Guide #3)
By A.M. Pamphlet 225. 2017
THE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE for anyone who thinks they'd survive the world's most hostile environments - or at least imagine…
they could do.-----------------------------First issued to airmen in the 1950s, the Air Ministry's Sea Survival guide includes original and authentic emergency advice to crew operating over the ocean. With original illustrations and text, these survival guides provide an insight to military survival techniques from a by-gone era.Packed with original line drawings and instruction in:- How to find water in a dry stream course- How to make a hat out of seat cushions- What to do in the event of meeting 'hostile parties'Focussing on one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth, Desert Survival is one of four reprints of The Air Ministry's emergency survival pamphlets. Others include:· Jungle Survival· Sea Survival· Arctic SurvivalThe Criminal Alphabet: An A-Z of Prison Slang
By Noel 'Razor' Smith. 2015
'I have spent almost 33 of the last 53 years in and out of prison, but mainly in. I was…
a juvenile offender back in the mid 1970s and went on to become an adult prisoner in the 1980s and beyond. My shortest prison sentence was 7 days (for criminal damage) and my longest sentence was life (for bank robbery and possession of firearms). I have 58 criminal convictions for everything from attempted theft to armed robbery and prison escape, and I was a career criminal for most of my life. What I do not know about criminal and prison slang could be written on the back of a postage stamp and still leave room for The Lord's Prayer ...'From ex-professional bank robber and bestselling author Noel Smith, this is the most authoritative dictionary of criminal slang out there - and an unmissable journey, through words, into the heart of the criminal world.Cities of the Classical World: An Atlas and Gazetteer of 120 Centres of Ancient Civilization
By Colin McEvedy. 2011
From Alexandria to York, this unique illustrated guide allows us to see the great centres of classical civilization afresh. The…
key feature of Cities of the Classical World is 120 specially drawn maps tracing each city's thoroughfares and defences, monuments and places of worship. Every map is to the same scale, allowing readers for the first time to appreciate visually the relative sizes of Babylon and Paris, London and Constantinople. There is also a clear, incisive commentary on each city's development, strategic importance, rulers and ordinary inhabitants. This compelling and elegant atlas opens a new window on to the ancient world, and will transform the way we see it.A Christmas Cornucopia: The Hidden Stories Behind Our Yuletide Traditions
By Mark Forsyth. 2016
BY THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF A SHORT HISTORY OF DRUNKENNESSDiscover the unpredictable origins and etymologies of our…
Christmas customs this festive season. For something that happens every year of our lives, we really don't know much about Christmas. We don't know that the date we celebrate was chosen by a madman, or that Christmas, etymologically speaking, means "Go away, Christ". We're oblivious to the fact that the advent calendar was actually invented by a Munich housewife to stop her children pestering her for a Christmas countdown. And we would never have guessed that the invention of crackers was merely a way of popularising sweet wrappers. Luckily, like a gift from Santa himself, Mark Forsyth is here to unwrap this fundamentally funny gallimaufry of traditions and oddities, making it all finally make sense - in his wonderfully entertaining wordy way.'Witty and revelatory. Blooming brilliant' Raymond Briggs 'Everything we ever thought about Christmas is wrong! Great stuff' Matthew ParrisThe Celtic Baby Names Book
By Various. 2014
There is currently a huge resurgence of interest in genealogy and in searching out one's roots. People are keen to…
delve back to early civilisations from which family ancestors came, hence the fascination with all things Celtic. Drawn from legend, place names, mythology and history, Celtic names reflect the magic and charm of the isles they come from: Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, and even Spain and Italy. This unique, enchanting guide draws on Celtic history and culture to provide expectant parents with over 2,500 beautiful, one-of-a-kind Celtic names. Divided by sex with Gaelic spellings and name variations, as well as the origins and meanings of names, The Celtic Baby Names Book is a fun, comprehensive guide to Celtic names.The Celebrated Pedestrian and Other Historical Curiosities
By Bbc History Magazine. 2009
Who is the Downing of Downing Street? What did the first illuminated adverts in Piccadilly Circus advertise? Was Oliver Cromwell…
