` Hi! My name is Nao, & I am a time being. Do you know what a time being is? Well, if you give me a moment, I will tell you.` Ruth discovers a Hello Kitty lunchbox washed up on the shore of her beach home. Within it lies a diary that expresses the hopes & dreams of a young girl. She suspects it might have arrived on a drift of debris from the 2011 tsunami. With every turn of the page, she is sucked deeper into an enchanting mystery. In a small cafe in Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao Yasutani is navigating the challenges thrown up by modern life. In the face of cyberbullying, the mysteries of a 104-year-old Buddhist nun & great-grandmother, & the joy & heartbreak of family, Nao is trying to find her own place
- & voice
- through a diary she hopes will find a reader & friend who finally understands her. Weaving across continents & decades, & exploring the relationship between reader & writer, fact & fiction, A Tale for the Time Being is an extraordinary novel about our shared humanity & the search for home.

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` Hi! My name is Nao, & I am a time being. Do you know what a time being is? Well, if you give me a moment, I will tell you.` Ruth discovers a Hello Kitty lunchbox washed up on the shore of her beach home. Within it lies a diary that expresses the hopes & dreams of a young girl. She suspects it might have arrived on a drift of debris from the 2011 tsunami. With every turn of the page, she is sucked deeper into an enchanting mystery. In a small cafe in Tokyo, sixteen-year-old Nao Yasutani is navigating the challenges thrown up by modern life. In the face of cyberbullying, the mysteries of a 104-year-old Buddhist nun & great-grandmother, & the joy & heartbreak of family, Nao is trying to find her own place
- & voice
- through a diary she hopes will find a reader & friend who finally understands her. Weaving across continents & decades, & exploring the relationship between reader & writer, fact & fiction, ”A Tale for the Time Being” is an extraordinary novel about our shared humanity & the search for home.

...

We are a nation that loves its ancient woods & trees. We prize our sturdy oaks, craggy pines, bluebells & primroses, badgers & dormice. We value the history & heritage of places that have been woodland since before the Norman Conquest. But only a generation ago we were all set to wipe them out. It was said that in the space of just 30 years, nearly half of our ancient woods were destroyed. How & why did this happen? & who prevented them all being lost? A Tale of Trees features the voices of those who cut down the woods & those who saved what was left. It is a story full of tragedy & heroism, ingenuity & blindness. & it will inspire the reader to go out & explore more ancient woods, & delight in our natural treasures. ...

Lucie Manette has been separated from her father for eighteen years while he languished in Paris` most feared prison, the Bastille. Finally reunited, the Manettes` fortunes become inextricably intertwined with those of two men, the heroic aristocrat Darnay & the dissolute lawyer Carton. Their story, which encompasses violence, revenge, love & redemption, is grippingly played out against the backdrop of the terrifying brutality of the French Revolution. ...

Charles Dickens` ”A Tale of Two Cities” portrays a world on fire, split between Paris & London during the brutal & bloody events of the French Revolution. This ” Penguin Classics” edition of is edited with an introduction & notes by Richard Maxwell. ` It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...` After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille the aging Dr Manette is finally released & reunited with his daughter in Engl&. There, two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, & Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil lanes of London, they are all drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror & soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine. This edition uses the text as it appeared in its first serial publication in 1859 to convey the full scope of Dickens`s vision, &

Includes:: the original illustrations by H.K. Browne (” Phiz”). Richard Maxwell`s introduction discusses the intricate interweaving of epic drama with personal tragedy. Charles Dickens is one of the best-loved novelists in the English language, whose 200th anniversary was celebrated in 2012. His most famous books, including ” Oliver Twist”, ” Great Expectations”, ”A Tale of Two Cities”, ” David Copperfield” & ” The Pickwick Papers”, have been adapted for stage & screen & read by millions. If you enjoyed ”A Tale of Two Cities”, you might like Dickens` ” The Old Curiosity Shop”, also available in ” Penguin Classics”.

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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.... These well-known & loved lines begin Dickens`s most exciting novle, set during the bloodiest moments of the French Revolution. When former aristocrat Charles Darnay learns that an old family servant needs his help, he abandons his safe haven in England & returns to Paris. But once there, the Revolutionary authorities arrest him not for anything he has done, but for his rich family`s crimes. Also in danger: his wife, Lucie, their young daughter, & her aged father, who have followed him across the Channel. The world`s greatest works of literature are now available in these beautiful keepsake volumes. Bound in real cloth, & featuring gilt edges & ribbon markers, these beautifully produced books are a wonderful way to build a handsome library of classic literature. These are the essential novels that belong in every home. They`ll transport readers to imaginary worlds & provide excitement, entertainment, & enlightenment for years to come. All of these novels feature attractive illustrations & have an unequalled period feel that will grace the library, the bedside table or bureau. ...

