An absorbing study of Cambodian religion & beliefs covering everything from the role of monks in everyday life to beliefs in ghosts, gods & shamans. Belief in the supernatural covers every aspect of a Cambodian`s birth, life & death; life is a process of merit-making in order to maximize the conditions of their rebirth. Philip Coggan`s lively text describes the Buddha`s life, the establishment of Buddhism in Cambodia & the duties of monks within the monasteries. The spirit world is mapped & the interaction between gods, spirits & humans is described through the various stages of life. Cambodia`s recent history is discussed in relation to its connection with the spirit world. The text is enlivened by the author`s interviews with Cambodians, such as the girl who sees spirits all the time, or the woman who can put people in touch with the ghosts of dead relatives. Altogether, this factual account of the status of the supernatural & the practice of religion in Cambodia makes a fascinating read. ...

Of all the skills you might acquire in life, the ability to make a good cocktail is never going to be a waste of your time. No lover will complain when you present them with a well-iced Negroni as they walk through your door; no house-guest will complain at the suggestion of a round of Gin Sours. ` To cocktail` was coined as a verb by F Scott Fitzgerald in 1928. This amateur guide to cocktailing embodies Fitzgerald`s Golden Age spirit while giving it a thoroughly modern makeover. But forget shelling out GBP8.50 at faux-speakeasies & hyper-modern molecular establishments
- the place to cocktail is at home. Expressly structured for the amateur, the first chapter of this book shows how just six bottles are needed for 25 classic cocktails. From this simple start the book brings a wealth of cocktail recipes & knowledge, all the while reminding you of the pleasures of cocktailing chez vous. From a Pean to the Spritz & a rehabilitation of the Bronx, through cocktail history & cocktailonomics, to go-to lists like ` The Top 5 Girly Drinks`, The Spirits is a perfect mix. Informative recipes blended with whimsy & anecdote are given a dash of fun, & finished with a twist of brilliantly wry humour.
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Festive cheer turns to maddening fear in this new collection of seasonal hauntings, presenting the best Christmas ghost stories from the 1850s to the 1960s. The traditional trappings of the holiday are turned upside down as restless spirits disrupt the merry games of the living, Christmas trees teem with spiteful pagan presences & the Devil himself treads the boards at the village pantomime. As the cold night of winter closes in & the glow of the hearth begins to flicker & fade, the uninvited visitors gather in the dark in this distinctive assortment of haunting tales. ...

In this lively collection from an array of accomplished writers, readers meet an old woman who imparts an invaluable midnight message on a Greek island; brothers who heal old family wounds in Ireland; & travelers who awaken to the mystery of their souls in such disparate places as St. Peter`s in Rome & a dusty road in India. The Spiritual Gifts of Travel reveals the myriad ways that travel renews the spirit. ...

Both an inspirational travel guide, & a beautiful reference, Spiritual Places combines awe-inspiring photography & memorable narrative to tell the stories of the holiest temples & ancient ruins, the most hallowed churches & the places of ancient power. Each location has been handpicked for its breathtaking scenery & its uniquely humbling qualities. Spanning every continent on the planet
- from the Mayan pyramids of Chichen Itza in Mexico, through the Carnac stones in France & on to the idyllic ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia
- acclaimed travel writer Antony Mason has carefully selected the most uplifting places the world has to offer. Encompassing belief systems past & present, this collection of stunning images, enlightening text & essential travel tips will inspire & inform armchair afficionados & seasoned travellers alike.