actually Welsh? Questions like these and many more are answered in this, the first ever miscellany from the editors of BBC History Magazine.The Celebrated Pedestrian - the title refers to people in Victorian times who walked for sport - collects a wide variety of historical facts and curiosities, helping to uncover little-known truths (Who was the richest man who ever lived?) and debunk myths (Was there one man who survived both the sinkings of the Titanic and the Lusitania?) from ancient times to the present day.Also including a collection of fascinating lists (Top 10 famous riots! Top 10 writers who were banned by the Vatican!) and 'This Day in History' features, The Celebrated Pedestrian is the perfect gift for trivia fans and history buffs alike.Career Paths For The 21st Century: How to Beat Job Insecurity
By David Oates, Jim Durcan. 1994
The turbulent changes in corporate culture mean that upwardly mobile managers need more than ever to carve out their own…
career paths. They must take charge of their personal developement and training needs, because they are unlikely to spend more than a few years in any one company. They have to create, their own continuity of career progression, rather than relying on corporate HR Departments to chart the course for them. This book sets out many developments adversely impacting on career progression - including corporate structural change, cultural change, outsourcing, use of management consultants etc- and then deals with the practical steps that companies and career minded managers are taking to counteract them.Captain Tom's Life Lessons
By Captain Tom Moore. 2021
Start your year with the uplifting and heartwarming life lessons from a truly inspirational man, Captain Sir Tom Moore'Full of…
the infectious energy that inspired the nation' Daily Mirror'A dose of wisdom from a British hero . . . A paean to the power of positive thinking' Daily Telegraph________'One small soul like me won't make much difference' Captain TomIf Captain Tom's big heart and generosity of spirit helped see us through difficult days, this was his parting gift.In Life Lessons, Captain Tom has shared all that he learned from living a full and vibrant life. With cherished anecdotes and his signature humour, these heartening life stories will teach you how to:· Be comfortable with who you are· Keep smiling through the tough times· Walk in someone else's shoes· Keep an open mind· Find your purposeFull of the wit, warmth and wisdom that made him so special, his reflections and guiding principles form a long life, well lived; Life Lessons will be a source of reassurance, hope, and encouragement for generations to come.And a reminder, whenever times are hard, that tomorrow will be a good day.________Praise for Captain Sir Tom Moore:'A wonderful life story with lessons for us all . . . beautifully written' Daily Telegraph'Engaging . . . His upbeat nature shines through and reminds us how much worse this year would have been without him' Evening Standard'A great book' Good Morning Britain'A beautiful book. We have so much to learn from Captain Sir Tom' Chris EvansThe Canterbury Puzzles
By Henry Dudeney. 2017
For the mastermind who has what it takes to solve the tricky conundrums from Britain's first and greatest puzzle master.---------------------------------------Solve…
the puzzle of The Mystery of Ravensdene Park . . . trace the route of the butler, the gamekeeper and the two anonymous guests and the key to the mystery will reveal itself.---------------------------------------Decipher the riddle of The Frogs' Ring for The Merry Monks of Riddlewell . . . ---------------------------------------At The Squire's Christmas Puzzle Party ascertain just how many kisses had been given Under the Mistletoe Bough . . . ---------------------------------------First published in 1907, Dudeney's The Canterbury Puzzles is a classic of the genre, based on characters from Chaucer's Tales. The book contains 114 puzzles suitable for young enthusiasts, recreational mathematicians and veteran puzzlers alike. As challenging today as it was over a century ago, this ingenious book will provide hours-worth of puzzles to keep your brain alert."Regular exercise is supposed to be as necessary for the brain as for the body. Many of us are very apt to suffer from mental cobwebs, and there is nothing equal to the solving of puzzles for sweeping them away." - Henry Dudeney (1847-1930)The Bumper Book of Bravery
By Charlie Norton. 2010
The Bumper Book of Bravery recounts tales of incredible courage the world over, from the mythical to the modern, and…
