Exploring the reasons why the Second World War broke out in September 1939 & why a European conflict developed into a war that spanned the globe The Origins of the Second World War argues that this was not just ' Hitler's War' but one that had its roots & origins in the decline of the old empires of Britain & France & the rise of ambitious new powers in Germany Italy & Japan who wanted large empires of their own This fourth edition has been revised throughout covering the origins of the war from its background in the First World War to its expansion to embrace the Soviet Union Japan & the United States by the end of 1941 Creating a comprehensive & analytical narrative while remaining a succinct overview of the subject this book takes a thematic approach to the complex range of events that culminated in global warfare discussing factors such as economic rivalry rearmament & domestic politics & emphasising that any explanation of the outbreak of hostilities must be global in scope Containing updated references & primary source documents alongside a glossary a chronology of key events & a Who's Who of important figures this book is an invaluable introduction for any student of this fascinating period ...

& How could such a book speak so powerfully to our present moment? The short answer is that we too live in dark times& Washington Post Hannah Arendt&s chilling analysis of the conditions that led to the Nazi & Soviet totalitarian regimes is a warning from history about the fragility of freedom exploring how propaganda scapegoats terror & political isolation all aided the slide towards total domination &A non-fiction bookend to Nineteen Eighty-Four& The New York Times& The political theorist who wrote about the Nazis & the &banality of evil& has become a surprise bestseller& Guardian ...

& How could such a book speak so powerfully to our present moment? The short answer is that we too live in dark times& Washington Post Hannah Arendt&s chilling analysis of the conditions that led to the Nazi & Soviet totalitarian regimes is a warning from history about the fragility of freedom exploring how propaganda scapegoats terror & political isolation all aided the slide towards total domination &A non-fiction bookend to Nineteen Eighty-Four& The New York Times& The political theorist who wrote about the Nazis & the &banality of evil& has become a surprise bestseller& Guardian ...

Flavia was born with a birthmark marring her face in the shape of a bird in flight A dyer's daughter she grows up in a secluded little house in the woods away from prying eyes Ashamed of the mark her mother forces Flavia to conceal her face behind a veil But on the night before her younger sister's wedding Flavia does something drastic something that will draw her into a much wider & stranger world than she could have imagined the convent of Santa Giuliana just outside the city walls There she meets Ghostanza a courtesan turned widow whose white-lead painted face entrances Flavia & whose beauty & cruelty are unmatched Flavia becomes her ornatrix her hairdresser & personal maid But as white-lead paint rots the flesh below it the bustling city & Santa Giuliana is rotting below the shimmer of wealth & privilege & Flavia is drawn into a world of desire & jealousy that has devastating consequences Set in sixteenth century & painted against a vivid historical Italian landscape rich in description & character & with themes & characters relevant to today it tackles issues of belonging female identity & the perception of beauty It cannot fail to move ...

Little Sarah is found in the snow an orphaned new-born baby She is taken in at Meadow Hall in South Riding Yorkshire to be trained as a scullery maid Feisty & headstrong at fourteen Sarah decides to run away Dressed as a boy she meets good-hearted Aidan & impulsive Danby forming an unlikely but happy trio When Sarah is found out Aidan knows she can not live with two young men & reluctantly takes her to the workhouse He plans to rescue Sarah just as soon as he can but something keeps Aidan from his promise Reunited as adults but now strangers Sarah holds a secret about Danby Aidan & her unborn child But can she do what is right for her baby even if it means losing the love of her life? ...

