A passionate & informative celebration of trees & of man`s ingenuity in exploiting their resources: the perfect gift for anyone who cares about the natural world. Trees are marvels of nature, still-standing giants of extraordinary longevity. In a beautifully written sequence of essays, anecdotes & profiles of Britain`s best-loved species (from yew to scots pine), Max Adams explores both the amazing biology of trees & humanity`s relationship with wood & forest across the centuries. Embellished with images from John Evelyn`s classic Sylva (1664), The Wisdom of Trees a gift book that will delight anyone who cares about the natural world & our interaction with it. ...

Simon Drew would like to be considered a very wise man. His evidence is that wise men drink wine & nobody could be more dedicated to prolonging this state of (dis)graceful wisdom than Simon. He is certain that wine is an excellent aid to inspiration for his word plays, puzzles & drawings. For Simon, less is never more. More is always more. Less is always less. This is more or less true. Such wisdom comes to him after several glasses of wine. Simon has produced this book with due reverence to all viticulturists, vintners, publicans, restaurateurs, bon viveurs & to the god Bacchus & hopes to demonstrate that the way of the wise man is the path through the vineyard. He is fond of"ing a saying oft repeated by his gr&-mother (a reformed Methodist & born-again drinker): I have no pain now, mother dear, but oh I am so dry! Connect me to the vintner`s tap & leave me here to die (or words to that effect). So enjoy the book. Simon suggests you open a bottle of St Emilion, put your feet up, abandon all hope of good sense & read in a disorderly manner. ...

For over 2000 years, Buddhist psychology has offered invaluable insights into the nature of the heart & mind, & transformed the way many people around the world handle life`s challenges. But the ancient texts on which these remarkable teachings are based can be difficult to penetrate for modern seekers. Now, drawing on his experience as a monk trained in Thail&, Burma & India, as well as his expert psychology practice, Jack Kornfield provides an accessible, definitive guide to Buddhism for Buddhists & non-Buddhists alike. This important new work is in the tradition of his classic works A Path with Heart & After the Ecstasy, the Laundry, offering practical tools to coping with modern life & dealing with emotions such as fear, anger & shame. Kornfield also shares the illuminating stories of his students & fellow practitioners, as well as his own journey towards enlightenment, including his recovery from a violence-filled childhood. Here is a rare treasure that will give readers greater access to the secret beauty within
- & without.
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” If I had been present at the Creation, ” the thirteenth-century Spanish philosopher-king Alfonso X is said to have stated, ” Many faults in the universe would have been avoided.” Known as El Sabio, ”the Wise, ” Alfonso was renowned by friends & enemies alike for his sparkling intellect & extraordinary cultural achievements. In The Wise King, celebrated historian Simon R. Doubleday traces the story of the king`s life & times, leading us deep into his emotional world & showing how his intense admiration for Spain`s rich Islamic culture paved the way for the European Renaissance. In 1252, when Alfonso replaced his more militaristic father on the throne of Castile & Leon, the battle to reconquer Muslim territory on the Iberian Peninsula was raging fiercely. But even as he led his Christian soldiers onto the battlefield, Alfonso was seduced by the glories of Muslim Spain. His engagement with the Arabic-speaking culture of the South shaped his pursuit of astronomy, for which he was famed for centuries, & his profoundly humane vision of the world, which Dante, Petrarch, & later Italian humanists would inherit.A composer of lyric verses, & patron of works on board games, hunting, & the properties of stones, Alfonso is best known today for his Cantigas de Santa Maria (Songs of Holy Mary), which offer a remarkable window onto his world. His ongoing struggles as a king & as a man were distilled--in art, music, literature, & architecture--into something sublime that speaks to us powerfully across the centuries. An intimate biography of the Spanish ruler in whom two cultures converged, The Wise King introduces readers to a Renaissance man before his time, whose creative energy in the face of personal turmoil & existential threats to his kingdom would transform the course of Western history. ...

