Generations of children & their parents have delighted in Arthur Ransome`s ` Swallows & Amazons` books, but one of them stands out from the rest as being of a different order altogether.” We Didn`t Mean to Go to Sea” is both larger of theme & tighter of plot; it is a rite-of-passage tale quite unlike the others, & in describing the experiences of its protagonist John it illuminates much of Ransome`s own psychology.” Good Little Ship” is a blend of literary criticism, maritime history & sheer celebration. Peter Willis combines an analysis of a classic of maritime literature (”a book of which Conrad would have been proud”
- Hugh Brogan) with the story of the ” Nancy Blackett”, Ransome`s own boat which appears as the ” Goblin” in his story. He describes her life, near-death & restoration, & her renaissance as an ambassador for Ransome & his tales.
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Once upon a time there was a wolf called Rolf
- a good little wolf who liked baking cakes & was always kind to his friends. But
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Lake Titikaka! Canterbury Cathedral! Elephants crossing the Zambezi! Baseball! The Atacama Desert! Goats! These are just some of the sights you can see from the comfort of a convenience! We`ve been flooded with toilet tip-offs, new loo leads & dozens of fantastic photographs from loo hunters around the world. In this astounding collection, chief loo hunter Luke Barclay has brought together the world`s most scenic cisterns & panoramic privies. From a Buddhist monastery in India to Mount Kilimanjaro, ” Good Loo Hunting” takes you to the most picturesque
- & bizarre
- loos with views on the planet.

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An unforgettable portrait of a woman bravely confronting loneliness & despair in her quest for self-determination, Jean Rhys` ” Good Morning Midnight”

Includes:: an introduction by A.L. Kennedy in ” Penguin Modern Classics”. In 1930s Paris, where one cheap hotel room is very like another, a young woman is teaching herself indifference. She has escaped personal tragedy & has come to France to find courage & seek independence. She tells herself to expect nothing, especially not kindness, least of all from men. Tomorrow, she resolves, she will dye her hair blonde. Jean Rhys was a talent before her time with an impressive ability to express the anguish of young, single women. In ” Good Morning, Midnight” Rhys created the powerfully modern portrait of Sophia Jansen, whose emancipation is far more painful & complicated than she could expect, but whose confession is flecked with triumph & elation. One of the most honest & distinctive British novelists of the twentieth century, Jean Rhys wrote about women with perception & sensitivity in an innovative & often controversial way. Jean Rhys (1894-1979) was born in Dominica. Coming to England aged 16, she drifted into various jobs before moving to Paris, where she began writing & was `discovered` by Ford Madox Ford. Her novels, often portraying women as underdogs out to exploit their sexualities, were ahead of their time & only modestly successful. From 1939 (when ” Good Morning, Midnight” was written) onwards she lived reclusively, & was largely forgotten when she made a sensational comeback with her account of Jane Eyre`s Bertha Rochester, ” Wide Sargasso Sea”, in 1966. If you enjoyed ” Good Morning Midnight”, you might like Rhys` ” Voyage in the Dark”, also available in ” Penguin Modern Classics”. ” Her eloquence in the language of human sexual transactions is chilling, cynical, & surprisingly moving”. (A.L. Kennedy).

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An inspiring international bestseller, Good Morning, Mr Mandela tells the story of Zelda la Grange`s incredible friendship with Nelson Mandela. Zelda la Grange grew up in South Africa as a white Afrikaner who supported the rules of segregation. Yet just a few years after the end of Apartheid she would become a most trusted assistant to Nelson Mandela, growing to respect & cherish the man she had been taught was the enemy. Good Morning, Mr Mandela tells the extraordinary story of how a young woman had her life, beliefs, prejudices & everything she once believed in utterly transformed by the greatest man of her time. It is the incredible journey of an awkward, terrified young typist in her twenties later chosen to become the President`s most loyal & devoted servants, spending most of her adult working life travelling with, supporting & caring for the man she would come to call ` Khulu`, or `grandfather`. Here Zelda la Grange pays tribute to Nelson Mandela as she knew him
- a teacher who gave her the most valuable lessons of her life. A man who refused to be defined by his past, who forgave & respected all, but who was also frank, teasing & direct. As he renewed his country, he also freed Zelda from a closed world of fear & mistrust, giving her life true meaning. Now she shares his lasting & inspiring gifts with the world. This is a book about love & second chances. It will touch your life & make you believe that every one of us, no matter who we are or what we have done, has the power to change. ” Uplifting...generally charming, occasionally faintly indiscreet, but always reverent. Surely no one but Mandela
- with the possible exception of the Duke of Edinburgh
- could have got away with greeting the Queen with a cheery: ` Oh Elizabeth, you`ve lost weight!” (Sunday Times). ” Compelling & ultimately heartbreaking...her unguarded honesty allows her to tell a remarkable story.” (Telegraph).


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Good Night, Gorilla is a modern classic in the world of picture books
- the perfect read as a bedtime story. ` Good night, Gorilla,
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THE SENSATIONAL NO.1 BESTSELLER` The real-life children`s fairy tale book so inspiring adults are reading it` I newspaper` Absolutely beautiful
- get one for yourself & one to inspire a woman in your life` Stylist` In an ideal world, not only would mothers read this aloud to their daughters, but teachers would read it to schoolboys` Sunday Times What if the princess didn`t marry Prince Charming but instead went on to be an astronaut? What if the jealous step sisters were supportive & kind? & what if the queen was the one really in charge of the kingdom? Illustrated by sixty female artists from every corner of the globe, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls introduces us to one hundred remarkable women & their extraordinary lives, from Ada Lovelace to Malala, Amelia Earhart to Michelle Obama. Empowering, moving & inspirational, these are true fairy tales for heroines who definitely don`t need rescuing.
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From the multi award-winning picture book maker of A Bit Lost, Oh No, George! & Shh! We Have a Plan, comes the ultimate bedtime book. A series of exquisitely coloured cut pages of increasing size introduce woodland families
- bears, deer, rabbits & teeny, tiny mice
- who are all beginning to feel really.. .rather.. .tired.. .YAWN! ” Dear me, ” says Great Big Bear, ”it must be time for bed!” But Little Bear is certainly not sleepy
- he`s wide awake! (For now...) With sublime, starry night time scenes & an infectious yawny ” Good night” refrain, Chris Haughton creates a lulling bedtime read, perfect for parents & children to share together.


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With a foreword by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, this guide to 600 pubs specializing in real ale & real food celebrates all that is good about British pub cuisine, from freshly prepared local produce & traditional meals to satisfying & adventurous listings of fine real ales with which to enjoy them. Each entry describes the locations, the beers, the menus, food prices, vegetarian selections, & the facilities for your family, as well as details of how to get there. Descriptions place an emphasis on freshly-cooked meals, from country inns to historic city-center pubs. Also featuring recipes for many popular dishes from some of Britain's best pub chefs, & split into counties for ease of use, this is the ideal book for those who love their food almost as much as their beer! ...

In 2012 The Good Pub Guide celebrated its 30th anniversary, & is as invaluable as ever. Its comprehensive yearly updates & countless reader reports ensure that only the very best pubs make the grade. Here you will find classic country pubs, town-centre inns, riverside retreats, gastropubs, historic gems & exciting newcomers, plus pubs specialising in wine, malt whisky, or own-brew beer. Find out the top pubs in each county for beer, dining & accommodation, & discover the winners of the coveted titles of Pub of the Year & Landlord of the Year. Packed with information, The Good Pub Guide 2012 is a fund of honest, entertaining & indispensable information. ...