Category Archives: Shower Curtains
The Beauty and the Terror: An Alternative History of the Italian Renaissance
`Brilliant and gripping, here is the full true Renaissance in a history of compelling originality and freshness` Simon Sebag MontefioreLONGLISTED FOR THE HWA NON-FICTION CROWN 2020The Italian Renaissance shaped Western culture – but it was far stranger and darker than many of us realise. We know the Mona Lisa for her smile, but not that
October: The Story of the Russian Revolution
Award-winning writer China Mieville has long been inspired by the ideals of the Russian Revolution and here, on the centenary of the revolution, he provides his own distinctive take on its history. In February 1917, in the midst of bloody war, Russia was still an autocratic monarchy: nine months later, it became the first socialist
Time Must Have a Stop
Sebastian Barnack, a handsome English schoolboy, is on bad terms with his socialist father who disapproves of his hedonistic lifestyle. He escapes to Florence in order to learn about life. His education there, thanks to the contradictory influences of his scurrilous Uncle Eustace and a saintly bookseller, is both sacred and profane. This is a
The Hotel Years: Wanderings in Europe Between the Wars
The hotel that I love like a fatherland is situated in one of the great port cities of Europe, and the heavy gold Antiqua letters in which its banal name is spelled out shining across the roofs of the gently banked houses are in my eye metal flags, metal bannerets that instead of fluttering shine
A New Map of Wonders: A Journey in Search of Modern Marvels
We live in a world that is known, every corner thoroughly explored. But has this knowledge cost us the ability to wonder? Wonder, Caspar Henderson argues, is at its most supremely valuable in just such a world because it reaffirms our humanity and gives us hope for the future. That`s the power of wonder, and
1916: The Mornings After
The 1916 Easter Rising and its aftermath changed Ireland for ever. The British government`s execution of 14 republican rebels transformed a group hitherto perceived as cranks and troublemakers into national heroes. Those who avoided the British firing squads of May 1916 went on to plan a new – and ultimately successful – struggle for Ireland`s
The Hurley Makers Son
Patrick Deeley`s train journey home to rural East Galway in autumn 1978 was a pilgrimage of grief: his giant of a father had been felled, the hurley-making workshop silenced. From this moment, Patrick unfolds his childhood as a series of evocative moments, from the intricate workings of the timber workshop run by his father to
Caesar`s Last Breath: The Epic Story of The Air Around Us
** GUARDIAN SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2017 **`Popular science at its best`Mail on Sunday`Eminently accessible and enjoyable`ObserverWith every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds in the Roman Senate, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding.
The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia
In The Future is History Masha Gessen follows the lives of four Russians, born as the Soviet Union crumbled, at what promised to be the dawn of democracy. Each came of age with unprecedented expectations, some as the children or grandchildren of the very architects of the new Russia, each with newfound aspirations of their
Bring Me the Horizon: Heavy Sounds from Steel City
Oli Sykes is not one to bite his tongue, and when it comes to music, Bring Me the Horizon take no prisoners. One of the most polarising and eclectic bands to emerge from the UK rock scene, Bring Me the Horizon have refused to sit still. Taking their sound from its brutal roots and bonecrunching
The Eurasian Beaver
The Eurasian beaver was near extinction at the start of the twentieth century, hunted across Europe for its fur, meat and castoreum. But now the beaver is on the brink of a comeback, with wild beaver populations, licensed and unlicensed, emerging all over Britain. As a keystone species, the beaver plays a vital role in
The Book of Aron
**SHORTLISTED FOR THE CARNEGIE AWARD** `Powerful …shattering …a masterpiece` The Times `Testament of love and sacrifice …a masterpiece` Joshua Ferris, Guardian `Transcendent and timeless …masterpiece` Washington Post Aron is a nine-year-old Polish Jew, and a troublemaker. His mother despairs of him. His father beats him. He tries to be good. But in 1939, as the
Amy Snow
Unlock the secret with the Richard and Judy bestseller. `My favourite novel of last year` Lucinda Riley. Perfect for fans of The Seven Sisters, The Lake House and Dinah Jefferies` The Tea Planter`s Wife. Abandoned on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy is taken in at nearby Hatville Court. But the masters and
The Celts
Alice Roberts goes in search of the Celts and their treasures in a narrative history to accompanying a new BBC series. We know a lot about the Roman Empire. The Romans left monuments to their glories and written histories charting the exploits of their heroes. But there was another ancient people in Europe – feared
Magpie Lane
`The word-of-mouth success of lockdown . . . riveting, twisty, page-turning stuff` GuardianA `best books of 2020` pick for the Guardian, the Telegraph and Good Housekeeping`The page turner you`ve been looking for. Sly, witty and gripping . . . I devoured it` Naomi Alderman`An utter joy . . . wonderfully skilled` Sarah Perry`Tender, creepy and
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k: The bestselling book everyone is talking about
The bestselling book everyone is talking about, revealing the surprising art of caring less and getting more.Are you stressed out, overbooked and underwhelmed by life? Fed up with pleasing everyone else before you please yourself? Then it`s time to stop giving a f**k. This irreverent and practical book explains how to rid yourself of unwanted
SOE: Churchill`s Secret Agents
The Special Operations Executive (SOE) was one of the most innovative British creations of the Second World War. Its mission was to export resistance, subversion and sabotage to occupied Europe and beyond, disrupting the German war effort and building a Secret Army which would work in the shadows to help defeat the Nazis. Potential agents
Under the Shadow: Rage and Revolution in Modern Turkey
Turkey stands at the crossroads of the Middle East–caught between the West and ISIS, Syria and Russia, and governed by an increasingly forceful leader. Acclaimed writer Kaya Genc has been covering his country for the past decade. In Under the Shadow he meets activists from both sides of Turkey`s political divide: Gezi park protestors who
Cathedrals of Britain
Cathedrals are awe-inspiring buildings. Most are grand medieval structures, while others appear simple and unpretentious – yet all were designed to reflect the glory of God and have a profound impact on us. As trailblazers of architectural development, each cathedral has distinct individual features – such as the powerful Norman Romanesque west towers of Durham,
Botanicum Postcards
This collection of 50 vibrant postcards features Katie Scott`s incredible illustrations of all things botanical. From the tiniest algae to the world`s biggest flower, these beautiful images are perfect for sending to friends, or pinning on your wall.