`I wouldn`t scream if I were you. Unless you want the whole world to learn about your husband & his mistress.` Agatha Christie, in London to visit her literary agent, boards a train, preoccupied & flustered in the knowledge that her husband Archie is having an affair. She feels a light touch on her back, causing her to lose her balance, then a sense of someone pulling her to safety from the rush of the incoming train. So begins a terrifying sequence of events. Her rescuer is no guardian angel; rather, he is a blackmailer of the most insidious, manipulative kind. Agatha must use every ounce of her cleverness & resourcefulness to thwart an adversary determined to exploit her genius for murder to kill on his behalf. ` Wilson not only knows his subject but he deftly moves the tale away from mere literary ventriloquism & into darker territory. Great fun, too` Observer ` The queen of crime is the central character in this audacious mystery, which reinvents the story of her mysterious disappearance with thrilling results` Guardian `A thoroughly clever entertainment & a fitting homage to the great author, but it has a chilling melancholy all its own` The Tablet What readers are saying about A Talent for Murder: ` The initial premise of the story is pure genius, & when the reader realises by the end of chapter one whose head they are inside, goose bumps are guaranteed to occur` Greg, Goodreads, 4 stars `A darkly twisting tale of murder & manipulation` Erin Britton, Net Galley, 4 stars ` This is a must-read for crime fiction fans, & Agatha Christie fans especially who will discover a new side to the Queen of Crime herself!` Vincent, Goodreads, 5 stars `I enjoy Agatha Christie & this book did not disappoint. I devoured this book in two days` Annie, Goodreads, 4 stars ` Great mystery & action novel featuring Agatha Christie as you`ve never seen her before. Part biography/part thrill ride this is one novel I didn`t want to end` Nikkia Neil, Net Galley, 5 stars ` An intriguing homage that stirs the imagination of the amateur sleuth in all of us.. . A Talent for Murder is one novel that definitely deserves attention & praise` Elspeth G. Perkin, Goodreads, 4 stars ` This was a really good read especially for fans of Agatha Christie & even those who have never read her books` Teresa, Goodreads, 4 stars ` So, so enjoyable! Great for book club discussion due to the ”real” mystery behind it` Kaylee Mitchell, Goodreads, 5 stars `A fun read for Christie fans` Roman Clodia, Net Galley, 4 stars `I`ll admit to being totally drawn along by this novel; I couldn`t wait to keep reading & find out how it would all turn out. I really would recommend this book as an interesting account of Christie`s missing eleven days; you will be entertained` Kate Baty, 4 stars, Net Galley ` An exciting novel, a must for all Christie fans! Did you see what was happening? Did you spot the red herrings? The obvious clues. No? I didn`t & that is probably what makes this a very clever novel` Joanne D`arcy, Net Galley, 5 stars `A very enjoyable read, in the tradition of Christie herself, well researched & inventive.. . plenty of unexpected plot twists to keep you on your toes. What fun!` Lisa Friel, Net Galley, 4 stars ` Unusual & entertaining` Tina Stringer, Net Galley 4 stars ` Entertaining, feasible plotting & an authentic narrative make this a highly enjoyable read` J Graham, Net Galley, 4 stars ...

It is normal for British travel writers to head south for a destination that is hot, exotic, dangerous, or all three. The author of this book chose a country which is damp, safe & of legendary banality: Belgium. But can any nation whose most famous monument is a statue of a small boy urinating really be that dull? Pearson lived there for several months, burying himself in the local culture. He drank many of the 800 different beers the Belgians produce, & ate local delicacies such as kip kap (jellied pig cheeks) & a mighty tonnage of chicory & chips. In one restaurant the house speciality was ”hare in the style of grandmother”. This book commemorates strange events such as The Festival of Shrimps at Oostduinkerke, & laments the passing of the Underpant Museum in Brussels. Mixing description & low-grade buffoonery, Pearson paints a portrait of Belgium that is more rounded than a Smurf after a night on the mussels. ...

In the 18th & 19th centuries, architects & decorative artists were constantly seeking new sources of inspiration to satisfy the demands of their rich patrons. While some revisited the canons of the classical world, others began to turn their eyes towards the East, & the ` Oriental` became a byword for spectacle & sensuality. The result was a wave of creative expression that encompassed everything from the smallest objects dart to entire buildings. This sumptuously produced book explores the enduring allure of Orientalist decor & introduces the princes & aristocrats, artists & poets who commissioned these opulent interiors. Packed with images of beautiful decorative objects, extravagant interiors, sumptuous fabrics & ornate furniture, this book will transport the reader to another time & place. ...

If you`re an adventurer with an appetite, then this cookbook is for you! This lovely cookbook is a collection of globetrotting gastronomy to help you recreate your travels at home. The recipes in this book are from all over the world, from Vietnamese Pho & Indian Mango Lassi, to traditional African flatbreads, Middle Eastern Lamb Tagine, & Spanish Paella. With these recipes you`ll have the whole world at your fingertips! ...