Picking up the tale of Kvothe Kingkiller once again, we follow him into exile, into political intrigue, courtship, adventure, love & magic.. .and further along the path that has turned Kvothe, the mightiest magician of his age, a legend in his own time, into Kote, the unassuming pub landlord. Packed with as much magic, adventure & home-grown drama as The Name of the Wind, this is a sequel in every way the equal to its predecessor & a must-read for all fantasy fans. Readable, engaging & gripping The Wise Man`s Fear is the biggest & the best new fantasy novel out there. ...

Uniquely the book will be published with 99 different covers, a selection of which can be seen here. Your cover will therefore be a surprise & we really hope that you like the one that you receive. Just over 1, 000 days ago, Bill Griffin launched Crowdwish, a website & app with a single proposition
- it simply asked people what three things they thought they wanted most. Wishes poured in from all over the world, with the site promising to take some form of meaningful action for the most up-voted wish every twenty-four hours. Wishes that have gained national press attention range from the assisting of a woman who wanted to find a half-decent boyfriend (`just not a dick basically`), duping Katie Hopkins into signing a gagging order & attaching a faux marble plinth to the offices of the Daily Mail. The Wish reviews 99 of the site`s most popular wishes, & asks: what are the things we really want, how can we get closer to them & how much happier would we be if they were to come true? The result is a snapshot of the hopes, dreams & desires that unite us all, part reflection on a fascinating social experiment, part humorous rumination on the nature of happiness & part instruction manual for life. The Wish is funny, upbeat & genuinely helpful
- each reader is invited to pick one wish from the book that resonates most with them, & email the author for help in making it happen.

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A classic fantasy story from the world`s best-loved children`s author, Enid Blyton, now with stunning new covers by Mark ...

Jump aboard the Wishing-Chair & whizz off on three magical adventures! ” The Adventures of the Wishing-Chair”: when Mollie & Peter go to buy their mother a birthday present, they discover the most extraordinary thing
- a chair that can fly & grant wishes! The Wishing-Chair takes them on some marvellous adventures
- to a castle where they narrowly escape from a giant & rescue Chinky the pixie, to the Land of Dreams, & to a disappearing isl&. ” The Wishing-Chair Again”: Mollie & Peter are home for the holidays & they long to see their friend Chinky & their magic Wishing-Chair. Together they have wonderful adventures, but what happens when the Wishing-Chair is stolen & then gets its wings cut off by the naughty Slipperies? ” More Wishing-Chair Stories”: Mollie & Peter & Chinky the pixie have more amazing adventures on their Wishing-Chair. They find gold at the end of the rainbow, they meet brownies & they visit the Land of Wishes. Best of all they get to help Santa Claus deliver presents for Christmas.

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The Wit & Wisdom of Sherlock Holmes is a glorious collection of more than 300"es from Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, Professor Moriarty, Irene Adler, Mycroft Holmes, Inspector Lestrade & more. The world`s favourite detective is renowned for his incredible mind, wry observations & subtle humour. This unique anthology features"es ranging from the deeply philosophical to the wonderfully humorous, & is the perfect present for any Sherlock Holmes fan. With witty & wonderful"es from the characters in Arthur Conan Doyle`s stories, The Best of Sherlock makes for a delightful book & thoughtful gift. ...

London has been one of the world`s great cities for over 2, 000 years & has produced countless scholars, artists, rogues & wits, each of whom left their mark on the metropolis by their words or deeds. ” The Wit & Wisdom of London” brings together their best & most memorable"ations, a treasury of the cleverest, the wittiest, & the bawdiest sayings of the city`s greatest residents. From the Romans to Amy Winehouse, via Doctor Johnson & Dickens, & from the aristocrats of Westminster to the paupers of the East End, ” The Wit & Wisdom of London” captures the essence of London, in the words of its people. ” It is not the walls that make the city, but the people who live within them. The walls of London may be battered, but the spirit of the Londoner stands resolute & undismayed”. (George VI). ” Nothing is certain in London but expense”. (William Shenstone). ” The man who can dominate a London dinner table can dominate the world”. (” Oscar Wilde”). ...