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May Woodlea is a champion procrastinator - the 3 a.m. failure in us all. She is not writing the proposal for her PhD. She lives in a grotty bedsit with her long-suffering partner Jansen. She is plagued by her unforgivably cheerful younger sister Elizabeth.How will May find purpose in her life and escape the daily grind? Can May and Jansen rescue their relationship from a seeming eternity of grudge-holding, competitive tiredness, imagined slights and absolutely no sex? And what will happen when a glamorous, domineering French writer and an old flame of Jansen's come on the scene?Footnotes to Sex is a painfully funny novel about procrastination, double-chocolate biscuits, the importance of commitment and what happens in relationships when the sex isn't happening...

In the first year of the 20th Century, a young Englishman returns home from the Boer War. Disillusioned with Empire and fearful for the soul of Albion, he sets out on a pilgrimage into the West Country, determined to identify the key elements of the English character that they may be forever preserved. In the present day, a young London entrepreneur, owner of the 'cultural consultancy' Authenticity , defines his contemporaries through their consumer choices with bewildering accuracy, wallows in money and contemplates his growing sense of dissatisfaction. His father, meanwhile, a junior minister in a failing government, is sent to Africa to deal with the continent's latest tin pot despot. He is as confident of success as he is ambitious of what that success will mean for his career. Unfailingly relevant, politically astute, moving and funny, Jerusalem is a loving portrait of Englishness as it never was, isn't now and, hopefully, never will be.

Compiled by an unknown scribe in Iceland around 1270, and based on sources dating back centuries earlier, these mythological and heroic poems tell of gods and mortals from an ancient era: the giant-slaying Thor, the doomed V lsung family, the Hel-ride of Brynhild and the cruelty of Atli the Hun. Eclectic, incomplete and fragmented, these verses nevertheless retain their stark beauty and their power to enthrall, opening a window on to the thoughts, beliefs and hopes of the Vikings and their world.

The Gambler and Other Stories is Fyodor Dostoyevsky's collection of one novella and six short stories reflecting his own life - indeed, 'The Gambler', a story of a young tutor in the employment of a formerly wealthy Russian General, was written under a strict deadline so he could pay off his roulette debts. This volume includes 'Bobok', the tale of a frustrated writer visiting a cemetery and enjoying the gossip of the dead; 'The Dream of a Ridiculous Man', the story of one man's plan to commit suicide and the troubling dream that follows, as well as 'A Christmas Party and a Wedding', 'A Nasty Story' and 'The Meek One'.

Spanning three continents and two centuries, Twelve Bar Blues is an epic tale of fate, family, friendship and jazz. At its heart is Lick Holden, a young jazz musician, who sets New Orleans on fire with his cornet at the beginning of the last century. But Lick's passion is to find his lost step-sister and that's a journey that leads him to a place he can call 'home'. Meanwhile, at the other end of the century, we find Sylvia, an English prostitute, and Jim, a young drifter. They're in search of Sylvia's past, lost somewhere in the mists of the Louisiana bayou.Patrick Neate has written a story that straddles time and space, love and friendship, roots and pilgrimage and everything between. Poignant and hilarious, it will hook you - like a favourite tune - till the end.

As one of today's most influential business thinkers, Seth Godin has now collected the most provocative short pieces from his pioneering blog. This book also includes his most popular columns from Fast Company magazine and several of the short e-books he has written in the last few years. Includes:Clinging to Your Job Title?The Persistence of Really Bad IdeasThe Seduction of 'Good Enough'Judging a Book by its CoverDo LessSmall is the New Big is packed with inspiring ideas: as Godin says in his introduction, 'I'm certain that you're smart enough to see the stuff you've always wanted to do buried deep inside one of these riffs. And I'm betting that once inspired, you'll actually make something happen.'

Zambawi, a banana republic in sub-Saharan Africa, is on the verge of revolution. President Adini, dictator and eunuch, clings to power whilst his soldiers switch sides so often they don't know which uniform to wear. All in all, Zambawi is not the ideal location for student teacher Jim Tulloh to indulge in a spot of character building. Yet with the help of Musa, the local witchdoctor, some flatulent weed and headmaster, PK, Jim's days look set to be mellow in the extreme; until that is Jim is kidnapped from his bush school by the rebel Black Boot Gang. But it is when the Gangers invoke the spirit of Zambawi's Great Chief Tuloko that Jim's fate takes a really unexpected turn . . .