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”I am going to write every single day & tell you about my life here in Spitalfields at the heart of London...” Drawing comparisons with Pepys, Mayhew & Dickens, the gentle author of Spitalfields Life has gained an extraordinary following in recent years, by writing hundreds of lively pen portraits of the infinite variety of people who live & work in the East End of London. Everything you seek in London can be found here
- street life, street art, markets, diverse food, immigrant culture, ancient houses & history, pageants & parades, rituals & customs, traditional trades & old family businesses. Spend a night in the bakery at St John, ride the rounds with the Spitalfields milkman, drop in to the Golden Heart for a pint, meet a fourth-generation paper bag seller, a mudlark who discovers treasure in the river Thames, a window cleaner who sees ghosts & a master bell-founder whose business started in 1570. Join the bunny girls for their annual reunion, visit the wax sellers of Wentworth Street & discover the site of Shakespeare`s first theatre. All of human life is here in Spitalfields Life.
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Religious strife, civil conflict, waves of immigration, the rise & fall of industry, great prosperity & grinding poverty
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Religious strife, civil conflict, waves of immigration, the rise & fall of industry, great prosperity & grinding poverty
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` We had returned to a different world. We had taken off in peace at nine-thirty & landed in war at noon.` Jackie Moggridge was just nineteen when World War Two broke out. Determined to do her bit, she joined the Air Transport Auxiliary. Ferrying aircraft from factory to frontline was dangerous work, but there was also fun, friendship & even love in the air. At last the world was opening up to women...or at least it seemed to be. From her first flight at fifteen to smuggling Spitfires into Burma, Jackie describes the trials & tribulations, successes & frustrations of her life in the sky. ...

` The best book you will ever read about Britain`s greatest warplane.` Patrick Bishop, bestselling author of Fighter Boys. `A rich & heartfelt tribute to this most iconic British machine. By focussing on the men (and women) who flew the Spitfire, John Nichol has brought a fresh & powerful perspective to the story. & by recording their bravery, humility, camaraderie, tragedy & sheer joy in flying their beloved Spits he has done them
- & us
- a valuable service` Rowland White, bestselling author of Vulcan 606 `A superb & compelling book. Brilliantly written with some incredible & astonishing stories; it is gripping, moving, emotional & sometimes humorous
- just perfect` Squadron Leader (Ret) Clive Rowley, former Officer Commanding RAF Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight `A superb journey through the remarkable tale of that British icon, the Spitfire. Brilliantly & engagingly written, this is the most readable story of the aircraft & her pilots that I have ever had the pleasure to read in a period spanning some forty-odd years of personal study & research. Truly stunning.` Andy Saunders, Editor, Britain at War Magazine. The perfect complementary narrative to the bestselling memoir by Geoffrey Wellum
- First Light. Achtung, Spitfire! The iconic Spitfire found fame during the darkest early days of World War II. But what happened to the redoubtable fighter & its crews beyond the Battle of Britain, & why is it still so loved today? In late spring 1940, Nazi Germany`s domination of Europe had looked unstoppable. With the British Isles in easy reach since the fall of France, Adolf Hitler was convinced that Great Britain would be defeated in the skies over her southern coast, confident his Messerschmitts & Heinkels would outclass anything the Royal Air Force threw at them. What Hitler hadn`t planned for was the agility & resilience of a marvel of British engineering that would quickly pass into legend
- the Spitfire. Bestselling author John Nichol`s passionate portrait of this magnificent fighter aircraft, its many innovations & updates, & the people who flew & loved them, carries the reader beyond the dogfights over Kent & Sussex. Spanning the full global reach of the Spitfire`s deployment during WWII, from Malta to North Africa & the Far East, then over the D-Day beaches, it is always accessible, effortlessly entertaining & full of extraordinary spirit. Here are edge-of-the-seat stories & heart-stopping first-hand accounts of battling pilots forced to bail out over occupied territory; of sacrifice & wartime love; of aristocratic female flyers, & of the mechanics who braved the Nazi onslaught to keep the aircraft in battle-ready condition. Nichol takes the reader on a hair-raising, nail-biting & moving wartime history of the iconic Spitfire populated by a cast of redoubtable, heroic characters that make you want to stand up & cheer. `A rich & heartfelt tribute to this most iconic British machine. By focussing on the men (and women) who flew the Spitfire, John Nichol has brought a fresh & powerful perspective to the story.`
- Rowland White
- author of Vulcan 607






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