from New York to New Zealand:Take to the seas and marvel at the first voyage around the world. Dare to go deeper and discover record-setting underwater feats, as well as the French free-diver who refused to learn her limits.Stay on land with Samurai warriors, Roman emperor gladiators and Genghis Khan's lethal Mongolian army.Reach for the skies through balloonists, fantastic flying machines and female fighter pilots.Go underground with the ultimate masters of espionage, including Russian spies, honey-traps and ruthless CIA-trained Tibetan agents.From ocean depths to giddy heights and everything in between, The Bumper Book of Bravery will awaken the adventurer and hero inside of us all.The Bumper Book For The Loo: Facts and figures, stats and stories – an unputdownable treat of trivia
By Mitchell Symons. 2012
When Mitchell Symons wrote his extraordinary bestsellers This Book, That Book and The Other Book - all neatly combined in…
one sensational volume, The Ultimate Loo Book - he was judged by many to be the King of Trivia. Now, inThe Bumper Book for the Loo, this supremo of weird and wonderful, astonishing and inexplicable facts, figures, stats and stories returns with a super selection of trivialistic treats - each one more remarkable and, yes, even more trivial than anything he's compiled before. For example, did you know that...·The first alarm clock could only ring at 4 a.m... ·There was once an internet rumour that Belgium doesn't exist... ·In 1830, King Louis XIX ruled France for just 15 minutes...·All mammals have jaws but only humans have chins...·Peru has more pyramids than Egypt...Packed to the rafters with all manner of useful and useless information, lists of the biggest, the smallest, the best and the worst, The Bumper Book for the Loo is a hilarious compendium of endless delights - and a hugely entertaining, unputdownable feat of nonsense!Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy
By Alison Weir. 2011
Fascinating and authoritative of Britain's royal families from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria, by leading popular historian…
Alison Weir 'George III is alleged to have married secretly, on 17th April, 1759, a Quakeress called Hannah Lightfoot. If George III did make such a marriage…then his subsequent marriage to Queen Charlotte was bigamous, and every monarch of Britain since has been a usurper, the rightful heirs of George III being his children by Hannah Lightfoot...' Britain's Royal Families provides in one volume, complete genealogical details of all members of the royal houses of England, Scotland and Great Britain - from 800AD to the present. Drawing on countless authorities, both ancient and modern, Alison Weir explores the crown and royal family tree in unprecedented depth and provides a comprehensive guide to the heritage of today's royal family – with fascinating insight and often scandalous secrets.'Staggeringly useful... combines solid information with tantalising appetisers.’ Mail on SundayBritain’s Best Political Cartoons 2019
By Tim Benson. 2019
A hilarious companion to the year’s political turmoil, featuring the work of Martin Rowson, Steve Bell, Peter Brookes, Nicola Jennings…
and many more . . . 2019 was the year of Brexit, obviously. But it was also the year that Donald Trump went haywire over Huawei, Theresa May got bounced by the backstop, Boris Johnson was hoisted into high office, and the country was corralled into a chaotic Christmas election. In Britain’s Best Political Cartoons 2019, our very finest satirists skewer everything from Kremlin collusion to no-deal confusion, offering a riotous ride through the last twelve months. And did we mention Brexit?Britain’s Best Political Cartoons 2018
By Tim Benson. 2018
____________A blockbuster collection of the year’s funniest political cartoons, featuring the work of Mac, Steve Bell, Peter Brookes and many…
more . . . 2018 was the year that Brexit got serious, royals got married, football got (briefly) feverish, and Trump got transformed into a giant baby blimp. In Britain’s Best Political Cartoons 2018, our very finest satirists turn their eyes and their pens to all these events and more, offering an incisive and often hilarious tour through a tumultuous twelve months.Boulting's Velosaurus: A Linguistic Tour de France
By Ned Boulting. 2016
Find yourself confused, nodding along when a rouleur relates how le biscuit was effrité (crumbled)? How today they’re feeling Angers…
(past caring)? Fear no more, for Boulting's Velosaurus will illuminate, enlighten and, frankly, mislead. In his Velosaurus, ITV Tour de France commentator and cycling writer Ned Boulting provides the ultimate lexicon of nonsense terminology surrounding the esteemed Tour de France. Featuring essential vocabulary like Alpe (an Alp), panache (riding with doomed flamboyance, conscious of the need to renew one’s contract), moutarde (any race that ends, begins or passes through the city of Dijon) and maillot (a jumper, obviously), Boulting’s Velosaurus is the ideal companion to all things peloton for linguistically-challenged fans of non-automotive two-wheeled sport.'Deserves to be on any Tour de France fan’s shelf.' CycleThe Book of the Year 2019