This is the changing story of Britain as it has been preserved in our fields, roads, buildings, towns and villages, mountains, forests and islands. From our suburban streets that still trace out the boundaries of long vanished farms to the Norfolk Broads, formed when medieval peat pits flooded, from the ceremonial landscapes of Stonehenge to the spread of the railways - evidence of how man's effect on Britain is everywhere. In The Making of the British Landscape, eminent historian, archaeologist and farmer, Francis Pryor explains how to read these clues to understand the fascinating history of our land and of how people have lived on it throughout time. Covering both the urban and rural and packed with pictures, maps and drawings showing everything from how we can still pick out Bronze Age fields on Bodmin Moor to how the Industrial Revolution really changed our landscape, this book makes us look afresh at our surroundings and really see them for the first time.

'Perpetua shouted out with joy as the sword pierced her, for she wanted to taste some of the pain and she even guided the hesitant hand of the trainee gladiator towards her own throat'Lives of Roman Christian Women is a unique collection of letters and documents from the third to the fifth centuries, celebrating Christian women from across the Roman Empire. During a crucial period in which Christianity transformed from a persecuted faith to the official religion of the Empire, these writings reveal the women who chose to dedicate their lives to Christ, by embracing martyrdom or by adopting a life of poverty and prayer, renouncing not only wealth but also their duties as wives and mothers.

Steve Dark is in retirement. Two years ago, as a member of elite crime squad Special Circs, he came close to putting an end to a psychopath's killing spree. But not close enough. In revenge, the killer destroyed Dark's family. Dark quit, vowing that he'd never go back. He'd seen enough carnage and death. But now the killer's back. The same psychopath who has shot, raped, maimed, poisoned, burned, strangled and tortured 50 people - the man who took away Dark's family. And Special Circs are convinced that only Dark can stop him. Is Dark prepared to risk everything - his new life - to once more hunt a monster?

The Melancholy Hussar/ A Tragedy of Two Ambitions/ The First Countess of Wessex/ Barbara of the House of Grebe/ For Conscience' Sake/ The Son's Veto/ On the Western Circuit/ An Imaginative Woman/ A Changed Man/ Enter a Dragoon The 11 short storiesin this collection range from those with the Wessex setting familiar from Hardy's novels, to aristocratic historical fantasies set in the 17th and 18th centuries, and tragic or ironic contemporary dramas. Enormously readable in their own right, thestories can also be seen as a rich testing ground for ideas and themes that receive more sustained treatment in Hardy's most innovative and controversial novels.

Thirteen stories of horror, suspense and the supernatural. 'The Pit and the Pendulum', 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and 'The Black Cat' are just three of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous tales in this chilling collection.

Tom Canty and Edward Tudor could have been identical twins. Their birthdays and their faces match, but there the likeness stops. For Edward is prince, heir to King Henry VIII of England, whilst Tom is a miserable pauper. But fate intervenes, and their identities become confused. Soon the prince is thrown out of the palace in rags, leaving ignorant Tom to play the part of a royal prince.

This illustrated collection of amusing poems and songs celebrating primary school life won the Signal Poetry Award in 1990.Meet Billy McBone and the Mad Professor s Daughter, be amazed by the Longest Kiss Contest, shed a tear for the Boy Without a Name and if you re a stressed teacher sing the Mrs Butler Blues.

A superb collection of football poems covering many aspects of the game. Written in a variety of verse forms - sonnets, rhyming couplets and more. As good as previous collections!

A classic mystery from Dick Francis, the champion of English storytellers. Foreign Office diplomat Peter Darwin is returning to England, back to his childhood home of Gloucestershire. But instead of a pleasant trip down memory lane, Peter finds himself coming to the aid of a veterinary surgeon whose operating theatre is rapidly turning into an abattoir. In fact a string of valuable racehorses have suffered unexplained deaths, and the police are baffled. When Darwin looks into the mystery he finds that his connections - and his memories - help him uncover criminal activities that stretch back all the way to his childhood. But the more Darwin uncovers, the closer he gets to a killer who just can't stop... Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror 'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman'Francis writing at his best' Evening Standard 'A regular winner . . . as smooth, swift and lean as ever' Sunday Express 'A super chiller and killer' New York Times Book ReviewDick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National. On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott.During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.

A classic mystery from Dick Francis, the champion of English storytellers. Life as a writer is colder, hungrier work than John Kendall had bargained for. Not even the survival guides he's written can help him. So when notorious racehorse trainer Tremayne Vickers approaches Kendall to write his biography, it's an offer the impoverished writer can't turn down. Moving into Vickers' country home, Kendall quickly becomes immersed in his host's lifestyle: riding racehorses, making friends, and getting to know the family. But then a local stable girl is found dead - and the party's over. A killer is lurking in the shadows. And Kendall's own survival tips are about to become more useful - and more deadly - than he could ever have imagined . . . Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror 'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph 'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman 'Francis writing at his best' Evening Standard'A regular winner . . . as smooth, swift and lean as ever' Sunday Express Dick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National. On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott. During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.

