Rene is the concierge of a grand Parisian apartment building. She maintains a carefully constructed persona as someone uncultivated but reliable, in keeping with what she feels a concierge should be. But beneath this facade lies the real Rene: passionate about culture & the arts, & more knowledgeable in many ways than her employers with their outwardly successful but emotionally void lives. Down in her lodge, apart from weekly visits by her one friend Manuela, Rene lives with only her cat for company. Meanwhile, several floors up, twelve-year-old Paloma Josse is determined to avoid the pampered & vacuous future laid out for her, & decides to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. But unknown to them both, the sudden death of one of their privileged neighbours will dramatically alter their lives forever. By turns moving & hilarious, this unusual novel became the top-selling book in France in 2007. ...

Before Mrs Beeton there was Eliza Acton, whose crisp, clear, simple style & foolproof instructions established the format for modern cookery writing, leading to her being called `the best writer of recipes in the English language` by Delia Smith. Including such English classics as suet pudding, raspberry jam, lemonade & `superlative mincemeat` as well as evocatively-named creations like ` Threadneedle Street Biscuits`, ` Baron Liebig`s Beef Gravy` & ` Apple Hedgehog`, these recipes advocate using the best produce available to create wholesome, inexpensive dishes that are still a pleasure to cook & eat today. ...

` To a great mind, nothing is little` Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes has become such an iconic figure that he`s almost real. He`s on our TV screens, he`s in our films &, of course, the books are still as popular as ever. This fascinating little miscellany tells you everything you need to know about this enduringly popular figure, & lots of stuff you don`t! It contains the plots of all the novels, character descriptions, details of some of the plethora of Sherlock websites, & highlights the best films & TV adaptations. Entertaining & engrossing, The Elementary Sherlock Holmes will satisfy the curious & enlighten even the most dedicated Holmes fan. ...

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER THE ETYMOLOGICON Mark Forsyth presents the secret of writing unforgettable phrases, uncovering the techniques that have made immortal such lines as ` To be or not to be` & ` Bond. James Bond.` In his inimitably entertaining & witty style, he takes apart famous"ations & shows how you too can write like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde or John Lennon. Crammed with tricks to make the most humdrum sentiments seem poetic or wise, The Elements of Eloquence reveals how writers through the ages have turned humble words into literary gold
- & how you can do the same. ` An informative but highly entertaining journey through the figures of rhetoric.. . Mark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully.` David Marsh, Guardian
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In an age unhealthily obsessed with substance, this is a book on the importance of pure style, from the bestselling author of The Etymologicon & The Horologicon. From classic poetry to pop lyrics & from the King James Bible to advertising slogans, Mark Forsyth explains the secrets that make a phrase
- such as ` Tiger, Tiger, burning bright`, or ` To be or not to be`
- memorable. In his inimitably entertaining & witty style he takes apart famous lines & shows how you too can write like Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde. Whether you`re aiming for literary immortality or just an unforgettable one-liner, The Elements of Eloquence proves that you don`t need to have anything to say
- you simply need to say it well. ` An informative but highly entertaining journey through the figures of rhetoric.. . Mark Forsyth wears his considerable knowledge lightly. He also writes beautifully.` David Marsh, Guardian


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Originally called Newington, the Elephant & Castle is a major junction in South London, located in the Borough of Southwark. The name ` Elephant & Castle` comes from a public house of the same name in the area. The pub has been rebuilt several times, & the present Elephant & Castle pub, at the junction of New Kent Road & Newington Causeway, was part of a 1960s redevelopment. However, the origins of the name Elephant & Castle stretch far beyond the pub, with connections across the globe. The Elephant consists of a very large traffic junction around a short road called Elephant & Castle, a section of the A3. The area possessed an extraordinary range of landmarks & attractions from around 1850 to 1940, which are all discussed in detail. The area is now subject to a redevelopment budgeted at GBP1.5 billion. In this in-depth account of the history of the Elephant & Castle, Stephen Humphrey brings to light considerable new material & several valuable finds about the area. ...

In the middle of the 18th century, a ship docks at Bristol with an extraordinary cargo: two young elephants. Bought by a wealthy landowner, they are taken to his estate in the English countryside. A stable boy, Tom Page, is given the task of caring for them. ` The Elephant Keeper is Tom`s account of his life with the elephants. As the years pass, & as they journey across Engl&, his relationship with the female elephant deepens in a startling manner. Along the way they meet incredulity, distrust & tragedy, & it is only their understanding of each other that keeps them together. Christopher Nicholson`s charming & captivating novel explores notions of sexuality & violence, freedom & captivity, & the nature of story-telling
- but most of all it is the study of a profound & remarkable love between an elephant & a human being.
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When a man`s favourite elephant vanishes, the balance of his whole life is subtly upset; a couple`s midnight hunger pangs drive them to hold up a Mc Donald`s; a woman finds she is irresistible to a small green monster that burrows through her front garden; an insomniac wife wakes up to a twilight world of semi-consciousness in which anything seems possible
- even death. In every one of the stories that make up The Elephant Vanishes, Murakami makes a determined assault on the normal. He has a deadpan genius for dislocating realities to uncover the surreal in the everyday, the extraordinary in the ordinary.
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When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of 'rogue' elephants on his reserve at Thula Thula, his commonsense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival
- notorious escape artists, they would all be killed if Lawrence wouldn't take them. He agreed, but before arrangements for the move could be completed the animals broke out again & the matriarch & her baby were shot. The remaining elephants were traumatised & very angry. As soon as they arrived at Thula Thula they started planning their escape. As Lawrence battled to create a bond with the elephants & save them from execution, he came to realise that they had a lot to teach him about love, loyalty & freedom. Set against the background of life on the reserve, with unforgettable characters & exotic wildlife, this is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers everywhere.
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When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of `rogue` elephants on his reserve at Thula Thula, his commonsense told him to refuse. But he was the herd`s last chance of survival
- notorious escape artists, they would all be killed if Lawrence wouldn`t take them. He agreed, but before arrangements for the move could be completed the animals broke out again & the matriarch & her baby were shot. The remaining elephants were traumatised & very angry. As soon as they arrived at Thula Thula they started planning their escape... As Lawrence battled to create a bond with the elephants & save them from execution, he came to realise that they had a lot to teach him about love, loyalty & freedom. Set against the background of life on the reserve, with unforgettable characters & exotic wildlife, this is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers everywhere.
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