The most anticipated part of pregnancy is giving birth; yet most pregnancy books devote only a chapter or two to this miraculous event & the physical discomfort that accompanies it. Uniquely, Birth Skills concentrates solely on helping you, & your partner, manage the pain of childbirth
- from the first contraction, throughout the labour to the actual birth itself.

Written by leading obstetric physiotherapist Juju Sundin, with Sarah Murdoch providing a mother's point of view, this wonderful book tells you exactly how your body works in labour & clearly explains how you can use movement, breathing, vocalisation, visualisation & many other easy-to-follow techniques to alleviate pain.

Juju & Sarah's sound advice makes Birth Skills an invaluable guide for all expectant parents.




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In this enviable gathering, Haruki Murakami has chosen for his party some of the very best short story writers of recent years, each with their own birthday experiences, each story a snapshot of life on a single day. Including stories by Russell Banks, Ethan Canin, Raymond Carver, David Foster Wallace, Denis Johnson, Claire Keegan, Andrea Lee, Daniel Lyons, Lynda Sexson, Paul Theroux, William Trevor & Haruki Murakami, this anthology captures a range of emotions evoked by advancing age & the passing of time, from events fondly recalled to the impact of appalling tragedy.

Previously published in a Japanese translation by Haruki Murakami, this English edition contains a specially written introduction.

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When Horace bakes a biscuit in the shape of a bear, little does he know that his edible treat is going to turn into Biscuit Bear! For in the middle of the night, when all is quiet, that is exactly what happens, & Biscuit Bear decides that it is time he made some friends of his own. So, with flour, sugar & butter he does just that. In fact, he makes a whole circus of friends & the fun begins... ...

Late in the morning of 27 May 1941, the German battleship Bismarck was sunk by an overwhelming British armada in a fierce battle that lasted ninety minutes. Admiral Gunther Lutjens, Captain Ernst Lindemann & 2, 206 men of her crew were lost, only 115 survived. Five days earlier, an RAF reconnaissance plane flying low off the coast of Norway spotted four large warships in the sea below. At 19, 000 tons fully loaded, the sight of the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen was shocking enough; even more so was the sight of the 50, 000 ton battleship Bismarck
- the pride of the German navy
- a ship shrouded in myth, an awesome & mysterious behemoth of destruction. Their purpose in these waters was obvious & chilling: the German navy was sending this powerful four-battleship task force to seize control of the North Atlantic sea lanes. The survival of free Britain was at stake. With almost all of Europe under Hitler's thumb, & the United States still frustratingly neutral, Britain was left alone to fight Nazi Germany. The only hope lay in the convoy route across the North Atlantic from the United States. The fate of Britain & the United States hung in the balance, & all knew that the destruction of the Bismarck would be a dramatic turning point in the war. Noted historians Bercuson & Herwig have uncovered much new information on the Bismarck, including a close examination of classified British & United States diplomatic files, only recently opened, revealing secret diplomatic manoeuvrings between Churchill & Roosevelt. They tell the full story of the Bismarck for the first time, from the key strategic decisions of the national leaders, to the gripping hour-by-hour account of the battle. This is the definitive account of one of the most dramatic & momentous events of the Second World War.

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Late in the morning of 27 May 1941, the German battleship Bismarck was sunk by an overwhelming British armada in a fierce battle that lasted ninety minutes. Admiral Gunther Lutjens, Captain Ernst Lindemann & 2, 206 men of her crew were lost, only 115 survived. Five days earlier, an RAF reconnaissance plane flying low off the coast of Norway spotted four large warships in the sea below. At 19, 000 tons fully loaded, the sight of the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen was shocking enough; even more so was the sight of the 50, 000 ton battleship Bismarck
- the pride of the German navy
- a ship shrouded in myth, an awesome & mysterious behemoth of destruction. Their purpose in these waters was obvious & chilling: the German navy was sending this powerful four-battleship task force to seize control of the North Atlantic sea lanes. The survival of free Britain was at stake. With almost all of Europe under Hitler's thumb, & the United States still frustratingly neutral, Britain was left alone to fight Nazi Germany. The only hope lay in the convoy route across the North Atlantic from the United States. The fate of Britain & the United States hung in the balance, & all knew that the destruction of the Bismarck would be a dramatic turning point in the war. Noted historians Bercuson & Herwig have uncovered much new information on the Bismarck, including a close examination of classified British & United States diplomatic files, only recently opened, revealing secret diplomatic manoeuvrings between Churchill & Roosevelt. They tell the full story of the Bismarck for the first time, from the key strategic decisions of the national leaders, to the gripping hour-by-hour account of the battle. This is the definitive account of one of the most dramatic & momentous events of the Second World War.

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Kat Matthews believes life is an adventure, to be taken at leisure. When vacationing with her mother in Vale, Colorado, she meets an eccentric, rich couple who have a bizarre proposition. They want to hire her to date their son. & not just date him. They want her to train him in how to date so he ...

Kat Matthews believes life is an adventure, to be taken at leisure. When vacationing with her mother in Vale, Colorado, she meets an eccentric, rich couple who have a bizarre proposition. They want to hire her to date their son. & not just date him. They want her to train him in how to date so he ...