Flying Finish is a classic novel from Dick Francis, one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.Amateur jockey Lord Henry Grey decides on a whim to join the bloodstock market, transporting racehorses around the world. And when he meets the glamorous Gabriella in Italy, he is sure he's hit the good life.That is, until a horse unexpectedly dies in transit and a colleague vanishes.Then Grey discovers that both his predecessors also went missing in curious cirmcumstances - and begins to doubt the wisdom of his career change.Either he turns detective or his own disappearance could be next . . .Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Flying Finish is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis. Other novels include the huge bestsellers Dead Heat, Under Orders and Silks. The Dick Francis legacy continues through his son Felix Francis: Refusal is his latest novel, following Bloodline and Gamble.Praise for the Dick Francis novels:'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph'Still the master' Racing Post'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country LifeDick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National. On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott. Dick Francis died in February, 2010, at the age of 89, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.

When their father's business fails, the six Bastable children decide to restore the family fortunes. But although they think of many ingenious ways to do so, their well meant efforts are either more fun than profitable, or lead to trouble...

When Tom, an ill-treated little chimney-sweep, jumps into a clear, cool stream to clean himself something magical happens; he is turned into a tiny water baby by the fairies. He enters a strange, magical underwater world, and travels beyond the world's end to the other end-of-nowhere, getting into all sorts of scrapes and encountering creatures beautiful and frightening along the way. He also learns many important lessons - it is a voyage of discovery that Tom will never forget.

Acclaimed as one of the funniest and most assured Irish novels of recent years, An Evening of Long Goodbyes is the story of Dubliner Charles Hythloday and the heroic squandering of the family inheritance. Featuring drinking, greyhound racing, vanishing furniture, more drinking, old movies, assorted Dublin lowlife, eviction and the perils of community theatre, Paul Murray's debut novel is a tour de force of comedic writing wrapped in an honest-to-goodness tale of a man- and a family - living in denial . . .

A small stone house deep among the olive groves of Liguria, going for the price of a dodgy second-hand car. Annie Hawes and her sister, on the spot by chance, have no plans whatsoever to move to the Italian Riviera but find naturally that it's an offer they can't refuse. The laugh is on the Foreign Females who discover that here amongst the hardcore olive farming folk their incompetence is positively alarming. Not to worry: the thrifty villagers of Diano San Pietro are on the case, and soon plying the Pallid Sisters with advice, ridicule, tall tales and copious hillside refreshments ...

Lara, or GM451 as she is known by the government, is a highly trained special agent, bred by the British Secret Service for use on dangerous missions around the world. But her last mission went wrong and now she is being hunted down by an evil drugs baron, Mr Big. Lara must go undercover as a normal dog, 'choose' a family to look after her and await her retrieval by the Secret Service. But can she keep her true identity a secret? Can she thwart the plans of Mr Big? And can she bear to return to government service, after weeks of cosy domestic bliss? After an exciting struggle, Mr. Big is captured and Lara finds a way to stay with her family. But her spying days aren't over completely...

The Sunday Times bestseller The Postmistress by Sarah Blake is a heart-rending and profoundly moving story of love and loss in World War II.It is 1940, and bombs fall nightly on London.In the thick of the chaos is young American radio reporter Frankie Bard. She huddles close to terrified strangers in underground shelters, and later broadcasts stories about survivors in rubble-strewn streets. But for her listeners, the war is far from home. Listening to Frankie are Iris James, a Cape Cod postmistress, and Emma Fitch, a doctor's wife. Iris hears the winds stirring and knows that soon the letters she delivers will bear messages of hope or tragedy. Emma is desperate for news of London, where her husband is working - she counts the days until his return. But one night in London the fates of all three women entwine when Frankie finds a letter - a letter she vows to deliver . . .The Postmistress is an unforgettable story of three women: their loves, their partings and the secrets they must bear, or bury . . .'A beautifully written, though-provoking novel that I'm telling everyone to read' Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help'A brilliant story, beautifully crafted, that touches the heart and captures the imagination' Sunday Express'Unforgettable, heart-wrenching, captivating. A profoundly moving story of love, loss and life in war time' Sunday Independent'Heartbreaking' Daily Express'A World War Two blockbuster with echoes of Atonement' Red'A moving tale that will stay with you long after the final page' Good HousekeepingSarah Blake lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, the poet Josh Weiner, and their two sons.

Mary is fed up of being wrapped in cotton wool by her gran. Being blind doesn't mean that she can't look after herself. So Mary decides to go down to the sweetshop by herself for the first time but the trip is more eventful than she could ever have imagined and the shop is burgled whilst Mary is in there! How will she escape and get home safely?