By No Such Thing As A Fish. 2019
The Book of the Year is back, with yet another pro-rogues gallery of the most amazing, audacious and absolutely absurd…
news of 2019.Once again the fact-finding foursome behind the podcast No Such Thing As A Fish have been newspaper-trawling and website-crawling to create your ultimate guide to the past twelve months.Learn which of Donald Trump’s claims are so bizarre they can’t even be fact-checked. Find out why every single French MP received camembert in the post. And get to the bottom of all the improvements made to the Ford company’s robotic bum. All this and much, much more, including the news that:· Two tourists planning to visit the Norwegian village of Å, ended up 1,310km away, in Aa.· Five guys were arrested at a branch of Five Guys.· Hollyoaks was partly written by the British government.· The US town of Hell froze over.From Assange to Zuckerberg, taking in Cardi B, CCTV, D-Day, and eSports, The Book of the Year is the only book you need to make senseof the year, no matter how senseless it might have seemed.The Book of the Year 2018: Your Definitive Guide to the World’s Weirdest News
By No Such Thing As A Fish. 2018
__________‘My favourite geeks. Hilarious. Sideways. Brilliant.’ Tim MinchinIn a year dominated by Russian collusion and Brexit confusion, The Book of…
the Year returns with another dose of barely believable yet wholly unimpeachable facts and stories from the past twelve months. Every week for the past four years, Dan, James, Anna and Andy – the creators of the award-winning, chart-topping comedy podcast No Such Thing As A Fish – have wowed each other and millions of their listeners with the most astonishing trivia they have learned over the previous seven days. Now, once again, they have put down the microphones, picked up their pencils, and transformed a year’s worth of weird and wonderful happenings into one uplifting book that you won’t be able to put down. Discover how Peruvian mummies affected the World Cup, and why Love Island contestants are experts in game theory – as well as hundreds of stories that may have passed you by entirely, including the news that:· NASA sent a man with a fear of heights to the International Space Station. · An ice hotel in Canada caught fire. · Mark Zuckerberg’s private data was compromised while he was talking to Congress about compromised data. From Kim Jong Un’s personal potty to Jeremy Corbyn’s valuable vegetables, The Book of the Year 2018 is an eye-opening tour of yet another incredible year you didn’t know you’d lived through.The Book of Football Quotations
By Phil Shaw. 2008
The greatest football quotations collection ever, now in its ninth edition.This compilation includes quotes from everyone – Shakespeare to Suarez,…
Camus to Cantona, Busby to Beckham – who has made an apt, pithy or comical comment about football. And not just footballers and managers either – fans, pundits, groundsmen, directors and wives all get to have their say too. Every subject is covered, from tactical debates to changing lifestyles, to produce a sometimes hilarious and always thought-provoking commentary on the game.‘My players are always the best players in the world, even if they aren’t’ - José Mourinho‘He was a quiet man, Eric Cantona, but he was a man of few words’ - David Beckham‘Sometimes when you aim for the stars you hit the moon’ - Ian HollowayThe Book of 365: All the Numbers, None of the Maths
By Hugh Brazier, Jan McCann. 2009
Ever wondered how many dimples there are on a golf ball; or why the shipping forecast is broadcast on 198…
kHz long wave? Find yourself puzzling over what is really going on in the 273 seconds of John Cage’s most famous composition? Then this book of mind-boggling number facts is for you.The Book of 365 offers an entertaining and thought-provoking mini-essay on the world around us for every day of the year, each taking a number between 1 and 365 as its starting point, encompassing science, history, art, literature, medicine, and popular culture, and covering topics as diverse as modern music and meteorites, archaeology and chilli sauce, un-birthdays and radio valve technology.On the way, uncover:At 5, the pentaradial symmetry of starfish and rosesAt 34, how the US flag got its stars and stripesAt 99, the mysteries of the 99 ice-creamAt 239, where Sherlock Holmes really livedAnd, in honour of the leap year, at the end of the book there is a bonus 366th essay!