'I remember being much amused last year, when landing at Calais, ' wrote Mrs Frances Trollope in her 1835 book, Paris & the Parisians, 'at the answer made by an old traveller to a novice.. .making his first voyage. What a dreadful smell! said the uninitiated stranger.. .it is the smell of the continent, sir! replied the man of experience. & so it was.' Historians James Munson & Richard Mullen examine just what it was about the smell of the continent that so attracted British travellers in the hundred years from the fall of Napoleon to the outbreak of the First World War. It was the first time in history that the British, en masse, set out to discover Europe. Drawing on contemporary accounts, diaries & letters, Munson & Mullen offer a compelling portrait of the Victorians abroad, many of them convinced that their country was not only vastly superior but also the envy of the world. From the glowing review coverage: ' Pure charm' A.N. Wilson, Reader's Digest ' An entertaining & sometimes surprising, thought-provoking history' Sunday Times ...

The Smell of Summer Grass is based partly on the long out of print ` Perch Hill`. It is the story of the years spent in finding & building a personal Arcadia, sometimes a dream, sometimes a nightmare, by writer Adam Nicolson & his wife, cook & gardener, Sarah Raven. Adam Nicolson was determined to leave metropolitan life but the rundown farm in the Sussex Weald was not quite what he bargained for. The scenery was breathtaking & the rural neighbours charming but the hard end of real farming life was another matter
- mud, cold, planning regulations & unco-operative livestock. But for the reader the whole enterprise is full of delight thanks to Adam Nicolson`s writing: frank, witty & touching, it is a testament to the importance of holding on to your dreams & turning them into reality.
...

This achingly jawdropping book follows the evolution of dentistry throughout the world from the Bronze Age to the present day, presenting captivating & grim illustrations of the tools & techniques of dentistry through the ages. Organized chronologically, The Smile Stealers interleaves beautiful & gruesome technical illustrations & paintings from the Wellcome Collection`s unique archive of material from Europe, America & the Far East with seven authoritative & eloquent themed articles from medical historian Richard Barnett. A comprehensive review of the development of the trade & discipline of dentistry, it covers topics as diverse as the very first dentures (produced by the Etruscans in the seventh century bce); the smile revolution in 18th-century portraiture; & the role of dentistry in forensic science
- all in one beautifully illustrated volume. Extending the cult of the medically macabre begun by its predecessors The Sick Rose & Crucial Interventions, The Smile Stealers is guaranteed to appeal to lovers of the horrific & the beautiful alike as it probes the growth of dentistry
- from pulling out bad teeth to reconstructing jaws, & from painful action to pain-free interventions & the pursuit of the perfect smile.

...

This collection contains two of the best Jeeves stories, in which the gentleman`s gentleman endeavours to smooth over Bertie Wooster`s relentless haplessness. Add in the story of a private detective who can make the guilty confess simply by smiling at them, told by one of Wodehouse`s greatest raconteurs, & you`ve got an assortment of Wodehouse delights in which lunacy & comic exuberance reign supreme. ...

Following Ivy Sparrow`s discoveries in The Crooked Sixpence, the adventures continue in the second instalment of The Uncommoners trilogy, The Smoking Hourglass. As soon as Ivy & her brother Seb set foot back in the mysterious underground city of Lundinor, they know that something has changed.. . Where before there were cobbled streets, now the squares & lanes between the city`s enchanted shops are lush with spring blooms
- but something dark is stirring just below the surface, & uncommon traders are uneasy. Ivy & Seb have stumbled into a plot that could condemn every uncommoner to a disastrous fate... With the help of Valian, their extraordinary friend
- & some exceptional uncommon objects
- can Ivy & Seb put a stop to the sinister Dirge`s plans?


...

One tiny snail longs to see the world & hitches a lift on the tail of a whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, past icebergs & volcanoes, sharks & penguins, & the little snail feels so small in the vastness of the world. But when disaster strikes & the whale is beached in a bay, it`s the tiny snail who saves the day. ...

” How I long to sail!” said the tiny snail. One little snail longs to see the world & hitches a lift on the tail of an enormous whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, past icebergs & volcanoes, sharks & penguins, & the little snail feels so small in the vastness of the world. But when disaster strikes & the whale is beached in a bay, it`s the tiny snail`s big plan that saves the day. The Snail & the Whale is a delightful tale of adventure & friendship by the unparalleled picture-book partnership of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. This edition features the classic story with a stunning, redesigned cover & beautiful finish, making it a must-have addition to the bookshelves of all Donaldson & Scheffler fans
- big & small! Also available with redesigned covers are The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo`s Child, Room on the Broom, The Smartest Giant in Town, Monkey Puzzle, Charlie Cook`s Favourite Book, & A Squash & a Squeeze.
...

” How I long to sail!” said the tiny snail. One little snail longs to see the world & hitches a lift on the tail of an enormous whale. Together they go on an amazing journey, past icebergs & volcanoes, sharks & penguins, & the little snail feels so small in the vastness of the world. But when disaster strikes & the whale is beached in a bay, it`s the tiny snail`s big plan that saves the day. The Snail & the Whale is a delightful tale of adventure & friendship by the unparalleled picture-book partnership of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. This handy board book format is perfect for younger readers. It features the classic story with a stunning redesigned cover & beautiful finish, making it a must-have for even the smallest Donaldson & Scheffler fans! Also available in board book format & with striking redesigned covers are: The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo`s Child, Room on the Broom, The Smartest Giant in Town, Monkey Puzzle, Charlie Cook`s Favourite Book, & A Squash & a Squeeze. ...

Join the dots, spot the differences, colour in & have fun recreating the adventures of the snail who hitched a lift on the tail of an enormous whale! This brilliant activity book is packed with exciting puzzles & games featuring characters & scenes from this bestselling story. There are even over 40 reusable stickers & a sticker scene -- hours of fun! ...

It is Istanbul, 1838, & Lefevre, a French archaeologist, has arrived in Istanbul determined to uncover a lost Byzantine treasure. Yashim is hired to investigate him, but when the man turns up dead, there is only one suspect: Yashim himself. Once again, the investigator finds himself in a race against time to uncover the startling truth behind a shadowy secret society dedicated to the revival of the Byzantine Empire, caught in a deadly game deep beneath the city streets, a place where the stakes are high
- & betrayal is death.
...