`I cannot be killed indoors, ` he said, `nor out of doors; I cannot be killed on horseback, nor on foot.` ` Well, ` she said, `how can you be killed?` Celtic mythology, Arthurian romance, & an intriguing interpretation of British history
- these are just some of the themes embraced by the anonymous authors of the eleven tales that make up the Welsh medieval masterpiece known as the Mabinogion. They tell of Gwydion the shape-shifter, who can create a woman out of flowers; of Math the magician whose feet must lie in the lap of a virgin; of hanging a pregnant mouse & hunting a magical boar. Dragons, witches, & giants live alongside kings & heroes, & quests of honour, revenge, & love are set against the backdrop of a country struggling to retain its independence. This new translation, the first for thirty years, recreates the storytelling world of medieval Wales & re-invests the tales with the power of performance. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World`s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford`s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, & much more.
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The Macmillan Alice Colouring Book is a beautifully produced colouring book, with black line illustrations by Sir John Tenniel, taken from the original Alice`s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass, with added decoration & imagery to stimulate the imagination & soothe the mind, as you lose yourself in Wonderl&. This gorgeous colouring book, from the original publisher of Lewis Carroll`s beloved masterpiece, features all of Wonderland`s favourite characters, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the Red Queen & of course Alice herself
- just waiting to be brought to life with colour.
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This delightful book contains thirty postcards illustrated with images from Alice`s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass. Each postcard has a"ation from Lewis Carroll`s classic text on the reverse, setting it in the context of the original stories. All our favourite characters are here
- in addition to Alice there are images of the Mad Hatter, Humpty Dumpty, the White Rabbit & many other characters. The front of each card is printed in full colour, using the coloured versions of John Tenniel`s iconic illustrations. The Macmillan Alice Postcard Book is a wonderful celebration of one of the best loved children`s classics, from Lewis Carroll. A great gift to give or to keep for yourself!
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First published in 1920, The Mad Toy is set in Buenos Aires in the early twentieth century. Feeling the alienation of youth, Silvio Astier`s gang tours neighbourhoods, inflicting waves of petty crime, stealing from homes & shops until the police are forced to intervene. Drifting then from one career & subsequent crime to another, Silvio`s main difficulty is his own intelligence, with which he grapples. Writing in the language of the streets & basing his writings in part on his own experience, with his characters wandering in a modern world, Arlt creates a book that combines realism, humour & anger with detective story. Trailblazing for Boom writers who were to follow him such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez & Isabel Allende, Roberto Arlt is rated as one of the greatest Argentinean writers. Although astronomically famous in South America, Roberto Arlt`s name is still relatively unknown in Anglophone circles, but the rising wave of appreciation of South American literature is bringing him to the fore. ...

If you have ever been asked to `not keep your legs`, offered a `villain roast bighead` for lunch, or even thought of visiting Buckshutem Wildlife Reserve, you will know that the English language is truly in a parlous condition. The Mad World of Sign Language is a compendium of the most inappropriate, confusing, poorly translated & downright bizarre signs from every corner of the globe, as spotted by the readers of the Telegraph whilst on their travels. It seems that few things amuse & appal this eagle-eyed tribe as much as the abuse, misuse, mistranslation & utter mangling of the English language. Here we present an entertaining round-the-world tour of their most egregious & amusing sightings, as collected by the weekly feature Sign Language. The ailing art of signwriting offers a timely warning about the imperilled state of modern English, both here & abroad. What more efficient & hilarious way to make the point? ...

This is a new translation of Simenon`s tense novel, book fifteen in the new Penguin Maigret series. He recalled his travelling companion`s agitated sleep
- was it really sleep?
- his sighs, & his sobbing. Then the two dangling legs, the patent-leather shoes & h&-knitted socks.. . An insipid face. Glazed eyes. & Maigret was not surprised to see a grey beard eating into his cheeks. A distressed passenger leaps off a night train & vanishes into the woods. Maigret, on his way to a well-earned break in the Dordogne, is soon plunged into the pursuit of a madman, hiding amongst the seemingly respectable citizens of Bergerac. Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels. ” Compelling, remorseless, brilliant”. (John Gray). ” One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.. . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories”. (Guardian). ”A supreme writer.. .unforgettable vividness”. (Independent). Georges Simenon was born in Liege, Belgium, in 1903. Best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret books, his prolific output of over 400 novels & short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe. He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerl&, where he had lived for the latter part of his life.

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1923 Maria Vittoria is embroidering a sheet for her dowry trunk. Her father has gone to find her a husb&. He`s taken his mule, a photograph & a pack of food: home-made sopressa sausage, cold polenta, a little flask of wine
- no need to take water
- the world is full of water. There are no eligible men in this valley or the next one, & her father will not let her marry just anyone, & now, despite Maria`s years, she is still healthy. Her betrothed will see all that. He`ll be looking for a woman who can do the work. Maria can do the work. Everyone in the contra says that. And the Lord knows Maria will need to be able to work. Fascism blooms as crops ripen, the state craves babies just as the babies cry for food. Maria faces a stony path, but one she will surely climb to the summit. In this sumptuous & elegant novel you will taste the bigoli co l`arna, touch the mulberry leaves cut finer than organdie, & feel the strain of one woman attempting to keep her family safe in the most dangerous of times.

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Helen Stancey`s debut collection of short stories more than rival her well received novels, Words & Common Ground. The Madonna of the Pool is a fantastic collection of short stories which explore the triumphs, compromises & quiet disappointments of everyday life. Drawing on a wide array of characters, Helen Stancey shows how small events, insignificant to some, can resonate deeply in the lives of others. Richly poetic, deeply moving & entirely engaging, these short stories demonstrate an exquisite understanding of human adaptation, endurance &, most of all, optimism. ...

The Maghreb
- the region that today encompasses Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia & Libya
- is a region apart within the larger

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The Magic Faraway Tree is the second story in the Faraway Tree series by the world`s best-loved children`s author, Enid Blyton. When Joe, Beth & Frannie move to a new home, an Enchanted Wood is on their doorstep. & when they discover the Faraway Tree, it proves to be the beginning of many magical adventures! Join them & their friends Moonface, Saucepan Man & Silky the fairy as they discover which new land is at the top of the Faraway Tree. Will it be the Land of Spells, the Land of Treats, or the Land of Do-As-You-Please? Come on an amazing adventure
- there`ll be adventures waiting whatever happens. Enid Blyton`s funny, magical adventure stories have become true classics, loved by millions & still selling thousands of copies every year. She is arguably the most famous children`s author of all time, thanks to series such as The Wishing-Chair, The Faraway Tree, The Mysteries, The Famous Five & The Secret Seven.
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