Please note this is a region B Blu-ray & will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play A haunting & heartbreaking plot full of unimaginable scares & creeping undefined dread; Juan Antonio Bayona&s astounding debut The Orphanage stands as one of the most beautiful & moving horror movies in recent history Adopting seven-year-old sweet natured & imaginative Simon (Roger Princep) has awoken complex feelings in happily married Laura (Belen Rueda) Having been adopted herself & feeling a need for closure Laura persuades her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) to buy the dilapidated institute where she spent the earliest happiest years of her life & reopen the orphanage as a facility for disabled children As they move in to the silent stately manor where something ominous haunts the darkened hallways Simon&s behaviour becomes increasingly reserved & malevolent Carlos pins Simon&s actions as a desperate bid to get more attention from his distracted parents but Laura isn&t convinced & embarks on a desperate quest to unearth the terrible secret that lurks in the old house Taking inspiration from everything from Peter Pan to Henry James& The Turn of the Screw director Juan Antonio Bayona & producer Guillermo del Toro (The Devil&s Backbone) have produced a highly imaginative & well made film that induces fear throughout With a musical score that elicits shudders from the outset & a heart-wrenching plot that filters unimaginable horror through a fairytale frame The Orphanage is a unique intelligent spine-tingling yet heartfelt horror that is as unsettling as Guillermo del Toro&s Pans Labyrinth Making of Featurette Deleted scenes Interview with Bayona & Del Toro in Budapest UK Exclusive Q&A with Bayona at Curzon Mayfair Casting & Rehearsals Designs & Sounds & Lighting & Storyboards & more Actors Belen Rueda Fernando Cayo Roger Princep Mabel Rivera Montserrat Carulla & Edgar Vivar Director Juan Antonio Bayona Certificate 15 years & over Year 2008 Screen Widescreen 2351 Languages Spanish
- DTS-HD Master Audio Subtitles English Duration 1 hour & 45 minutes (approx)
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Please note this is a region 2 DVD & will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play A haunting & heartbreaking plot full of unimaginable scares & creeping undefined dread; Juan Antonio Bayona&s astounding debut The Orphanage stands as one of the most beautiful & moving horror movies in recent history Adopting seven-year-old sweet natured & imaginative Simon (Roger Princep) has awoken complex feelings in happily married Laura (Belen Rueda) Having been adopted herself & feeling a need for closure Laura persuades her husband Carlos (Fernando Cayo) to buy the dilapidated institute where she spent the earliest happiest years of her life & reopen the orphanage as a facility for disabled children As they move in to the silent stately manor where something ominous haunts the darkened hallways Simon&s behaviour becomes increasingly reserved & malevolent Carlos pins Simon&s actions as a desperate bid to get more attention from his distracted parents but Laura isn&t convinced & embarks on a desperate quest to unearth the terrible secret that lurks in the old house Taking inspiration from everything from Peter Pan to Henry James& The Turn of the Screw director Juan Antonio Bayona & producer Guillermo del Toro (The Devil&s Backbone) have produced a highly imaginative & well made film that induces fear throughout With a musical score that elicits shudders from the outset & a heart-wrenching plot that filters unimaginable horror through a fairytale frame The Orphanage is a unique intelligent spine-tingling yet heartfelt horror that is as unsettling as Guillermo del Toro&s Pans Labyrinth Actors Belen Rueda Fernando Cayo Roger Princep Mabel Rivera Montserrat Carulla Andres Gertrudix & Edgar Vivar Director Juan Antonio Bayona Certificate 15 years & over Year 2007 Screen Widescreen 2351 Anamorphic Languages Spanish Subtitles English ...

Imaginative thrilling & highly readable fantasy novel from a bright young voice Perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard 416 pages Coggan Helena ...

After a cold hard winter on the streets three orphan children are about to give up hope when an unexpected turn of events brings them to the doorstep of a grand house in Ardwick Manchester Taken in by the firm but kind-hearted cook the young friends can hardly believe their luck But behind Bracken House's impressive facade lies a household steeped in troubles & mystery with residents above & below stairs battling their own demons & dark secrets Not everyone is happy about the new arrivals & soon the orphans' safety is in danger If they want to stay in the first home any of them have known for years they must unravel the past & bring hope to the future Will they succeed? Or will they come to regret ever leaving the mean slum streets they once called home? Emma Hornby's page-turning absorbing sagas will tug at your heartstrings Fans of Dilly Court Rosie Goodwin & Maggie Hope will love Emma Hornby ...

Call the Midwife meets Dr Barnardo's in this gritty drama that will appeal to fans of Nadine Dorries & Kitty Neale When there is nowhere else to turn St Saviour's will give them hope It's 1947 & London's East End is still a bombed-out landscape Sister Beatrice who runs the St Saviour's Children's Home knows that life is still a precarious existence for many children & it seems that there is no end to the constant stream of waifs & strays who appear at their door looking for a safe haven One such arrival is Mary Ellen whose mother is gravely ill The one silver lining is her best friend the tearaway Billy Baggins also a resident of the home but Billy seems intent on falling foul of Sister Beatrice's strict regime New arrival on the staff Angela admires Sister Beatrice but can see that the children need love & kindness as well as a strong hand When an unwelcome face from Billy's past arrives on the scene things are brought to a head Can the two women work together to keep Billy on the straight & narrow
- or is it too late?
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