One of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, Hans Holbein the Younger was also a complex & fascinating man who knew Erasmus, Thomas More, Henry VIII & many of the sixteenth century's wielders of power & influence. He developed his own distinctive attitudes towards religion, politics & social life as he moved among stalwart burghers, merchant adventurers & the bejewelled denizens of a glittering court.

The Elizabethan artist Nicolas Hilliard recognised him as 'the greatest Master in [portraiture] that ever was'. Yet the range of Holbein's talent went far beyond painting likenesses. He was constantly in demand for trompe-l'oeil murals & intricate jewellery designs, & he revolutionized book illustration. He produced Catholic altarpieces & Protestant propaganda engravings, woodcuts & drawings depicting the stories of the bible.

In this fascinating biography, acclaimed historian Derek Wilson gives a fresh account of Holbein's motives & paintings, suggesting that they included coded signals & propaganda about political figures of the time. Hans Holbein: Portrait of an Unknown Man is a controversial reinterpretation which presents the artist as a man inextricably bound up in the stirring events of a creative & turbulent age.



...

Elinor Mackey has lived her life in perfect order: college, law school, successful corporate career, marriage. But suddenly her world is falling apart. Now in her late 30s, she's discovered that she & her podiatrist husb&, Ted, can't have children. When Elinor withdraws from Ted into an interior world of heartbreak & anger, Ted begins an affair with Gina, the nutritionist at their gym ...

Thoughtful, warm, instructive, simple & wise, are all adjectives that can be applied to Patrick Whiteside's new book. As the bestselling author of The Little Books of Happiness & Bliss, he has already shown that he has a deep understanding of how our minds work
- & how we can lead happier lives. Here, in Happiness, he has written a full-length work on the subject & thus has much more scope to explain his understandings as well as the strategies that we can practise in this important &, not surprisingly, popular field. He explains that we can learn to relax with ourselves, be patient with whom we really are &, above all, feel full of joy most of the time!
...

Thoughtful, warm, instructive, simple & wise, are all adjectives that can be applied to Patrick Whiteside's new book. As the bestselling author of The Little Books of Happiness & Bliss, he has already shown that he has a deep understanding of how our minds work
- & how we can lead happier lives. Here, in Happiness, he has written a full-length work on the subject & thus has much more scope to explain his understandings as well as the strategies that we can practise in this important &, not surprisingly, popular field. He explains that we can learn to relax with ourselves, be patient with whom we really are &, above all, feel full of joy most of the time!
...

Lily & Blue Kangaroo share everything, even birthdays. & for her next one, Lily has decided that everything must be pink: pink invitations, pink party clothes, pink wrapping paper... Even Blue Kangaroo gets a pink ribbon to wear. He isn't sure that he likes it, & once everyone starts to arrive, all dressed in pink & carrying pink presents, he thinks that Lily would prefer him if he were pink. He gets so miserable, that he creeps away. But Lily misses him, & comes to find him.
'I love blue, & I love you!' she says, & she changes into a completely blue outfit, to show him she means it.

http://www.andersenpress.co.uk/blue_kangaroo.htm


...

It's never been easy to raise children, & arguably it's even more difficult now. In this measured & humane book Dr Edward Hallowell offers a sensible strategy for raising happy children. In his plan he has two primary goals for children: 1) that they develop a sense of 'connection' with those around them & 2) the development of a sense of mastery over one or more areas of their lives. When parents guide their children towards these goals, the outcome will be good. Other key issues he raises are:

- Don't push your child too hard in school
- High academic achievement has no correlation with happy adult life
- Put your efforts into helping your child become good at something that will become a passionate involvement
- Don't try to rush your child's development
- Teach manners





...

Happy Children through Positive Parenting is a parenting book with a difference. It does not tell parents how & when to potty ...

The Tower Room: Loosely based on Rapunzel, this is the story of a sudden, unexpected, passionate relationship & the unforessen yet inevitable results of defying convention. When Megan glimpses Simon from her tower room, their worlds are changed forever.

Watching the Roses: A modern version of Sleeping Beauty, this is a haunting tale of treachery & betrayal. An ill-wishing has been placed on Alice, & it seems to be coming true.

Pictures of the Night: A retelling of the Snow White fairytale, this is a thirlling story of jealousy & enchantment. Is Bella's stepmother really as wicked as she believes?



...

When the honeymoon is over, real life begins...

Newly married Debbie is at her wits' end about her & Bryan's mounting

...