Virtual Light - a gripping techno-thriller from William Gibson, bestselling author of NeuromancerSan Francisco, the nearish future:Ex-cop Berry Rydell's lost one job he didn't much like and landed another he likes even less. Some sunglasses - actually high-end kit involving Virtual Reality and super-sensitive data - were stolen from a courier, and a man named Warbaby's been charged with retrieving them. Warbaby needs a driver and Rydell is the perfect fit. But when the courier is killed and Warbaby gets to work - giving Rydell a taste of what's expected and exactly what's at stake - he has second thoughts. Especially when he comes face to face with Chevette, stealer of sunglasses, who'll land an ex-cop in a heap of trouble . . .'Audacious, witty and passionate. A wonderful read' Observer'A stunner . . . a terrifically stylish burst of kick-butt imagination' Entertainment Weekly'Studded with crackling insights into the relationship between technology, culture and morality, Virtual Lightdoesn't miss its stride for a nanosecond' Time OutWilliam Gibson's first novel Neuromancer sold more than six million copies worldwide. Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive completed his first trilogy. He has since written six further novels, moving gradually away from science fiction and futuristic work, instead writing about the strange contemporary world we inhabit. His most recent novels include Patter Recognition, Spook Country and Zero History, his non-fiction collection. Distrust That Particular Flavor, compiles assorted writings and journalism from across his career.

Andre Hue was a daredevil. By the age of twenty the Anglo-Frenchman had survived shipwreck and years undercover in France, sabotaging German supply lines. Returning to Britain, he was recruited by SOE to parachute behind enemy lines on 5 June 1944, to unite resistance forces in Brittany and paralyse local German troops during the Allied invasion. Though Hue's mission was fraught with difficulty - he missed his landing site, his secret base camp became the site of a pitch battle and a band of Cossacks tried to hunt him down - he knew that thousands of lives depended on his success or failure . . .

A beautiful story of friendship from the Number One bestselling author of The Reading Group and Things I Want My Daughters to KnowThey say the friends you make at college are with you for life, and for Tamsin, Reagan, Sarah and Freddie that certainly seems to be the case. With student life stretching ahead of them, they bonded years ago over too many bottles of wine and great gossip; ill-fated love affairs and essay deadlines were the only clouds on their horizon.Although the four women have little in common this seems to make them greater friends, and they swear they'll always be there for one another . . . but twenty years is a long time to keep a promise.And so, when tragedy plays a hand, their friendship is put to the ultimate test. Can they put their troubles and differences aside and remember the simple joy of their younger selves? After all, friends should always come first, shouldn't they?Previously published as The Tenko Club'Deliciously readable' The Times'I defy you not to cry at least once' Sun**Elizabeth Noble's gloriously uplifting new novel, Letters to Iris, is out now!**

The ultimate romantic comedy about falling for your best friend one weekend at a time, from the Number One bestselling author of The Reading Group and Things I Want My Daughters to KnowNatalie and her sisters have known Tom and his family forever. They climbed trees together, scraped knees on the same pavements and, in taking shared steps towards adulthood, shaped bonds that would last a lifetime.So when Natalie's long-term love walks out on her, Tom's is the much-needed shoulder she cries on. And Tom dreams up an ingenious way to dry her tears: a series of Alphabet Weekends - starting with A for Abseiling - to make her forget the heartache and, he hopes, to make her see what's been staring her in the face all these years. His genuine love for her.But as they tumble from A to Z, their families and friends face broken hearts and tragedies of their own. Can the Alphabet Weekends unlock love in all its many and wonderful guises? And not just for Natalie and Tom, but for everyone they care about?**Elizabeth Noble's gloriously uplifting new novel, Letters to Iris, is out now!**Praise for Elizabeth Noble:'The mistress of the tearjerking message of love' Express'Incredibly thought-provoking and poignant' Sun'Extremely moving . . . you'll be gripped' Daily Mail

The Sunday Times Number One bestseller about five women and the reading group which intertwines their livesA New Year. A New Page. A New Reading Group.Five women meet for their first reading group, little realising this social gathering over books and glasses of wine might see them share more than literary debate ... and will, in fact, take each of them to places they'd never imagined.Harriet and Nicole are the ringleaders, best friends who can't quite admit - to themselves or one other - they might be trapped in loveless marriages. While Polly, a determined single mum, finds herself tipped off course by an unexpected proposal. Susan, usually so carefree and happy, is forced to face a shattering reality and Clare, quiet and mysterious, plainly has more on her mind than next week's book choice.Over the coming year their worlds will intertwine in delightful, unexpected and surprising ways. Stories will be re-written as dreams are made and broken, but through it all they'll have the Reading Group, with friendship, tears and laughter featuring in every chapter of their lives.**Elizabeth Noble's gloriously uplifting new novel, Letters to Iris, is out now!**